This was a great read. Small-town lawyer Simon is struggling with both his personal and professional lives. When he snags a new client, wealthy widow Eleanor, Simon thinks that his luck has taken a turn for the better. Unfortunately, he could not be more wrong. Simon soon finds himself fighting for his reputation, his family - and for his freedom. Grisham takes his time setting up the characters and the plot - this is not a quick story - heightening the suspense and forcing the reader to question whether things are (or are not) what they seem. I especially appreciated the story development of the supporting characters and that the drama was not limited to the inside of a courtroom.

I really enjoyed this book, and it had all the best elements of a John Grisham novel. I really liked how the book took time to set up the story for the first 50/60% of the story. By focusing on not only Simon and Eleanor’s relationship but on every character individually, it helps with the building of the story. The middle of the book felt slow because of the trial which felt like I was rereading everything that was already said in the first half of the book, however it really picked up in the last 15% when Simon raced against the clock to find the killer. Overall this was such an entertaining read and I’m so excited for more whodunits in the future!

John Grisham's latest legal thriller The Widow is a story about 85 year old Eleanor Barnett, who has sought our attorney Simon Latch (perhaps a pun related to Simon Lagree?) for help preparing a new will. Eleanor is all alone having lost her second husband years ago. She has no children, no immediate relatives, and few friends except for Doris. She also claims to be loaded with millions of dollars in stocks and cash instruments.

Simon Latch is a small town lawyer in Braxton, Virginia. His marriage is on the rocks, he has a gambling problem, very few clients, and next to no business cash flow. Divorce is coming, and money problems mount. Then Eleanor appears, and Simon sees himself as becoming the Executor of her estate when she passes and charging nearly $500 an hour to sort things out.

Eleanor is not forthcoming about her assets, and is fiercely independent. She doesn't like lawyers and legal "gobbledygook" but starts to trust Simon as they work together over the will, usually through regular lunches at various ethnic spots in and around Braxton. Simon always picks up the tab awaiting future payoffs, while his wife plans to file for divorce. This pattern of lunches and Simon problems repeats itself several times in the first half of the book, and after getting about half-way through the book I was ready to call it quits--but I stayed with it as things started to get interesting.

Short summary--Eleanor is involved in a serious car accident she caused and has to be hospitalized with injuries. Over the next two weeks her condition deteriorates to the point where she is put on life support. Eleanor has signed an advanced medical directive and power of attorney to Simon upon her death. She passes away shortly after being unplugged from the ventilator.

Simon's windfall starts to unravel right away, as a tip to the police claim that Eleanor was poisoned. Minutes away from being cremated, her body is sent to Norfolk for autopsy. The report comes back showing she died by poison ingested in her body. Simon is arrested and charged with murder,

From there the story moves quickly as Simon tries to clear his name with very limited resources. The book picks up a lot of energy as the trial speeds to a conclusion. The verdict and its aftermath are very surprising.

I enjoyed the book, but thought it slogged in the middle. Still, after reading I give it 5/5 stars. It is a different Grisham book and a nice change of direction for the long-published author.

I want to thank the author, Doubleday books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advance copy. I attest this is my own unbiased review.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Set in rural Virginia, the book focuses on Simon, a lawyer, who is in the throws of personal and professional issues. He is getting a divorce and can barely stay afloat financially. He acquires a new client, Eleanor, who needs a new will as her deceased husband left her money. Simon works to keep her wealth known only to them, but as time goes on, her history develops holes in it. She eventually has an accident, and Simon is pegged as the murderer. All of the obvious signs point to Simon, so he must embark to find the real killer, before he goes away for a murder he didn't commit.

I appreciated the incorporation of a mystery into the always excellent legal thrillers by this author; it provided a different and fun dynamic. Simon was relatable even as a lawyer and even as some of his decisions were concerning. There was a layered exploration of Simon as a person, an interesting mystery that provided unpredictable twists, and that ease of the lawyerly world. Highly recommend if you're looking for something to uplift a reading slump!

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a long while since I picked up a John Grisham book. I remember picking up each new release back in the day and as a career paralegal I always loved the courtroom drama so was curious what this “whodunit”was going to be like.

Simon Latch is a small time lawyer with a gambling habit and a crumbling marriage. When a widow comes to him to prepare a will with the promise of large, hidden assets, he’s going to do everything in his power to keep her as a client. When she ends up hospitalized and he is the only person she has to help and make decisions, he ends up on trial for a murder he swears he didn’t commit. The second part is the courtroom trial which seems like classic John Grisham. Then we have the third which is Simon trying to figure out who really committed the crime since everyone else was happy to convict him.

I found this to be engaging and even though Simon was not the most likable character I found myself rooting for him throughout. It lacked some of the magic and suspense from the author’s legal thrillers but it was a solid read overall. Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy to read and review

The Widow, John Grisham’s upcoming novel, marks his first foray into the “whodunit” genre. While I’ve enjoyed many of Mr. Grisham’s previous works, this one, unfortunately, didn’t resonate with me. Although the plot had promise—a struggling street lawyer sees a chance at a brighter future when he becomes the trustee for a wealthy elderly widow—the execution fell flat. The main character, Simon Latch, ends up being just as morally questionable as the rest of the cast. There was some character development, but not enough to make any of them likable or worth rooting for. Everyone was so deeply flawed that I struggled to care about what happened to them. The ending also left me dissatisfied. It felt abrupt, as if the story just stopped rather than concluded, which made the experience feel incomplete. Sadly, this one was a miss for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lightning fast and engaging. A perfect holiday read. Grisham takes a turn from his usual legal thriller genre, and it is the RIGHT turn. Wow. His first whodunit will keep you up at night - so it is just right for ithe upcoming October release date. The inner dialogue of 'The Widow' 's lead character, (not surprisingly a small town lawyer), will pull you through a slippery down slope of risky decision making. The old girl's circumstances create twisty turns resulting in actions and events drenched in flat out greed. The foundation of misleading evidence has now been laid out - right before her untimely death, Of course, there are now ten fingers all pointing at the wrong guy! John Grisham hits the nail on the head with this fictional tale in the theme of his life work. He exposes another example of how the circumstances of the wrongfully convicted are exasperated by the deep seated problems in our legal system. Thank you to DoubleDay and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader's Copy.

More than just a legal thriller, John Grisham's 'The Widow' is a superb character study of a small-town lawyer on the ropes. I was particularly struck by the novel's gritty and realistic portrayal of the financial pressures of a general practice. While the mystery element is enjoyable, the novel's real strength is its exploration of the daily life of a professional just trying to keep his head above water. As a retired GP that specialized in anything coming through the door, the parallels to my own career were uncanny and deeply resonant. A highly recommended read for those who enjoy Grisham's signature storytelling with a strong dose of real-world insight.

I really like John Grisham’s legal thrillers, but this one was too slow for me. I thought the story itself was very good, but it kind of just dragged on and the ending was very anticlimactic for me.

I have not read any of John Grisham's books in awhile so I thought that I would give this one a try. Wow, what a great thriller! A lawyer takes a case from an elderly woman who presents herself as a wealthy widow. Twists and turns and the lawyer finds himself accused of murder of the woman. I thought that I had figured the mystery out halfway throught the book however, I was completely wrong. Kudos to Mr. Grisham for another great read!

Okay, okay — this book was such a good read.
Simon, a lawyer, finds himself in serious trouble after making some pretty desperate (and not-so-smart) decisions involving one of his clients. Now, he’s racing against time to prove his innocence before he ends up on death row.
The pacing was steady throughout, and I really liked how everything came together in the end.

John Grisham has been the king of courtroom thrillers for years and while he's explored other genres, he's most entertaining when writing about lawyers and the law. In "The Widow" he introduces Simon Latch, Esq. a lawyer who has been struggling to make ends meet in a small Virginia town. He's not a bad lawyer, he's just not a great one, lured by easy money with wills and bankruptcy filings. He's on the verge of a divorce, and being perpetually broke doesn't help, nor does his gambling habit.

That's why when Eleanor Barnett walks into his office and needs a will drawn up, implying that her estate is worth millions, it's entirely believable that Latch suddenly envisions astronomical fees and takes much interest in the client. With no living relatives other than two despised and long-estranged stepsons, she doesn't seem to have a potential executor. She's old, and when she ends up in the hospital, it's Latch who reluctantly ends up with medical power of attorney. Then things go very sideways and his humdrum life takes a distinct downward turn: She dies and the evidence suggests that he killed her. Was it for the money?

"The Widow" is a great summer read, a fast, engaging story that will capture your attention. It's intriguing up to the very last page. It's not as well plotted as some of his earlier work, however, so attentive readers might find that clues come up in the story that should produce more curiosity from the characters than they do, which is a bit disconcerting. Still, it's a fun ride and perfect for light reading. Grisham remains one of the most readable authors in the genre, which makes up for plenty!

John Grisham delivers another legal thriller packed with tension, small-town secrets, and unexpected alliances in The Widow. The story revolves around Simon, a modest small-town lawyer whose desire for financial security drives him to make a questionable decision—drafting a secret will that grants him control over the estate of a wealthy, elderly widow. What begins as a morally gray decision quickly spirals into a legal nightmare when the widow turns up dead and Simon becomes the prime suspect in her murder. With the town turning against him and the evidence stacking up, Simon’s only hope lies in an unlikely team: a gritty criminal defense lawyer who takes the case pro bono, a brilliant hacker couple with shady pasts, and a determined FBI agent with her own reasons for pursuing the truth. Grisham masterfully builds suspense while exploring the limits of loyalty, justice, and redemption. The legal maneuvers are sharp, the twists are clever, and the characters are textured—especially Simon, whose journey from ambition to desperation is as compelling as it is tragic. The Widow is a gripping courtroom drama meets investigative thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Once again Grisham has excelled with another stunning legal mystery. Simultaneously evoking sympathy, dislike, lack of respect and sadness, the main character is an often despicable soul. Motivated by greed, he mires himself into a surprising situation that evolves into a brilliant jury trial. Could not put this one down - thanks for another engrossing story!

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Widow is another fantastic addition to John Grisham’s already legendary body of work — and this time, he ventures into classic whodunit territory with absolute finesse. Grisham proves he’s just as skilled at building suspense and mystery as he is at crafting courtroom drama.

The pacing is taut, the characters are deeply compelling, and the small-town atmosphere crackles with tension. The twists are smart and well-timed, keeping you guessing until the very end. It’s refreshing to see Grisham step into a new subgenre and absolutely own it. The Widow might be his first whodunit, but I hope it’s not his last.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published Oct 2025.

How could this book not be excellent considering it is written by John Grisham? And so it was excellent as expected. The story revolves around a small town lawyer who is asked to prepare a will for what he thinks is a very wealthy widow. It should have been a simple request except that the lawyer was blinded by thoughts of the pot of money she had and how he could write the will to get his hands on some of it after her death. After all she had no one to leave the money to except 2 step-sons that both she and her deceased husband had made a point of excluding from any of the the fortune. He does figure out how to do that and then she dies...

3.5 ⭐️

Historically I have enjoyed John Grisham’s legal thrillers and based on The Widow, I will continue to read his ‘who dun it’ books in the future. I enjoyed the overall story and while it took a mini TS to like Simon, I ultimately did. He was the epitome of mortally gray but I still wanted him to get justice and end up in a better situation.

I had two critiques of the book. First - it felt very bifurcated. Half was much more legal focused and establishing Simon and the will, the second half was the trial and trying to figure out who was to blame. But it did t feel like much blending of the two sections - I wish there had been a more soft transition to hint at who was to blame and help bridge the two half’s. My second critique was was the book feels slow moving. I think it could have been 50 pages shorter and this increase the excitement but instead if came across slow and overly bogged down in details that had been established a multitude of times.

Thank you to John Grisham, Doubleday, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Uncorrected Proof

After eighteen years of bankruptcies, drunk drivers, delinquent child support, foreclosures, car wrecks, and dubious disabilities, attorney Simon F. Latch is burned out, trapped in a failed marriage, and essentially broke. The occasional updating of a will is generally uncomplicated and brings in a small sum that helps keep the firm going.

Today, the client is Eleanor Barnett who, it turns out had had her will updated by another local lawyer but is unhappy with some of its provisions and wants it redone. After a conversation with the widow, Simon realizes she is one of the richest clients ever to have come through his door.

However, it isn’t long before the case seems to crack; nothing is quite as it seems.

And then Simon finds himself charged with murder.

=========

Wrongful conviction gets its day in court in this intriguing tale from storyteller-master John Grisham. This is legal suspense at its finest as readers take a seat in the courtroom and contemplate the particulars of legal maneuvers and miscarriage of justice while, at the same time, finding themselves untangling a mystery.

Readers are pulled into the telling of this enthralling tale from the first page; with strong, well-developed, believable [but not necessarily likable] characters, a truly intricate and captivating plot, and enough suspense to keep them on the edge of their seats, they are sure to find themselves turning pages as fast as possible.

As the unfolding narrative slowly reveals the secrets and lies hidden within the twisty plot and the legal drama, this unputdownable book will keep readers engrossed from the first page to the unexpected denouement.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Doubleday Books / Doubleday and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#TheWidow #NetGalley

I was honored to receive an ARC of this book! I started it immediately and I was hooked. This is possibly my new favorite book by John Grisham.
I immediately liked Simon and even though he makes some bad decisions, I was always on his side. This was a perfectly written whodunit. You, as the reader, will go through a list of potential suspects. But in the end, it’s quite unbelievable but also so easy to figure out.
If you love a good crime mystery, carve out a day or two in your calendar because you will not be able to put this one down!

John Grisham never disappoints, and The Widow is no exception. This is another legal, hard to put down novel by one of my favorite authors. Definitely worth reading!