Book 216 - John Grisham - Theodore Boone Book 5 - The Fugitive

Rather thrillingly and also unusually, these young adult novels from the master storyteller not only are brilliant individually but also paint a picture that has been several books in the crafting.

Way back in Book One a woman is brutally murdered and until Theo intervenes with a shock witness the would-be murderer looks as if he will escape. Earlier in this series the accused, Pete Duffy, had skipped bail and at the start of this novel he is still on the run.

Theo and his school are on a tour around the famous monuments of Washington and suddenly when on the subway… Theo spots a very different looking Duffy and soon…his Uncle Ike is involved and even the FBI.

Duffy is caught and we return to Theo’s home town for the trial…and once again Theo finds himself up to his neck in trouble and what follows shows the brilliance of Grisham as we get almost two books in one. The witness goes missing and a mistrial looks inevitable but soon Theo finds himself in the Judge’s chambers with literal life and death discussions going on around him.

Not surprisingly we end on a potential deadly cliffhanger… ( )

Theodore Boone Series , Book 5

The Theodore Boone series is a YA book perfect for an adult palette cleanser. Theo is a good kid with a passion for the law. In this installment, Theo is on a school trip to Washington, D.C. where he happens to bump into a fugitive from his hometown. The fugitive, Pete Duffy, is wanted for the murder of his wife. Theo gets all the excitement of working with the FBI and his favorite judge as he tries to bring Pete to justice. ( )

THEODORE BOONE: THE FUGITIVE by John Grisham
This is Grisham’s fifth book in the Theodore Boone series for young readers. Although I detected a bit of “talking down” to his audience, Grisham has the formula down pat for enticing and engaging middle school boys (and girls) to read. Theo is likable and just “rule breaking” enough to engage the young readers and just “law abiding” enough to appease the adults who might choose this thrilling read as a gift. There is danger -- and cliff hangers -- enough to keep the reluctant reader reading when a fugitive is identified by Theo. His “bad boy” uncle encourages him to continue when the authorities want Theo to be on the lookout for the killer and then to actively search for killer Duffy. When Duffy realizes Theo knows his identity and can recognize him, the danger is ratcheted up.
4 of 5 stars for a thrilling middle grade read. ( )

When I picked up a copy of THE FUGITIVE, I didn’t realize it was a young adult book. It didn’t take long to discover that: The reluctant hero was a fourteen-year-old boy and the reading level was less than an adult level. However, I decided to read it anyhow, focusing on its suitability for that age level. I was impressed.
Theodore Boone’s parents are both lawyers. They live in a small town and this is the fifth book in a series. While there are references to previous books and hints of future ones, it can be read as a stand alone.
Theodore Boone went to Washington DC with his eighth grade class on a school trip. While there, he recognized a man who looked familiar. It was Pete Duffy, who had been tried for the murder of his wife. The first attempt to bring him to justice ended with a mistrial and Duffy skipped town, forfeiting his bail before he could be retried.
THE FUGITIVE is primarily the story of getting Duffy back and his second trial. Theo has very mixed emotions about his role in this retrial, especially his part it convincing a key witness to testify.
The book addresses several current issues such as the homeless, undocumented workers, the death penalty and civic responsibility. It is not preachy and does a good job introducing them and the legal system to younger readers. Unlike other books of this genre, the hero works with the FBI and the court. He doesn’t attempt to solve a crime by himself.
The writing does not insult the readers by dumbing down the situations or vocabulary or by having unnecessarily short chapters but it is a bit repetitious at times. It is predictable. It doesn’t explain why a Spanish teacher would be called Madame Monique instead of Senora Averez or something similar. On the whole, it is what serious young adult fiction should be. ( )