The Last Juror (original 2004; edition 2011)

by John Grisham (Author)

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8,590	96	1,065	(3.58)	41
In 1970, one of Mississippi's more colorful weekly newspapers went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, ownership was assumed by a 23 year-old college dropout, named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reported all the gruesome details and the paper began to prosper. The murderer, Danny Padgitt was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when he was found guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison, but in Mississippi, in 1970, "life" didn't necessarily mean "life" and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County and the retribution began.… (more)

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Member:	vicens32
Title:	The Last Juror
Authors:	John Grisham (Author)
Info:	Arrow (2011), 512 pages
Collections:	Your library
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The Last Juror by John Grisham (2004)

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Showing 1-5 of 89 (next | show all)

While not as compelling as A Time to Kill, and its story set in time prior to the period of ATTK, Grisham returns us to the fictional community of Clanton, Mississippi, where the story is told through the voice of a young local newspaper editor, Willie Traynor. He reprises a pair of attorney characters Lucien Wilbanks and Harry Rex Vonner featured in ATTK, and trial judge, Judge Noose. (

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maryelisa | Jan 16, 2024 |

An interesting profile of small town, southern USA in the 1970's. As interesting as the story was, it was also very interesting to read of the legal and social structures of the times. This includes how many officials were elected and how that process could be corrupted. (

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ElizabethCromb | Dec 7, 2023 |

This was not a legal thriller in the usual Grisham mode. I found it rather bland, but kept reading so that I could learn whether my theory about the identity of the "last juror" was correct. It was not, and when they were identified, I wished for more detail about the background and motive of their actions. (

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phyllis.shepherd | Mar 24, 2023 |

I haven't read a John Grisham book in many years, though I did read his novels fervently in my early teen years. This one has that comfortable Grisham readability, but no real intrigue or intensity. The plot just kind of hums along. Predictable and forgettable, kind of like a chill paddle boat ride.

Edit: I hadn't read the back cover or Goodreads summary before touching the book or leaving my review. If you DID have that info, I would say that book would go from "chill" to tedious. It's predictable without a plot pathway. (

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Allyoopsi | Jun 22, 2022 |

It is not a legal thriller as the name might hint.

It is rather a chronicle of a young man's life and work as an editor of the county weekly neespaper.
The jurors, last or otherwise, don't even make an appearance until well into the second third of the story, and they don't stay long.

I wouldn't say it is a bad book, it's quite interesting in a way, but it is so much NOT what you'd expect it to be that it's hard not feel at least a little bit disappointed. (

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alissee | Dec 8, 2021 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
John Grisham	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Mann, Terrence	Narrator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Is contained in

The King of Torts [and] The Last Juror by John Grisham

The Last Juror [and] The Broker by John Grisham

Is abridged in

Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Last Juror • The Various Haunts of Men • The Codex • Life and Limb by Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest Select Editions: The Last Juror | The Various Haunts of Men | The Codex | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Reader's Digest

Az utolsó esküdt, Egy összeesküvés hálójában, sorsfordító, Vérvörös égbolt by Reader's Digest

Het Beste Boek 231: Het laatste jurylid / Nordica / Lijf en leden / De valse belofte by Reader's Digest

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Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher 259 - Die Liste. Pompeji. Ein allzu schönes Mädchen. Eine Rose für die Ewigkeit by Reader's Digest

Has as a student's study guide

A Study Guide for John Grisham's "The Last Juror" by Anne Marie Hacht

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The Last Juror by John Grisham Lesson Plans by BookRags

▾Awards and Honors

Distinctions

New York Times bestseller (Fiction – 2004)

Publishers Weekly Bestseller (Fiction – 2004)

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Canonical title

Original title

The Last Juror

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2004-02-03

People/Characters

Joyner William "Willie" Traynor

Important places

Clanton, Mississippi, USA

Ford County, Mississippi, USA

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Corinth, Mississippi, USA

Iuka, Mississippi, USA

(show all 6 items)

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

After decades of patient mismanagement and loving neglect, The Ford County Times went bankrupt in 1970.

Quotations

Last words

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Original language

English

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Canonical LCC

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▾Book descriptions

In 1970, one of Mississippi's more colorful weekly newspapers went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, ownership was assumed by a 23 year-old college dropout, named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reported all the gruesome details and the paper began to prosper. The murderer, Danny Padgitt was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when he was found guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison, but in Mississippi, in 1970, "life" didn't necessarily mean "life" and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County and the retribution began.

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