The Widow

By John Grisham

Book Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham is the acclaimed master of the legal thriller. Now, he's back with his first-ever whodunit, even more suspenseful than his courtroom dramas, as a small-time lawyer accused of murder races to find the real killer to clear his name.

"A classic, compulsive, taut and thrilling novel from one of the great storytellers of our time. The Widow is John Grisham at his irresistible, unforgettable best."--Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark

Simon Latch is a lawyer in rural Virginia, making just enough to pay his bills while his marriage slowly falls apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune, and no one knows about it.

Once he hooks the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar. But soon her story begins to crack. When she is hospitalized after a car accident, Simon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn't commit: murder.

Simon knows he's innocent. But he also knows the circumstantial evidence is against him, and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. To save himself, he must find the real killer....

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385548982
• ISBN13: 9780385548984
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Old Themes Re-empowered

Thoughts about John Grisham’s The Widow This is a fun read, and like other Grisham novels, it drives home the point of the fallibility of our legal system because of the fallibility of humanity in general. It becomes an illustration of the Christian doctrine of the depravity of man while leaving room for the truth that there remains something of the image of God in us. Grisham’s characters are developed consistently throughout the novel and reflect qualities that are seen in his other novels. Children are fun and charming. Teenagers are smarter than their parents think. Bad guys can still produce some good works in spite of themselves. Good guys can screw up. And they may find that it is necessary to bend the rules. Themes present in other novels also surface in this one. Secret sins can come back to bite you. Families are important. Divorce hurts just about everyone. Drinking and drugs are dangerous and harmful. Early adult friendships are strong and helpful. Greed is a strong motivator. People deceive themselves all too often. Some people and firms really are VERY rich. They seem to be insulated from the consequences of their wrongful actions. At the same time, wealth is no insulation from human foibles. Being really smart can pay off, and it can get you into big trouble. Moderation is a virtue. The feds are to be feared. Sometimes, the best strategy is just to leave the situation. Help can show up from unexpected sources. The justice system has its limits and failings. As in his documentary The Innocent Man, Grisham revisits the idea that a prosecutor’s actions can severely hurt innocent people. Here he develops a charming, talented attorney whom the reader loves to hate. Will she get what’s coming to her in the end? (The prosecutors In The Innocent Man were not held accountable for their miscarriage of justice, even though they suppressed evidence and intentionally misconstrued facts.)