While not Grisham's finest work, he does well to portray and pay tribute to the tragedy that is the death penalty. I read this because I'm currently working on my own "mystery/crime thriller" idea and I needed some guidance on pacing, tension and how to weave fact into fiction. This book delivered on all those fronts. His books are always so easy to get swallowed up in and I sped through the 450+ pages. I would have liked some more insight into some of the characters, but the ones who are "full-bodied" - Boyette, Flak, the two mothers Reeva and Roberta - were strong enough to carry the story. Read if you are interested in the shocking ins and outs of the death penalty in some US States, but don't expect a balanced argument for or against; Mr Grisham, like me, is by all accounts very much against.