Clanton, Mississippi. 1990. Jake Brigance finds himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial when the court appoints him attorney for Drew Gamble, a timid sixteen-year-old boy accused of murdering a local deputy.

Grisham's nonfiction book, The Innocent Man (2006), recounted the real-life case of Ron Williamson, a former professional baseball player sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. Williamson was eventually released; his case exposed glaring inadequacies in the criminal justice system.

The Client (also referred to as John Grisham's The Client) is an American legal thriller drama television series developed by Judith Paige Mitchell that aired on CBS for one season, premiering with a two-hour pilot on September 17, 1995, and airing new episodes through April 16, 1996.

A Time for Mercy

While there are lulls during some of the legal procedural bits, Grisham's mastery of the courtroom thriller is never in question. As usual, he presents as smooth a read as you'll ever experience.

colonial America As mentioned, A Mercy is set in colonial America, mainly in the Maryland and New York colonies. The dates given us are primarily 1682 and 1690; there are allusions early in the novel to an event called Bacon's Rebellion that took place in 1676 (more on that below).

The name John Grisham is synonymous with absorbing legal thrillers. He's the author of over forty books, which have sold a collective 275 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 42 languages.

The Firm by The Firm by John Grisham The best John Grisham book to start with is The Firm, this is Grisham's most popular novel, and it's the one that made him a household name. This novel tells the story of a young attorney who gets an offer from a prestigious law firm in Memphis.

The name John Grisham is synonymous with absorbing legal thrillers. He's the author of over forty books, which have sold a collective 275 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 42 languages.

The Characters Of course, Jake and Carla Brigance, the Gamble family, Drew, his mother, and sister, Kiera, are the central figures. Other people you need to know about are Jake's intern, Portia, Harry Rex, Lucien, Judge Noose and Atlee, the DA, and his team of prosecutors.

A Mercy takes place in the late 17th century, from 1682, when the narrator Florens is 8 years old and is acquired by Jacob Vaark, to 1690, the year from which she narrates the novel at the age of 16.

Motherhood, Family, and Abandonment The relationships of children and mothers are highlighted throughout the novel, as many of the characters share the experience of becoming an orphan or being abandoned by their family.