The Confession

As always, Grisham delivers. Loved the way, the protagonist achieves the pay back, using his intelligence , instead of violence.

Anticipating a very long plane trip, I looked for an audiobook that would keep me engaged and interested and would last long enough to get me through the return flight. My thoughts immediately went to a John Grisham novel. I like Grisham for a number of reasons, one being that his books never fail to entertain. I chose The Confession, a title that already resided on my shelf (my husband read it years ago). It was a great choice. Not only did it make the miles literally fly by, but it challenged and expanded my beliefs on capital punishment. A controversial topic to be sure, The Confession examines what it means if an innocent man is sentenced to death. All aspects are included: the media circus, the political climate, the heartbreak of the families on both sides, and the spiritual implications of the ultimate punishment. The story is full of twists and turns, the characters are intriguing, and the subject matter handled in a mostly even-handed manner. I think it is safe to say that Grisham writes from an anti-death penalty standpoint, a view that I also hold, though for probably different reasons. Grisham didn’t change my mind about anything, but he did cause me to see the whole process surrounding death penalty cases in a new light. An engrossing read, I recommend The Confession.The story opens with a confession from career criminal Travis Boyette to a Lutheran pastor. Keith Schroeder doesn’t really know what to do with Travis or his statement that an innocent man is about to be executed in Texas. What follows is a race to bring the confession to light, something that is met with resistance and dismissal from all parties concerned. Travis and Keith are interesting main characters. They cannot be more different — one who has lived a life taking and manipulating, another who earnestly desires to do the right thing. Their unlikely partnership makes for good drama. Grisham’s portrayal of the circus that surrounds the upcoming execution rings true. Media, groupies, politicians, all make the situation bizarre and disturbing. While The Confession is not Christian fiction, three pastors make an appearance and an impact on the story. Keith’s views are, of course, front and center, but Grisham also shares the feelings and thoughts of the pastors of the victim’s family and the accused’s family. The three struggle in varying ways — also very realistic. The Confession is dark, so don’t expect a feel good ending. This book is one to make you think, whichever side of the debate you find yourself on.

何時ものグリシャム節で　息つく暇無しに　読ませる。驚く結末は　上手い展開と感心させられる。でも何か　物足りない。真の犯人の行方　そして　真相解明に　務めた神父の行く末。想像　逞しい読者を　期待しているのだろう。

A solid read, touching on some interesting subjects. Notably the death penalty in general, the way Texas legal systems work, the appeals process, prisons and others. The story revolves around a forced confession, later recanted, and how local law enforcement and legal teams colluded to jail and execute an innocent man. When the actual crime perpetrator shows up, and is willing to confess, the rush to stall the execution begins.The book flows nicely, with lots of "one more page" action that had me read the entire book (quite lengthy compared to some of Grisham's recent books) in two sittings. And while the story is itself interesting, the subjects he touches on also cause some thought. There's no "preaching" about the legal system or the death penalty here, just an exploration of the subject from several points of view, tied up with the story line.Overall, I think this was his best book in a long while, very readable, engrossing and interesting. I learned more about the legal system, as well as the way things are sometimes stretched to fit a convenient narrative by police and legal teams. Mostly from the point of view of a clergyman, the take on good and bad is itself an interesting subject. But none of this gets in the way of a great story! Thoroughly enjoyable!