John Grisham lists his 7 favourite books – number one by top author | Books | Entertainment

A best-selling author has shared his favourite books, with one being by a beloved crime writer. John Grisham has written 37 number-one fiction bestsellers and has sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

He is one of only three English-speaking authors to have sold two million copies of a novel on its first printing, along with Tom Clancy and J. K. Rowling. The American novelist, lawyer, and former politician is best known for his legal thrillers, having been praised for his writing while at university. His novels include The Rainmaker, The Firm, The Partner, The Guardians, The Testaments, and The Client. His first novel, A Time To Kill, was inspired by a real court case that left him angry at the defendant and “wishing (he) had a gun”. It was rejected by 28 publishers before a small press took a chance and published 5,000 copies. His next novel, The Firm, went on to be on The New York Times best-seller list for 47 weeks and was the seventh best-selling novels of 1991. It was the first of his books to be adapted for film, with a movie starring Tom Cruise being released in 1993, followed by seven others.

Here’s a look at the full list of John Grisham’s favourites, shared in a 2020 interview with Goodreads:

7. A Private Cathedral by James Lee Burke

Grisham said that main character, David Robicheaux, is “one of the most interesting detectives in contemporary fiction”. Robincheaux takes on two Cajun crime families trying unsuccessfully to share territory. Grisham said only Burke has “the voice to examine ancient curses and superstitions in the complex world of Cajun Country”.

6. Deacon King Kong by James McBride

Grisham said, in this “wild and roaring” novel, McBride brings together an “unforgettable collection of characters” from the housing projects of South Brooklyn. When anti-hero, Sportcoat, shoots and kills the neighbourhood drug dealer, street life “spins out of control”.

5. The Last Trial by Scott Turow

In this novel, Sandy Stern, the “fabulous” criminal defence from Presumed Innocent, is about to retire when he takes his last case, the defence of a friend accused of insider trading, fraud, and murder. Grisham said that Turow is “still the master of the legal thriller” and his courtroom scenes “have no equal”.

4. All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

Grisham said that the premise, a murder in Paris, is a “guaranteed hook”. Hero, Armand Gamache, is in Paris when his godfather is hit in a deliberate attempt to kill, and the mystery engulfs Gamache’s entire family. Grisham called every page “a delight”.

3. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

Grisham said he read this true story three times and “thoroughly enjoyed it” every time. Stevenson left Harvard Law School and founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit dedicated to defending the poor and wrongfully convicted. Grisham called this a “fascinating account of his early years and his grit and determination to fight injustice”.

2. In the Valley: Stories and a Novella Based on Serena by Ron Rash

This collection of stories was previously published to “great acclaim”. In the novella, Rash brings back his most famous character, Serena, from his “fine novel” of the same name published in 2008.

1. A Song for the Dark Times by Ian Rankin

One of Rankin’s recurring heroes, John Rebus, is trying to give up alcohol and smoking, but he “can’t stay out of trouble”. The partner of his daughter, Samantha, goes missing, and Rebus is soon “up to his ears” in solving the crime.