The Chamber: A Novel

John Grisham

Mar 2010 · Sold by Vintage

About this ebook

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A dark and thoughtful tale pulsing with moral uncertainties . . . Grisham is at his best.”—People

In Chicago’s top law firm, a young lawyer stands on the brink of a brilliant career. Now twenty-six-year-old Adam Hall is risking it all for a death-row killer and an impossible case: Sam Cayhall is a former Klansman and unrepentant racist facing the death penalty for a fatal bombing in 1967. Cayhall has run out of chances—except for one: a determined lawyer who just happens to be his grandson.

While the executioners prepare the gas chamber, while the protesters gather, and while the TV cameras wait, Adam has only days, hours, minutes to save his client. For between the two men is a chasm of shame, family lies, and secrets—including the one secret that could save Sam Cayhall’s life . . . or cost Adam his.

Ratings and reviews

Mr. Grisham is one of my favorite authors and I thought this novel was an excellent and compelling story. Actually, I thought this book was a notch or two above "The Firm and The Pelican Brief", which I enjoyed tremendously. The book starts off a bit slow and then picks up the pace as you the reader become involved with the young lawyer as tries to save his grandfather from the gas chamber for the murder of a father and two children. Overall, I would gladly recommend this novel by an author that knows how to deliver a thrilling story.

I purchased this book, because I love John Grisham's writing, however, I still have a strong support for the death penalty. Sam might have been an old man, but he represented an evil memory for his victims. I actually kept reading to enjoy the specific details of the suffering he would face during his execution. Thank Goodness John ended the book well.

The Chamber by John Grisham This is one of my favorite books by Grisham. It contains his usual style of thrill. The first sentence drawing me in and giving me the desire to read straight through! It is so hard to put down. It makes me anxious for the characters. This is a must read for all Grisham fans and also for those who enjoy legal/political thrillers and intrigue.

About the author

John Grisham is the author of numerous #1 bestsellers, including The Firm, A Time to Kill, The Rainmaker, The Innocent Man, The Whistler, The Boys from Biloxi, and many more. His books have been translated into nearly fifty languages. Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction. Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system. He lives on a farm in central Virginia.