My Review of The Widow by John Grisham discusses that I have not read any John Grisham books for quite some time. What did I think of this one? How does it compare to John Grisham’s most popular books? Let’s discuss it all!
Jen’s Quick Take on The Widow by John Grisham
- The Widow by John Grisham is a standalone slow burn legal suspense story
- It has quite a slow burn pace, but I found it interesting and compelling
- It features a familiar Grisham type of character, a small town lawyer.
- However, Simon Latch is more morally grey than the iconic 1990s and 2000s Grisham characters I remember.
- For me, the fun of The Widow was trying to figure out what was going on, what the characters were up to, and how it would all come out.
- Publication date: October 21, 2025 by Doubleday Books/Penguin Random House. Thanks to the publisher for the advance review copy.
- Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in 2025
Review of The Widow by John Grisham
I remember when The Firm came out in 1991. It was a buzzy thriller that everyone was reading. I was a student then and remember reading it on a vacation. For me, it was a little far-out, but a fun read.
My favorite Grisham books were the 1990s classics: The Rainmaker, The Pelican Brief, The Chamber, The Runaway Jury, and The Client.
Most of these books featured a David and Goliath format in which a young lawyer battles a shady and powerful legal entity. And most of these books were made into movies starting 1990s actors like Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon.
After that, I started reading more procedurals. Legal thrillers went out of favor. Grisham kept writing, but I didn’t read any more of his books … until now.
I enjoyed The Widow even though for me it doesn’t stand up there with the best of his books. The Widow has a very leisurely pace that highlights Grisham’s storytelling abilities. Simon Latch is a more morally ambiguous character that I initially disliked but then came to feel more empathy for.
If you are up for a slower paced book that keeps you guessing, give The Widow a try!
Have you read any John Grisham? Tell me about it in comments!
I’ve read all of John Grisham’s novels except the Theodore Boone books. I also read 2 of his non-fiction books. My next read is The Widow. I really appreciate your book suggestions and reviews. Thanks, Brad
Hi! Hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear what you thought. I am way behind on his books so this felt quite different to me that his 1990s classics like The Runaway Jury, The Client, A Time to Kill, Pelican Brief, etc.
Please come back and give me your thoughts 🙂
I haven’t read The Broker but if you like it that much I will check it out. I am a big fan of his older books. I think the Rain maker is my favorite. I love a David vs Goliath legal story. The Widow is really different and I think you have to just settle in and accept the slow pace.