"Theodore Boone: The Accused" by John Grisham / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

A young wannabe lawyer finds himself on the wrong side of the law in “Theodore Boone: The Accused” by John Grisham. Read my review.

I grew up reading John Grisham books.  Now my son has the same opportunity.  We read this one together.

Theodore Boone is the son of two attorneys.  He wants to be an attorney when he grows up.  And, though he is still a kid, he is already practicing law amongst his friends and even representing llamas in court.  In this third installment of this Young Adult series, John Grisham trumps Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.  My son and I have read the first three books and we can’t wait to read the fourth.  My son can’t get enough of it and neither can the other kids at his school.  The library can’t keep the several copies there in stock.

In “Theodore Boone: The Accused,” young Boone finds himself on the wrong side of the law.  He gets to feel what it is like to be suspected by the police and, since they are convinced that he has committed the crime, it is up to him and his disbarred Bob Dylan-humming uncle to clear Theodore’s name before it is too late.

What I love first about the series is that you can’t put it down.  Secondarily, it teaches legal process to kids in a truthful and fair way.  By fair, in this installment, the police who are normally the good guys are characterized as two jerks, my son’s opinion.  It’s a good lesson that just because the newspapers say someone is arrested does not mean that they are guilty and sometimes detectives want credit for wrapping up a case greater than they want delayed justice.  Just because someone is in uniform doesn’t make them the good guy.  (My son and I kept waiting for the detectives to officially apologize for falsely maligning Theodore, but it never came.  That’s when my son decided they were jerks.)

John Grisham has made a career out of the legal mystery.  In fact, some say he created the genre.  I believe, when we are long gone, that what Grisham will be remembered for is Theodore Boone and creating a whole new generation of avid readers.  I’ve seen it in my son.  I’ve seen it in the other kids at my son’s school.  I’ve seen it in myself.  These books are hot and, like a Disney film, they transcend numerous generations.  My opinion?  Theodore Boone is Grisham’s best.

Until next time, read like someone is burning the books!

Clay Stafford

– Clay Stafford is a husband, father, author / filmmaker (www.ClayStafford.com), business owner (www.AmericanBlackguard.com), and founder of Killer Nashville (www.KillerNashville.com) with over 1.5 million copies of his own books in print in over 14 languages.  Stafford’s latest projects are the feature documentary “One of the Miracles” (www.OneOfTheMiracles.com) and the music CD “XO” (www.JefferyDeaverXOMusic.com). Publishers Weekly has named Stafford one of the top 10 Nashville literary leaders playing “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” not only in middle-Tennessee, but also extending “beyond the city limits and into the nation’s book culture.”  (PW 6/10/13)

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"Skin in the Game" by R.P. Finch / Monday, April 22, 2013 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

The University of West Alabama came upon a prize with R. P. Finch’s first novel “Skin in the Game.” This is a delightfully original and quirky book. Backstabbing deals. Characters’ high hopes with nameless powers and other characters posing as friends ready to dash them. The government. The mob. Bribes left and right in the form of false hope and cash. Lawyers, playing rainmakers, who don’t understand the first thing about documents they negotiate and sign. Revenge. Ambition. A thug wanting to create a theme park of strip joints. An attorney going nuts and seeing ghosts. The mob using the Internet to steal identities or break cyber codes. The government wanting to suppress information to break codes. This novel goes everywhere and, as a legal comedy, it’s one of the best-plotted dramas I’ve ever read. It’s so funny, you don’t realize how serious it really is.

The humor and portrayal of the law firm are the things that really set this novel apart. Author R. P. Finch is an attorney in real life. He must have seen some things on the inside because you can’t make this ridiculous stuff up. It’s a huge firm with huge attorney egos. While we in the general population practice common sense, this law practice – “practicing” because they haven’t got it down yet – makes and defends laws that lack any. I laughed at the absurdity throughout the book. It makes you never want to see a lawyer again. Literally. Not even look at one. Finch is perceptive, blow-your-mind funny, and his words – like the good attorney I’m sure he is – are all well-chosen. If you’re a fellow writer and the least bit insecure, within two pages you’re going to be hating this guy because of what he can do with words. It is wonderful to discover literary brilliance: that’s “Skin in the Game.” My only negative comment would be the ending could have been a little stronger, but that doesn’t diminish the gem that is prior to the end.

It took Finch years to write this book, and it shows. It’s a story someone has nurtured and changed for some time making sure he finally got it right. Finch succeeded. Let’s just hope he doesn’t take as long on the next one.
– Clay Stafford, author, filmmaker, and founder of Killer Nashville

Buy the book from the Killer Nashville Bookstore and help support a new generation of writers and readers.

Visit our bookstore for other similar books.

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

Remember that these books are listed at a discount through Amazon. You also don’t have to purchase the version that is featured here. Many of these books are available in multiple formats: e–book, hardcover, softcover, and audio. Enjoy!