Search This Blog








2022 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (2)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (2)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (5)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
Antarctica (1)
Australia (2)
Egypt (2)
England (11)
Italy (1)
Nepal (1)
Romania (1)
Scotland (3)
Sweden (1)








The 52 Book Club's Reading Challenge 2022

2022 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

Wednesday, December 11, 2019
"Windy" Murder Mystery Gets a "Meh" From Me
6:12 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
A Bataan death march survivor, 43-year-old Pete Banning has been home in Clanton, Mississippi for a year. As a war hero, a cotton farm owner, a husband, a father, and a quiet, serious man, he's respected among the townsfolk. It comes as a complete surprise, then, when Pete walks calmly into the Clanton Methodist Church and shoots Dexter Bell, its popular pastor. When asked why he murdered the 39-year-old minister, Pete simply replies, "I have nothing to say." Everyone is baffled by the crime, which has them all asking, "What makes one good man kill another good man?"
This simple, but intriguing premise is at the heart of John Grisham's 2018 novel, The Reckoning. The story recalls Pete's life and military service, all en route to explaining his role in Dexter's death. Although the novel rambles on for far too many pages, its compelling premise kept me reading. In spite of the wordiness (or "windiness" as Grisham likes to say), I definitely wanted to know why Pete did what he did. I can't say I felt a lot of attachment to the characters in this one, though. Nor did I find its finale satisfying. Overall, The Reckoning is a sad, depressing read that's well-written, but boring and not very memorable or enjoyable. My conclusion? Meh.
(Readalikes: the war chapters reminded me of Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand)
Grade:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)




Reading
Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower

Listening
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
-
-
Golden City Vol 96 hours ago
-
Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone7 hours ago
-
Top Ten Tuesday ~ Book Quote Freebie8 hours ago
-
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday ~ Lighthouses13 hours ago
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday-Book Quote Freebie15 hours ago
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday #1916 hours ago
-
Top Ten Tuesday: Humorous Quotes from Books17 hours ago
-
[May 24]: Life Lately17 hours ago
-
-
63. One Good Deed1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sunday Salon: May 22, 20222 days ago
-
-
Weekly Update for May 22, 20222 days ago
-
Haiku Reviews...2 days ago
-
-
The 20 Books of Summer challenge5 days ago
-
-
-
-
An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher4 weeks ago
-
Chirp Audiobooks - A Review4 weeks ago
-
-
-
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova2 months ago
-
THE VALET'S SECRET by Josi S Kilpack2 months ago
-
-
-
Cybils Awards 2021: The End3 months ago
-
2022 Reading Log3 months ago
-
Back to the Classics 20224 months ago
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ▼ 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)