Publication Date October 21, 2025
John Grisham is one of those authors whose work is devoured by his fans, who generally find him reliably entertaining. I haven’t read all of his books, and I might be wrong but I think that over the past few years, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag – I couldn’t just say “YES! The new Grisham book is here! This is going to be GREAT!” But he is still Grisham and I am still a sucker for a good, well-written story with memorable characters, so I was happy to receive a copy of The Widow from Doubleday Books and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
In this latest Grisham story, an attorney in rural Virginia, Simon Latch, is not in a great place. His marriage is disintegrating, and he isn’t making enough money to live on. Enter widow Eleanor Barnett, who is definitely old, definitely wealthy, and for sure is in need of a new will. It seems no one knows about the fortune her late husband left her…and Simon thinks it’s a great idea to oversee her money, and keep its existence pretty much a secret. But her story seems to have some flaws, and the next thing Simon knows, she has been in a car accident, and Simon is about to be tried for murder.
Simon knows the justice system well enough to know that the circumstantial evidence is against him, and he could very well be convicted for a crime he didn’t commit. Only option? Find the real killer! For me, this was one of those thrillers where you KNOW going in that things are going to work out for the “hero”– the question is whether it is written well enough that you can just go along for the ride and enjoy the story. Rest assured, Frisham has still got it. A fun read. Four solid stars, and I’m wondering if my expectations are too high. Might I have given this same book a 5 if it wasn’t a Grisham? No idea. But I recommend it !!