The Fugitive

I’ve read at least 16 of John Grisham’s books. He’s one of my ‘hardback’ worthy authors; apart from the Harry Potter series (I was the generation that grew up with JK Rowling’s latest instalments), I rarely buy hardback books; I’d rather wait for it to come out in paperback for two reasons:

1) The price

2) Carrying a hardback in your bag all day has its downfalls; lack of bag space and the weight to name a few…

So for me to scurry out to WHSmith to buy a hardback is a pretty BIG deal…. and yet I have a book shelf stacked full of Grisham’s hardbacks!

The ‘Theodore Boone’ series is aimed at young adults: the books are shorter, the plot is easier to follow and the wording is more appropriate for a younger audience. But nevertheless, I have a soft spot for the series and will read the latest instalment to pass the time between the adult bestsellers. I tend to buy the paperbacks, merely because I don’t follow closely the release dates/charts for young adults and usually miss the hardback release.

The Fugitive; the latest instalment picks up from the ending of The Accused where Pete Duffy; who was being tried for the murder of his wife, had escaped.

Theo is on a school trip visiting Washington (I wish my school had taken me on trips like this!!) and low and behold he spots Duffy on the metro. Cue a FBI undercover operation and an arrest at the airport!

Back in his hometown, the trial recommences and all that stands in the way of Pete behind bars is the star witness, whom Pete’s lawyers are hounding. Theo is slap bang in the middle of it all, trying to save the day whilst wrestling with his thoughts of whether he did the right thing.

There’s also an animal court hearing, where Theo is famous for defending his friends and the usual characters knocking about in the background. The way Grisham portrays Theo, is inspiring, he manages to capture a kid’s perspective on a court case and the everyday boredom of school life whilst encouraging the reader to embrace a hobby/activity and see where it takes them.

All in all, a great book for young adults – it’s smart, amusing and makes courtrooms and lawyers seem exciting…plus there’s the added bonus of the geography and history lesson thrown in about Washington! And finally…to top it off there’s a cheeky last sentence cliffhanger… Oh how frustrating they can be!

Would I recommend it? Yes, definitely to teenagers but for adults, there might not be enough plot twists.

I look forward to reading The Scandal due out next month!

Until next time, Chloe x

P.S. I’m currently reading The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and loving the quirkiness of it!