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The Racketeer Audiobook
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(3.00) - 15,155 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
In The Racketeer Malcolm Bannister is at the midpoint of a ten-year prison sentence for money laundering when he discovers that he has a chance of getting out. He was, in actuality, a former attorney and innocent of the crime he was charged with, and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
U.S. Federal Judge Raymond Fawcett has become the fifth acting federal judge to be murdered.
Malcolm Bannister knows who is responsible for Judge Fawcett's death, and he knows why the murder was committed.
Judge Fawcett's body, along with that of his lovely secretary, was found inside a cabin on the lake. No signs of struggle, forced entry or obvious clues were left. An almost impenetrable safe inside was found open but devoid of its contents.
The FBI is on the trail, but they have no real leads. Malcolm Bannister has answers for them, but his time in prison and his knowledge as a lawyer tell him to play his cards right. What he knows could set off a series of events no one could predict. He has driving motives, assurance of his own innocence, and information he can barter, providing he can take advantage of some of the provisions within the legal system, specifically Rule 35 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
The audiobook gives Malcolm's back story and follows his everyday activity as he is caught up in the system.
American writer John Grisham was born in 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Although his dream was to play professional baseball, he ended up getting degrees in accounting and law, practicing criminal defense and personal injury litigation. He served in the state House of Representatives for over ten years. He began writing legal thrillers as a hobby while working at his regular job. His hobby soon became a full-time vocation following the success of his early novels.
Grisham lives with his wife and children in Mississippi and Virginia, where he continues to write.
"Nice and well written story especially the description that the Author gives about the inside life of a prisoner. And ofcourse the twist in the story is also something that will keep you hooked. But at some places I have felt a bit of drag. There were certain unwanted content which really had no significance and in fact made the reading boring. But overall the book is definitely a must-read."
— June (4 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • “The Racketeer is guilty of only one thing: keeping us engaged until the very last page.”—USA Today • In the history of the United States, only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five. His body is found in his remote lakeside cabin. There is no sign of forced entry or struggle. Just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied. Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday. Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.
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Quotes
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“[An] exhilarating tale…Grisham writes with rekindled vigor here.”
— New York Times -
“[The Racketeer] is engaging and illuminating in equal measure.”
— USA Today -
“John Grisham’s latest legal thriller possesses all the elements that have already made it a number one bestseller.”
— Barnes & Noble, editorial review -
“[A] twisty, precisely plotted legal thriller.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“As ever, a solid, unflashy performance by Grisham.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
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A #1 USA Today bestseller
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A #1 nWall Street Journaln bestseller
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A 2012 Washington Post Notable Book for Fiction
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A Washington Post bestseller
The Racketeer Listener Reviews
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Jackie, 1/11/2021
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" I have read every book written by John Grisham, even the awful ones about sports, and I can honestly say that this is my favorite book by him. The twist at the ending was a complete surprise and the protagonist, Malcolm Bannister, was very engaging. Grisham (almost) always tells a good story and The Racketeer is another success in his list. "
— BRob, 6/8/2020 -
" Loved it. "
— Richard , 2/18/2017 -
" I liked it. Nice to have African American hero. "
— Mia, 2/15/2014 -
" Full of twists and turns. A legal thriller without being a criminal law tutorial. "
— Terri, 2/9/2014 -
" Excellent Grisham book. One of his bests. "
— Carolyn, 2/6/2014 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a fan of Grisham so perhaps not the most objective reader, but it was a fun and plot twisting read. "
— Karen, 1/31/2014 -
" Didn't like the main character; didn't finish the book. "
— Joanne, 1/19/2014 -
" Grisham is still the best legal thriller writer around. 3.5 stars. "
— Paula, 1/19/2014 -
" Really enjoyed this Grisham thriller. Great twists and plot! "
— Fred, 1/15/2014 -
" Excellent plot in typical John Grisham style. He always manages to give enough clues to keep one guessing but has a few surprises along the way. Very entertaining. "
— Carol, 1/13/2014 -
" Always enjoy a good Grisham read. This was good and kept your attention. "
— Lee, 12/26/2013 -
" One of the better Grisham books. Several times I felt I knew what the outcome would be, only to be surprised by a turn in the road. "
— Kathi, 12/15/2013 -
" This was more like the older Grisham books, good characters, interesting story, and a good twist at the end. "
— Sannasue, 12/15/2013 -
" 3.5 points. He's a very good writer but I didn't really care for the main character. "
— Shanna, 11/27/2013 -
" The middle of this book was LONG....a good quick read! "
— Carrie, 11/15/2013 -
" Kept me guessing... Pretty good book "
— Liz, 11/13/2013 -
" I liked it much better than the Litigators. But that is because I am a more of a Crime / Heist guy, then courtroom drama guy. And this one was definitely more along the lines of the Firm. "
— Kelly, 8/11/2013 -
" There for a good while, I didn't know what was going on. Then I did. And it was awesome! "
— Sheila, 8/7/2013 -
" Someone told him he had to write a book that week...never read a slower one. Liked the ending but getting there was hard. Thank goodness the book was due back to the library. "
— Ritch, 7/18/2013 -
" Totally didn't see it coming! And easy and fun read! "
— Anne, 6/24/2013 -
" Quick read not up to Grisham par but still fun with surprising ending. Author could have done more here! "
— Sherebaier, 5/30/2013 -
" Quick read with lots of twists and turns. "
— Kayla, 5/19/2013 -
" Not his best, but still good. "
— Dee, 3/15/2013 -
" Entertaining like all Grisham books but not great. "
— Roger, 3/6/2013 -
" John Grisham at the top of his game. He doesn't disappoint! "
— Debra, 2/21/2013 -
" Not the best Grisham. It was still an interesting tale but definitely not up to the quality of earlier Grisham works. "
— Corina, 1/3/2013 -
" Different John Grisham type of story. The premise was very clever albeit a little farfetched. Very enjoyable however. "
— Judi, 12/26/2012 -
" Really good - I thought I had it pegged fairly early on (because I was looking for a twist) but was still surprised. Great read, quite fast. "
— Philippa, 11/6/2012 -
" It started off better than it finished, but otherwise a typical Grisham read. It's a quicker read than some of his other books. "
— Sheldon, 10/24/2012
About John Grisham
John Grisham is the author of more than thirty-five novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and seven novels for young readers. Thirty-three of his crime thrillers have made the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list
About JD Jackson
JD Jackson is a theater professor, aspiring stage director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. He is a classically trained actor, and his television and film credits include roles on House, ER, Law & Order, Hack, Sherrybaby, Diary of a City Priest, and Lucky Number Slevin. He is the recipient of more than a dozen Earphones Awards for narration and an Odyssey Honor for G. Neri’s Ghetto Cowboy, and he was also named one of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voices of the Year for 2012 and 2013. An adjunct professor at Los Angeles Southwest College, he has an MFA in theater from Temple University.