A Novel
by John Grisham
From America's favorite storyteller comes "one of his best legal dramas" (Associated Press): a gripping thriller about a former big-city lawyer who finds herself up against Big Coal—and under attack.
The year is 2008 and Samantha Kofer's career at a huge Wall Street law firm is on the fast track—until the recession hits and she is downsized, furloughed, and escorted out of the building. Samantha, though, is offered an opportunity to work at a legal aid clinic for one year without pay, all for a slim chance of getting rehired.
In a matter of days Samantha moves from Manhattan to Brady, Virginia, population 2,200, in the heart of Appalachia—a part of the world she has only read about. Samantha's new job takes her into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack. But some of the locals aren't so thrilled to have a big-city lawyer in town, and within weeks Samantha is engulfed in litigation that turns deadly. Because like most small towns, Brady harbors big secrets that some will kill to conceal.
"An important new novel ... Grisham's work—always superior entertainment—is evolving into something more serious, more powerful, more worthy of his exceptional talent." —The Washington Post
This information about Gray Mountain was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Born on February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to a construction worker and
a homemaker, John Grisham as a child dreamed of being a professional baseball
player. Realizing he didn't have the right stuff for a pro career, he shifted
gears and majored in accounting at Mississippi State University. After
graduating from law school at Ole Miss in 1981, he went on to practice law for
nearly a decade in Southaven, specializing in criminal defense and personal
injury litigation. In 1983, he was elected to the state House of Representatives
and served until 1990.
One day at the Dessoto County courthouse, Grisham was inspired to start a novel. Grisham spent three years on A Time to Kill
and finished it in 1987. Initially rejected by many publishers, it was
eventually bought by Wynwood ...
... Full Biography
Link to John Grisham's Website
Name Pronunciation
John Grisham: jon GRISH-uhm

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