The Litigators

Grisham often writes about idealistic lawyers taking on powerful institutions; here he plays the formula for comedy. Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are lovable rogues who argue constantly, and Wally, always looking for the big score, discovers a cholesterol drug that may be linked to heart attacks. He signs up clients and joins a mass lawsuit, hoping for a quick settlement from the manufacturer. Instead, the case ends up in an actual courtroom.

The trial is a comic disaster and a genuine underdog story, as the inexperienced lawyers find themselves facing the drug company's expensive defense team. Meanwhile, David pursues a smaller, more meaningful case on behalf of a young immigrant boy harmed by a dangerous toy, and that thread gives the book its heart. Grisham's satire of mass lawsuits and corporate law is sharp, but the tone is affectionate throughout.

It is not a thriller in the usual sense, and readers expecting suspense may be surprised, but it is one of Grisham's most purely enjoyable novels. David's growing loyalty to his eccentric new partners is the warmest part of the story. About 416 pages in the Bantam paperback.