TITLE: Gray Mountain
CHARACTERS: Dominick, Samantha & Mattie
AUTHOR: John Grisham
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/21/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
John Grisham has a new hero . . . and she’s full of surprises
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 gets downsized, furloughed, escorted out of the building. Samantha, though, is one of the “lucky” associates. She’s offered an opportunity to work at a legal aid clinic for one year without pay, after which there would be a slim chance that she’d get her old job back.
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. Mattie Wyatt, lifelong Brady resident and head of the town’s legal aid clinic, is there to teach her how to “help real people with real problems.” For the first time in her career, Samantha prepares a lawsuit, sees the inside of an actual courtroom, gets scolded by a judge, and receives threats from locals who aren’t so thrilled to have a big-city lawyer in town. And she learns that Brady, like most small towns, harbors some big secrets.
Her new job takes Samantha into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, rules are ignored, regulations are flouted, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack from Big Coal. Violence is always just around the corner, and within weeks Samantha finds herself engulfed in litigation that turns deadly.
REVIEW:
This is a new novel by a terrific lawyer turned author. In the coal mines of Appalachia, bad things are happening. Frightened coal workers are trying to take on the big coal companies. They are represented by a hot shot lawyer named Dominick Gray. This is a tale of intrigue and loss. The complicated lives of the workers battling for benefits due them because of black lung depict a poor, but strong community of the tough folks who must fight against the strongest segment of society. The legal aid business is booming with plaintiffs. The group of legal aid lawyers, with help from Dominick, are busy trying to help these helpless people. Dirty tricks, and now murder, are problems that they face in battling mammoth companies. If you like legal thrillers, and particularly Grisham, this book is for you. It is an edge-of-your-seat, heart wrenching read. I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer:
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I received this book free as part of the blog tour.
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