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The Summons

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The Summons

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: Michael Beck
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About this listen

 Ray Atlee is a professor of law at the University of Virginia. He's forty-three, newly single, and still enduring the aftershocks of a surprise divorce. He has a younger brother, Forrest, who redefines the notion of a family's black sheep.

And he has a father, a very sick old man who lives alone in the ancestral home in Clanton, Mississippi. He is known to all as Judge Atlee, a beloved and powerful official who has towered over local law and politics for forty years. No longer on the bench, the Judge has withdrawn to the Atlee mansion and become a recluse.

With the end in sight, Judge Atlee issues a summons for both sons to return home to Clanton, to discuss the details of his estate. It is typed by the Judge himself, on his handsome old stationery, and gives the date and time for Ray and Forrest to appear in his study.

Ray reluctantly heads south, to his hometown, to the place where he grew up, which he prefers now to avoid. But the family meeting does not take place. The Judge dies too soon, and in doing so leaves behind a shocking secret known only to Ray.

And perhaps someone else.

(P)2002 Random House, LLC©2002 Belfry Holdings, Inc Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Law Thriller Fiction Crime

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All stars
Most relevant
Lacked a hook and was dragged out - not a satisfying read, follow was repetitive and tedious and I love this author.

Disappointing

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Somewhat predictable but ok
Story meandered and then a bit weaker . Expected better having read some of his other books.

Predictable but ok

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Having read reviews I thought it wouldn’t work. But it did. Good easy listen nice twist.

Better than expected.

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Having listened to most of the John Grisham’s books in this category, I found this story lacking suspense, you are waiting for something to happen which never does Also the end is disappointing, it just ran out steam.

Weak Story!

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Narrator excellent as always. However I found the story rather dull. Certainly not one of his best books.

Not Grisham’s best

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