Theodore Boone: Sang Tersangka - The Accused

Theodore Boone #3

by John Grisham, Fanny Yuanita (Translator)

Theodore Boone kembali! Dan ia siap menghadapi kasus besar berikutnya. Theo Boone mungkin memang baru berusia 13 tahun, tapi ia berhasil mengungkapkan bukti kunci dalam persidangan kasus pembunuhan besar dan membongkar fakta di balik penculikan teman baiknya.

Dan sekarang, bersama terjadinya berbagai peristiwa di Strattenburg, Theo pun menjadi sang tersangka.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Young Adult, Crime, Middle Grade, Thriller, Audiobook

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

John Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include Framed, Camino Ghosts and The Exchange: After the Firm.

Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.

When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.

John lives on a farm in central Virginia.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theodore Boone is a quirky boy. Obsessed with the law and crime, he becomes the accused. The story started out strong, but started to drag towards the end.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Grisham's take on how he presents his work on and sets his work on not kids reading but gives us a chance to read his work in an excellent format. In "The Accused" Theo is back! and ready for his next big case. Even though Theo is only 13 years old, he has already uncovered key evidence in a ground breaking murder trial and also discovred the truth behind his best friends abduction. Now with the latest unfolding of events in Strattenburg, Theo will face his biggest challenge yet.

Filled with the intrigue and page turning suspense that made John Grisham a #1 international best seller and the undisputed master of the legal thriller. Boone's adventures will keep readers enthralled until the very last page.

I'm finding that I'm completely loving the plot lines and the way they work together. I highly recommend if you like legal plots and the way they work together. I highly agree that these work really well together and compliment each other. Recommend.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mediocrity, that's the name of the book, thousands and thousands of miles away from The Firm or The Pelican Case.
Nothing special to be remembered, 200 pages of small business and small talk. I am not sure we are talking about a book for kids or grown-ups, but I presume that neither of them could be very pleased with this one...

[17duncant165 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the third in the series and it is very good and even though I did not read the first two books I could follow the story well. The genre is mystery and a real page turner and I did not ever want to stop reading it

[Nicholas Johnston]

The book,"Theodore Boone: The Accused," by John Grisham, is a great book, and in my opinion the best in the Theodore Boone series. I like it more than the other two because instead of representing another client as their lawyer, this time the main character is representing himself. I could read this book over and over and still be satisfied.
I'm a big fan of John Grisham's writing because he always does a good job of establishing the tone and mood, he's great at drawing the reader in with imagery, and his plots are always top notch. The two he did exceptionally well in this book were the mood and imagery. By establishing these two literary elements the book was easy to understand, and get into, in the sense that I felt like I witnessing the events first hand.
John Grisham established the mood by doing a number of things. One way he created the mood was through the emotions of the main character, Theo, or Theodore Boone. By throwing some rough patches in the way of Theo, and making him sad or frightened, I as a reader truly felt for him as a fellow 13 year old, and hoped for the best. Another way Grisham established the mood was through the actions of the whole Boone family. Since Theo's parents and uncle are lawyers when they get tense or worried in certain situations it changes the atmosphere of the book. With things like these I really got a good feel for the book.
After reading this book I felt imagery was a key component as well, especially at the end. As the climax approached Grisham did a great job of ramping up the intensity by describing the characters and their actions through imagery, really making the ending as good as can be. For example every scene where something happened, regardless of whether or not it was major or minor, I had a perfect picture painted in my head.
Even though this isn't the best book I have ever read, probably far from it, I have to say it is a great book. The way everything flowed and went together every aspect contributed to the story, and made it an amazing read.

[Bruce Snell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Theodore Boone series by John Grisham. This series is written for a middle school audience and is probably OK for that age group, but I think it is a bit simplistic even for that group. This story picks up shortly after book one left off. The trial for Pete Duffy, the bad guy from book one is about to go on trial for murdering his wife - but he disappears. At about that same time strange things start happening to Theo - his school locker was broken into, the tires on his bike are slashed on three different occasions, and a rock is thrown through the office window. As Theo is trying to figure out what is happening, he is questioned by the police for the burglary and theft at a local computer store. Theo sets about clearing his name, and comes to learn a lot of lessons about being a potential defendant in a criminal case. He also learns a bit about how interconnected different parts of his life are - and how his mother's work can affect his life. In the end, Theo and his uncle Ike solve the case - the bad guys are arrested and Theo is cleared. Not great, but good enough to recommend to a young person.

[Theo_C2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book of the series Theodore Boone got me inferring a lot about who the criminal might be. the out come of the story in my opinion was a little bit rushed but i nonetheless loved the ending and how the scenario played out. During the whole book, i couldn't stop reading because on the end of every chapter, there was a cliff hanger. The criminals that were vandalizing and making Theo's life miserable were found in the end, and the whole process of the mystery solving was very intriguing.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun addition to the series. This time Theo is in hot water & there are some excellent lessons. It's a pretty good mystery with a thread from the last book. It's not required reading these books in order, but I recommend it. As usual, the book was well narrated by Richard Thomas, aka John-boy Walton.

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable continuation to the Theodore Boone series....

✏️ Review ✏️

Theodore Boone: The Accused definitely is the best book of the series so far. I was definitely drawn into this one more than the first two books and felt the characters to be a bit more developed and realistic.

The writing is still about average, although it did feel to be somewhat improved.

Containing just the right amount of suspense and intrigue, the plot has a lot more to offer than the first two books.

"'You feel as though you're the victim[, Theo]. The police are after you. Someone is trying to frame you for for the burglary. Someone is stalking you. Someone is bullying you. Your face is all over the Internet in that photo of you and your parents leaving the police station. Lies are being told. Rumors are out of control....'"

If this third book is any indicator that the rest of the series gets better, than I'm certainly anticipating reading the next book in the series soon. Until the next book Theodore Boone: The Activist....

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The intrigue of the plot's mystery.
• The familiarity of the characters at this point of this series.
• The minor improvements to the writing style.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• I still would have liked deeper character development.

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? Yes*

— To whom? To those like a bit of a mix between mystery and legal drama. Will hold great appeal for MG readers. You should have at least read book one of the Theodore Boone series before reading this one (book two isn't as important to the plot of this third book).

*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3.5/5 [rounded down to 3 on Goodreads])
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3.5/5
— 📝 Writing: 3/5
— 👥 Characters: 3/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

• Just one use of "g*sh" and "ge*."

— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5

— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• While it is a recurrent subject in the two previous books, the topic of divorce is discussed in more detail in this third book of the Theodore Boone series. This is something to keep in mind when considering this book for young readers.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

• (None)

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theodore Boone: The Accused is the third book in the Theodore Boone series, and in my opinion, it's the best yet--definitely better than the second one. Even with its simple story (as expected since this series is geared toward younger readers), it was still exciting and thrilling. Here, we follow Theo as he becomes the main suspect in a crime he did not commit. The book leaves us with no trace of doubt in Theo from the start, but we get to experience his struggle to prove his innocence along with him.

[Ririn Aziz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am done with this series. Some parts are fun and exciting, but most of the time I feel like I’m reading The Law: For Dummies. John Grisham does not know how to write for kids, and he seems to think they can’t handle difficult topics. I’m also tired of the bait-and-switch nonsense. The trial that was begun in the first book seemed like it would be concluded in this one. Nope. As soon as we get to the courtroom, another mistrial is declared because the defendant has gone AWAL. Theodore finds himself being stalked, and instead of it being the creep that threatens him in the first book due to his interference in the case that time, it’s someone utterly unrelated. Grisham never comes back to the missing defendant except to stay he was spotted but is now running again. There is little to no cohesion in these books. Another irritating factor is the meaningless insertion of Theo’s appearances in animal court. They add nothing to the overall story except to give the main character some “practice” at being a lawyer. Furthermore, these interruptions always occur just after something serious has happened. It’s as if Grisham is apologizing for putting kids on the edges of their seats: “Sorry, kids. That was a little scary. Let me ruin the mood by adding an inconsequential and inane attempt at humor so that I can rupture your balloons of nail-biting anticipation.”

Mr. Grisham, it is not that difficult to write for children. They are not stupid, nor are they incapable of wading through difficult topics. Yes, it can depend on the maturity and sensitivity of the child, but how on earth did you nail the mentality and reactions of a child in The Client, and then fall so unfathomably short here? Your books for adults would be great for kids, too. Just eliminate some of the coarser content.

[Andrew Pender-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has created a wonderful character in thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone. In many respects, Theodore is a typical boy in that he rides a bicycle and goes to scouts. Theodore is, however, more intelligent and thoughtful than most boys of his age. His parents are lawyers, and it is through listening to them and witnessing their handling of cases, that he has acquired good insight into human nature. Like his parents, he wants to be a lawyer. He is obtaining good grades in school and is a popular boy. The problem is, he is wrongly accused of theft and his life rapidly spirals into a nightmare as he tries to find out who has set him up for a possible stint in a juvenile detention centre. Using his own intelligence and help from his quirky uncle, as well as a few others, Theodore sets out to save himself from disaster.

John Grisham is well known for creating believable characters and he does an excellent job with young Theodore, as well as his family, friends and acquaintances. John Grisham's protagonist, Theodore in 'Theodore Boone - The Accused' should resonate with young adults and older readers. I look forward to more stories involving this resourceful boy.

[Nanci Booher]

Not much going on with Pete Duffy, which surprised me as the title is "The Accused". Theo is the one accused in this sequel. I was almost in tears in a couple places but truly enjoyed this next installment.

[Carson J. Eisner · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Grisham's Theo Boone series is really good. I liked how in "The Accused: Theo did something different - instead of helping others he had to save himself. It was really surprised with the ending, and I did not expect some people to do what they did. This was my favorite book in the series!

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Theo Boone is probably my favorite so far. Ike has more of a role and its interesting to read about Theo and Ike’s conversations about ethics as Theo wrestles with a guilty conscience. The story has a quick pace with a satisfying ending.

[Jude Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Juan Nalerio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Novelita de Grisham para YA.
Simpática, para practicar inglés sirve.
Lleno de clichés tanto del género juvenil como del ambiente de abogados-policial.

[ShirleyS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable escapade with our 13 year old would be lawyer.

[Esutterlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theodore is only 13, but does it really fit with his character that he would fail to report BOTH his locker being broken into and things missing and that his bike tires were slashed -- the first time? Ok, so the baseball cap and unused notebooks might have made sense to him in random vandalizing or someone taking stuff if he had left his locker open accidentally-- but the asthma inhalers? Unlikely they'd take only those things and then not mess up his locker or leave it a mess if they wanted to vandalize it. The fact that he didn't report it doesn't seem logical, especially after he got his bike tire deliberately slashed. It doesn't seem like he'd not at least tell someone at school, a teacher or friend, if not the principal. I like his interest in the law and eagerness to watch the continuing Duffy trial. The fact that he was the accused for this story made an interesting twist, but I'm hoping there's a bit more in his next book to get past the inability for his parents to want to connect more with their teen son. At the start of the last chapter, his father calls him into his office via the intercom to share the resolution of the case. That just doesn't run true with how stressed his parents and Theo have been since Theo was falsely accused of a crime, and even though the reader knows what parts of the information Theo knows already, his parents don't, and it seems that they would have rushed in to break the news to him in relief, not called him into a conference room to tell their son about the outcome. I did like Grisham's development of Theo's decision making at several points in the novel, helping to spell out the process for the middle grade readers who might be thinking about actions they would or wouldn't do again in certain situations, or how they might behave when facing an ethical choice that violates a principle they usually respect, such as the right to privacy, etc.

[Hugo Young]

Theodore Boone, The Accused. By John Grisham is a captivating novel. I decided to read this book as I had already read the second one and when I found this in the library I couldn't not read it. This book is about a young boy (Theodore Boone) who's parents are both lawyers and he, in turn is crazy about law. Throughout the series he is changing his goals, wether he wants to be a policeman, a judge or a lawyer all of them are to do with law. In the accused Theo gets caught up with the police, in a bad way. Theo's mother is a divorce lawyer and usually represents the wife in a divorce. Two boys from Theo's school started to hate him when their parents started to go through a divorce. They both wanted to live with their father but they were lined up to live with their mother. So they took out their anger on Theo. First they robbed a computer store, then they started putting some of the stuff they stole in Theo's locker, as to try and frame him. Theo was then terrorised for a few days, the boys slashed his tires and threw rocks threw his windows.That was what I really lik d about it, the storyline with all the twists and turns kept me hooked the whole way. It is a very captivating story and I would recommend reading it. The character I found most interesting was Theo's uncle Ike. Ike used to be a great lawyer and a pretender in Theo's parents firm, but something happened and he was not allowed to be a lawyer anymore. Ike is a shady uncle, he knows a lot of people and when Theo needs information, Ike is his man. I liked Ike because he was nice but also mysterious.

I learnt a lot about law from this book, such as things that are dumb to do when you are trying to frame someone like throwing rocks through their window and slashing their tires. Theo also taught me a lot about the proceedings of a courthouse.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 4 out of 5]

It begins about picking up from the first book and Peter Duffy and the murder of his wife and how an eye witness finally stepped forward. Peter Duffy disappears and the whole town is in a buzz about it. So the title is about him being accused, right? WRONG.

THe acccused is Theodore Boone! The owner of an electronic store got broken into and they found Theo's baseball hat at the scene of the crime. SOmeone slashed his bike tire three times and threw a rock through his window. When Theo first discovers his locker at school got broken into and some personal items got taken and then his tire got slashed, he decided not to tell his parents because"they were just so busy and tired." I get that but hmmm, something smells like they push him to the side and neglect him and put their own work ahead of their son. Just saying.

Anywho, all think justice will prevail and he will be exonerated. The two cops are nasty and they feel he's already guilty so why bother looking any further. The owner of hte store swears it was Theo and the school is now divided. Whatever happened to "innocent until PROVEN guilty?" Guess that's not the case in the real world or in fiction land.

If it wasn't for Ike, they would have never solved the case and Theo would be facing juvie hall right about now. He would have been somebody's bi+ch. Sometimes to win a case or prove you're innocent, you have to get dirty. Justice is blind and you need to snatch the blindfold off her and say, LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE!!! Wake UP!!

Next book....

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s that time again, trial time. The day has finally come for Pete Duffy’s second murder trial. Theo has been amped up for it ever since the previous one ended in a mistrial; partly thanks to him. Theo previously helped an eyewitness come forward, right before Duffy was going to walk a free man. But the unthinkable happens, Duffy is nowhere to be found. The police spent about a week looking for him, but declare that he has either jumped states or jumped countries. Theo is very upset, and is in a foul mood for a while. One morning at school, he discovers that his locker has been broken into, but he doesn’t think too much of it, nor does he report it. He then starts getting his tires slashed and his locker is broken into again. A few weeks later, he reads the morning paper, where a robbery has been reported at a local computer store. Theo also thinks nothing of this, until, that is, the police start to question him about it.
I greatly enjoyed this book, and felt that with my limited knowledge of law and order it was easy to understand. If I were in Theo’s situation, however, I think it would be more realistic if he immediately reported the break-ins of his locker. It carries drama and suspense very well, and builds it inconspicuously. Grisham does a great job of helping the reader visualize the story, and it was crisp and clear to me. I will definitely continue to read this series as well as recommend it to my friends.

[16FarrenkothenG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the perfect end to the series as it kept the tense atmosphere that had been in the other books as well as developing the characters. The main character grew up and showed a more worried side to him but still has the main traits of the other books which I especially liked. The book is a mystery novel which is the same as the rest of the series. The ending could have been more dramatic in my opinion but it was still the right ending. I think some relationships between characters could have developed throughout the story but they stayed the same as the other books. I really liked it and I recommend the whole series.

[TheBookWorm🐛 🐛 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this was probably the best book in the series so far. It was very fun to read, and I would keep coming back to this book and still be satisfied. I had no clue who the REAL culprits were until I go to the end. (I may even have to admit that I thought it was Theo at times). Even though all of the evidence was against Theo, he still pushed through and proved that he was innocent, that’s what I really like about this book.

[Teodora Lipciuc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one dragged a little more than the two before it, but honestly I just loved reading more about Theo. Felt bad for all the awful stuff he goes through. 😞 I appreciated how the crime wasn't solved through a dramatic twist at the end, as most detective novels are. The solution to this one felt far more realistic, and that's one of the qualities that I love most about the Theo Boone series.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Theodore Boone series. Theodore knows a lot about law, and uses his knowledge to help people he knows. In this book, someone is out to get Theodore and frame him for a theft. As the evidence against Theodore mounts, he has to prove his own innocence. A fun and entertaining read.

[Alesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Theo reminds of one of my best friends growing up. these books always put a smile on my face.

[shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the way it was written and I can’t wait to continue with the series!!!

[Debra K · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my written review, please check out the link below:
Debra's Book Cafe

Debs :-)