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Rogue Lawyer #1
Rogue Lawyer: A Novel
On the right side of the law. Sort of.
Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver, who’s also his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddy. He lives alone in a small but extremely safe penthouse apartment, and his primary piece of furniture is a vintage pool table. He drinks small-batch bourbon and carries a gun.
Sebastian defends people other lawyers won’t go near: a drug-addled, tattooed kid rumored to be in a satanic cult, who is accused of molesting and murdering two little girls; a vicious crime lord on death row; a homeowner arrested for shooting at a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house. Why these clients? Because he believes everyone is entitled to a fair trial, even if he, Sebastian, has to cheat to secure one. He hates injustice, doesn’t like insurance companies, banks, or big corporations; he distrusts all levels of government and laughs at the justice system’s notions of ethical behavior.
Sebastian Rudd is one of John Grisham’s most colorful, outrageous, and vividly drawn characters yet. Gritty, witty, and impossible to put down, Rogue Lawyer showcases the master of the legal thriller at his very best.
Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver, who’s also his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddy. He lives alone in a small but extremely safe penthouse apartment, and his primary piece of furniture is a vintage pool table. He drinks small-batch bourbon and carries a gun.
Sebastian defends people other lawyers won’t go near: a drug-addled, tattooed kid rumored to be in a satanic cult, who is accused of molesting and murdering two little girls; a vicious crime lord on death row; a homeowner arrested for shooting at a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house. Why these clients? Because he believes everyone is entitled to a fair trial, even if he, Sebastian, has to cheat to secure one. He hates injustice, doesn’t like insurance companies, banks, or big corporations; he distrusts all levels of government and laughs at the justice system’s notions of ethical behavior.
Sebastian Rudd is one of John Grisham’s most colorful, outrageous, and vividly drawn characters yet. Gritty, witty, and impossible to put down, Rogue Lawyer showcases the master of the legal thriller at his very best.
465 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2015
10173 people are currently reading
24511 people want to read
About the author
John Grisham
492 books90.2k followersJohn 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,237 reviews
June 24, 2023
As I scanned through the GoodRead readers' reviews, I noticed that the 4 and 5* ratings were from those readers who confessed that they'd never read a John Grisham novel before. I've read all of his books - ALL. This has got to be ... the worst.
While reading this, I had the feeling that his agent was pressuring him to write another novel and he just didn't have a story in mind. I'm assuming that his agent then said, "Well, what about something like the Lincoln Lawyer? Just put a Grisham spin on that formula."
John Grisham is an excellent novelist and also really adept at bringing legal shortcomings to light. This book is not worthy of him. It was a real disappointment from one of my favorite authors.
While reading this, I had the feeling that his agent was pressuring him to write another novel and he just didn't have a story in mind. I'm assuming that his agent then said, "Well, what about something like the Lincoln Lawyer? Just put a Grisham spin on that formula."
John Grisham is an excellent novelist and also really adept at bringing legal shortcomings to light. This book is not worthy of him. It was a real disappointment from one of my favorite authors.
May 30, 2018
It's a lot like another book of his that I read, but I remember the other as better. A jumble of storylines, but no resolution, it stopped when he quit writing. It didn't seem like an ending to me.
March 15, 2017
I've always been a fan of John Grisham's legal thrillers, but I was a bit disappointed in the last one that I read, Gray Mountain, which I thought was a bit preachy with characters that weren't all that interesting. This book is, to my mind at least, a lot more fun, and I devoured it in a couple of sessions.
The protagonist is a lawyer named Sebastian Rudd who works out of a bulletproof van after his last "real" office was firebombed. He has one employee, a bodyguard and general assistant, who drives him from appointment to appointment and who attempts to protect him from the large numbers of people on both sides of the law who would like to do him harm. He has an ex-wife to whom he was briefly married before she left him for her gay lover. But the two did manage to conceive a son that Rudd gets to see for a few hours a month, and one of his principal legal challenges is to fend off his vindictive ex-wife who would prefer that Rudd not get to see their son at all. He is also invested in a young cage fighter who appears to have a very bright future.
The cops and prosecutors hate Rudd because he usually defends the scum of the earth. For example, as the book opens, he's defending a tattooed kid with multiple piercings and a very low IQ, who's been accused of the brutal murder of two little girls. There's precious little evidence to actually link the kid to the crime, but the cops and the prosecutors are determined to railroad him to a death sentence and they've convinced practically everyone in town that the kid is guilty.
In another case, Rudd is defending a brutal killer who has already been convicted and is on death row, and in consequence he's not a very popular guy with the general public either. Truth to tell, the argument that in America everyone deserves a fair trial and legal representation is generally lost on a large segment of the public who assume that the police would never arrest the wrong person and that the accused parties should just be strung from the nearest tree ASAP, constitutional niceties be damned.
Unlike a lot of legal thrillers that focus on a single case throughout, this book follows Rudd from one case to another and the cases bleed into each other as they would in the real world. I found Rudd to be a fascinating character, flaws and all, and I loved watching him work in and out of court. The cases themselves were very interesting and I really hope that Grisham has another Sebastian Rudd novel in his future.
The protagonist is a lawyer named Sebastian Rudd who works out of a bulletproof van after his last "real" office was firebombed. He has one employee, a bodyguard and general assistant, who drives him from appointment to appointment and who attempts to protect him from the large numbers of people on both sides of the law who would like to do him harm. He has an ex-wife to whom he was briefly married before she left him for her gay lover. But the two did manage to conceive a son that Rudd gets to see for a few hours a month, and one of his principal legal challenges is to fend off his vindictive ex-wife who would prefer that Rudd not get to see their son at all. He is also invested in a young cage fighter who appears to have a very bright future.
The cops and prosecutors hate Rudd because he usually defends the scum of the earth. For example, as the book opens, he's defending a tattooed kid with multiple piercings and a very low IQ, who's been accused of the brutal murder of two little girls. There's precious little evidence to actually link the kid to the crime, but the cops and the prosecutors are determined to railroad him to a death sentence and they've convinced practically everyone in town that the kid is guilty.
In another case, Rudd is defending a brutal killer who has already been convicted and is on death row, and in consequence he's not a very popular guy with the general public either. Truth to tell, the argument that in America everyone deserves a fair trial and legal representation is generally lost on a large segment of the public who assume that the police would never arrest the wrong person and that the accused parties should just be strung from the nearest tree ASAP, constitutional niceties be damned.
Unlike a lot of legal thrillers that focus on a single case throughout, this book follows Rudd from one case to another and the cases bleed into each other as they would in the real world. I found Rudd to be a fascinating character, flaws and all, and I loved watching him work in and out of court. The cases themselves were very interesting and I really hope that Grisham has another Sebastian Rudd novel in his future.
January 8, 2024
Lectura finalizada en septiembre de 2019.
4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
Grisham nos ofrece en esta novela un enfoque diferente, que casi podría considerarse una recopilación de relatos cortos centrados en un único protagonista. Sebastian Rudd es un abogado tipo Mickey Haller (Ver Michael Connelly), del que no sé si el autor se ha inspirado, pero parecería que sí. De hecho, lo nombra en algún pasaje, como uno de los autores preferidos por Rudd, junto a James Lee Burke.
Cada capítulo se centra en un caso distinto de dicho protagonista, especializado en defender a tipos que otros abogados pagarían por no ver en su vida. Hay mucho “Macho bullshit” en su caracterización; te lo terminarás creyendo o no (no demasiado, en realidad), pero acabé cogiéndole cariño al personaje. En cualquier caso, no es la típica novela de Grisham, salvo por las descripciones (y críticas) del sistema jurídico americano, con las que los profanos aprenderemos bastante. El autor sigue explotando su escepticismo de forma magistral, dando lugar a una lectura rápida e interesante. Continuaré con el protagonista en sucesivas entregas, si es que las hay. Hay material muy prometedor.
Esta novela está un escaño por debajo de “El soborno” (The whistler). Aun así, encuentro aquí a un autor bastante recuperado de sus anteriores fiascos. Y me alegro. Siempre es una gozada disfrutar del Grisham más auténtico.
July 26, 2024
Sebastian Rudd is 'that' defence lawyer; the one you love to hate; the one that defends often obviously guilty people; he also defends those taking on authority especially the police. He is a bit too good at his job as he works from inside a bullet proof van with his ex hoodlum back-up, because his last offices were firebombed. Welcome to the world of a rogue lawyer! In his little spare time he winds up his ex-wife whenever he picks up his son; oh, and he also sponsors an up and coming one-time ganga banger turned MMA fighter!
This book is more like a TV show with ongoing stories (ex-wife, MA fighting and primary miscarriage of justice case) spread over and in-between other cases that he picks up. Although the book is really enjoyable on face level; it does take lots of liberties with police procedure and legal procedures to allow Sebastian Rudd to entertain us; that aside it feels like the first cracks in the Grisham armoury, was this when he moved from writer to full commercial writer, needing a book published yearly for solely monetary and fame reasons? I'll let you know next book :) 7 out of 12, Three Star jam.
2024 read
This book is more like a TV show with ongoing stories (ex-wife, MA fighting and primary miscarriage of justice case) spread over and in-between other cases that he picks up. Although the book is really enjoyable on face level; it does take lots of liberties with police procedure and legal procedures to allow Sebastian Rudd to entertain us; that aside it feels like the first cracks in the Grisham armoury, was this when he moved from writer to full commercial writer, needing a book published yearly for solely monetary and fame reasons? I'll let you know next book :) 7 out of 12, Three Star jam.
2024 read
November 5, 2015
If you want to write a book of short stories, call it a book of short stories. Don't call it a novel. No plot, no novel.
March 1, 2023
A five-star blend of story-telling, character building and provocative essay-writing!
Sebastian Rudd is John Grisham’s latest creation – a noir, anti-hero fully loaded with personal baggage – an untended libido, a son that he adores, and a bisexual ex-wife who can only be characterized as a mean-spirited, vengeful witch; a high-powered criminal defense lawyer who, like Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, works out of his vehicle and is despised by the bench, his colleagues and even his clients; and a driven character, like Preston and Child’s Aloysius Pendergast (RELIC), whose morality is flexible and fluid and for whom justice and the law are not only different concepts but are often mutually exclusive! Here’s a toast to Grisham’s success with the new boy on the block and a wish that he’ll be returning for an encore performance sooner than later.
ROGUE LAWYER is not a legal thriller in the form that most lovers of the genre might expect. Rather than crafting a single plot with one or two sub-plots coming along for the ride, Grisham has really crafted five or six short stories and inter-woven them, letting them weave in and out of each other and unfold concurrently in real time. The reader, in effect, joins Sebastian Rudd working out of his mobile office van and is given a day to day peek into a proverbial “year in the life” of a colorful, off-the-wall defense attorney. Rudd’s clients run the gamut from psychopathic gutter scum to that stereotypical defendant who’s being framed and each case provides a backdrop against which Grisham can also award his readers with thoughtful, provocative essays on a myriad of legal topics – capital punishment and death row, jury tampering, the militarization of police in the USA, breaching lawyer-client confidentiality, human trafficking, racketeering, liability for wrongful death, divorce and more.
This is not top end literary material destined for shelving with the classics but it has to be said that it is a good deal more than temporarily diverting brain candy. And, even better, it’s gripping, compelling, page-turning stuff that pulled me through the entire novel in only two sittings.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Sebastian Rudd is John Grisham’s latest creation – a noir, anti-hero fully loaded with personal baggage – an untended libido, a son that he adores, and a bisexual ex-wife who can only be characterized as a mean-spirited, vengeful witch; a high-powered criminal defense lawyer who, like Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, works out of his vehicle and is despised by the bench, his colleagues and even his clients; and a driven character, like Preston and Child’s Aloysius Pendergast (RELIC), whose morality is flexible and fluid and for whom justice and the law are not only different concepts but are often mutually exclusive! Here’s a toast to Grisham’s success with the new boy on the block and a wish that he’ll be returning for an encore performance sooner than later.
ROGUE LAWYER is not a legal thriller in the form that most lovers of the genre might expect. Rather than crafting a single plot with one or two sub-plots coming along for the ride, Grisham has really crafted five or six short stories and inter-woven them, letting them weave in and out of each other and unfold concurrently in real time. The reader, in effect, joins Sebastian Rudd working out of his mobile office van and is given a day to day peek into a proverbial “year in the life” of a colorful, off-the-wall defense attorney. Rudd’s clients run the gamut from psychopathic gutter scum to that stereotypical defendant who’s being framed and each case provides a backdrop against which Grisham can also award his readers with thoughtful, provocative essays on a myriad of legal topics – capital punishment and death row, jury tampering, the militarization of police in the USA, breaching lawyer-client confidentiality, human trafficking, racketeering, liability for wrongful death, divorce and more.
This is not top end literary material destined for shelving with the classics but it has to be said that it is a good deal more than temporarily diverting brain candy. And, even better, it’s gripping, compelling, page-turning stuff that pulled me through the entire novel in only two sittings.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
September 13, 2015
The book tells Sebastian's story of representing various clients. Some of these clients include: Gardy, an innocent man being wrongfully convicted for murder; Link, a mob leader who killed a judge and is facing death row; Tadeo, a cage fighter who gets into trouble while fighting in the ring. Woven through most of these cases are corrupt law enforcement officials which Sebastian has to sometimes fight dirty to get the fair result.
I went through waves of enjoyment with this book. At first I found it interesting as Sebastian's character was being developed and the first case presented. Then around a third of the way through I became a little bit bored and I was wondering when things were going to pick up. Around half way things got interesting and I couldn't put the book down, but they gradually tapered off to a very flat ending. I think the blurb is slightly misleading and makes the book sound a bit more exciting than it actually is. In fact, it took until page 178 to get to the part the third paragraph of the blurb refers to.
Sebastian is definitely the very definition of a rogue lawyer and I think Grisham develops his character very well. I really liked him and his interactions with his partner, called Partner. This was the reason I kept reading the book. In fact, most of the characters were well developed, I just think the story could've been developed a bit more with more suspense and focus on one case. Overall, I did quite like it, though I think there was something missing. It wasn't quite what I expected. This rating is more like 3.5 stars.
Thank you to The Reading Room and Hatchett Australia for my copy to read and review.
I went through waves of enjoyment with this book. At first I found it interesting as Sebastian's character was being developed and the first case presented. Then around a third of the way through I became a little bit bored and I was wondering when things were going to pick up. Around half way things got interesting and I couldn't put the book down, but they gradually tapered off to a very flat ending. I think the blurb is slightly misleading and makes the book sound a bit more exciting than it actually is. In fact, it took until page 178 to get to the part the third paragraph of the blurb refers to.
Sebastian is definitely the very definition of a rogue lawyer and I think Grisham develops his character very well. I really liked him and his interactions with his partner, called Partner. This was the reason I kept reading the book. In fact, most of the characters were well developed, I just think the story could've been developed a bit more with more suspense and focus on one case. Overall, I did quite like it, though I think there was something missing. It wasn't quite what I expected. This rating is more like 3.5 stars.
Thank you to The Reading Room and Hatchett Australia for my copy to read and review.
January 18, 2022
Usually I keep up with the John Grisham books as they are released, but I missed this one when it came out. Lately it has felt like the Grisham I have been reading is more “miss” than “hit”. Thankfully, I can say that Rogue Lawyer was a hit!
I really don’t have any complaints about this book. The fact that it is a series of shorter stories all in the life of the titular character keeps the pace quick and interesting. The uniqueness of the storylines makes me wonder if Grisham researched weird and shocking legal cases and then modified them to fit into his overall plot. Or maybe he hit his creative groove in coming up with some out of the ordinary situations. Either way, it was fun to read.
If you are a Grisham or legal thriller fan, I can easily recommend this book if you are looking for something to read. I am hoping that Grisham ends up doing more like this one.
I really don’t have any complaints about this book. The fact that it is a series of shorter stories all in the life of the titular character keeps the pace quick and interesting. The uniqueness of the storylines makes me wonder if Grisham researched weird and shocking legal cases and then modified them to fit into his overall plot. Or maybe he hit his creative groove in coming up with some out of the ordinary situations. Either way, it was fun to read.
If you are a Grisham or legal thriller fan, I can easily recommend this book if you are looking for something to read. I am hoping that Grisham ends up doing more like this one.
October 26, 2015
It's been a while since I've read any of John Grisham's books, and this one was really disappointing. I felt like he was trying to capitalize on his past "small town law enforcement corruption" themes, with a dash of Scott Turow... but unfortunately he grabbed Michael Connelly instead and poured a big heaping jarful into the pot... poor Mickey Haller the Lincoln Lawyer is just floating in the soup. Very disappointing. I mean, I really like Mickey Haller, but Sebastian Rudd is a poor substitute (some might say a knock-off, and I wouldn't disagree with them).
And the whole cage fighting thing - wth? Was this supposed to show us what a badass Rudd is, living on the edge?? I didn't buy it. Thank goodness this was a library book.
And the whole cage fighting thing - wth? Was this supposed to show us what a badass Rudd is, living on the edge?? I didn't buy it. Thank goodness this was a library book.
November 11, 2015
This is a story of Lawyer Sebastian Rudd who represents people that no one else will touch such as drug dealers and murderers. The novel follows his life and the cases he is working on and although each case is interesting and well written it fails to capture the imagination and fully hold the reader.
The book is almost a series of short stories that are loosely connected and as soon as each case had captured my attention it was over and moved on. I found this more than a little disappointing and thought that if maybe the novel was kept to one case and expanded it would have been far more interesting.
Overall I thought this was well below the standard of some of John Grisham's other books.
The book is almost a series of short stories that are loosely connected and as soon as each case had captured my attention it was over and moved on. I found this more than a little disappointing and thought that if maybe the novel was kept to one case and expanded it would have been far more interesting.
Overall I thought this was well below the standard of some of John Grisham's other books.
April 6, 2024
3.5 stars
Sebastian Rudd is a street lawyer who carries a gun and works out of a customized Ford cargo van.
The bulletproof vehicle - which doubles as an office - is kitted out with a table and seats; sofa; television; stereo system, Internet, refrigerator, bar, a couple of extra guns, and a change of clothes.
Rudd's only employee is Partner, a tough, heavily armed, former client who wears black suits and functions as Rudd's driver, bodyguard, confidant, paralegal, caddie, and friend.
'Rogue Lawyer' is composed of several linked stories, with Rudd representing a series of clients. Rudd isn't averse to bending the law, which he believes is necessary in the face of slick, lying, scheming prosecutors who care more about winning than justice.
While Rudd is defending his clients, he's also dealing with a witchy ex-wife named Judith.
Judith is constantly trying to reduce Rudd's court-ordered visitation with their 7-year-old son Starcher, which totals only 36 hours per month. So Judith keeps dragging Rudd in front of a judge with spurious (and not so spurious) complaints.
*****
I'll give some examples of Rudd's clients.
Rudd is the court appointed lawyer for a brain-damaged 18-year-old dropout called Gardy, who has long greasy black hair, numerous facial piercings, and a slew of tattoos. Gardy is charged with the sadistic murder of two little girls in the town of Milo. Rudd admits his clients are almost always guilty, but THIS TIME, Rudd is convinced Gardy is innocent
As the trial starts, a mob outside the courthouse is waving signs reading "Hang the Baby Killer" and "Crud Rudd out of Milo!".....and people clearly want to kill both Gardy and Rudd.
The trial proceeds, and in Rudd's view, "The State has no physical evidence linking Gardy to the murders. Zero. So....the State is doing what it often does. It's plowing ahead with lies and fabricated testimony."
What's a (semi) honest defense lawyer to do?
*****
Rudd previously defended a wealthy mob boss called Link Scanlon, who was accused of killing a judge. Rudd did his best, but Scanlon was convicted and sent to death row. Link's execution is now scheduled for tonight, and Rudd is spending the last few hours with his client.
Scanlon is griping about his situation, wishing he'd hired a 'Jew lawyer', refusing to see a spiritual advisor, and making calls on his (illicit) cell phone. Pretty soon, shocking things start to happen, much to Rudd's dismay.
*****
Retiree Doug Renfro isn't too savvy about the Internet, which allows a teenage drug dealing neighbor to piggyback on Doug's WiFi. The police think Renfro is selling drugs, and raid his home in the middle of the night with a SWAT team in full combat gear. The cops even bring a tank.
Things go badly wrong and Doug's wife and dogs are killed. In the confusion, Doug - believing thugs have entered his home - shoots and grazes a police officer.
The police engineer a cover-up, and Renfro is arrested and put on trial for shooting a cop. Rudd is incensed at the injustice and determined to help Renfro.
*****
Rudd is a fan of cage-fighting and has even invested in a young MMA fighter named Tadeo Zapate, who's very talented.
Rudd likes to see "bleeding eyes, gashes across the forehead, choke holds, bone-ripping submissions, and brutal knockout punches", especially when they're administered by Zapate.
Rudd would never miss one of Tadeo's matches, even if he has to take along his young son Starcher. Moreover, Rudd has earned a bundle on the brawler, and expects to make a lot more.
One day, a cage-fighter loses his temper and ends up being tried for murder, with Rudd as his defense lawyer.
*****
Rudd has additional clients as well, none of whom are outstanding citizens.
In the course of the story, Rudd is accused of jury-tampering; runs afoul of Assistant Police Chief Roy Kemp, whose daughter was kidnapped; gets flirtatious with Starcher's teacher Ms. Tarrant; extorts city officials; annoys judges and prosecutors; plays Dirty Golf; and more.
In all honesty, I didn't especially like Rudd, who's too much of a 'bad boy' for my taste, especially when he's joyfully 'screaming his head off' during vicious cage fights. That said, this is a compelling legal thriller with very good courtroom scenes.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
June 2, 2016
This is not a novel. At best, it is a book of short stories featuring the same protagonist. Attorney Sebastian Rudd is a thinly-developed knockoff of Micky Haller, Michael Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer. One major difference is that Sebastian Rudd is a truly sleazy lawyer, while Haller has some self-respect. Parts of the plots are not credible, and this can be seen in the first of the short stories, which is much more an angry screed against police and prosecutors than it is a story. Especially odious is the scornful description of a jury that is a contradiction of most of the real juries and their verdicts that were once seen regularly on Court TV -- sincere and conscientious men and women who take their duties seriously and weigh all of the evidence carefully. By insulting juries in this manner, Grisham is insulting all of us because any and all of us could eventually serve on similar juries.
The anti-police and prosecutor case that is presented at the beginning of the book eventually fades away completely and is not mentioned again in later portions of the book, which is really a collection of stories, rather than one cohesive story. Sebastian Rudd is really unsavory. He conspires with criminals. He uses his influence to inflict violence on his enemies. He hires unethical people to assist him with his cases. He fails to report an attempt at jury tampering to the judge in a criminal trial. Rudd is a stereotypical sleazy lawyer. He is not at all likable.
The author makes an attempt to tie the stories together at the end of the book, but he doesn't really succeed. The result is an abrupt ending with loose ends left dangling. This is not a well-written book, and I cannot recommend it to others.
The anti-police and prosecutor case that is presented at the beginning of the book eventually fades away completely and is not mentioned again in later portions of the book, which is really a collection of stories, rather than one cohesive story. Sebastian Rudd is really unsavory. He conspires with criminals. He uses his influence to inflict violence on his enemies. He hires unethical people to assist him with his cases. He fails to report an attempt at jury tampering to the judge in a criminal trial. Rudd is a stereotypical sleazy lawyer. He is not at all likable.
The author makes an attempt to tie the stories together at the end of the book, but he doesn't really succeed. The result is an abrupt ending with loose ends left dangling. This is not a well-written book, and I cannot recommend it to others.
November 25, 2020
Entertaining character and story. One of Grisham's faster-paced and action-packed novels and still with his trademark witty narrative. A satisfyingly fun read as is always the case with him..
October 28, 2015
Rogue Lawyer is the 26th stand-alone novel by popular American author, John Grisham. Sebastian Rudd is a rogue lawyer. He defends criminals no-one else will touch; he is unpopular with criminals and with the police, so unpopular that his last office was fire-bombed; he is not above cheating, especially when he believes the other side is doing it; he says he fights bad systems and hates injustice.
After finishing parts one and two, the reader could be forgiven for thinking that the book is going to be a collection of anecdotes about cases Rudd has won or lost, but persistence proves that Grisham is giving his character a back-story, so that his behaviour later in the book seems consistent. Rudd does spend quite a bit of time justifying his actions, though, especially when it comes to his broken marriage, his obsession with cage fighting and his interactions with his seven-year-old son.
This is a legal thriller that touches on wrongful arrest, trial by media, death row, and death by SWAT team. There is a dramatic prison escape, a car bombing, more than one kidnap, several cage fights, sex trafficking, and a SWAT assault, all against a background of conflict with Rudd’s ex-wife over visitation rights. The size and nature of back-room court deals, if accurate, is quite an eye-opener. Not Grisham’s best, but still a good read.
With thanks to TheReadingRoom and Hachette for this copy to read and review
After finishing parts one and two, the reader could be forgiven for thinking that the book is going to be a collection of anecdotes about cases Rudd has won or lost, but persistence proves that Grisham is giving his character a back-story, so that his behaviour later in the book seems consistent. Rudd does spend quite a bit of time justifying his actions, though, especially when it comes to his broken marriage, his obsession with cage fighting and his interactions with his seven-year-old son.
This is a legal thriller that touches on wrongful arrest, trial by media, death row, and death by SWAT team. There is a dramatic prison escape, a car bombing, more than one kidnap, several cage fights, sex trafficking, and a SWAT assault, all against a background of conflict with Rudd’s ex-wife over visitation rights. The size and nature of back-room court deals, if accurate, is quite an eye-opener. Not Grisham’s best, but still a good read.
With thanks to TheReadingRoom and Hachette for this copy to read and review
October 6, 2025
Зад това глуповато заглавие се крие един от по-добрите романи на късния Гришам, този даже може лично да го е писал, но все пак заедно със "съавторите си".
Чете се бързо, няколко истории се преплитат сравнително удачно, но на героите определено липсва дълбочина.
Себастиан Ръд е адвокат на хора, които никой не иска да защитава - убийци, гангстери и наркотрафиканти. Животът му е непрестанна борба на ръба на законното и той внимава за всеки свой ход - твърде много ченгета и служители на властта е унижил и раздразнил през дългата си кариера.
Най-лошото е, че описаните в книгата правни абсурди, нарастващите правомощия на полицията и злоупотребата с тях, некадърността и корумпираността са плашещо реални и напълно възможни! За какво им е например на полицаите в средно голям американски град танк!?!
Моята оценка - 3,5*.
Чете се бързо, няколко истории се преплитат сравнително удачно, но на героите определено липсва дълбочина.
Себастиан Ръд е адвокат на хора, които никой не иска да защитава - убийци, гангстери и наркотрафиканти. Животът му е непрестанна борба на ръба на законното и той внимава за всеки свой ход - твърде много ченгета и служители на властта е унижил и раздразнил през дългата си кариера.
Най-лошото е, че описаните в книгата правни абсурди, нарастващите правомощия на полицията и злоупотребата с тях, некадърността и корумпираността са плашещо реални и напълно възможни! За какво им е например на полицаите в средно голям американски град танк!?!
Моята оценка - 3,5*.
March 1, 2023
The Rogue Lawyer is the best Grisham book in a while, in part because it breaks out of his usual formula. Told in the first person, the book at first appears to be a collection of loosely related short stories. But eventually, the stories come together to tell a single story. The Rogue Lawyer, who is the narrator, is supposed to be a selfish, brash, obnoxious ass. But if there’s an overarching flaw to the book, it’s that he isn't really much of a rogue. He helps the innocent. He cheats, but only when his opponent is cheating first. He represents the guilty, but reluctantly, which makes him a rogue in the Han Solo sense, not in the actual rogue, no-holds-barred defense attorney sense. Still, the plot is unpredictable, and the writing entertains. Recommended.
June 22, 2017
It felt more of a chore to read than a pleasure. At times there were enjoyable parts that left you wanting more, but those feelings where short lived as I finished the book grudgingly. I also noticed that It was pretty repetative, as if the author was trying to recount parts of the story so that he could remember what he was writing about.
All in all, It was ok. It felt like a knock off of The Lincoln Lawyer.
All in all, It was ok. It felt like a knock off of The Lincoln Lawyer.
January 23, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Sebastian Rudd is the type of lawyer who skates close to breaking the law. He defends the lowlifes that most people won't defend, which puts him and his son in danger. Is he crazy to be defending these lowlifes? I found Rudd a refreshing character. He didn't really care what people thought and he worked hard when he knew his client was innocent and getting a raw deal. He also doesn't like corruption within the police department and will go after them even if it is dangerous. This is a pretty fast paced book that will carry the reader along.
September 2, 2020
Classic Grisham all the way!
A master of legal crime stories, the pacing, characters and plot twists engage the reader from start to finish. Similar to the Lincoln Lawyer, Rudd does business from a van keeping his dubious clients guessing of his whereabouts. With multiple cases being juggled while his ex brow beats him, there's plenty of action. It's not his best story, but a good one nonetheless!
A master of legal crime stories, the pacing, characters and plot twists engage the reader from start to finish. Similar to the Lincoln Lawyer, Rudd does business from a van keeping his dubious clients guessing of his whereabouts. With multiple cases being juggled while his ex brow beats him, there's plenty of action. It's not his best story, but a good one nonetheless!
November 24, 2015
In another masterful legal novel, Grisham takes readers down yet another rabbit hole of the profession. Sebastian Rudd is a lawyer like few others who have graced the pages of a Grisham novel. Working solely by word of mouth, Rudd believes that everyone, no matter their history, personality, or mindset, deserves a lawyer and their day in court. Grisham chooses to take the reader along a few paths, depicting some of the clients Rudd has during a snapshot in his legal career, sometimes delving into trials, at other times legal conundrums. This is more a collection of six cases, in which Grisham has Rudd handling the defence side of apparent prosecutorial 'slam dunk' cases. While he battles an ex-wife with a vendetta who seeks to use their son as a pawn, Rudd is able to dazzle the reader and his client with his antics, but at what cost? The cases weave together and arc effectively into a larger plot that allows the reader to see Sebastian Rudd at his best, and worst, using justice as his nagging wife, which he so eloquently describes in the opening pages. Not to be missed by Grisham fans and newcomers alike.
I was once asked why Grisham is such a popular writer when he cannot string together a successful series for his adult readers (having penned a great young adult series in Theodore Boone). Taking up the gauntlet, I let this fellow reader know that Grisham's greatness without a series can be summed up in two strong arguments: a) no single lawyer could handle the varied nature of Grisham's legal thrillers all on his own, and b) the ability to create a fresh character in each novel, including surroundings and backstory, is more impressive than parachuting a character in the same surroundings time and time again. This argument is strengthened yet again in this novel. Grisham takes a new look at the law, pulling on some of his other novels for breadcrumbs, but substantiating the Rudd character on his own merit. The backstory provided, woven into the six separate case stories, is strong and highly effective, leaving the reader wanted more vignettes to illustrate this man's narrative. Rudd has a flavour that individualises him from other Grisham characters, while still holding firm to the character formula that has worked so effectively for thirty years. With succinct narratives and a dry wit that keeps the reader hooked, Grisham is able to spin a tale that will entertain most legal thriller lovers. While not as legally entrenched as some of his other works, Grisham can be excused for a slightly diluted story, as he has tapped into so many angles in the past. However, he does not skim the waters and churn out fluff, keeping his mind sharp and his readers entertained until the closing lines of the last chapter.
Kudos, Mr. Grisham for another successful novel that piques the reader from the opening paragraph and does not let-up until the last period. What else have you in store for your fans?
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
I was once asked why Grisham is such a popular writer when he cannot string together a successful series for his adult readers (having penned a great young adult series in Theodore Boone). Taking up the gauntlet, I let this fellow reader know that Grisham's greatness without a series can be summed up in two strong arguments: a) no single lawyer could handle the varied nature of Grisham's legal thrillers all on his own, and b) the ability to create a fresh character in each novel, including surroundings and backstory, is more impressive than parachuting a character in the same surroundings time and time again. This argument is strengthened yet again in this novel. Grisham takes a new look at the law, pulling on some of his other novels for breadcrumbs, but substantiating the Rudd character on his own merit. The backstory provided, woven into the six separate case stories, is strong and highly effective, leaving the reader wanted more vignettes to illustrate this man's narrative. Rudd has a flavour that individualises him from other Grisham characters, while still holding firm to the character formula that has worked so effectively for thirty years. With succinct narratives and a dry wit that keeps the reader hooked, Grisham is able to spin a tale that will entertain most legal thriller lovers. While not as legally entrenched as some of his other works, Grisham can be excused for a slightly diluted story, as he has tapped into so many angles in the past. However, he does not skim the waters and churn out fluff, keeping his mind sharp and his readers entertained until the closing lines of the last chapter.
Kudos, Mr. Grisham for another successful novel that piques the reader from the opening paragraph and does not let-up until the last period. What else have you in store for your fans?
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 5, 2023
I may have been overly generous with my rating, but this is such a welcome change from my previous Grisham novel (The Brethren -- Ugh!) that I had seriously considered never reading him again. The man can write compelling characters: Sebastian Rudd (our MC) who is an anti-hero from a bygone era where noir had its appeal; an ex-wife lawyer who is trying to sever his parental rights, really? (Even if the man is a dirtbag shouldn't he have some contact with his kid? Clearly, not if he's going to hurt the kid.) Partner who is, well. . . a little on the nose.
Rudd carries a gun and has a bodyguard. His office is a customized, bulletproof van on account of his previous office being fire-bombed. As a defense lawyer he defends people who ordinarily cannot find a defender. His clients range from a cult-member to a crime boss on death row to a man that defended his home from a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house at 3 in the morning. The plot feels as if it was written as short stories, but I think the style fit the story Grisham wanted to tell. Everything here feels original and gives me this sense that all is right in the world.
Rudd carries a gun and has a bodyguard. His office is a customized, bulletproof van on account of his previous office being fire-bombed. As a defense lawyer he defends people who ordinarily cannot find a defender. His clients range from a cult-member to a crime boss on death row to a man that defended his home from a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house at 3 in the morning. The plot feels as if it was written as short stories, but I think the style fit the story Grisham wanted to tell. Everything here feels original and gives me this sense that all is right in the world.
February 1, 2016
I was cheering on the protagonist from the side lines :)
My View:
It has been a very, very long time since I have read a John Grisham adult novel, in fact it has been so long I have lost all memories of the individual book (it was, at the least, read thirty year ago so perhaps I can be forgiven for not remembering the details but having a lingering impression that this author can write!) and that memory is not ill-conceived!
I don’t know why it has been so long between drinks? This book was enthralling. I loved the solid, justice seeking lawyer Sebastian Rudd whose egalitarian belief that every person accused of a crime is entitled to a fair trial is how I believe the justice system should work. (Should and does are two very different things though – or am I just cynical?)
I found myself cheering on this rogue lawyer, anxious on his behalf, rapidly turning pages and hoping that all would work out in the end.
I was not disappointed. A great read.
My View:
It has been a very, very long time since I have read a John Grisham adult novel, in fact it has been so long I have lost all memories of the individual book (it was, at the least, read thirty year ago so perhaps I can be forgiven for not remembering the details but having a lingering impression that this author can write!) and that memory is not ill-conceived!
I don’t know why it has been so long between drinks? This book was enthralling. I loved the solid, justice seeking lawyer Sebastian Rudd whose egalitarian belief that every person accused of a crime is entitled to a fair trial is how I believe the justice system should work. (Should and does are two very different things though – or am I just cynical?)
I found myself cheering on this rogue lawyer, anxious on his behalf, rapidly turning pages and hoping that all would work out in the end.
I was not disappointed. A great read.
October 13, 2017
بداية مشوقة، وسط أقل تشويقا، نهاية هايلة.
August 31, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another incredible and captivating story by John Grisham. I am always impressed with the incredible knowledge and research Grisham puts into his stories.
Another incredible and captivating story by John Grisham. I am always impressed with the incredible knowledge and research Grisham puts into his stories.
May 23, 2016
My review is not so much about the book as it is about some laws in US that this book got me thinking about.
Aside from the first 30%, I enjoyed the book tremendously. The first third of the story was quite confusing. You get to read about different cases MC worked on and his unorthodox ways of defending his clients. It was fun to read, but one case had nothing to do with the other. At first, I thought it all was going somewhere and that, at some point, it will get connected. But it never did. Later I understood that It was author's an unusual way of character introduction.
There are plenty of action and fun twists, but it also gives you a lot to think about afterwards. From what I know about Grisham, from reading his books, is that he always does his research on laws in US. This makes his fictional stories believable.
This book got me thinking about, what some might call, an unconstitutional laws in US and how they contradict the constitution. In the second amendment it is said that a person has a right to keep and bear arms, in the forth it says that people have rights to protect their private possessions against unreasonable searches. And then you have a "No-knock warrant", which indirectly says that the law enforcement can pretty much give a middle finger to the second and forth amendments, if they have a probable cause that is. It seem that every time they get a warrant, they have a probable cause. The scary thing is, they don't always get it right. A person has a right to defend themselves against an intruder, unless the intruder is a law enforcement, then, not only you lose that right, you will be prosecuted and can go to prison and be put on a death row in some states, for a first degree murder. And it doesn't matter that the law enforcement made a mistake and invaded the wrong home.
It's not the first time that I got my neighbor's mail, and vise versa, we don't have names on our apartment doors. I can't tell you how relieved I am that I don't live in US. I love the American people and the culture, laws however, it's a whole different matter.
Imagine if my neighbor was doing something fishy and my home got invaded by mistake, in the middle of the night. So if I would grab something to defend myself and got forbid injured an intruder, I would be the one at fault because it was a police officer? Are you fucking kidding me? I hate guns, never owned one and never will (thankfully Norway has strict gun laws) , but I'm sure I would grab something sharp if I saw my apartment door flying in, in the middle of the night.
According to the 2015 statistics, there were 20k executed warrants, in mostly drug related cases, in US. The law enforcement got it right, for the most part. But how about those people that just happened to have law disobeying neighbors? Their family members got murdered and pets got killed, all because law enforcement made a mistake. Then, to add insult to the injury, they got sent to prison for defending their families and homes. To say the law is outrageous is an understatement. So, a police officer invaded someone's home by mistake, someone got killed, ops, shit happens. If a home owner in the US is defending themselves from, in this case, an intruder, there are consequences that will be paid and it won't be by the intruder. And it doesn't matter that you were asleep and didn't hear someone shouting "Police!". I would laugh if it didn't have such a tragic consequences.
US laws doesn't affect me in Nowray, unless I travel there, but still, it makes me sad for the people that live by them in America. Maybe US government should take a break from passing new stupid-ass laws and invest in education of the law enforcement, so "mistakes" (loss of innocent lives) like these, won't happen?
It horrifies me when I read a story about SWAT throwing a flash-bang stun grenade into the house and almost killing a 19 month old child.
What if there is a probable cause for the no-knock warrant, but there are children living in the house? Then you read about corrupt police using fake no-knock warrants to rob people. Wtf? What kind of fucked up power and action hungry The Call of Duty world are we living in?
Aside from the first 30%, I enjoyed the book tremendously. The first third of the story was quite confusing. You get to read about different cases MC worked on and his unorthodox ways of defending his clients. It was fun to read, but one case had nothing to do with the other. At first, I thought it all was going somewhere and that, at some point, it will get connected. But it never did. Later I understood that It was author's an unusual way of character introduction.
There are plenty of action and fun twists, but it also gives you a lot to think about afterwards. From what I know about Grisham, from reading his books, is that he always does his research on laws in US. This makes his fictional stories believable.
This book got me thinking about, what some might call, an unconstitutional laws in US and how they contradict the constitution. In the second amendment it is said that a person has a right to keep and bear arms, in the forth it says that people have rights to protect their private possessions against unreasonable searches. And then you have a "No-knock warrant", which indirectly says that the law enforcement can pretty much give a middle finger to the second and forth amendments, if they have a probable cause that is. It seem that every time they get a warrant, they have a probable cause. The scary thing is, they don't always get it right. A person has a right to defend themselves against an intruder, unless the intruder is a law enforcement, then, not only you lose that right, you will be prosecuted and can go to prison and be put on a death row in some states, for a first degree murder. And it doesn't matter that the law enforcement made a mistake and invaded the wrong home.
It's not the first time that I got my neighbor's mail, and vise versa, we don't have names on our apartment doors. I can't tell you how relieved I am that I don't live in US. I love the American people and the culture, laws however, it's a whole different matter.
Imagine if my neighbor was doing something fishy and my home got invaded by mistake, in the middle of the night. So if I would grab something to defend myself and got forbid injured an intruder, I would be the one at fault because it was a police officer? Are you fucking kidding me? I hate guns, never owned one and never will (thankfully Norway has strict gun laws) , but I'm sure I would grab something sharp if I saw my apartment door flying in, in the middle of the night.
According to the 2015 statistics, there were 20k executed warrants, in mostly drug related cases, in US. The law enforcement got it right, for the most part. But how about those people that just happened to have law disobeying neighbors? Their family members got murdered and pets got killed, all because law enforcement made a mistake. Then, to add insult to the injury, they got sent to prison for defending their families and homes. To say the law is outrageous is an understatement. So, a police officer invaded someone's home by mistake, someone got killed, ops, shit happens. If a home owner in the US is defending themselves from, in this case, an intruder, there are consequences that will be paid and it won't be by the intruder. And it doesn't matter that you were asleep and didn't hear someone shouting "Police!". I would laugh if it didn't have such a tragic consequences.
US laws doesn't affect me in Nowray, unless I travel there, but still, it makes me sad for the people that live by them in America. Maybe US government should take a break from passing new stupid-ass laws and invest in education of the law enforcement, so "mistakes" (loss of innocent lives) like these, won't happen?
It horrifies me when I read a story about SWAT throwing a flash-bang stun grenade into the house and almost killing a 19 month old child.
What if there is a probable cause for the no-knock warrant, but there are children living in the house? Then you read about corrupt police using fake no-knock warrants to rob people. Wtf? What kind of fucked up power and action hungry The Call of Duty world are we living in?
September 10, 2015
Three and a half stars.
I think this is probably my second ever Grisham novel. Divorced and with only minimal contact with his young son, Sebastian Rudd, the rogue lawyer is brash and cynical and attracts attention from clients others would not touch. He believes every criminal deserves to be represented and ends up with some dodgy, to say the least, clients. Yet in a way, Sebastian is strangely likeable despite his appalling parenting, which had me shaking my head in disbelief. When I first started this novel I thought it would be once case carried through the entire book. That is not the case, which initially made it seem like it was going to be more like short stories. But that didn’t eventuate either as there is a link (pun intended, which you will pick up as you progress through the book) between some of the cases.
I found this an interesting read, although I did feel if even half of the information in this book was true, the police and law situation in USA must be scary indeed because those you would expect to be on the right side of the law are not always. Possibly it is no different in other countries. I don’t know.
There is enough action in this to maintain interest and keep the plot moving forward. The reader will certainly meet some unsavoury types in these pages. If you are into legal thrillers then I think you should enjoy this one. I did. Thanks to The Reading Room and Hachette Australia for my ARC copy of this in paperback version to read and review.
I think this is probably my second ever Grisham novel. Divorced and with only minimal contact with his young son, Sebastian Rudd, the rogue lawyer is brash and cynical and attracts attention from clients others would not touch. He believes every criminal deserves to be represented and ends up with some dodgy, to say the least, clients. Yet in a way, Sebastian is strangely likeable despite his appalling parenting, which had me shaking my head in disbelief. When I first started this novel I thought it would be once case carried through the entire book. That is not the case, which initially made it seem like it was going to be more like short stories. But that didn’t eventuate either as there is a link (pun intended, which you will pick up as you progress through the book) between some of the cases.
I found this an interesting read, although I did feel if even half of the information in this book was true, the police and law situation in USA must be scary indeed because those you would expect to be on the right side of the law are not always. Possibly it is no different in other countries. I don’t know.
There is enough action in this to maintain interest and keep the plot moving forward. The reader will certainly meet some unsavoury types in these pages. If you are into legal thrillers then I think you should enjoy this one. I did. Thanks to The Reading Room and Hachette Australia for my ARC copy of this in paperback version to read and review.
August 6, 2017
I'm really split down the middle when it comes to this book. I did thoroughly enjoy some parts but then at other parts I wanted to rip my eyes out because I found it SO boring and stretched out.
The parts that I did enjoy really were excellent though! They had my full attention and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. But then one of the boring stretches would hit and I'd quickly lose interest.
It also didn't help that I related in no way to the main character, in fact I kind of disliked him. He was quite abrasive and rude and seemed like he couldn't care less how his actions affected others. But the rest of the characters were an interesting and very diverse cast and part of what partially saved this book from being a total flop.
The parts that I did enjoy really were excellent though! They had my full attention and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. But then one of the boring stretches would hit and I'd quickly lose interest.
It also didn't help that I related in no way to the main character, in fact I kind of disliked him. He was quite abrasive and rude and seemed like he couldn't care less how his actions affected others. But the rest of the characters were an interesting and very diverse cast and part of what partially saved this book from being a total flop.
August 11, 2015
This was my first time reading John Grisham, and what a treat! It’s said that Grisham is America’s favorite storyteller, and now I know why. John Grisham mixes the exciting pace of a thriller with fascinating legal elements, and the results are brilliant. Rogue Lawyer’s protagonist, Sebastian Rudd, is an absolute whirlwind—smart, gritty, tough—and an easy character to root for. Getting swept up in John Grisham’s latest masterpiece is unavoidable…and immensely entertaining!
- Sarah E. Doubleday Marketing Department
- Sarah E. Doubleday Marketing Department
April 20, 2016
I should have picked up this book sooner. Some how I was confused and thought this is part of his YA series. Main character sort of reminds me of Mickey Haller from the Lincoln Lawyer series. If you like legal thriller, you will like this book.
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