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The Confession

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The Confession

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: Scott Sowers
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For every innocent man sent to prison, there is a guilty one left on the outside. He doesn't understand how the police and prosecutors got the wrong man, and he certainly doesn't care. He just can't believe his good luck. Time passes and he realizes that the mistake will not be corrected: the authorities believe in their case and are determined to get a conviction. He may even watch the trial of the person wrongly accused of his crime. He is relieved when the verdict is guilty. He laughs when the police and prosecutors congratulate themselves. He is content to allow an innocent person to go to prison, to serve hard time, even to be executed.

Travis Boyette is such a man. In 1998, in the small East Texas city of Sloan, he abducted, raped, and strangled a popular high school cheerleader. He buried her body so that it would never be found, then watched in amazement as police and prosecutors arrested and convicted Donté Drumm, a local football star, and marched him off to death row.

Now nine years have passed. Travis has just been paroled in Kansas for a different crime; Donté is four days away from his execution. Travis suffers from an inoperable brain tumor. For the first time in his miserable life, he decides to do what's right and confess.

But how can a guilty man convince lawyers, judges, and politicians that they're about to execute an innocent man?

(P)2010 Random House, LLC©2010 John Grisham Crime Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Law Fiction Thriller Exciting Heartfelt Scary
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I enjoy Grisham’s novels and his cynicism over the justice available in US legal system, particularly for the disadvantaged in society. This novel epitomises this as a young black man, Donte Drumm, is accused of a brutal murder on little evidence other than a confession, later retracted, got out of him by dubious police tactics. He is convicted by an all white jury and sentenced to death. After four years on death row and numerous appeals his execution day is imminent. At the 11th hour a confession to a clergyman by a serial sex offender just released from prison leads to a hectic race to try and stop the execution. It’s gripping stuff: depressing too as politicians motivated by a desire to be re-elected, in a Texas with majority-opinion in favour of the death penalty, are hell-bent on ignoring any evidence that exonerates the prisoner. Although this is fiction it exemplifies what can happen to those without the funds to get professional legal representation.

It’s a gripping and thought-provoking novel that made me feel angry at times but nevertheless a great listen that is admirably narrated.

“Edge-of the-seat” legal drama

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One of my favourites novels from John Grisham, and kept me glued on until the very end

I can’t stop listening

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I had to fast forward at times because the story became too painful to listen to. It's Grisham at his best but the death penalty is a difficult topic, so this isn't an 'escapist' read. The narrator is truly excellent and brought the many characters to life with his amazing range of accents and voices.

Thoroughly recommend this book but it isn't for the faint-hearted.

First class narrator

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Any additional comments?

At times quite upsetting, but I suppose that is what a book like this is supposed to be like.

Wonderful morality tale

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Great book, one of Grisham's finest. From start to finish a gripping read, and one hard to put down!

Great

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