‘A man of the law had been murdered in his own bed by his own gun…The killer had confessed and was in custody, and though only sixteen...old enough to know right from wrong’.

What could be a simpler case even when capital punishment is an option?

It has been a while but, when I looked on the holiday book-swap shelves, I could not resist the lure of the Grisham. It was calling to me, one I hadn’t read but featuring Jake Brigance, the lawyer hero from Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill which I read many moons ago.

The novel opens with a scene of domestic abuse. Stuart Kofer is drunk – again – and hits his girlfriend – again. This time, though, her kids, hiding in a room upstairs, think he has killed her. She is unconscious and does not seem to be breathing. Drew Gamble, immature, undersized, and looking much younger than his sixteen years, is determined to protect himself and his younger sister. Kofer, having been unable to get into the room in which they had barricaded themselves, and where they know from experience he would have continued his violent assault, has fallen into a drunken stupor on his bed. Drew picks up Kofer’s gun and shoots him at point blank range. He then rings the police to report two dead bodies and to confess his crime. Only then do we discover that Kofer is a local deputy sheriff and a very popular one at that, with colleagues and locals turning a blind eye to his ‘darker side’. Now, along with his family, they want blood!

It appears that Drew’s mother was not dead although she was badly beaten and left with a broken jaw but Kofer is most definitely deceased. Held in a ‘juvie cell’ Drew is talking to no one, having withdrawn into himself. Although reluctant to take the case, Jake is appointed by the judge to defend the boy; he’s not going to be popular and his family may once again find themselves in the firing line from hostile neighbours, but it’s not a request he can refuse if he values his career. Grisham highlights just how hard it can be as a defence lawyer, especially in a small town like Clanton, and just how powerful a judge can be.
And so, the stage is set for another compelling court case. Jake believes that every defendant deserves the best possible representation. He is determined to give it his best shot and save Drew from the gas chamber but as the tag line says, ‘Can a killer ever go free?’

Much of the novel deals with events prior to the court case. Investigations reveal more details about Kofer’s dark side; normally, a well-respected, conscientious officer but a brute of a drunk – and he regularly drinks far too much! Is it right to attack a dead man’s reputation in Drew’s defence? Jake quickly uncovers the details of the unhappy upbringing Drew and his sister have endured despite their mother, Josie, loving them very much. If she could go back and do things differently, she would, but she can’t. Jake is also worried about Drew’s state of mind. He is given an ace to play when he discovers another secret, one which he is determined to keep from the prosecutor until the time is right, a secret he believes will sway any jury.

Ethical questions are raised, not least whether a civilized society should even consider the death penalty and whether there is ever any justification for murder? John Grisham, a master of court drama, once more uses his expertise to explain the intricacies of the law, before, during and after the court case. He also highlights the effect court cases have on the personal lives of all those involved. The grief suffered by Kofer’s family is acknowledged but cannot excuse their actions in their desire for revenge. The people of a small town freely share their opinions, no matter how well or ill-informed they are about the truth. Friendships are tested but Jake has been given a job to do and he will do it to the best of his ability no matter how many people get upset and no matter how hard it is for him personally. His practice is struggling and he is threatened with bankruptcy but he is emotionally invested in this case and will not take the easy path. The team around him are on board despite the dark clouds looming.

The actual court case is a relatively short section of the novel but it is compelling. All the characters, from the defendant himself to the witnesses, the officers of the court, the jury and the local townsfolk, play their part but, reader, do not expect the ends to be neatly tied. As ever, Grisham writes an authentic story and in life, there are rarely satisfactory endings; in this case, there is no answer which will appease everyone. For me, the secondary plot lines, namely the Smallwood case which rumbles on and the adoption of baby Luke, both lack credibility and the latter especially, felt unnecessary and left me with a sense of unease.

It is hard to say whether this novel is driven by plot or character; the characters are real, fully rounded, believable people and the plot is thought-provoking and compelling: just how will the jury vote and will Jake be able to stay in Clanton after this second controversial and highly unpopular case?


A Time for Mercy is published by Hodder