The Widow

By John Grisham

AN INTRIGUING MIX OF LEGAL THRILLER AND DETECTIVE STORY

   ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY

Simon Latch is a small-town lawyer and father of three, in Braxton, Virginia. He struggles to make ends meet and his marriage is on the rocks.  When Eleanor Barnett, an 85-year old widow, needs a new will, Simon is hopeful that things might just be looking up.  Eleanor wants her late husband's lifelong investments in Coca-Cola and Walmart to remain private.  She has two good-for-nothing stepsons she hasn’t seen in years, whom she wants to disinherit.

After an accident lands Eleanor in the hospital, Simon realizes things aren’t as they seem and is soon accused of murder, a crime he swears he didn’t commit. Knowing he’s innocent but facing circumstantial evidence, Simon must find the real killer to clear his name before he spends his life behind bars.

REVIEW

THE WIDOW is an intriguing mix of legal thriller and detective story with a hint of greed thrown in for good measure.

Simon’s flawed character was interesting. A lackluster lawyer who waits for business to walk through his door and is very adept at finding ways to skirt the law. However, it is Simon who somehow propels the narrative on a rollercoaster ride through the judicial system and beyond. THE WIDOW was a brilliantly plotted and smartly structured. It’s a tale full of curiosity and intrigue. While I didn’t initially care for Simon’s maddening character, he shone in the second half of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Publisher    Doubleday Books

Published   October 21, 2025

Review       www.bluestockingreviews.com