The Book Report “The Whistler” by John Grisham A book review by Brian Favretto
As human beings we were graced with the quality of free will, the intellectual capacity to make our own decisions and choose between right and wrong. The judicial system in this country has created laws that are meant to help guide our free will. We break the law and face penalties when we freely choose to ignore or disobey these rules. We have also created a system of checks and balances whereas a judge and jury oversee the process, in order to objectively maintain the integrity of the system. The problem is that the judges and the juries are human as well, guided by personal prejudices and capable of making their own decisions, some of which poor in nature. So, we now have agencies to oversee the overseers, designed to keep the judges’ free wills in check, and to make sure the legal system doesn’t break down. Most authors will write about topics in which they hold vast knowledge, or topics that are held close to their heart. John Grisham has been an advocate for legal justice for many years. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project, an oversight committee tasked with making sure justice is carried out following a conviction. His work as an “overseer of the overseers” has undoubtedly influenced his latest novel, “The Whistler”. In “The Whistler”, we are introduced to two new Grisham characters, Lacy Stoltz and Hugo Hatch, both investigators for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. In short, they investigate judges that have been accused of ethics violations or other misconduct. Lacy and Hugo seem to work well together because of their opposing qualities. Lacy is energetic and single, determined to always do the right thing regarding her work. Hugo is married with four children. “Energetic” is no longer in his vocabulary. He is an honest man that finds it easier to let Lacy make the decisions, preferably while he is napping. The story opens with Lacy and Hugo meeting with a mysterious whistleblower who invites them to “investigate the most corrupt judge in the history of American jurisprudence”. This corruption involves bribery, murder, organized crime, cover-ups, and a casino built on Native American tribal land. As the whistleblower slowly and methodically gave bits of juicy information, I was on the edge of my
seat imagining where this story could go. According to him, Judge Claudia McDover repeatedly bent or broke the rules, issuing favorable judgements for the Coast Mafia, which paved the way for them to build a casino on Tappacola tribal land. In return, she is given enormous amounts of cash, and allows an innocent man to waste away on death row after being framed for murder. As lawyers and not sworn law enforcement, Lacy and Hugo quickly realize that they are in over their heads. They see the danger in stoking this fire, yet they agree that McDover needs to be brought down. They agree to take the case, and ask the gun-toting FBI to assist them. Intrigued as they are, the FBI will not commit to the case until the Coast Mafia catches word of the investigation, and displays their willingness to shut it down at all costs. Can the judge be brought down? Will the Coast Mafia be dismantled? Will the innocent be vindicated? Will Lacy and Hugo win the day? This book had so much potential, but ended up leaving me disappointed. I spent the first half of the book wanting the suspense to build and waiting for something to happen. The climax of the story was early and weak, and the second half of the book was mostly dedicated to listing the aftermath. At times I felt like I was reading a documentary, and began to wonder if this was a true story. That means Grisham did a wonderful job in making the situations feel realistic, but my main criticism is that none of the characters were well developed. I didn’t come to know or relate to any of them. In fact, the best character development came from a minor character, as he vividly described the outward strength shown while grieving the loss of a loved one. Further, I like when an author ties up all the loose ends in the last few pages, so that I’m left with a “mind picture”, or ending snapshot of the plot. “The Whistler” seemed to wrap up for the last 50 pages or more. I got the impression that this novel was being written purposely for the adaptation of a television series or movie. I’ve been a Grisham fan since “A Time to Kill” in 1989, and as all Grisham faithful, I look forward to each new piece of work. I believe he genuinely cares about, and advocates for positive changes in our legal system. I won’t say this book isn’t worth reading. It showed glimpses of Grisham past, but hopefully not of Grisham future. If you’re curious to see whether or not justice triumphs, check out “The Whistler” at any of our local libraries or bookstores. “The Whistler”, 2016, Doubleday
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