Summons
Law professor Ray Atlee and his prodigal brother, Forrest, are summoned  home to Clanton, Mississippi, by their ailing father to discuss his will. But  when Ray arrives the judge is already dead, and the one-page document dividing  his meager estate between the two sons seems crystal clear. What it doesn't  mention, however, is the small fortune in cash Ray discovers hidden in the old  man's house--$3 million he can't account for and doesn't mention to brother  Forrest, either.Ray's efforts to keep his find a secret, figure out where it came from, and hide  it from a nameless extortioner, who seems to know more about it than he does,  culminate in a denouement with an almost biblical twist. It's a slender plot to  hang a thriller on, and in truth it's not John Grisham's best in terms of  pacing, dramatic tension, and interesting characters (except for Harry Rex, a  country lawyer who was the judge's closest friend and in many ways is the father  Ray wishes he'd had. He's so vivid he jumps off the page). But Grisham's legions  of fans are likely to enjoyThe Summonseven if it lacks the power of  some of his classic earlier books, likeThe Firm,The Brethren, andThe Testament.--Jane  Adams--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.