My Latest Legal Drama Fix: Reading Grisham, Watching Matlock, & Debating Suits LA
March 15, 2025 |
| My current Grisham collection - March 2025 |
I am happy to report that I finally finished John Grisham's The Summons (happy dance). It feels incomplete. Before I share why, let me summarize the book.
The book follows Ray, a law professor at the University of Virginia, and his brother Forrest, who struggles with addiction - and is always in and out of rehab (y'all know I am already sucked in because of my academic research in addiction). Their retired father, Judge Atlee, summons them home, but he dies before they arrive. While settling the estate, Ray discovers a hidden stash of cash, leading him into a web of threats, break-ins, and suspicion. He traces the money to a past pharmaceutical case, learning it was a secret gift from French, a lawyer also known as the King of Torts. Following a 2am break-in and threat, Ray returns the cash, only for his father’s house to burn down. Eventually, he realizes Forrest orchestrated everything—he forged the letter, took the money, and used it to check into an expensive rehab.
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| Got this copy of John Grisham's The Summons at the Free Book Exchange spot in the School Library |
We need a sequel.
Someone needs to let us know if Forrest stayed in rehab for a full year, and did Ray get some of that money...and what did French to do the Priest brothers (they are the ones French used to deliver the cash to the judge, and he said he will take care of them when Ray mentioned he was being followed)? I was doing some online reading and found out that there is no sequel to the book, but French is the main character in Grisham's book The King of Torts. I am currently fighting the temptation to look for it because I have four other Grisham books waiting for me...the struggle is real.
Before you judge me, I talked about my love for psychological-who done-it thriller-detective-legal type books and shows in this 'about me' post, so you were forewarned.
This Grisham book reminded me of a series I watched last Summer - Emperor of Ocean Park, starring Forest Whitaker who is a judge that dies and his children has to figure out some things from his past.
The series is based on a book, by the same name, written by Yale Law Professor, Stephen Lisle Carter. One of the sons in the book, the one I liked, is a law professor (y'all know my life's goal is to be a professor) and I think that is one of the things that attracted me to this series...I will work on TV shows/movies with professor type characters (have you watched Irrational - it not only has a Professor, but he is a Psychology/Behavior Science Professor...love love love...but I digress).
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| When I was trying out Threads - one of the cast members response to my thread (Aug 2024) |
Can you see the correlation - a judge who dies, and he has a son who is a Professor (what are the odds), and the law professor son is trying to figure out what the dad was up to - the money vs the arrangements. Forget the sequel, someone get Mr. Grisham and Prof Carter on a panel because I have questions.
Still on legal dramas, I finally got to watch all episodes of Matlock which did a sneak peak teaser at the beginning of Fall...I was waiting for all the episodes to air so that I can binge watch. This one is about an elderly couple and their grandson trying to get justice for their daughter/mother who died from an overdose. The grandma works her way into the legal firm that handled the case and might have been responsible for hiding information that would have saved their daughter/mother's life...can't wait for Season 2...who do you think knew about it?
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| Watching Matlock Pilot before they released the rest of the season - Lancaster, October 2024 |
Speaking of sneaking characters sneaking their way into a job, have you watched the new Suits, the LA one? I have not started it because I feel like I will be cheating on Harvey and Donna...they ARE SUITS...oooh and if Louis Litt is not in it, is it even Lit? I, however, loved Jessica's spin off - I think I watched it when I was still dreaming of living in Chicago (binging on Sam Irby's books...or was I binging on her work because I was dreaming of Chicago? Riddle for other day...and yes, I have these phases where I fall in love with city and I see us married and living happily ever after, until I realize the dream will never be...at least not for now).
Since we do not have any sequels to look forward to, we will switch gears into psychological drama in my next post. Until then, have a lovely day, and let me know you are reading and/or watching?
Sending love and light,
Sitawa
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