Publication
New York : Dell Books, 2020
Collection
Call number
Paperbacks G
Physical description
433 p.; 20 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
In a small Florida town, a young lawyer is shot to death. A young black man, a former client, named Quincy Miller is charged and convicted. For 22 years, Miller maintains his innocence from inside prison. Finally, Guardian Ministries takes on Miller's case, but the Episcopal minister in charge gets more than he bargained for as powerful people do not want Miller exonerated.
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member beckyhaase
THE GUARDIANS by John Grisham
Quincy has been rotting in prison for years convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Cullen Post, a minister and a lawyer, along with the rest of the Guardians agree to help him. Who are the bad guys? They are really bad, well protected. and have no compunction against
Grisham, a master of the crime field, has another winner in THE GUARDIANS. The clever plot is convoluted enough to keep you guessing, but not enough to discourage you as you race to discover the bad guys.
As usual with a Grisham novel, few “bad words”, few sex scenes, the violence takes place off page, but the twists and turns, riveting plot, fully developed characters and excellent writing are all there.
5 of 5 stars
Quincy has been rotting in prison for years convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Cullen Post, a minister and a lawyer, along with the rest of the Guardians agree to help him. Who are the bad guys? They are really bad, well protected. and have no compunction against
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killing a minister, a lawyer, a prisoner, or anyone else who gets in their way.Grisham, a master of the crime field, has another winner in THE GUARDIANS. The clever plot is convoluted enough to keep you guessing, but not enough to discourage you as you race to discover the bad guys.
As usual with a Grisham novel, few “bad words”, few sex scenes, the violence takes place off page, but the twists and turns, riveting plot, fully developed characters and excellent writing are all there.
5 of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Guardians, John Grisham, author; Michael Beck, narrator
Grisham knows how to write a book that holds the reader’s attention. Although it is simplistic at times, in its style, and although there is no real action to excite the reader, many of the problems in our justice system are exposed in
In particular, however, the novel focuses on Quincy Miller, a man who has been behind bars for more than two decades for a murder he did not commit. Cullen Post and his compatriots work tirelessly for Guardian Ministries to free the wrongfully convicted. They expend this effort for very little personal, material compensation, but rather they work for the satisfaction of righting injustice. Cullen Post was once a public defender. In the past, he had a nervous breakdown when assigned to defend a violent, barbaric murderer, and he abandoned his law career. His marriage dissolved after months of psychiatric treatment, and he decided to enter the seminary and became an Episcopal minister. After that effort waned, and he needed to do more, he joined forces with a woman who opened a ministry that defended those that some might call the indefensible, the convicted felons on death row. Some had no money, but all insisted they were innocent. Some of the convicts that contacted them were eventually exposed as guilty, but most were not, and the effort to save them is always laudable.
The reader learns that there are many wrongfully convicted prisoners languishing in prison. The justice system does not make it easy to reverse course once it has ruled, even when new evidence is discovered. Are there jailhouse snitches, have some wives and husbands lied to convict their spouses, do witnesses lie, do some forensic scientists adjust their testimony to suit the person who hires them, do the real murderers feel no guilt when someone dies in their stead? Yes, apparently.
There are lots of moral questions arising from this straightforward tale about injustice and those that devote themselves to work to correct the failures of our justice system. It is inspiring to learn of that effort. At the end, the author’s note explains that this novel is based on a real case, and there is a real organization, like Guardian Ministries. It is the Centurion Ministry. It is a non-profit that works to free the wrongfully convicted. He also notes that they could use donations to further their efforts more effectively. If this book interests you and inspires you to learn more, I suggest you also read the non-fiction book by the author Grisham mentions, Bryan Stevenson. It is called “Just Mercy”.
The narrator of this book was spot on. He read with perfect tone and emphasis, never getting in the way of the book's message.
Grisham knows how to write a book that holds the reader’s attention. Although it is simplistic at times, in its style, and although there is no real action to excite the reader, many of the problems in our justice system are exposed in
Show More
this novel in a way that the public can digest easily. It illustrates the danger that often fasces those who stare down the injustices of society. Often it is horrifying, like when corrupt individuals and organizations like drug cartels take justice into their own hands, and often it is uplifting when justice prevails and the innocent go free. Always, it is appealing and will hold the reader’s interest. Several cases of unfairly sentenced victims are developed and the effort to set some free is described in detail.In particular, however, the novel focuses on Quincy Miller, a man who has been behind bars for more than two decades for a murder he did not commit. Cullen Post and his compatriots work tirelessly for Guardian Ministries to free the wrongfully convicted. They expend this effort for very little personal, material compensation, but rather they work for the satisfaction of righting injustice. Cullen Post was once a public defender. In the past, he had a nervous breakdown when assigned to defend a violent, barbaric murderer, and he abandoned his law career. His marriage dissolved after months of psychiatric treatment, and he decided to enter the seminary and became an Episcopal minister. After that effort waned, and he needed to do more, he joined forces with a woman who opened a ministry that defended those that some might call the indefensible, the convicted felons on death row. Some had no money, but all insisted they were innocent. Some of the convicts that contacted them were eventually exposed as guilty, but most were not, and the effort to save them is always laudable.
The reader learns that there are many wrongfully convicted prisoners languishing in prison. The justice system does not make it easy to reverse course once it has ruled, even when new evidence is discovered. Are there jailhouse snitches, have some wives and husbands lied to convict their spouses, do witnesses lie, do some forensic scientists adjust their testimony to suit the person who hires them, do the real murderers feel no guilt when someone dies in their stead? Yes, apparently.
There are lots of moral questions arising from this straightforward tale about injustice and those that devote themselves to work to correct the failures of our justice system. It is inspiring to learn of that effort. At the end, the author’s note explains that this novel is based on a real case, and there is a real organization, like Guardian Ministries. It is the Centurion Ministry. It is a non-profit that works to free the wrongfully convicted. He also notes that they could use donations to further their efforts more effectively. If this book interests you and inspires you to learn more, I suggest you also read the non-fiction book by the author Grisham mentions, Bryan Stevenson. It is called “Just Mercy”.
The narrator of this book was spot on. He read with perfect tone and emphasis, never getting in the way of the book's message.
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LibraryThing member FormerEnglishTeacher
Only the second Grisham book I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s about a worthy legal ministry, an organization devoted to freeing falsely accused criminals after years of incarceration. The main character, Cullen Post, is a lawyer, preacher, and do-gooder who uses his skills and guile
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to exonerate a man who has been behind bars unjustly for more than two decades. Well written (as always from Grisham) and engaging. Show Less
LibraryThing member labdaddy4
A well structured story - no surprises, more of a straight forward procedural tale. The characters were rather shallow. Overall, very predictable and kind of dull.
LibraryThing member DrApple
I was disappointed in this offering by Grisham. Although the story was compelling enough, the characters were not compelling. The narrator is dedicated to freeing wrongfully imprisoned people, so you'd think he'd be a bit passionate. He is, in fact, boring. He tells the tale like he is recounting
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the events of a normal person's day. Show Less
LibraryThing member breic
Readable, but not great. I expected a lot more from the plot, but there's not much here. (A climax is when they search an abandoned house. For some reason, the scene written out meticulously. It's an abandoned house.) Grisham goes so far out of his way to avoid big words that it is actually
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distracting. Several times I stopped reading, stunned by a four- or five-syllable word. "Cooperate"? Don't get too fancy, Mr. G. The ending is also anticlimactic, hardly high drama. Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
John Grisham is a very talented writer, but I must admit - I've found his last few books to be 'just okay' reads. But, this latest release, The Guardians, is absolutely fantastic! It felt like a return to his roots, if you will. It's easily one of my fave reads for 2019.
I really liked the lead
Their latest case is that of Quincy Miller, who has spent over twenty years in prison for the murder of a lawyer. Their are many flaws in the case, but as Post investigates, he realizes that there are those still around who don't want this case - or Quincy - to see the light of day.
I loved the premise! It's not a new idea, but Grisham executes it so very well. A combination of investigation and legal maneuvers kept me thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. There are other smaller cases and some personal moments along the way that only added to the book.
I'd love to see more of Post and his team - I feel like there are so many more stories and cases that could be told by Guardian Ministries. On reading the author's notes at the end of the book, I learned that the plot of The Guardians is based on an actual case.
The Guardians was an excellent read and an easy five stars.
I really liked the lead
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character - Cullen Post. He's a lawyer and a minister. He and a skeleton staff run Guardian Ministries. Their mandate is to overturn wrongful convictions, to release the innocent who have spent years behind bars for crimes they did not commit. Limited resources means they only take a few cases at a time.Their latest case is that of Quincy Miller, who has spent over twenty years in prison for the murder of a lawyer. Their are many flaws in the case, but as Post investigates, he realizes that there are those still around who don't want this case - or Quincy - to see the light of day.
I loved the premise! It's not a new idea, but Grisham executes it so very well. A combination of investigation and legal maneuvers kept me thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. There are other smaller cases and some personal moments along the way that only added to the book.
I'd love to see more of Post and his team - I feel like there are so many more stories and cases that could be told by Guardian Ministries. On reading the author's notes at the end of the book, I learned that the plot of The Guardians is based on an actual case.
The Guardians was an excellent read and an easy five stars.
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LibraryThing member waldhaus1
A thrilling exploration of what can be involved in freeing a wrongfully imprisoned innocent man. All the characters including the narrator an attorney/priest who got involved helping the wrongfully. Convicted after becoming disillusioned with his law practice and having a breakdown. The story
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explores the back alleys and less known places of a small town. It is deeply immersed in law as would be expected with a Grisham book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Judiex
After working as a lawyer for a short period of time, Cullin Post realized he did not like the job. Too often he was defending people who were guilty. He decided to become a minister and was later motivated to create Guardian Ministries, a firm whose mission is to gain the release of prisoners who
The company has less than a handful of employees and only a shoestring budget which limits the number of cases it can handle. But it has been successful in several cases. One big problem is the reluctance of governments and the legal system to admit they made a mistake.
Twenty two years prior to the opening of this THE GUARDIANS, Quincy Miller, a young black man, was found guilty of murdering Keith Russo, a lawyer who previously represented him. There were no clues, no witnesses, and no motive. At least one piece of evidence, a flashlight with blood on it, had disappeared before the trial and was introduced as evidence via a photograph.
As Post and his associates investigate the case, they find a lot of evidence indicating that Miller did not commit the crime. His lawyer argued very strongly for him but in doing so turned off many of the jurors. The stories of some of the witnesses against Miller appeared to be false. One witnesses who claimed Miller was with her was not believable.
After twenty-two years, it was not easy to locate people who were involved in the original trial. Some had died. Some had moved away. Some didn’t want to be found. But Miller and his team persevered.
THE GUARDIANS takes the reader along as Guardian Ministries tries to find all the evidence to exonerate Miller and get him released from prison quickly. His safety there is not very secure. It also discusses the problems faced while trying to prove the innocence of an incarcerated prisoner.
While finding the actual killer(s) is not a priority, having an idea about why Russo was murdered and trying to find an impartial judge are very important.
Like all of Grisham’s legal novels, the book is fairly well-written and moves along relatively smoothly with a limited number of repetitions. The characters’ dedication and reactions are logical. The chapters are short but purposefully so.
Well worth the read.
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are innocent of the crimes of which they were found guilty.The company has less than a handful of employees and only a shoestring budget which limits the number of cases it can handle. But it has been successful in several cases. One big problem is the reluctance of governments and the legal system to admit they made a mistake.
Twenty two years prior to the opening of this THE GUARDIANS, Quincy Miller, a young black man, was found guilty of murdering Keith Russo, a lawyer who previously represented him. There were no clues, no witnesses, and no motive. At least one piece of evidence, a flashlight with blood on it, had disappeared before the trial and was introduced as evidence via a photograph.
As Post and his associates investigate the case, they find a lot of evidence indicating that Miller did not commit the crime. His lawyer argued very strongly for him but in doing so turned off many of the jurors. The stories of some of the witnesses against Miller appeared to be false. One witnesses who claimed Miller was with her was not believable.
After twenty-two years, it was not easy to locate people who were involved in the original trial. Some had died. Some had moved away. Some didn’t want to be found. But Miller and his team persevered.
THE GUARDIANS takes the reader along as Guardian Ministries tries to find all the evidence to exonerate Miller and get him released from prison quickly. His safety there is not very secure. It also discusses the problems faced while trying to prove the innocence of an incarcerated prisoner.
While finding the actual killer(s) is not a priority, having an idea about why Russo was murdered and trying to find an impartial judge are very important.
Like all of Grisham’s legal novels, the book is fairly well-written and moves along relatively smoothly with a limited number of repetitions. The characters’ dedication and reactions are logical. The chapters are short but purposefully so.
Well worth the read.
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LibraryThing member Clara53
Although this novel is much better, in my view, than Grisham's last one, I still found myself just getting trough the motions of reading it. Admittedly, at times there was a sparkle or two, but altogether, a bit of a drag. The subject matter - the exoneration of wrongly accused prisoners (some even
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on death row) by a selfless lawyer (kudos to him of course!) - is certainly a worthy one, but that's about it... Show Less
LibraryThing member achedglin
Classic Grisham. I enjoyed reading this as much as any of his other books in the past several years, minus maybe 'Camino Island.' This is the story of a wrongful conviction, and while some of the particulars of the case of Quincy Miller are fanciful, and good entertainment, it is based on a real
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problem. I would highly recommend this to anybody who likes Grisham's legal thrillers. Show Less
LibraryThing member jbarr5
The Guardians by John Grisham
Starts out with Post and he's a lawyer who is given clients to defend for free. After he is given one that he can't even stomach he walks out of the courtroom to never return. He gets help from his mother and psychiatrist after his wife leaves him and he looks for
He becomes a minister and an a lawyer to help those who are imprisoned wrongfully.
They are currently following several other cases so at times the things they find are a bit confusing.
Love hearing about all the leads and how as a minister he is able to persuade others to sign affidavits stating they lied.
Horrific details of death that won't soon leave my dreams, but I can't put the book down.
Love outcome they get with just a handful of people over the years.
Love hearing how the story came about, priceless!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Starts out with Post and he's a lawyer who is given clients to defend for free. After he is given one that he can't even stomach he walks out of the courtroom to never return. He gets help from his mother and psychiatrist after his wife leaves him and he looks for
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guidance from the Guardian Ministry.He becomes a minister and an a lawyer to help those who are imprisoned wrongfully.
They are currently following several other cases so at times the things they find are a bit confusing.
Love hearing about all the leads and how as a minister he is able to persuade others to sign affidavits stating they lied.
Horrific details of death that won't soon leave my dreams, but I can't put the book down.
Love outcome they get with just a handful of people over the years.
Love hearing how the story came about, priceless!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
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LibraryThing member jfe16
Quincy Miller, convicted of the murder of lawyer Keith Russo, has spent the last twenty-two years in prison, serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. When Cullen Post, a lawyer/minister working with a small innocence group called Guardian Ministries, begins investigating, he soon
Well-developed, believable characters populate this well-told tale, intriguing tale where the strong sense of place anchors the story. Unexpected plot twists will keep readers guessing as revelations take the story in surprising directions. The tension is palpable; the book is difficult to set aside. With its relentless look at injustice in the courts and its insightful glimpse into a sometimes-flawed system, readers will find heartwarming glimmers of hope and devotion in this superbly-written, masterful narrative.
Highly recommended.
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learns that ruthless people do not want Quincy exonerated. They’ve killed before, and they will kill again unless Cullen can find the proof that will set an innocent man free.Well-developed, believable characters populate this well-told tale, intriguing tale where the strong sense of place anchors the story. Unexpected plot twists will keep readers guessing as revelations take the story in surprising directions. The tension is palpable; the book is difficult to set aside. With its relentless look at injustice in the courts and its insightful glimpse into a sometimes-flawed system, readers will find heartwarming glimmers of hope and devotion in this superbly-written, masterful narrative.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member JosephKing6602
Captivating story line...but after a while, all of Grisham’s books are the same.
LibraryThing member Doondeck
Another good Grisham tale. More legal originality in this one
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
In a time period where we are examining the ethical issues surrounding the death penalty and when too many people have been exonerated after wrongful convictions, this book is a timely examination of our criminal justice system. In this book, Grisham provides us with one of his most engaging main
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characters, Cullen Post, an attorney/minister who fights for those wrongly convicted. I found this book to be one of Grisham's best and am extremely hopeful that this character will be back in a future story. Show Less
LibraryThing member lewilliams
A well researched, well written book about a small group of people who go about exonerating prisoners convicted of crimes they did not commit. Throw in corruption in a small Florida town and you have a book worth spending your time reading. The Guardians is Grisham at his best.
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
It's been a while since I read a John Grisham book. The last one I tried to read I didn't finish. I'm glad I tried a different book of his because I really enjoyed this one--though there are sad parts to it too.
I enjoyed learning about organizations that work to get innocent people out of prison
According to the author's note at the end of the book, this plot was inspired by a true life case--however, in the true life case, the results (so far at least) aren't the same as Grisham's fictional account.
I admire the people who work at this type of law. I liked Frankie, who was one of Guardian Ministries early successes and who now works for them as an investigator. I liked that Post works tirelessly for his clients. I also liked that Grisham made it that they must believe their client is innocent and that he/she won't seek revenge (at least not in illegal ways) once out of prison or they won't represent them.
I think it's sad that some people can manipulate the system to make an innocent person appear guilty. I suspect it happens more than we know. There's also the issue of junk science vs. real science. Certain aspects of forensic science are not as accepted now as they were at one time--partly because we've learned more.
I enjoyed learning about organizations that work to get innocent people out of prison
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when they've been wrongfully convicted. It's sad that so many work on shoestring budgets. It's sad that the system fails truly innocent people and puts them in jail--some for many, many years.According to the author's note at the end of the book, this plot was inspired by a true life case--however, in the true life case, the results (so far at least) aren't the same as Grisham's fictional account.
I admire the people who work at this type of law. I liked Frankie, who was one of Guardian Ministries early successes and who now works for them as an investigator. I liked that Post works tirelessly for his clients. I also liked that Grisham made it that they must believe their client is innocent and that he/she won't seek revenge (at least not in illegal ways) once out of prison or they won't represent them.
I think it's sad that some people can manipulate the system to make an innocent person appear guilty. I suspect it happens more than we know. There's also the issue of junk science vs. real science. Certain aspects of forensic science are not as accepted now as they were at one time--partly because we've learned more.
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LibraryThing member Nancyjcbs
The Guardians is a great legal thriller. Grisham based the book on Centurion Ministries' work and the story of an innocent man languishing in prison in Texas.
Guardian Ministries is a law firm dedicated to freeing prisoners they believe are innocent. Cullen Post, a lawyer and Episcopalian priest, is
I have read several non-fiction books focusing on innocent prisoners. The movie "Just Mercy" based on Bryan Stevenson's memoir and his work for the Equal Justice Initiative is about to be released. The Guardians is the first fiction account of such important work I've read. I highly recommend this novel.
Guardian Ministries is a law firm dedicated to freeing prisoners they believe are innocent. Cullen Post, a lawyer and Episcopalian priest, is
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the protagonist in the novel. His work on two cases is shown in the novel with most of the story dedicated to the release of Quincy Miller a man imprisoned for over twenty years in Florida.I have read several non-fiction books focusing on innocent prisoners. The movie "Just Mercy" based on Bryan Stevenson's memoir and his work for the Equal Justice Initiative is about to be released. The Guardians is the first fiction account of such important work I've read. I highly recommend this novel.
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LibraryThing member librisissimo
Or more precisely, "Who guards the guardians?" - the story of a group of people dedicated to re-investigating convictions of innocent people, usually due to malfeasance among police, prosecutors, and judges.
Grisham does allow two things: everyone in jail wants someone to prove they are innocent,
Some wins, some losses. In the main case in this book, they do prevail (that's not a spoiler; it's inevitable).
Grisham's biggest plus in my view is that he writes a "clean" adult book that can be read in a single sitting, which is increasingly rare.
My biggest complaint for this book is that Grisham lays all the blame for wrong convictions on the "right wing," whatever that means to him, and there are plenty of instances of bad cops and DAs on the left. It was a gratuitous slam, unnecessary even in the context of his book's milieu.
Grisham does allow two things: everyone in jail wants someone to prove they are innocent,
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even if they aren't; and, you can't always get the evidence you need to prove that someone who really is innocent should be exonerated.Some wins, some losses. In the main case in this book, they do prevail (that's not a spoiler; it's inevitable).
Grisham's biggest plus in my view is that he writes a "clean" adult book that can be read in a single sitting, which is increasingly rare.
My biggest complaint for this book is that Grisham lays all the blame for wrong convictions on the "right wing," whatever that means to him, and there are plenty of instances of bad cops and DAs on the left. It was a gratuitous slam, unnecessary even in the context of his book's milieu.
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LibraryThing member tmph
Actually very good; in Grisham's Author's Note he states it's all based on a true character and a true case. That was nice to read and all after a wonderful, in this very particular day and age, ending.
LibraryThing member out-and-about
Great plot and characters that really draw you in. The first person present tense choice was a bit awkward but I understand Grisham likely chose it to raise the sense of urgency and drive the story forward. Interesting that his acknowledgements recommend giving to the related nonprofits, but none
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of the book’s proceeds or any of Grisham’s personal fortune is noted as earmarked to help. Perhaps he simply chooses to keep his donations private which is understandable. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tim.Roberson
One of the better books I've read in quite a while. Any story of wrongs being righted and justice truly being served are always winners to me and this one is no exception. The choice of narrator in the audiobook brought a whole new level to it as his voice definitely put you right into the south.
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Another great work by Mr. Grisham. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member annbury
good read, the author knows his stuff. this is a story about an innocence lawyer who joins the guardians,
small firm that tries to get people out of jail
the lawyer is too good to be true;rhus one half star is removed.
small firm that tries to get people out of jail
the lawyer is too good to be true;rhus one half star is removed.
LibraryThing member susandennis
This was a great read from beginning to end. A man spends 23 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. A group (The Guardians) takes on his case. It's a tough road and compelling story.
Language
Original publication date
2019
ISBN
9780525620945
Other editions
The guardians by John Grisham (Paper Book)