Maxima Library

This addictive tale of a young lawyer defending a black Vietnam war hero who kills the white druggies who raped his child in tiny Clanton, Mississippi, is John Grisham's first novel, and his favorite of his first six. He polished it for three years and every detail shines like pebbles at the bottom of a swift, sunlit stream. Grisham is a born legal storyteller and his dialogue is pitch perfect.

A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball…Whatever happened to Calico Joe?

It began quietly enough with a pulled hamstring. The first baseman for the Cubs AAA affiliate in Wichita went down as he rounded third and headed for home. The next day, Jim Hickman, the first baseman for the Cubs, injured his back. The team suddenly needed someone to play first, so they reached down to their AA club in Midland, Texas, and called up a twenty-one-year-old named Joe Castle. He was the hottest player in AA and creating a buzz.

In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.

Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…

In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes CALICO JOE a classic.

Troy Phelan ist ein milliardenschwerer Exzentriker, der des Lebens müde ist. Doch nicht so müde, daß er sein Imperium kampflos seinen geldgierigen Erben überlassen würde. Bevor er sich aus dem 13. Stock stürzt, verfügt er, daß sein gesamtes Vermögen an seine bis dato völlig unbekannte, uneheliche Tochter Kachel geht. In der Phelan-Familie bricht ein Sturm der Entrüstung los, und es wird sofort alles in Bewegung gesetzt, um das Testament anzufechten. Unterdessen versucht der ehemalige Staranwalt Nate O'Riley, mit dessen Karriere es schon seit Jahren bergab geht, die legitime Erbin aufzutreiben. Doch wie Rachel finden, die irgendwo im unzugänglichen brasilianischen Regenwald als Missionarin arbeitet? Als O'Riley nach einer abenteuerlichen und lebensgefährlichen Reise schließlich zu ihr gelangt, scheint alles umsonst gewesen zu sein - Rachel interessiert sich nicht für das Erbe ihres Vaters, dafür um so mehr für die Lebensgeschichte von Nate. Doch die Zeit läuft. Wenn O'Riley Rachel nicht umzustimmen vermag, fällt das gesamte Vermögen in die Hände des unersättlichen Phelan-Clans.

Im letzten Semester seines Jurastudiums erteilt Rudy Baylor einer Gruppe alter Leute kostenlose Rechtsberatung und gewinnt dabei seine ersten» Mandanten«: Dot und Buddy Black. Ihr Sohn Donny Ray ist an Leukämie erkrankt, aber die Versicherungsgesellschaft weigert sich hartnäckig, für die Therapie, die sein Leben retten konnte, aufzukommen. Rudy, zunächst skeptisch, begreift bald, daß die Blacks auf infame Weise von ihrer Versicherung über den Tisch gezogen werden und daß er es mit einem der größten Betrugsskandale in der Versicherungsbranche zu tun hat, die es je gab — und zugleich mit einem der spektakulärsten und lukrativsten Prozesse in der Geschichte der amerikanischen Rechtsprechung: Der Anwalt, der ihn gewinnt, kann zum» Regenmacher «werden: Er kann seiner Kanzlei das ganz große Geld einbringen. Doch da ist noch ein Problem: Rudy, der sein Studium mit Jobs finanziert hat, ist pleite und kann keine Anstellung finden. Er hat noch nicht einmal das Anwaltsexamen hinter sich, geschweige denn eine Lizenz. Und gleich bei seinem ersten Fall wird er es im Gerichtssaal mit einem der erfolgreichsten Verteidiger der Vereinigten Staaten zu tun bekommen.

«In unglaublich dramatischen, aber gelegentlich auch sehr witzigen Gerichtsszenen erfahren wir genau, wie eine Versicherung wirklich funktioniert und welcher betrügerischen Mittel die großen Konzerne sich immer wieder bedienen.«

John Grisham "Die Akte",originalausgabe: "The Pelican Brief".

Zwei mysteriöse Mordfälle im Umfeld höchster politischer Kreise der USA. Ein Skandal in der Dimension von Watergate bahnt sich an… Die junge Jurastudentin Darby Shaw findet Zusammenhänge, an die niemand zu denken wagt, und legt eine Akte an. Eine tödliche Dokumentation: denn nicht nur Darby muss um ihr Leben fürchten, sondern alle, die die Akte kennen…

Trumble, ein Gefängnis in Florida, gilt als Geheimtipp unter den Kriminellen, ähnelt es doch eher einem Feriencamp als einem Hochsicherheitstrakt. Vor allem harmlosere Fälle sitzen dort ihre Strafe ab, darunter Kleindealer, Steuersünder, Wallstreet-Gauner und auch drei ehemals angesehene Richter. Als» Bruderschaft «treten Letztere auf und machen die Gefängnisbibliothek kurzerhand zu ihrem neuen Arbeitsplatz. Dort übernehmen sie — selbstverständlich gegen Bezahlung — Rechtsangelegenheiten von Mitinsassen und sitzen regelmäßig zu Gericht über kleinere Verstöße innerhalb der Gefängnismauern.

Allerdings verbringen sie dort auch Stunden damit, sich über lukrativere Einkünfte den Kopf zu zerbrechen. Mit scheinbar harmlosen Anzeigen in einschlägigen Magazinen locken sie zahlungskräftige Kandidaten an, die sie kurz darauf skrupellos erpressen. Ihre Rechnung scheint aufzugehen, und die drei genialen Richter malen sich ihre Zukunft in den schillerndsten Farben aus. Bis sie eines Tages an den Falschen geraten, einen mächtigen Politiker mit äußerst gefährlichen Freunden, der nicht den leisesten Zweifel an seinem lupenreinen Image aufkommen lassen darf. Die Bruderschaft nimmt den Kampf auf und setzt alles auf eine Karte.

El profesional. RICK DO CKERY es un mediocre jugador de fútbol americano, quien en el ocaso de su carrera sigue marcado por ser el culpable del peor fiasco en la historia de su equipo. Harto de las mofas de la prensa, cuando recibe la oferta de un equipo italiano no duda en poner rumbo a Parma; al principio le cuesta adaptarse, pero poco a poco le coge el gusto al estilo de vida italiana, y ser la estrella indiscutible de su equipo no está nada mal. Cuando topa con una inquieta estudiante estadounidense ya no tendrá motivo alguno para regresar a su país.

La política siempre ha sido un juego sucio. Ahora la justicia también lo es. Corrupción política, desastre ecológico, demandas judiciales millonarias y una poderosa empresa química, condenada por contaminar el agua de la ciudad y provocar un aumento de casos de cáncer, que no está dispuesta a cerrar sus instalaciones bajo ningún concepto. Grisham, el gran mago del suspense, urde una intriga poderosa e hipnótica, en la que se reflejan algunas de las principales lacras que azotan a la sociedad actual: la justicia puede ser más sucia que los crímenes que pretende castigar.

Travis Boyette es un asesino. En 1998, en una pequeña ciudad de Texas, raptó, violó y estranguló a una de las chicas más guapas y más populares del instituto. Enterró el cadáver en un lugar donde nadie lo encontraría nunca y luego esperó. Observó impasible mientras la policía detenía a Donté Drumm, la estrella del equipo de fútbol que nada había tenido que ver con el crimen.

Donté fue acusado, declarado culpable y condenado a muerte. Ahora han transcurrido nueve años y solo faltan cuatro días para la ejecución de Donté. En Kansas, a más de seiscientos kilómetros de la cárcel, Travis también se enfrenta a su destino: un tumor cerebral que le deja muy poco tiempo de vida. Decide hacer lo correcto por primera vez: va a confesar. Pero ¿será capaz un hombre culpable de convencer a los abogados, los jueces y los políticos de que están a punto de ejecutar a un hombre inocente?

Discover how Rogue Lawyer’s Sebastian Rudd meets his partner and bodyguard in this thrilling short story, by master of the legal thriller John Grisham.

Ten years out of law school, and running an office out of what used to be a seedy bar, Sebastian Rudd is beginning to make a name for himself — and learning that in order to get justice, you often have to cheat.

When he chooses to represent Thomas Cardell, he’s about to make even more enemies.

At 33 years old, and with no money and a son to care for, Thomas Cardell is forced to become a drugs mule. But on his first night in the game, he’s ruthlessly shot at by an undercover cop, and his only choice is to shoot back in self-defence. When the cop is killed it’s Cardell’s word against the other police officer on the scene, and proving Cardell innocent will be far from simple.

But who ever said getting justice was easy?

Zabójstwa sędziów Sądu Najwyższego. FBI i CIA są bezradne. Śledztwo stoi w miejscu. Na trop sprawców wpada studentka prawa. Swoje podejrzenia przedstawia w specjalnym raporcie. I staje się celem płatnych morderców i służb specjalnych.

Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver, who’s also his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddy. He lives alone in a small but extremely safe penthouse apartment, and his primary piece of furniture is a vintage pool table. He drinks small-batch bourbon and carries a gun. Sebastian defends people other lawyers won’t go near: a drug-addled, tattooed kid rumored to be in a satanic cult, who is accused of molesting and murdering two little girls; a vicious crime lord on death row; a homeowner arrested for shooting at a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house. Why these clients? Because he believes everyone is entitled to a fair trial, even if he, Sebastian, has to cheat to secure one. He hates injustice, doesn’t like insurance companies, banks, or big corporations; he distrusts all levels of government and laughs at the justice system’s notions of ethical behavior.

Politics has always been a dirty game.

Now justice is, too.

In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town's water supply, causing the worst “cancer cluster in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it.

Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided?

The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mold him into a potential Supreme Court justice. Their Supreme Court justice.

The Appeal is a powerful, timely, and shocking story of political and legal intrigue, a story that will leave readers unable to think about our electoral process or judicial system in quite the same way ever again.

Kyle McAvoy grew up in his father’s small-town law office in York, Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential.

But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesn’t want — even though it’s a job most law students can only dream about.

Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed.

With an unforgettable cast of characters and villains — from Baxter Tate, a drug-addled trust fund kid and possible rapist, to Dale, a pretty but seemingly quiet former math teacher who shares Kyle’s “cubicle” at the law firm, to two of the most powerful and fiercely competitive defense contractors in the country — and featuring all the twists and turns that have made John Grisham the most popular storyteller in the world,

The Associate

is vintage Grisham.

In the final hours in the Oval Office, the outgoing President grants a controversial last-minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious Washington power broker who has spent the last six years hidden away in a federal prison. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisiticated satellite surveillance system.

Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country in a military cargo place, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. Eventually, after he has settled into his new life, the CIA will leak his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis. Then the CIA will do what it does best: sit back and watch. The question is not whether Backman will survive — there is no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is, who will kill him?

In the Corridors of Chicago's Top Law Firm: A young lawyer stands on the brink of a brilliant career. Now twenty-six-year-old Adam Hall is risking it all for a death-row killer and an impossible case. Maximum Security Unit, Mississippi State Prison: Sam Cayhall is a former Klansman and unrepentant racist facing the death penalty for a fatal bombing in 1967. Cayhall has run out of chances - except for one: a young, liberal Chicago lawyer who just happens to be his grandson. While the executioners prepare the gas chamber, while the protesters gather and the TV cameras wait, Adam has only days, hours, minutes to save his client. For between the two men is a chasm of shame, family lies, and secrets - including the one secret that could save Sam Cayhall's life... or cost Adam his.

Hard to believe, but there was a time when the word "lawyer" wasn't synonymous with "criminal," and the idea of a law firm controlled by the Mafia was an outlandish proposition. This intelligent, ensnaring story came out of nowhere--Oxford, Mississippi, where Grisham was a small-town lawyer--and quickly catapulted to the top of the bestseller list, with good reason. Mitch McDeere, the appealing hero, is a poor kid whose only assets are a first-class mind, a Harvard law degree, and a beautiful, loving wife. When a Memphis law firm makes him an offer he really can't refuse, he trades his old Nissan for a new BMW, his cramped apartment for a house in the best part of town, and puts in long hours finding tax shelters for Texans who'd rather pay a lawyer than the IRS. Nothing criminal about that. He'd be set for life, if only associates at the firm didn't have a funny habit of dying, and the FBI wasn't trying to get Mitch to turn his colleagues in. The tempo and pacing are brilliant, the thrills keep coming, and the finish has a wonderful ironic flourish. It's not hard to see why Grisham changed the genre permanently with this one, and few of his colleagues in a very crowded field come close to equaling him

Ronald Keith Williamson's early life appeared charmed. A successful school and college baseball player, he seemed to have a world of opportunity at his feet. But, after injury put paid to his sporting career, he slowly began to show signs of mental illness, and drifted into a life of petty crime and misdemeanour. When in 1982 a local girl was found raped and murdered, he was in prison serving time for kiting cheques. Whilst there, another prisoner, looking for release, alleged he had overheard him confessing to the killing, and Williamson was arrested for the crime. What followed was one of the most appalling cases of a miscarriage of justice America has ever seen. From the point of his arrest, Williamson was taunted by prison guards who held back the medicines he was prescribed to control his psychiatric problems, meaning that when it came to trial he was distressed and not lucid. At the trial itself he was never given fair representation – his lawyer was not only blind, but had also never handled a criminal case before, and never entered a plea on Williamson's behalf, that he was not fit to stand trial. Williamson was found guilty, and sentenced to death. Despite many appeals, he was final given a date for his execution – Sept 24th 1994. It was only due to the last minute intervention by a group of appellate lawyers working on his behalf, who sought a writ from the district court judge, that he was given a stay of execution of five days. Here, for the first time, Grisham delves into this story, tracing the man, the case and the trial, and showing how, thanks to this team of dedicated legal professionals, the real truth about the case came to light. Evidence surfaced to completely exonerate Williamson, and he was freed in April 1999. He later won a settlement in court for his conviction, but sadly passed away last year.

Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The judge’s body was found in his remote lakeside cabin. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied. What was in the safe? The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday . . . Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever new novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.

John Grisham's five novels — A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, and The Chamber — have been number one best-sellers, and have a combined total of 47 million copies in print. Now, in The Rainmaker, Grisham returns to the courtroom for the first time since A Time To Kill, and weaves a riveting tale of legal intrigue and corporate greed. Combining suspense, narrative momentum, and humor as only John Grisham can, this is another spellbinding read from the most popular author of our time.

Grisham's sixth spellbinding novel of legal intrigue and corporate greed displays all of the intricate plotting, fast-paced action, humor, and suspense that have made him the most popular author of our time. In his first courtroom thriller since A Time To Kill, John Grisham tells the story of a young man barely out of law school who finds himself taking on one of the most powerful, corrupt, and ruthless companies in America — and exposing a complex, multibillion-dollar insurance scam. In his final semester of law school Rudy Baylor is required to provide free legal advice to a group of senior citizens, and it is there that he meets his first "clients," Dot and Buddy Black. Their son, Donny Ray, is dying of leukemia, and their insurance company has flatly refused to pay for his medical treatments. While Rudy is at first skeptical, he soon realizes that the Blacks really have been shockingly mistreated by the huge company, and that he just may have stumbled upon one of the largest insurance frauds anyone's ever seen — and one of the most lucrative and important cases in the history of civil litigation. The problem is, Rudy's flat broke, has no job, hasn't even passed the bar, and is about to go head-to-head with one of the best defense attorneys — and powerful industries — in America.

Sfingował własną śmierć i zniknął z 90 milionami z konta swojej firmy prawniczej. Patrick Lanigan, błyskotliwy, znakomity adwokat, dokonał mistrzowskiego przekrętu, którego nie wybaczą mu jego wspólnicy. Po latach dopadną go. Będą torturowali, zanim postawią przed sądem: oni, żona i wymiar sprawiedliwości – wszyscy chcą głowy Patricka… za wszelką cenę. Ale Lanigan przewidział wszystko. Lub prawie wszystko…