The Widow

The Widow by John Grisham
10/21/25; 416 pages
Doubleday 

The Widow by John Grisham is an excellent, very highly recommended legal drama and crime mystery. This is un-put-downable, held my complete attention, and kept me up reading late into the night. 

Simon Latch has been a small town lawyer in Braxton, Virginia for 18 years who manages to make a living by writing wills and handling bankruptcies. His marriage is in shambles and he has a gambling problem. When Eleanor (Netty) Barnett, an 85-year-old widow, walks into his office wanting him to write a new will for her, he's prepared to churn out another standard boiler plate will until she intimates that her needs are different. She claims her deceased husband left her something like $20 million though cash and stock in Coca-Cola and Walmart. 

Another Lawyer in town, Wally Thackerman, has previously written a will for her, but she wasn't happy with it. When Simon looked at the will previously written he saw that Thackerman had a clause rewarding himself a large payout from it. Netty also wants her stepsons, Clyde and Jerry Korsak, to get nothing and has no other relatives, so Simon writes her a will that will donate money to local causes but also allows him to charge double his normal rate managing the estate. 

Simon has never seen proof that Netty's wealth exists, but he still forges a congenial relationship with her, taking her out for lunches. She quickly becomes more trouble as Simon handles other issues that she has, while still not receiving any payment from her. When she is hospitalized after a car accident and later dies, Simon is charged with a murder he didn't commit and must try to exonerate himself while looking for the real killer.

This exceptionally well-written novel is presented in three distinct parts. The first third introduces readers to Simon, a very flawed character, who struggles with every aspect of his life but hopes he will end up making bank through Eleanor/Netty. He may be far from a saint, but he is not malevolent. He's just an average guy who is gambling too much, ending his marriage, and maybe cutting a few corners trying to get by. The next third is the legal courtroom drama, which is excellent. The final third is solving the whodunit mystery, which is also excellent and compelling.

I was engrossed in The Widow from start to finish and thought it was superbly plotted and structured. Simon's flaws are on full display at the beginning but his character does experience growth and redemption in the final third. This is a perfect choice for those who like courtroom dramas mixed with a mystery. Thanks to Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.