In Sycamore Row, I meet Jake Brigance, my favourite Gisham character, again. I find him three years later from his famous Hailey trial, still struggling with his practice and trying to establish a new home. Life had not changed much for him; he is still the street lawyer he was three years ago. And nothing has changed his personality either. It was quite a relief to find that my favourite Grisham character is still the same.
Getting back to the story, this time Jake finds him entangled in a major Will contest. A wealthy white man named Seth Hubbard has committed suicide leaving a handwritten Will (revoking the previous Wills) by which the bulk of his wealth is bequeathed to his black housekeeper. Speculations arise as the family fight back hard to invalidate the Will. Nobody seems to understand why Seth did what he did. Nobody ever dreams that the motive behind his action is to atone for a historical injustice.
This is a good sensitive story once again by Mr. Grisham. And I’m really impressed that Grisham has managed to maintain the same mood and tone of the characters of Jake and his friends after all these years. It was simply a pleasure to go back to Ford County and meet many of those who I have come to like in A Time to Kill. It felt like visiting some dear friends after a long period of absence.
I have read a couple of Grisham books but for some reason, Jake Brigance novels have impressed me more than any other novel by the author. And I really wish that I get another chance to meet Jake and his clan in the future.
Rating: 4/5
