A gang of thieves stage a daring heist from a secure vault deep below Princeton University’s Firestone Library. Their loot is priceless, but Princeton has insured it for twenty-five million dollars.
Bruce Cable owns a popular bookstore in the sleepy resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He makes his real money, though, as a prominent dealer in rare books. Very few people know that he occasionally dabbles in the black market of stolen books and manuscripts.
Mercer Mann is a young novelist with a severe case of writer’s block who has recently been laid off from her teaching position. She is approached by an elegant, mysterious woman working for an even more mysterious company. A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets.
But eventually Mercer learns far too much, and there’s trouble in paradise as only John Grisham can deliver it.
(For Wikipedia) John Grisham is an American bestselling writer, attorney, politician, and activist best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide.
John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practiced criminal law for about a decade and served in the House of Representatives in Mississippi from January 1984 to September 1990.
His first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it. As of 2012, his books have sold over 275 million copies worldwide. A Galaxy British Book Awards winner, Grisham is one of only three authors to sell 2 million copies on a first printing.
Grisham’s first bestseller, The Firm, sold more than seven million copies. The book was adapted into a 1993 feature film of the same name, starring Tom Cruise, and a 2012 TV series which “continues the story of attorney Mitchell McDeere and his family 10 years after the events of the film and novel”. Eight of his other novels have also been adapted into films: The Chamber, The Client, A Painted House, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, Skipping Christmas, and A Time to Kill.
My Impressions:
Camino Island is classic Grisham. An intriguing crime with bad guys who are very bad and good guys who are a bit bad as well. The book begins with a daring heist of extremely valuable and rare manuscripts. Just what has happened to them is the focus of the novel, but the real treat for the reader are the wonderfully colorful characters, including main characters bookseller Bruce Cable and young novelist Mercer Mann. For those who love books, Camino Island will definitely appeal. There is a lot of talk of bookselling, publishing, and writing, with references to numerous authors, both real and fictional. The fictional setting is a laid back northeast Florida island with long expanses of beach and intense sun. The book is a fun trip into the literary world, but those looking for a clean read need to look elsewhere. There is a lot of adult activity, including heavy drinking, sex, and language. I found the book perfect for my morning walks. Not too intense, a good narrator, and a story that kept me engaged.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
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(I purchased this book from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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