The Testament - Softcover

Troy Phelan, a 78-year-old eccentric and the 10th-richest man in America, is about to read his last will and testament, divvying up an estate worth $11 billion. Phelan's three ex-wives, thei r grasping offspring, a legion of lawyers, several psychiatrists and a plethora of sound technician s wait breathlessly. However, the magnate shocks everyone with a bizarre, last-gasp attempt to redi stribute the spoils, setting in motion a legal morality tale of a contested will, sin, and redempti on.

Nate O'Riley--a washed-up, alcoholic lawyer with two ruined marriages in his wake and the taxman on his tail--is dispatched to the Brazilian wetlands in search of a mysterious heir named in the will . After a harrowing trip upriver, he encounters Rachel Lane, a pure-hearted missionary living with an indigenous tribe and carrying out "God's work." Rachel's grave dedication and kindness impress the jaded lawyer, so much so that a nasty bout of dengue fever leads him to a vision that could cha nge his life.

Back in the States, the legal proceedings drag on and Grisham has a high time with Phelan's money-hungry descendents, a regrettable bunch who squandered millions, married strippers, got druggy, and befriended the Mob. The youngest son, Ramble, is a multi-pierced, tattoo-covered malcontent with big dreams for his rock band, the Demon Monkeys. Will Nate get straight with Rachel's aid? Do the greedy heirs get theirs? What's the real legacy of a lifetime's work? The Testament is classic Grisham: a down-and-out lawyer, a lot of money, an action-packed pursuit, and the highest issues at stake. It's not just about great characters; it's about the question of what character is. --Rebekah Warren

"Grisham is on top form with this legal blockbuster" (Daily Mail)

"A compulsory page-turner with a subterranean plot as old and potent as myth" (Malcom Jones Newsweek)

"His best novel in the past five ... brilliant... you have to go on reading" (Mail on Sunday)

"Grisham includes his trademark legal wrangling, zippy plot and engaging minor characters ... His hordes of fans won't be disappointed" (USA Today)

"Absorbing ... The pages fly by" (Chicago Tribune)