It's 1946 and small town Clanton, Mississippi is in the midst of a corrosive hangover after World War II. Returned war hero Pete Banning wakes early, drive into town and calmly shoots and kills Reverend Dexter Bell.
And so begins The Reckoning!
His now-adult children struggle to uncover the motive for the brutal murder and navigate the life-changing consequences of their father's actions. Pete pushes against them at every step, maintaining silence in regards to the murder and blocking any access to their mother who is being treated for a mental illness in a facilities far away.
Will they ever understand why their lives will never be the same and uncover the truth behind Ford County's most unforgettable crime?
BOOK REVIEW: There are two reasons that I loved this book!
1) BOOK REVIEW: Structure
I found the structure of the book unexpected. Rather than jumping back and forth like so many historical fiction novels, The Reckoning is presented in three parts:
Part One - The Killing We dive right into the action and experience the murder and trial up front.
Part Two - The Boneyard
We dig into the early life of Pete Banning and watch him meet, fall in love and build a life with his now wife Liza. We experience the unthinkable injustice of Pete's World War II service.
Part Three - The Betrayal
We understand how the experiences of Pete's life shaped his motive and changed the lives of those around him forever.
Initially this structure jolted me. I kept wondering where the back story was. It made the story a slower burn initially, but I ended up really enjoying the structure in the end. So much so, that I toyed with changing the structure of my own manuscript.
2) BOOK REVIEW: Twists and Turns
John Grisham is the master. The master of the twist and turn. Just when you think you know what's happening...you don't. This book is no different.
The Reckoning was published in 2018 and is a number one bestseller. John Grisham is an American author with more than 40 works of fiction to his name. His works include one of my all time favourite historical fiction novels, A Time to Kill.
I'm giving The Reckoning 5/5. It's perfect.
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