A compelling read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!! (The Testament - John Grisham)

Member Name: Trixi

Product:	The Testament - John Grisham
Date:	10/05/02 (1413 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Grisham, Compelling, exciting

Disadvantages: NONE

The Testament is yet another superbly written book by John Grisham. Grisham specialises in writing crime books that involve lawyers, but the testament is yet again different and refreshing.

Here is the basic storyline:
Troy Phelan is a self-made billionaire, who has made his money, married, divorced, play around, used his power and influence and remained successful.

Troy has is now quite old but still has all his faculties. He also has 3 ex-wives and 6 children, all of whom what a fair piece of the Phelan fortune. The family has insisted that Troy must prove his is still mentally capable (for his heirs) so he has organised a new will. His family have organised for 3 psychiatrists to interview him to establish that Troy is sane. Troy answers all the questions about his kids, his companies his stocks and shares until all concerned know that he is okay and then he signs a will giving each heir millions.

The meeting ends and Troy gets his lawyer and says that he would like to leave a holographic will, different from the one that he has just signed. Troy then strikes all the children and ex's from the will and leaves all 11 billion pounds to one Rachel Lane.....his daughter from one of his mistresses, that until now no-one knows about..... Troy then runs to the window and jumps from his multi-storey building. His family had not left the building yet when he jumped and therfore they were under the impression the will he had just signed was the one that would the valid one.

Troy had never been much of a father, and so the kids had all been bought by his money from time to time. Needless to say they were all losers and most of them were in debt and needed their inheritance.

Almost as soon as Troy dies they start spending the money that they think they have. Troy knew exactly what to doing and had left instructions that the reading of the will should be delayed for a month after his death.

When the will is read a
ll are surprised (and several in even more debt) and soon all six children an ex spouses want to contest the will. After all Troy jumped from a window, how could he have been mentally capable - this last will should be revoked so that all inherit the money.

So what of Rachel Lane...she is a missionary for a small organisation and her whereabouts is virtually unknown. Troy had managed to locate her to a remote area of South America but his lawyer would have to find her.

Troy's lawyer, Josh Stafford decides to send Nate O'Reiley a lawyer in his firm, to find Rachel. Nate is a good friend that is currently in Rehab for the 3rd or 4th time......and this is his last chance.........

Nate himself has 2 failed marriages and he has IRS problems so he is happy to go.........he has nothing to lose........nothing to keep him in the country over Christmas.

The search for Rachel is complicated and time is limited. Nate's journey has lots of ups and downs but eventually Rachel is found...........and the adventure changes Nate's outlook on life.

This is a compelling book that captures the heart. On one side there is a greedy money orientated family whilst Rachel leads a simple life, loves God and couldn't care less about money. Grisham combines the spiritual elements of the book in a beautiful way, so that it would not be overpowering for anyone.

I love Grisham books anyway but as a Christian I was keen to read this one just to see how it was written. It was a can't put this down kind of book and I would very often go to bed early just to read or have a long lie on Saturday just so I could read more. I made time so I could finish this faster. ............Even then there is a twist at the far end that took me by surprise. It was one of those "What - that was not what I expected endings"............ A must read book!

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