A family saga with all its celebrations and tragedies, but missing the empathy of those joys and victories. The characters never fully flesh out, making it difficult to feel any real connection. Enjoyable but it would be much more enjoyable with about 30% fewer pages. Good and evil simplified, no shades of gray. Legal battles, usually a Grisham strength, are only tepid.

My thanks to Net Galley and Doubleday for allowing me to review this arc. I am a big fan of the author but this one missed the mark slightly. Well written, interesting characters and family saga criminal activities, but this was different. I thought it was going to be more like his earlier court based books or his books like The Whistle-blower or Judges List. Not bad, but not my fave.

This is the best book of John Grisham so far in my opinion. I have told so many, many people about this book!
Two boys grow up together from immigrant families in Biloxi, Mississippi and they obviously go different directions. Keith and Hugh played baseball and went to school together. Hugh’s dad Lance was the corrupt boss on the strip with the casinos and strip joints and Hugh follows in his Dad’s Jesse steps. Keith followed is Dad in becoming a lawyer.

All the corruption that went on during the 60s and 70s in that area was unbelievable for that time. Bombings, bribes and corrupt police officials. This pitted the two best friends against one another.

This book is a long book but you won’t want to put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Filled with lots of heartbreak, corruption and finally satisfaction.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Biloxi was a popular resort town with wonderful restaurants and later became known for it’s illegal activities ranging from gambling to murder. Keith and Hugh grew up together as best friends into their teens when they drifted apart. Keith’s father was a well respected lawyer and Hugh’s father owned several bars that served more than illegal liquor. The activities were ignored by the corrupt law enforcement officials. Jesse, Keith’s father, was determined to clean up the town. Keith and Hugh each followed their fathers footsteps.
This novel delves into the time consuming challenges and inner workings of the law and their efforts to bring justice to criminals.

The story begins with Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco, school friends and competitors in sports.
The story follows the progression of the two fathers' careers - one in law, the other in crime.
The boys friendship becomes a thing of the past as they both follow the career paths of the fathers, placing them on a collision course with one another. Politics, murder, corruption and police investigations make for an engrossing read.
#NetGalley #The Boys From Biloxi #Doubleday

Another well written novel by John Grisham.set in Biloxi.Two childhood friends whose live take different paths.One follows the law one breaks it.This is a book of family relationships friendship and drama.#netgalley #doubledaybooks

Definitely a different Grisham style than his others I have read. We see the drama within families through the years and their growth. Sex, gambling, etc is all included in The Boys from Biloxi.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC,

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story is about the growing of two boys who were great friends when they were growing up, but when they finished high school, their paths went in various directions. Both families immigrated from Croatia and live within a short distance of each other. The two boys Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco were born close together and both of them were very athletic and proficient in baseball making the Little League All Star teams several times.

Keith and Hugh's path separated with Keith's father going to college to be a teacher and Hugh's father starting his own business. Eventually Jesse, Keith's father, decided that if he was going to succeed then he needed to change his profession, so he went to night school studying Law and eventually opening his own firm. Jesse saw that there was a lot of corruption going on in their county and he decided that he would run for the D.A. Hugh's father Lance went into business running gambling and girls for hire. Lance's business grew with the help of the crooked sheriff.

Jesse got elected D.A. and then started his crusade against the criminal enterprises run by people like Lance. Jesse began 1st with closing down a club that had prostitutes working for them. Later Jesse charged Lance and some of his crew with the same sort of charges. He got a conviction and sent Lance to prison for 10 years. Hugh then took over running his father's clubs. Meanwhile Keith after finishing law school went to work in his father's law practice. Jesse was set to bring charges against Hugh, but before he could finish, Jesse was murdered. With Jesse's death, Keith was appointed D.A. to serve out his father's remaining term.

Keith with assistance from the FBI, State Police and Governor was able to find who was responsible for Jesse's murder.

Follow the trial of the individuals that were charged and watch Keith as he stepped down in order to let a special prosecutor handle the trial.

The ending will finally wrap everything up and follow Keith as he expands his role in politics. This is definite book that you want to read.

Two childhood friends from Biloxi who end up on different sides of an intense court room battle to either clean up Biloxi or leave it in the hands of the Dixie Mafia. Told in Grisham's trademark, edge-of-your-seat style.

I've read all of John Grisham's mysteries and have enjoyed every one. That is why I am a bit baffled about The Boys from Biloxi. Until I was about 32% through the book, it didn't sound like Grisham's writing to me. It was much more descriptive, with much less action. Then it was as if someone had flipped a switch. The pace picked up and it was a joy to read all the Grishamian tricks and twists.

The dichotomy between the two principal characters was a bit too clear for my taste. One of them never did anything wrong that I could tell, This in itself seemed different from Grisham's other characters who had flaws in addition to their virtue and superior skills.

I was also concerned about a character who died in one chapter and then reappeared twice in the following chapter.

Well developed characters and lots of legal details and explanations. Took a few days to read. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

John Grisham's THE BOYS FROM BILOXI is a highly entertaining, superbly written legal/political thriller with riveting courtroom drama, Biloxi history, and a multi-generational emotional family drama with two families on both sides of the law.

From the stunning front cover to the characters, history, and plot, a gripping story of good versus evil. I am a huge Grisham fan and have read all his legal thrillers, and I think fans will devour this one!

Grisham returns to Mississippi! From a hundred years ago, we learn the history of Biloxi, the Seafood Capital of the World, as well as its beaches and resorts. There were also many immigrants. Years ago, the Gulf Coast became known as the poor man's Riviera. However, there is a darker side, and Grisham explores the city's underbelly.

From police corruption, prostitution, gangs, bootlegging, brothels, drugs, mafia, mob bosses, mobsters, and strip clubs. The Dixie Mafia settled in Biloxi to establish their turf in the late 1950s

The biggest obstacle facing attempts at reform was the longtime corruption of the police and elected officials. Some could not understand (including local journalists) how a religiously conservative state could openly accept such illegal activity.

An emotional multi-generational story of two immigrant families—each winding up on different paths.

Hugh Malco and Keith Rudy grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends, bonding over Little League baseball. Baseball was their world.

The rivalry began as a friendship between two boys with much in common. Both were third-generation grandsons of Croatian immigrants and were born and raised on "the Point," as Point Cadet was known.

Their parents and grandparents knew each other, and they went to the same Catholic church and school, played on the same streets and beaches, and fished with their fathers. Born only one month apart in 1948, both sons of young war veterans married the sweethearts and started families.

But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions, following their father's footsteps.

Keith's father (Jesse Rudy) became a legendary prosecutor, determined to clean up the Coast. Later he became the district attorney.

Hugh's father, (Lance Malco) became the "Boss" of Biloxi's criminal underground. One father sends the other to prison, and then there is WAR.

Keith went to law school and followed in his father's footsteps from lawyer to district attorney.

Hugh preferred the nightlife and worked in his father's nightclubs and strip clubs.

The two families are headed for a dangerous showdown that will wind up in a courtroom and beyond. Leading to MURDER. In addition, many other topics are addressed, such as the death penalty, politics, elections, cop procedures, and more.

Greed, vengeance, and dark secrets are driving factors in this fascinating tale! Readers who enjoy Southern history, multi-generational family sagas, legal thrillers, intense courtroom dramas, and politics will find a lot to like.

Grisham fans, as well as Greg Iles' fans, will gobble up THE BOYS FROM BILOXI!

Ladies: There are no leading female characters. We only get to know them as secondary characters, the wives of the guys, and the girls who work at the strip clubs and bars. This is a good ole-boy network, and Grisham portrays them perfectly.

THE BOYS FROM BILOXI is enthralling and will keep you guessing to the final explosive conclusion. Rich in history, place, time, and character, expertly written with lots of action and emotion. Highly recommend!

Thank you, Doubleday Books, for a gifted e-ARC copy. I also pre-ordered the hardcover (for my home library) and the audiobook. I would not miss a JG audiobook narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Michael Beck!

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 18, 2022
My Rating: 5/5 STARS + ✨✨✨✨✨
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I found this a little hard to get into at first. The focus was on illegal gaming and prostitution on the Mississippi coast in the 1960s and it didn’t really hold my attention. The middle was about a trial and that I really enjoyed. No one does captivating courtroom drama like John Grisham. Towards the end my interest started to wane again, but I definitely enjoyed this overall. Grisham knows how to write and this has plenty of seediness and details. He left the ending wide open for a sequel.

I am a John Grisham fan; have read almost every book he has written. I will admit I was surprised at the way he wrote this one. This book is not first or second person, it is like you are on the outside looking in, it is “about” the Boys of Biloxi. It took me a while to get use this type of writing style from Mr. Grisham, but once I did, the story takes off.
Also, this is not a court room drama book, yes there is a trial, but there is so much more going on, I really found it a bit different than all his others, I did enjoy it though, was a great read and I am so happy I was given the opportunity to receive this as an ARC before it hits the stands. Comes in with high 5 stars!!
Received an ARC from Doubleday Books and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with high 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to read an ARC of this book. John Grisham knows how to keep a reader hooked.
At the beginning, I felt like there were a lot of characters to keep track of but that eventually got easier to follow. I enjoyed the crime drama with good guys vs bad guys. The corruption with the local police and politicians combined with the mobsters made an exciting story and the book was hard to put down.
I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll leave it at that I definitely recommend this to John Grisham fans.

I loved it, and so glad to be approved for it. Grisham has created a terrific legal thriller as usual, but the period, and deep character study reached new levels. The atmosphere of Biloxi and the south as always, were just onto the next level.

Looking forward to the next one!

It’s October, and the leaves are turning, football games are playing and John Grisham’s latest novel hits the stands. It’s tradition.
In his newest novel, “The Boys From Biloxi,” straight arrows meet the Dixie Mafia. Little guys take on big insurance and childhood friends become enemies. It’s the story of two families on different sides of the law when Biloxi was known as a corrupt city filled with vice.
Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in the coastal city in the 1960s. As kids, they played Little League baseball and dreamed of adventure. Their families were descendants of Croatian immigrants, money was tight and their families worked hard. As they grew older, the boys went separate ways, mostly due to their fathers’ view of the law. Keith’s dad, Jesse, stood on the side of the little guy, the prosecution and truth. Hugh’s dad, Lance, stood across the line, building an empire based on gambling, sex, liquor and brutality.
Keith’s dad makes a legal name for himself after Hurricane Camille wiped out much of Biloxi. Insurance companies are paying little attention to homeowners’ claims, and Jesse is determined to help his neighbors and community. He uses his victories as a springboard for his political career as a district attorney and beyond.

As a recent Ole Miss law school graduate, Keith does all he can to support his dad’s efforts to “clean up the Coast.” Hugh, too, supports his dad in his own way. He commits crimes, drinks too much and gets involved in jewelry thefts and the seedier side of the Gulf Coast nightlife.

To make a very long story short, Jess is killed, Lance goes to prison and Hugh and Keith step into their fathers’ shoes. Keith fills his dad’s political office, and Hugh takes over as king of the Biloxi underworld.

What were once two friends now come head to head in a courtroom battle typical in Grisham’s legal thrillers. Hugh stands accused of putting out a hit on Keith’s father, and Keith is dead set on sending his childhood friend to prison.

Other than Jesse’s murder, there are no major twists, and it’s clear where everyone stands in the good vs. evil arena. The legal posturing and processes are evidence of Grisham’s experience as a lawyer, turning legalese into an understanding language.

But just like typical court cases, this novel drags on too long. At 464 pages, it lags at times, goes too fast in places and becomes as heavy as a lawyer’s briefcase. “The Boys From Biloxi” will likely to become a bestseller since it has Grisham’s name on the cover. Despite it’s slow pace, it’s still a good story, especially with the hurricane-related claims, but hopefully Grisham will lighten the load in his 2023 October novel.

There were many immigrants who came to Biloxi Mississippi to work on the River. The area was known for beaches, resorts and the seafood industry. Two descendants of the immigrants, Jesse Ruddy and Lance Malco, grew up in the area but took different paths. Lance became a boss in the Dixie Mafia and owned several strip clubs that also had illegal gambling, bootleg liquor, drugs and prostitution. A corrupt sheriff was complicit in these activities.
Jesse took another path. He went to law school at night and soon had a thriving law practice. He became well known after suing the insurance companies who routinely denied claims after Hurricane Camille destroyed that area. When he was elected DA, Jesse set out to clean up the corruption that flourished in Biloxi.
Their sons, Keith Ruddy and Hugh Malco, were childhood friends who played on a little League baseball team together. They lost touch after their years playing baseball ended. Keith followed his father into the clubs and soon was running some of them. Hugh went to college and law school and joined his father’s practice.
The two families have a major confrontation that change their lives forever.
This is a legal thriller, a genre in which Grisham excels. This book is fast paced and will keep the reader’s interest.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a legal thriller or a fast-paced crime story… this is not it. The story spends many generations and tells us about the history of Biloxi through the eyes of two families. One profiting from the seedier side of things and the other looking to build a community of law and order. These two families know one another and through the decades they clash over and over summoning towards a final showdown.

The first third of this book was extremely dense and probably could’ve been trimmed quite a bit. About midway you start to see where things are headed, the pace picks up and you find yourself wanting to pick a side. The last third is a bit more action packed and entertaining. This is certainly not one of the Grisham stories of old but I think it has all the elements of a great organized crime story. If you enjoyed Black Mass and the hunt for Whitey Bulger, this one will appeal to you.

Thanks to Doubleday for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.

Two friends growing up in Biloxi both took very different paths as grownups. One on the right side of the law and one on the wrong side of the law. I had a really hard time reading this book and I really wish John Grisham would get back to writing like he used to. I was very disappointed in this book -I don’t like struggling to finish a book but I kept hoping it would get better. Unfortunately, for me, it did not.