I was thrilled to find another book in the Camino Island Series. This book is different than most of the Grisham books. The story bounces between current day and a time more than one hundred years ago. Mercer Mann, a talented writer from Camino Island, is searching an idea for her next book. Bruce Cable, the local bookstore owner, suggests she write the story of Dark Isle. Dark Isle is an abandoned island off Camino Island. It was at one time the home of a large group of slaves who had escaped from their captors. There is one woman, Lovely Jackson, who claims to be the only living descendent of Dark Isle. A corporation, Tidal Breeze, is trying to take control of the island to develop it. Lovely has told her story in her own self-published book. Mercer wants to flesh out the story and include the fact that Lovely is seeking to prove her ownership in court. Grisham tells the story well. It flows along easily. I’m anxiously waiting for the next installment in this series.

Another entertaining Grisham book, bringing back this pair of 'troublemakers' (in the good sense). Great story and interesting setting for their next exploits. Fast paced, fun read.

Although I have read much of Grisham's work, this was my first time reading any of the books in the Camino Island series. I enjoyed the dynamic between the newlyweds, Mercer and Thomas, and their ties with the various local characters, including Mercer's mentor and local bookseller, Bruce. Bruce's suggestion that Mercer write a book based on Lovely's story launches into a history of slavery in the southern states, the cruel treatment received by the Africans and their harrowing journey to North America. Born on Dark Isle, Lovely is admirable and independent, a proud woman with noble bearing despite her humble roots. And she is determined to protect the resting place of her forebears from developers who would bulldoze the island in favor of a modern resort. Ultimately, the future of Dark Isle must be decided in the courts, with both sides determined to prove their respective cases. As typical of Grisham, the well-paced courtroom scenes were enlightening for this non-lawyer, with engaging banter, and twists along the way to resolution. More a historical novel than a legal thriller, this well-written novel shines a much-needed spotlight on slavery and the racial injustices that were an undeniable part of American history that must never be forgotten.

FTC disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not affected the content of my review.

Grisham does it again! This was a fantastic book and I througouly enjoyed it! The plot was a thrilling ride and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I think the characters were well rounded and added a ton to the story!

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Camino Ghosts (Camino Island, Book 3) by John Grisham
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 295 / Genre: Legal Thriller
Audiobook Narrator: Whoopi Goldberg
Duration: 10 hours 17 seconds

The first chapter of this book is extremely hard to read, as it tells the story of one village being savagely attacked and then brutally taken from their homes and sent across the ocean to be sold as slaves. These were the descendants of Lovely Jackson, the last living inhabitant and sole heir of Dark Isle, an island off the coast of Florida, where her people survived free from slavery. Dark Isle had been protected all these years thanks to a curse made on all white people who step foot on the island. But now greedy politicians and real estate developers want to claim ownership of the island and build a casino resort on it. And so the legal thriller begins.

Although this is the third book in the Camino Island series and I hadn’t read the previous two books, I don’t feel like I missed anything. This could easily be read as a standalone book. I found this story to be extremely interesting and thought-provoking. I specifically chose this book because Whoopi Goldberg was the narrator and I really enjoyed listening to her read. Her southern accent was a little heavier when she read Lovely’s parts but other than that she didn’t really changed her voice much for the other characters, but she has such a comforting voice, I enjoyed it just the same.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @DoubledayBooks, and @JohnGrisham for my gifted copy.

I don't usually read John Grisham, but I have read the Camino series. This one takes it up a notch. When developers step in to turn turn a deserted island into a resort, a court case ensues. Lovely Jackson, a descendent of slaves who lived on the island after being taken from Africa, fights to keep the island and cemetery in her family and as a tribute to those who have gone on. It was beautiful and heartbreaking to hear the stories of Lovely's ancestors.

Another compelling novel by John Grisham. Please see my complete review at www.reviewingtheevidence.com

Thanks to Doubleday for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

I'm a big Grisham fan mainly because I love a legal procedural. I've read all of the Camino series but can't say they've been my favorite because they've been a bit of a departure. This one pulls that set of characters back into the courtroom. When a builder comes in with plans to develop a remote island with a history steeped in the history of slavery, the last living person to have inhabited that island comes forward to stop them. She is a stately 80 year old with an amazing memory for her people's history. Bruce and Mercer team up to give her a voice.

The story of Dark Island was definitely captivating, although I did feel like perhaps a white guy writing it was not the best in this day and age, but I can't deny that I was entertained. The Mercer/Bruce parts were meh but then as we got more of the legal intrigue, I was engaged again. I really liked Lovely as a character but also the more political machinations behind her as an individual.

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham tells of a Florida resort developer trying to muscle in on an island that maybe owned by a former slave. This is the third book in John Grisham’s Camino Island series.

Mercer Mann, an author, was talking to bookstore owner Bruce Cable about an unbelievable story. An island known as Dark Isle was a colony for escaped slaves who lived there for generations.

The last surviving inhabitant of Dark Isle, Lovely Jackson, lives nearby and wrote a memoir. Unfortunately, a large developer wants to destroy the island, including the cemetery, to build a casino. Ms. Jackson does not want that to happen but fighting a huge, rich company and the Florida government isn’t going to be easy.

I did not enjoy the last two books I read by Mr. Grisham, and told myself that if this is the case with this one, I’ll probably stop reading his work. I’m glad to say that Camino Ghosts by John Grisham grabbed me from the beginning to, almost, the very end.

I’m glad Mr. Grisham went back to courtroom drama and legal stories. For me, those were the parts of his books I found the most engaging and entertaining.

The story follows author Mercer Mann as she researches the story of Lovely Jackson who left Dark Isle in 1955. Lovely’s story is fascinating and engaging, and frankly one of the best parts of the book. Ms. Mann is planning to write a non-fiction book about Dark Isle, but first Lovely Jackson’s claim has to work itself through the courts with the help of a pro-bono environmental lawyer.

The book also has some supernatural aspects to it, but not too much and it makes Lovely Jackson’s story more interesting. The characters are interesting, and well-written which I missed in his previous books. The legal case, which is the reason I started reading his books, was fascinating and engaging.

The book was captivating and works as a standalone story, you don’t need to read the previous two books to enjoy this one. They do provide some context but that’s just about it. It’s a quick read and can be easily enjoyed over a long weekend.

This story follows Lovely Jackson as she fights for her claim to an island that is said to be cursed, as the last living descendent of the slaves that called the island home. The state of Florida claims it is theirs, and after hurricane Leo shifted some things a big developer wants to buy the land. Of course, Bruce can't let that happen and gets the right people (Mercer Mann) on the case. As she starts to research for the novel, and gets to know Lovely, they realize they are in for a long legal battle. It is very interesting watching the legal process ensue, and to hear the lost stories of the slaves that originally found their way to the island. I know it is suppose to be a work of fiction, but it was very well written and engaging.

I truly enjoyed the first two books in the Camino Island series. This one was a struggle to finish. The writing is every bit as good as Graham brings to every work, but the story just never intrigued me. It felt a little too forced, and I'm not sure what the book really wanted to be. It's just a little bit mystery, little bit historical fiction, little bit politics, little bit courtroom drama ... But none of the genres ever took off quite enough to actually be something.

No question - it's John Grisham so I have to read it. I do love his books. I found this one to be quite different.

Description:
In this new thriller on Camino Island, popular bookseller Bruce Cable tells Mercer Mann an irresistible tale that might be her next novel. A giant resort developer is using its political muscle and deep pockets to claim ownership of a deserted island between Florida and Georgia. Only the last living inhabitant of the island, Lovely Jackson, stands in its way. What the developer doesn’t know is that the island has a remarkable history, and locals believe it is cursed… and the past is never the past…

My Thoughts:
Lovely Jackson's tragic heritage was fascinating. The conditions she and her mother and ancestor faced were extremely difficult and some were horrifying. The curse on the island played an integral part. I found Lovely to be intriguing and quite a character. It was easy for me to be on her side throughout the book. I enjoyed the plot and felt it moved well marrying the past to the present to provide the full picture. I recommend to anyone who likes legal thrillers.

Thanks to Doubleday Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

John Grisham's Camino Ghosts captivates with its blend of historical fiction, courtroom drama, and contemporary suspense. Mercer Mann, seeking inspiration for her next novel, explores the story of Lovely Jackson, the last descendant of slaves from Dark Isle, now threatened by a resort developer. As Lovely fights to protect her ancestral land, believed to be cursed, Mercer’s research and Bruce Cable’s connections are crucial in the ensuing legal battle. Grisham masterfully intertwines the island's rich history with modern-day conflicts, creating a narrative that is heart-wrenching and engaging. Despite some predictable elements, the well-drawn characters and thought-provoking themes make Camino Ghosts a compelling addition to the Camino Island series.

This is the 3rd book in the series by John Grisham. It was fascinating and kept the pages flying. I was happy to see the return of main characters and the addition of a few new ones including the fascinating Lovely! It starts off and builds with suspense! Thanks to #Netgalley for this ARC!

I've read most of John Grisham's novels, and he is best when he is writing tightly constructed courtroom scenes. This book does not disappoint. His novel is about the past, the South, racial injustice, environmental justice, and stories of Black ancestors that never get told.

Bruce Cable is an indie bookstore owner who has appeared in previous Camino Island books. He has quite a knack for bringing people together who share common concerns. In this story, he meets an 80-year old Lovely Jackson, a Black woman who declares she was the last inhabitant of Dark Isle, an island off the coast of northeast Florida settled by runaway slaves in the 1800s. Now, a developer called Tidal Breeze wants to create a luxury development on the island. Steven Mahon, an environmental attorney, joins her case to fight off the evil development company that's in bed with southern politicians.

Mercer Mann, a novelist, has been looking for a sensational story, and she also joins the militant group, Using Lovely's diary as the basis for a novel. she reveal the origins of the inhabitants of the island, the brutal treatment they received on slave ships, and the curse placed on the island that kills any white person who step on its shores. That curse ramps up the suspense.

Of course, this conflict ends up in court. And this is where John Grisham really shines. The history of racial injustice lives on every page of Lovely's diary, and it overflows into the court hearing. I really enjoyed her details of the history of the island. Grisham's book reminds us of the long ago past, the truth of which has become the object of political wrangling these days. Based on an actual story, Grisham's book is a treasure trove of history for those of us who love to read about the past.

Grisham's characters were believable, their motives powered the plot, and the various threads of the story were woven into a very clear structure. When Grisham is writing about the South, the past, and the law, he is incomparable.

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and give it an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: Camino Ghosts by John Grisham
Series: Camino | Book 3
2024 Publication Date: May 28

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

Best Legal Thriller Books
T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read
T.I.M.E. Best Book Club Books
T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Thriller
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2024

Pages: 295
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Legal Thriller
T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ N/A
Time Period: Contemporary | 1750
Location: Florida (US)
Publisher: Doubleday Books

--------------------

All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Thank you @netgalley & publisher for this ARC. Loved the story of Lovely & her ancestors. I truly felt that I was on Camino Island & vested in the outcome of Dark Isle. Kudos John Grisham

Published by Doubleday on May 28, 2024

John Grisham is at his best when he works racial injustice into his stories. In a 2022 interview, Grisham said he “grew up in the Jim Crow South. A very segregated, racist society was almost in my DNA. It’s a long struggle to overcome that and to look back at the way I was raised and not be resentful toward my parents and other people who helped raise me for their extreme racism. It was such a hard right-wing, racist society that I grew up in.”

Camino Ghosts is Grisham’s third novel set on Camino Island, a fictional location off the northeast coast of Florida. A central character is a descendent of slaves. The novel reminds the reader that Florida entered the union as a slave state. I assume that will be enough to get the novel banned in Florida’s school libraries because Ron DeSantis thinks it is wrong to offend the imagined sensibilities of white children by teaching them the truth about southern history. Most rational people believe children should be taught to learn from the past, but denial and ignorance are the preferred tools of education in today’s Florida.

The descendent in question is Lovely Jackson. Now about 80 years old, Lovely lives on Camino Island but was born on a nearby island that the locals call Dark Isle. The island is said to be haunted and enough people have died after venturing to the island that the legends are cautiously regarded as true.

Lovely wrote a book that recounted the oral history her ancestries passed down about their lives. The first island settlers had been captured in Africa for sale into slavery. A few Africans survived a shipwreck, killed the white survivors who enslaved them, and protected their new island home from white men.

Nalla was one of the survivors. Lovely is one of Nalla’s descendants. Nalla was raped by one of the slave traders and was pregnant with his child. She used the witchcraft she learned in her childhood to place a curse on the island. White men who set foot on the island are doomed. The curse has so far been completely effective.

Developers are itching to get their hands on Dark Isle because it has a beach. Until Hurricane Leo, building a bridge to the island was impractical. The hurricane changed the topography, making it possible for Tidal Breeze, an unscrupulous real estate developer, to demand that the state pay for a bridge so it can fill the beaches with condos for rich people. Most local residents are tired of developments that displace less affluent people with wealthy condo dwellers, although a few are persuaded that development brings economic benefits that outweigh the environmental destruction that has devastated Florida.

Steven Mahon is an environmental lawyer who wants to throw a wrench in Tidal Breeze’s plan to bulldoze Dark Isle. He realizes that, as the last inhabitant of Dark Isle, Nalla may have a claim to ownership of the island through adverse possession. Proving that Nalla owns the island would be the quickest way to prevent Tidal Breze from destroying it. The problem is that Nalla has no corroborating evidence to prove that she was born on Dark Isle or that her ancestors ever lived there. The state claims ownership of all uninhabited islands near Florida and Tidal Breeze has engineered a behind-the-scenes sweetheart deal to buy it from the state.

The story follows two characters who appeared in earlier Camino Island novels. Bruce Cable owns a successful independent bookstore that caters to island residents and tourists. Mercer Mann is a novelist who spends part of the year on the island. Mercer decides that Lovely has a story worth telling. Bruce is a fan of Lovely’s self-published book about the island and is responsible for the few sales that Lovely made. He encourages Mercer to tell Lovely’s story in a work of nonfiction and to bring Tidal Breeze into the narrative.

Political corruption and environmental destruction are two of the novel’s themes, from Tidal Breeze’s attempt to influence a judge to its use of campaign contributions to assure that state officials ignore the environmental consequences of its development projects. The larger theme is Florida’s history as a slave state and the continuing impact that slavery has had on the state’s Black residents. I was particularly moved by Lovely’s testimony that she wanted to tell her story because so many stories of slaves have not been told — a truth that seems particularly evident in Florida, where a majority of the state’s legislators seem to believe that stories about white slaveowners are best forgotten.

I am hot and cold on Grisham, but I enjoyed the trial scenes in Camino Ghosts. Lovely is a fun and sympathetic character. The plot is simple but compelling. The present day story might be too upbeat to be credible, but Grisham balances the good feelings with the harrowing reality of the slave trade. My primary reason for giving Camino Ghosts a strong recommendation is that it is so different from most legal thrillers. It’s always good to read something fresh in a genre that tends to rehash stale plots.

RECOMMENDED

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham: I loved it! Such a good book. My favorite of the three books that take place on Camino island. Mercer Mann, author, is back, along with Bruce Cable, bookstore owner. And we meet Lovely Jackson, an older black woman who is trying to hold onto the island her family lived on for hundreds of years. Very interesting. Very heart-wrenching: but in the good ways. Makes you realize truths without belittling important subjects. Very much enjoyed!

I went into Camino Island blindly. I honestly, haven’t read a John Grisham book in years, so wanted to try some thing that was outside of his legal thriller genre.
Wow, this book was well written, it just truly didn’t hold my interest.
The premise was great, however, the storytelling fell flat for me.