Camino Island

Would you dare buy any rare manuscripts? 

John Grisham is the only author who's book I buy the day it comes out and devour within a week. His latest book, Camino Island, dropped a week ago, and I finished it this morning.

This is not a typical Grisham lawyer novel, instead this one places a bookstore at the center of the action. The story centers around some stolen F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts, a broke writer working as a college professor, several writers, the bookstore and the bookstore's owner. The story keeps the reader's attention from the beginning to the end.

The characters were developed well, even the bookstore. As a book lover, the centerpiece of the story was a good, unique angle to take. Again, this isn't a lawyer novel, though a couple of lawyers show up. Grisham develops some ideas regarding the insurance company who is trying to track down the manuscripts, the FBI, and the young writer who is struggling and broke.

The reader will suspect things as the story develops, and — in the end — it is not just the reader who has the suspicions. The bookseller, Bruce Cable, also outlines some of his beliefs about writing, and they sound similar to those of Elmore Leonard.

An enjoyable story, Grisham may be expanding his popularity as this is not a typical work for the great author. Give yourself some time and read Camino Island.