A multi million dollar company has decided to build a giant resort on a deserted island between Florida and Georgia. But, Lovely Jackson stands in their way. She is the last surviving descendent of that island which has a remarkable history and is possibly cursed.

Lovely Jackson and her story just reels the reader in! I love this mystery and all the history surrounding this deserted island. The history is truly fascinating! Add in Lovely and her curse…and it is a read you won’t soon forget! And don’t think Lovely didn’t have the opposing lawyers number…oh she did!

This story started out strong with the intensity you expect from John Grisham. But the ending, it felt a bit rushed and not with the punch I expect from this author. But, I love John Grisham’s writing. No fluff just facts and fantastic characters.

Need a great story with sensational characters and incredible history mixed in…THIS IS IT!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. ( )

With an intriguing plot that combines elements of literary and historical fiction, courtroom drama and a touch of suspense thrown into the mix and its cast of interesting characters (old and new) Camino Ghosts by John Grisham is a compelling read.

The third book in the author’s Camino Island series begins with author Mercer Mann's wedding with Thomas, with whom she has been in a relationship for over three years. In attendance are Mercer’s friends from the island, among whom is Bruce Cable, owner of Bay Books. Mercer is looking for inspiration for her third novel and Bruce suggests the story of the Dark Isle – a now uninhabited island between Florida and Georgia that was once home to a community of runaway slaves. The last living descendant of Dark Isle, Ms. Lovely Jackson, now in her eighties, lives on Camino Island after having left Dark Isle in 1955, when she was fifteen years old, with her mother. Lovely had self-published a book about the island and its history – only a few copies of which were sold at Bruce’s bookstore. The now deserted island has caught the attention of greedy property developers with grand plans for the island, possessing both the political backing and the money to see their plans through. Lovely, who has refused any monetary compensation from the developers, plans to prove her ownership of Dark Isle, hoping to thwart their plans and protect the land where her ancestors are buried. The island is believed to be cursed and it is rumored that many who tried to step foot on the island were never seen again. Bruce encourages Mercer to meet with Lovely to discuss the possibilities of Mercer authoring a book of non-fiction about the island – a proposal Lovely eventually accepts.

As the narrative progresses we follow Mercer, as she commences her research, hoping to find facts that would help Lovely’s case; Bruce, as he taps into his vast network of contacts to gather information on the property developers and their allies; and Lovely and her legal team – retired lawyer Steven Mahon and his “ace paralegal” Diane Krug- as they prepare for the ensuing legal battle

There is no doubt that John Grisham is a master storyteller and though I’ve always been a fan of the author, I'll admit that his Camino Island books were never among my favorites. I'm glad to say Camino Ghosts changed that! The narrative moves at a consistent pace with Nalla’s story - both heartbreaking and captivating on account of the rich historical perspective and the ‘lore of the island -shared in chapters interspersed throughout the novel. I enjoyed getting to know Lovely and found the history of Dark Isle and Lovely's stories of life on the island fascinating. I've never been particularly fond of Mercer, but Bruce , as always, is an interesting character. Mahon and Diane made a formidable team and I loved Diane’s dedication and her go-getter attitude. Despite the serious themes of this novel, the author injects a healthy dose of lightheartedness (Gifford Knox was a hoot!) to keep the novel from becoming too heavy.

Definitely the strongest of all three books in the series, in my humble opinion, this exceptionally well-written, immersive novel is a departure from Grisham’s signature legal thrillers and though not a "legal thriller" per se, I did enjoy the courtroom scenes and I loved how the author chose to end the story.

Many thanks to Doubleday Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )

This third installment of Grisham’s Camino Island series finds author Mercer Mann, friend of bookshop owner Bruce Cable, stumped when trying to come up with an idea for her next book. Bruce introduces her to a small nonfiction piece written by 80 year old local resident, Lovely Jackson. Lovely, the descendent of slaves who settled on Dark Island off the coast of Camino Island, has resided on the bigger island since 1955, leaving the smaller one uninhabited. Yet, as the last inhabitant, she claims Dark Island is hers and when a big, unscrupulous corporation wants to develop Dark Island including putting a Casino on it, Bruce facilitates her fight for the home of her ancestors.

Grisham is a talented story teller and this book does not disappoint. A quick, compelling read, Lovely is a captivating character. Grisham does an excellent job of capturing the development frenzy that is Florida…the greed of the corporations, the questionable practices of the politicians, the disregard for the environment, the highway sprawl of businesses. He also acknowledges how the electorate can be so easily manipulated.

The history of the difference between the British and Spanish owned colonies as relates to slavery is fascinating. When you read Lovely’s account of the realities of the slave trade, you can’t help but wonder, as did Mercer, how our forebears could have tolerated such cruel treatment of those who were kidnapped and enslaved.

This does work as a standalone, although reading the first two in the series gives a broader background of the repeating characters and provides context for some of the references made in this book to action that took place in prior ones.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DoubledayBooks for the DRC ( )