The Whistler

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER •

A high-stakes thrill ride through the darkest corners of the Sunshine State, from the author hailed as “the best thriller writer alive” by Ken Follett

We expect our judges to be honest and wise. Their integrity and impartiality are the bedrock of the entire judicial system. We trust them to ensure fair trials, to protect the rights of all litigants, to punish those who do wrong, and to oversee the orderly and efficient flow of justice.

But what happens when a judge bends the law or takes a bribe? It’s rare, but it happens.

Lacy Stoltz is an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. She is a lawyer, not a cop, and it is her job to respond to complaints dealing with judicial misconduct. After nine years with the Board, she knows that most problems are caused by incompetence, not corruption.

But a corruption case eventually crosses her desk. A previously disbarred lawyer is back in business with a new identity. He now goes by the name Greg Myers, and he claims to know of a Florida judge who has stolen more money than all other crooked judges combined. And not just crooked judges in Florida. All judges, from all states, and throughout U.S. history.

What’s the source of the ill-gotten gains? It seems the judge was secretly involved with the construction of a large casino on Native American land. The Coast Mafia financed the casino and is now helping itself to a sizable skim of each month’s cash. The judge is getting a cut and looking the other way. It’s a sweet deal: Everyone is making money.

But now Greg wants to put a stop to it. His only client is a person who knows the truth and wants to blow the whistle and collect millions under Florida law. Greg files a complaint with the Board on Judicial Conduct, and the case is assigned to Lacy Stoltz, who immediately suspects that this one could be dangerous.

Dangerous is one thing. Deadly is something else.

Don’t miss John Grisham’s new book, THE EXCHANGE: AFTER THE FIRM!

©2016 John Grisham (P)2016 Random House Audio

cracking good yarn

What did you like best about The Whistler? What did you like least?

The story was craftily constructed like a spider weaves a web, first with a broad framework and then filling in the details. As for the dirty rotten scoundrels, I won't give away the ending. Some of the writing did not sound like Grisham, though, a trait I've noticed in some of his recent books. The narrator was, without a doubt, the worst I've ever heard. Thank goodness the story was so good, otherwise I would not have been able to get beyond the first chapter.

Boring and poorly narrated.

What did you like best about The Whistler? What did you like least?

Slow to develop, incomplete character, and boring plot.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Predictable.

What didn’t you like about Cassandra Campbell’s performance?

Does female voice well, but gets all jumbled up with male characters.

Do you think The Whistler needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

Grisham is getting lazy.

Mediocre predictable story. Long on legal speak, short on character substance. I would not recommend.

The voice acting is horrible

Would you try another book from John Grisham and/or Cassandra Campbell?

From John Grisham, yes, from Cassandra Campbell, definitely no. The voice acting is horrible at best, I should have read the reviews before placing the order.

Would you be willing to try another book from John Grisham? Why or why not?

Yes. The first two chapters are not so intriguing to me, but other people say it's not the best book of John Grisham, so I suppose it won't hurt to try another book.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Cassandra Campbell?

I am not sure. Cassandra Campbell is the first narrator I have, I don't know any other.

Did The Whistler inspire you to do anything?

Not sure at this moment. Still far from finishing the book.

Good Story Lousy Reader

Story is good and keeps interest high. I struggle with this reader. All characters sound almost the same wether male or female.
Why not spend a few dollars and hire two readers one for the male parts and one for the female parts.

Pretty Good

I'm not into stories about lawyers but Grisham is such a great storyteller I always enjoy his books. I wish there was a little more action at the end of this one.

disappointing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. If I were not a Grisham fan I would not have completed the reading. The voice was terrible, the plot contrived and tedious.

If you’ve listened to books by John Grisham before, how does this one compare?

The worst.

Would you be willing to try another one of Cassandra Campbell’s performances?

No.

Could you see The Whistler being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

A movie and a TV series can be made out of anything.

Any additional comments?

The precursor was better than the sequel.

Another winner!

This book is the second one of this author that I have read, and I can see why he is as popular as I have been told! A riveting story from beginning to end, well narrated, this is a must read for any John Grisham fan!

Decent, but not my favorite Grisham

Would you try another book from John Grisham and/or Cassandra Campbell?

I'd get the next Grisham book because I read or listen to them all. If Cassandra Campbell is the reader, I'd likely opt for reading instead of listening.

If you’ve listened to books by John Grisham before, how does this one compare?

I don't think this JG book is as good as some of the others. Story is intricate and then wraps up too quickly. At least there is a good epilogue.

How could the performance have been better?

Cassandra Campbell reads with impeccable diction and has a wonderful voice. However, for this novel, the main character, Lacey Stoltz, sounds like she is trying to seduce everyone.It is incredibly distracting.
Most men sound like a cartoon character.
I like the idea of a woman reader, and again, she is very talented. Just make the female protagonist less sexy, when it is not called for.

Was The Whistler worth the listening time?

It was worth the time as I drove.

Grisham is Losing His Edge

Any additional comments?

Not great. Rather predictable.

I like that Grisham has been dabbling in different areas of law for his books, but this one didn't feel flushed out. I like the idea of a book about investigation of judges or about the mesh of Native American and US law. Both are interesting topics, but this book didn't really throw us into either of them. It kind of nibbled around the edges, giving a very superficial and at times stereotypical view of life on a reservation. There weren't even any of the great trial scenes that we look forward to in a Grisham novel.