When John Grisham's, A Time to Kill, was published in 1989, the former attorney started a new era in legal thrillers. His engrossing plots and relatable characters have inspired countless authors to write their own thrillers set in the world of law and justice. If you're a Grisham fan, here are ten great titles you'll also enjoy.
Real-life judge Michael Ponsor brings Grisham-like insider authority to The Hanging Judge. Even though Massachusetts doesn't have the death penalty at the state level, a federal prosecutor exercises his jurisdiction to bring the first capital case there in decades. Rookie judge David Norcross finds himself at the
rcenter of a storm of outrage and drama that may cost him everything. The Hanging Judge is a nerve-wracking legal thriller that consistently leaves the reader waiting for the other shoe to drop. Read here.
2. Time of Justice by Robin James
Grisham often uses small towns as the setting for his novels, allowing for the creation of charming salt-of-the-earth characters. Robin James has done the same with her Mara Brent legal thriller series. The first of them, Time of Justice, finds the small-town prosecutor putting a sexual predator on trial. With DNA
matched to a long list of victims, it should be an open-and-shut case. But she soon finds a conspiracy at the highest levels to throw the trial––and end her career. Read here.
Like Grisham, Scott Turow is an attorney-turned-novelist. He shot to fame after the publication of his first novel, Presumed Innocent. In this gripping thriller, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Rusty Sabicch is investigating a murder, and after his boss loses re-election, he inexplicably finds himself on trial for the crime.
Finding out who tried to frame Sabicch is still a fascinating thrill ride. Turow has since returned to Presumed Innocent's Kindle County setting for 11 more legal thrillers. Read here.
4. Misjudged: A Legal Thriller by James Chandler
James Chandler is another attorney who has turned their experience into writing suspenseful legal fiction. As he's also a veteran of the US Army, Chandler adds depth to his literary alter ego, attorney Sam Johnstone. Johnstone debuted in Misjudged, looking for refuge at a small law firm in rural Wyoming after enduring
trauma both in war and at home. He initially refuses the chance to defend an accused murderer but is slowly pulled into the case when he realizes the defendant is being framed. Read here.
5. Blood Defense by Marcia Clark
While many attorneys have tried their hand at writing, most were not world-famous when they published their first novels. Marcia Clark, however, had prosecuted the "Trial of the Century" when she traded in writing legal briefs for legal thrillers. Blood Defense is one of her best and the first in her series about
LA defense attorney Samantha Brinkman. Sam lands a high-profile defendant, an LAPD detective accused of double homicide. As one of the victims was a beloved TV star, a media circus ensues. Managing that is tough, but Sam goes through even worse in search of evidence that will clear her client. Read here.
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For a look at a different side of the legal process, check out the Rachel Hatch series from author L.T. Ryan and police detective Brian Shea. In the first Hatch book, Drift, we're introduced to the former Army criminal investigator at a low point in her life. After years of challenging work, she's rudderless and drifting
around the country. That is until her sister is found dead from drowning. Convinced the death was no accident, Hatch teams up with the local sheriff to find out who is responsible. Drift is one of those page-turners that makes you want to read the next book immediately. Read here.
If you enjoy the investigative side of the legal process, the UNSUB series is for you. Named after the FBI term for "unknown subject," the first UNSUB novel from Meg Gardiner is an intense psychological thriller inspired by the infamous Zodiac Killer case. Narcotics detective Caitlin Hendrix is on the trail of The
Prophet, a serial killer who taunts law enforcement with cryptic messages. The Prophet also killed her father two decades earlier, making the investigation all the more personal. Read here.
Bringing things back into the courtroom is the first of twelve Rosato & Associates series, Everywhere That Mary Went, from author Lisa Scottoline. This suspenseful thriller finds the character Mary DiNunzio working her way up to partner at her prestigious law firm. She's devoted to her work until a series of
crank phone calls, threatening notes, and a feeling she's always being watched derail her focus. The plot is a fine combination of genres, full of legal thrills, suspense, and mystery. Read here.
Another fine mix of mystery and suspense, with a Grisham-worthy conspiracy thrown in, is Harlan Coben's The Stranger. The title character is a mystery man who appears out of nowhere to whisper secrets into people's ears. Who is this stranger, and how does he know all these secrets? Finding the answer proves
to be a thrilling journey. This novel was also turned into a successful Netflix original series. Read here.
Shifting the scene from America to the UK, author Simon McCleave's books about Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter bring a nice twist to mystery thrillers with a law backdrop. The first Ruth Hunter book, The Snowdonia Killings, is the place to start. Escaping crime-ridden London for idyllic North Wales, Ruth can't catch
a break. Immediately after settling into her new position, she's on the case of a serial killer leaving cryptic markings on their victims. Her path to solving the puzzle and bringing the killer to justice is full of shocking twists. Read here.
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Bonus Picks! Watch and Listen to These Titles Similar to John Grisham
The Lincoln Lawyer
Adapted from Michael Connelly's series of books about idealistic lawyer Mickey Haller, the Netflix original series The Lincoln Lawyer hits all the right spots for Grisham fans. Charming characters, engaging plotlines, and thought-provoking looks at the law have made this one of Netflix's biggest recent hits.
The Prosecutors Podcast
If you enjoy the realism of Grisham's legal thrillers or are just fascinated by the law in general, listen to The Prosecutors podcast. Hosted by real-life prosecuting attorneys Alice LaCour and Brett Talley, The Prosecutors is an intriguing look behind the scenes at one of the most challenging jobs in the legal profession.
The hosts also offer their input on notorious cold cases, hoping some of these will one day be solved.
