John Grisham’s The Reckoning is a good look at racism, sexism, patriarchy, and different views of honor. If you like legal stories The Reckoning will leave you entertained and have you guessing.
Pete Banning is the favorite son in post World War II Clanton, Mississippi. He owns a huge cotton farm, attends church every Sunday, and is known for treating his field hands reasonably for the time.
One morning, Banning has breakfast with his sister. Then, he goes to the church and shoots the pastor dead. When Banning refuses to allow his lawyers to mount a credible defense, everyone is left wondering what happened.
The Reckoning touches on many topics that deserve scrutiny. The ending of the story left me with a mess of thoughts running around my head. Honestly, I kind of suspected the ending was a possibility early in the story. Several times during the narrative, I wound up questioning my suspicion. When a story gets me thinking and keeps me guessing, I’m glad I read it.