Long before there was such a thing as Artificial Intelligence (AI), there was the fertile and prolific writer's brain of John Grisham, the author of forty novels, all of them best sellers. I can just see Grisham sitting at his desk as he contemplated writing Novel Number 41.
He probably scribbled a few notes on a yellow legal pad that went something like this....
- Two first generation immigrant families produce two sons. One son struggles to become an attorney, one drifts into vice and illegal doings
- They each produce sons born 28 days apart who become Little League teammates and All-Stars, and good buddies through high school
- Each follows in Dad's footsteps
- Each now become enemies on opposite sides of the law
- Add healthy doses of crooked cops, scumbag hoodlums and thugs, a murder or two, jury tampering, horrifying views of prison life, ruminations on the death penalty, and hinky Old South (or maybe not so old) Mississippi politics.
- Set it in Biloxi, Mississippi during the course of the 1950's, -60's, -70's, and -80's.
Toss all of these elements into the patented "John Grisham AI Processor", and BOOM! out pops "The Boys From Biloxi." Grisham probably didn't even break a sweat while churning it out.
Yes, it is formulaic. Yes, it seems like Grisham wrote this one in his sleep, and yes, there are a few plot points that are a bit inexplicable. It is also a vintage Grisham story. Gripping and totally and completely readable and enjoyable. I can't disagree with critics who have said that Grisham is now just phoning it in and waiting for the residual checks to roll in, but I will also tell you that I can't wait for the next time Grisham goes to his AI Processor and cranks out his next best seller.
"The Boys From Biloxi" gets Three Stars form The Grandstander.
