Whitcoulls Recommends: The Widow and Gone Before Goodbye

The Widow by John Grisham. Simon Latch is a small time, small town lawyer in Virginia, whose marriage is falling apart, his gambling is out of control, and his legal practice is on the verge of going under. Then an elderly widow arrives on his doorstep, to say that her husband left her millions of dollars in shares, which she wants to keep out of the hands of her estranged stepsons and as she no longer trusts the lawyer who drafted her current will, she wants Simon to help her. He thinks this is the golden ticket that could turn his life around….until she dies in a car crash and he finds himself accused of murder. It’s terrific Grisham - less courtroom drama than some of his earlier novels but plenty of intrigue nonetheless. Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. These two have collaborated on a novel about a highly skilled surgeon who has been disgraced and can no longer practice, and whose husband has been murdered in the war zone where they used to work together. She’s approached by a former colleague to take a job with an oligarch who requires complete anonymity and confidentiality and in return will re-establish her credentials, and pay handsomely for her service. The story moves from war zones and refugee camps, and America to Russia and Dubai where there are wheels within wheels, no one can be trusted, and the tension ratchets up as hidden truths are exposed and the secrets of this underworld are brought to light.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.