Sycamore RowSycamore Row
Score Modern
What it's about
Seth Hubbard, a wealthy man dying of lung cancer, trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, he leaves a new handwritten will, one that drags his adult children, his Black housekeeper and lawyer Jake Brigance into a conflict as dramatic as the murder trial that made Jake notorious in Ford County three years earlier.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 7 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2013. It's one of John Grisham's best courtroom dramas.
You'll love it if you liked
A Time for Mercy
The Firm
To Kill a MockingbirdGood to know
It's the second Jake Brigance novel, after A Time to Kill, but stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #218 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #784 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1470 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by John Grisham
The Pelican Brief
The Widow
The Client
The RainmakerIf you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Verity
Gone Girl
The Martian
2666
Gideon the NinthExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Sycamore Row worth reading?
Yes. It spent 7 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2013. It ranks #1,470 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Sycamore Row about?
Seth Hubbard, a wealthy man dying of lung cancer, trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, he leaves a new handwritten will, one that drags his adult children, his Black housekeeper and lawyer Jake Brigance into a conflict as dramatic as the murder trial that made Jake notorious in Ford County three years earlier.
How long does it take to read Sycamore Row?
About 11 hours (447 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Sycamore Row?
If you liked it, try A Time for Mercy by John Grisham, The Firm by John Grisham or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.