The ConfessionThe Confession
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1998 Travis Boyette killed a high school cheerleader in East Texas and watched as local football star Donté Drumm was convicted instead. Nine years later, with Donté four days from execution and Travis dying of a brain tumor, he decides to confess.
Why it's worth reading
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and one of the ten best-selling books of 2010.
You'll love it if you liked
A Time for Mercy
The Guardians
The FirmGood to know
It's a race-against-the-clock legal thriller.
By the numbers
- Readers8 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller57 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
- #524 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #1427 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2688 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Adventurous
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
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2666
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All 47 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 751 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is The Confession worth reading?
Yes. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and one of the ten best-selling books of 2010. It ranks #2,688 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 58.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Confession about?
In 1998 Travis Boyette killed a high school cheerleader in East Texas and watched as local football star Donté Drumm was convicted instead. Nine years later, with Donté four days from execution and Travis dying of a brain tumor, he decides to confess.
How long does it take to read The Confession?
About 11 hours (424 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Confession?
If you liked it, try A Time for Mercy by John Grisham, The Guardians by John Grisham or The Firm by John Grisham.