The GuardiansThe Guardians
Score Modern
What it's about
In the small north Florida town of Seabrook, a young lawyer named Keith Russo was shot dead at his desk late one night. With no clues, witnesses or real suspects, the police settled on Quincy Miller, a young Black man who had once been his client. Years later, a lawyer who works to free the wrongfully convicted takes on Quincy's case.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2019.
You'll love it if you liked
A Time for Mercy
The Firm
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and RedemptionGood to know
It's inspired by real wrongful-conviction cases. It stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller59 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
- #178 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #677 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1273 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
All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is The Guardians worth reading?
Yes. It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2019. It ranks #1,273 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Guardians about?
In the small north Florida town of Seabrook, a young lawyer named Keith Russo was shot dead at his desk late one night. With no clues, witnesses or real suspects, the police settled on Quincy Miller, a young Black man who had once been his client. Years later, a lawyer who works to free the wrongfully convicted takes on Quincy's case.
How long does it take to read The Guardians?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Guardians?
If you liked it, try A Time for Mercy by John Grisham, The Firm by John Grisham or Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson.


















