Gray Mountain by John Grisham *****

John Grisham has written many different types of novels ... all excellent. Early in his career he focused heavily on the legal process and its tendency to reach ambiguous compromises. Runaway Jury (about a tobacco case) was a good example. Later on he used his best-selling-author podium to advocate for causes. The Confession (a death penalty case) was a good example here.

Gray Mountain by John Grisham is in this second camp. This book is squarely targeted at the coal mining interests in Appalachia. Much of this terrific novel presents the crimes of the coal industry from environmental destruction, to black lung disease, to murder. While the coal companies take the brunt of the attack, much venom is saved for their lawyers.

This also represents another step in the evolution of John Grisham's novels. This one has a decidedly happy ending.