This is a book about, well, books. It's a departure from Grisham's usual legal thrillers but I still felt it was a great read.

Five F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts are stolen from Princeton. The FBI is involved and arrest a couple of the thieves but cannot find the others....or the manuscripts. They start to suspect the involvement of a bookstore owner on Camino Island, Bruce Cable, because he has had some shady undertakings in the past.

Mercer Mann is a writer suffering from writer's block and goes to Camino Island to stay in her grandmother's home hoping to break through the writer's block. While there, she meets several other writers (some established and others struggling) along with Bruce and his wife, Noelle. Unbeknownst to Bruce, Mercer has been "hired" to get information as to whether or not Bruce has the manuscripts or may know where they are. ( )

John Grisham ventures into a different style of legal thriller with Camino Island. The book opens with a sophisticated heist of F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts from a secure vault in Princeton University. The story jogs to Camino Island in Florida where Bruce Cable buys a bookstore and turns it into a popular stop for authors on book tour. He puts everything into making this an impressive bookstore with a coffee shop on the second floor. He’s an avid reader and has great relationships with local authors. Bruce also builds a collection of rare books. He’s an excellent businessman and prominent bookseller.

The third component of the story involves Mercer Mann, a writer and college teacher who has recently been laid off. She is offered a large sum of money, by a very cryptic woman, to move to Camino Island and get to know Bruce Cable . She is coached on how to meet his author friends and get close to him. She is directed to report back on her findings.

I loved the dreamy setting of Camino Island with the ease of coastal living, the lifestyle of the writers, and frequent dinner parties. All of the characters were likable, even the ones with an element of suspicion lurking throughout the story. Some aspects of the story were surprising and some were expected natural outcomes. For instance, the implications that may arise when you befriend people you are paid to spy on. The ending was enjoyable that provided closure, and yet makes me curious about the storyline for the next book in the series.

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog ( )

A fairly predictable Grisham mystery, much like other Grisham novels I’ve read. An enjoyable fiction escape. ( )

January LaVoy (Narrator)
I felt like it ended abruptly
Good story though, enjoyable ( )

Straightforward very fast lightweight easy read. Plot driven. Shallow characters. ( )