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Troy Phelan, a 78-year-old eccentric and the 10th-richest man in America, is about to read his last will and testament, divvying up an estate worth $11 billion. Phelan's three ex-wives, their grasping spawn, a legion of lawyers, several psychiatrists, and a plethora of sound technicians wait breathlessly, all eyes glued to digital monitors as they watch the old man read his verdict. But Phelan shocks everyone with a bizarre, last-gasp attempt to redistribute the spoils, setting in motion a legal morality tale of a contested will, sin, and redemption.
Our hero, Nate O'Riley--a washed-up, alcoholic litigator with two ruined marriages in his wake and the IRS on his tail--is dispatched to the Brazilian wetlands in search of a mysterious heir named in the will. After a harrowing trip upriver to a remote settlement in the Pantanal, he encounters Rachel Lane, a pure-hearted missionary living with an indigenous tribe and carrying out "God's work." Rachel's grave dedication and kindness impress the jaded lawyer, so much that a nasty bout of dengue fever leads him to a vision that could change his life.
Back in the States, the legal proceedings drag on and Grisham has a high time with Phelan's money-hungry descendents, a regrettable bunch who squandered millions, married strippers, got druggy, and befriended the Mob. The youngest son, Ramble, is a multi-pierced, tattoo-covered malcontent with big dreams for his rock band, the Demon Monkeys. Will Nate get straight with Rachel's aid? Do the greedy heirs get theirs? What's the real legacy of a lifetime's work? The Testament is classic Grisham: a down-and-out lawyer, a lot of money, an action-packed pursuit, and the highest issues at stake. It's not just about great characters; it's about the question of what character is
Average Customer Rating:
John Grisham Does it Again
John Grisham's book The Testament follows a tried and tested formula that still works for him several years on. This is good "pot boiler" that is thoroughly enjoyable from page one onwards. There are several story lines to follow, mainly centring around the reading of the wealthy Troy Phelan's will. His greedy ex-wives and sycophantic children think they will be the beneficiaries to his multi-billion dollar fortune. However the old man has no intention of letting them inherit and he leaves the bulk of his fortune to an illegitimate daughter whom just happens to be a missionary in Brazil's Amazon forest. Enter the enraged family's lawyers, all scrabbling for a piece of the action, and you have once again a fine John Grisham book that is as suspenseful as it is well written. The characters are larger than life, some grotesque, some sympathetic but all wanting something from the dead man's will. Even the hero Nate, a burnt out litigator is looking for something, but unlike Troy Phelen's family he at least has some redeeming qualities. This is more of an adventure story than a thriller, but it has great Court Room scenes and a pretty good plot too. Well worth buying if you want a quality read with lots of court action, and dialogue that goes at a cracking pace. A big thumbs up for this novel.
One of Grisham's Finest
When it comes to novels about the law and interweaving an exciting plot into them, Grisham has both the talent and the fans to make him a success.
In THE TESTAMENT, Troy Phelan has decided to bypass his six legitimate children and endow his illegitimate daughter, Rachel Lane, with his fortune of 11 billion dollars. It is quite a fortune, and the Phelan heirs are not going down without a vigorous fight. That's where Nate O'Riley comes in. He's a tough litigator who specializes in medical malpractice suits. Josh Stafford, Mr. Phelan's attorney and executor of his holographic will, has plucked Nate from his cushy rehab center where he's been a patient for four months. Nate is sent on an adventure through the Pantanal in Brazil to search for the elusive Rachel Lane, a missionary working among the Ipica Indians deep in the Pantanal.
Nate never convinces Rachel to sign the papers to accept her gift bestowed upon her by the will. She wants nothing to do with the money.
All in all, this is a fast-paced, tension-filled read. I enjoyed every page. It is the best Grisham has written since his thrilling novel, A TIME TO KILL.
Outstanding Book!
This was my first John Grisham book and I certainly enjoyed it. In this book one of the ten richest men in the country(Troy Phelan) has a ceremony to read his last will and testament to his greedy family.He has three psychiatrists on hand to verify his sanity.After the ceremony ends and the family leaves he produces a holographic will disinheriting his family and leaving the entire estate to an illigitemate daughter who is a missionary in Brazil.Phelan has left each of his children $5 million dollars on their 21st birthday.They have all squandered the money.In the meantime the daughter Rachel Lane must be found. That job is given to lawyer Nate O'Reilly(a rehabbed drunk).He makes a perilous trip to Brazil to locate the missing heiress.He discovers that she wants nothing to do with her 11 billion dollar inheritance.Nate returns to America emptyhanded.In the meantime the disinherited heirs and their lawyers are trying every type of legal manuevering to overturn Troy Phelan's will. It is imperative that Nate return to Brazil and talk to Rachel Lane again. This was a very good book that I enjoyed reading.The ending was shocking.Buy it and read it.
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John Grisham Does it Again 
One of Grisham's Finest 
