This book is tedious, boring and preachy. After reading 150 pages I was wondering when the plot was going to begin to move forward. Grisham's message is as follows: Coal companies are bad, coal companies are bad, coal companies are bad. Oh, and have I told you, coal companies are bad? Grisham has an ax to grind in this book, and he grinds it, over and over and over. The plot simply doesn't move very quickly , as the characters engage in conversations about - coal companies being bad. Grisham has written a lot of entertaining books. This isn't one of them.