Book Review: A Painted House

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers — and two very dangerous men — came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke’s world.

A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born ... and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives — and change his family and his town forever....

From the Paperback edition. From Goodreads. 


I really, really enjoyed this story. This was my first Grisham read (I'm terrible, right?), so I can't testify to this personally, but almost everyone who noticed me reading the book told me it was very different from John Grisham's other novels. (I've read reviews that it moves a little slower than his legal thrillers, but most of those reviews still rate the book very highly.) The plot kept me entertained, and Grisham is an incredible story teller. This was a perfect at-lunch-on-the-patio story to read, as the heat of the afternoon helped transport me to the Arkansas cotton fields. Overall, it was a great read and one I'd consider going back to in the future.

I'm also a bit strange in that I like to read books in the same season as they take place, and this is a Sept.-Oct. story, so it would be perfect for others who are peculiar like me!


Overall rating:

Next on my bookshelf: Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank. I'm actually almost done with this one, as I had PLENTY of time to read while at the beach! Expect another review soon.