Saturday, August 5, 2017

THE WHISTLER by John Grisham

Finished Fr 8/4/17

I got this from the library on Kindle, and I was surprised that it was available- it's his latest novel.

The title refers to a 'whistle blower'. The plot involves a 'mole' within a corrupt Florida judge's office. (Much later in the book it's revealed that the 'insider' is the judge's court reporter- JoEllen) The judge is working for the 'coastal mafia'/ 'catfish mafia'. The bulk of their loot is skimmed from an Indian casino, but they also own all kinds of businesses- hotels, shopping centers, and other legitimate enterprises. The tribal leaders are in on the scam.

Because of the 'legal' casino, life on the reservation is very good. Each member of the tribe receives $5,000 a month as their cut of the casino's profits. Since state and federal laws don't really apply on the reservation I wonder why more businesses are not on Indian lands. Wouldn't a Walmart or a McDonald's get the same tax breaks and perks as a casino? If this were so, then Indian reservations would not be the rural ghettos that they seem to be. That's one big question that I'd have fro the author.

The novel takes a very straight 'A to B' approach. There are NO surprises or twists- straight from indictment to capture and confinement.

Two officers in the Florida Board On Judicial Conduct are called by a disbarred/ex felon lawyer, Ramsey Mix- Greg Meyers. Meyers is running from the mob and lives on a boat with his girlfriend, Carlitta- no permanent address.

He wants to expose the corruption and he will be compensated under Florida's Whistle Blowing law. I wish this had been more developed. Apparently, if you are a state worker in Florida you are automatically shielded from any retribution if you go public with possible wrongdoings. In the Trump Era the 'leakers' or 'whistleblowers' are anathema.

Lacy Stoltz and Hugo Hatch are the two agents who first go after the judge. The murder of Hugo is perhaps the only unexpected  event in the book. They are lured to a deserted area of the reservation to obtain information about the case. Hugo's air-bag and seat belt have been rendered inoperable and Lacy and Hugo vehicle is hit head on by a large pickup truck. Hugo goes through the windshield and is killed. Lacy is badly injured. The killers recover Lacy and Hugo's phones and laptops.

Judge Claudia Mc Dover and her lover, Phyllis Turban, have been taking money from the mob's skimming operation for years. They have condos and houses all over the world, they fly by private jet, and have millions in jewels and expensive art.

From the book's page at Amazon-

"We expect our judges to be honest and wise. Their integrity and impartiality are the bedrock of the entire judicial system. We trust them to ensure fair trials, to protect the rights of all litigants, to punish those who do wrong, and to oversee the orderly and efficient flow of justice.
     But what happens when a judge bends the law or takes a bribe? It’s rare, but it happens.
     Lacy Stoltz is an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. She is a lawyer, not a cop, and it is her job to respond to complaints dealing with judicial misconduct. After nine years with the Board, she knows that most problems are caused by incompetence, not corruption.
     But a corruption case eventually crosses her desk. A previously disbarred lawyer is back in business with a new identity. He now goes by the name Greg Myers, and he claims to know of a Florida judge who has stolen more money than all other crooked judges combined. And not just crooked judges in Florida. All judges, from all states, and throughout U.S. history.
     What’s the source of the ill-gotten gains? It seems the judge was secretly involved with the construction of a large casino on Native American land. The Coast Mafia financed the casino and is now helping itself to a sizable skim of each month’s cash. The judge is getting a cut and looking the other way. It’s a sweet deal: Everyone is making money.
     But now Greg wants to put a stop to it. His only client is a person who knows the truth and wants to blow the whistle and collect millions under Florida law. Greg files a complaint with the Board on Judicial Conduct, and the case is assigned to Lacy Stoltz, who immediately suspects that this one could be dangerous.
     Dangerous is one thing. Deadly is something else."

Although I liked the book, it came off as a little flat- especially so soon after reading a Harlan Coben novel. But, everybody likes a Grisham because they're all page turners even though this novel doesn't offer 100% satisfaction.

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