An intriguing book to make you think:The Confession, by John Grisham. I admit that the death penalty has always made me queasy, and this book tells me why. It’s the story of a group of people trying to save an innocent man on Death Row in the final hours of his life. Among those groups is the admitted killer, who can take the authorities to where he buried the body, if they’ll let him. But Texas (and other states) are tough on crime, and they had their man. His confession, hand-fed to him by the detectives interrogating him over a prolonged period of time, proves his guilt. What’s a governor and DA with promising careers to do, give in to bleeding heart defense attorneys and biased family members? And what should a minister do when the admittedly guilty man shows up on his doorstep and confesses?
Grisham puts his characters into difficult positions, making them choose between what’s right and what’s comfortable or even legal. They are forced to make moral and practical decisions. And we, the readers, are pulled into those decisions, agonizing with the characters. Whichever side of the capital punishment issue you’re on, this book is a worthwhile read.