Used book – The Rooster Bar, John Grisham

Sebastian Rudd is no ordinary lawyer. He works out of a customized van, equipped with bulletproof windows, Wi-Fi, a small refrigerator, leather armchairs, a hidden compartment for his pistols, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no associates, no partners. His small operation has only one employee: his driver, who also acts as bodyguard, paralegal, confidant, and caddy when he goes golfing. Sebastian lives alone at the top of a skyscraper, in a small apartment fortified like a fortress, where an antique billiard table stands. He is a connoisseur of premium bourbon and always carries a weapon.

Sebastian defends people that other lawyers run from: a tattooed junkie, rumored to be a member of a satanic cult, accused of abducting and killing two young girls; a bloodthirsty mafia boss on death row; a resident who shot at a SWAT team during a mistaken-address raid on his home. Why does he take these clients? Because he believes that everyone prosecuted deserves a fair trial; and to ensure this, Sebastian is willing to cross the line from time to time. He despises injustice, dislikes insurance companies, banks, and large corporations. He distrusts people in power, at all levels, and disregards rules and ethics.

With Sebastian Rudd, John Grisham paints the portrait of a colorful, outrageous, extravagant character, but with unparalleled accuracy of tone and humanity.

Translated from English by Dominique Defert