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- Hardcover: 435 pages ; Dimensions (in
inches): 1.39 x 9.58 x 6.42
- Publisher: Doubleday; ISBN: 0385493800;
(February 2, 1999)
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Amazon.com
Troy Phelan, a 78-year-old eccentric and the 10th-richest man in America,
is about to read his last will and testament, divvying up an estate worth
$11 billion.
Phelan's three
ex-wives, their grasping spawn, a legion of lawyers, several
psychiatrists, and a plethora of sound technicians wait breathlessly, all
eyes glued to digital monitors as they watch the old man read his
verdict.
But Phelan shocks
everyone with a bizarre, last-gasp attempt to redistribute the spoils,
setting in motion a legal morality tale of a contested will, sin, and
redemption.
Our hero, Nate O'Riley--a washed-up, alcoholic litigator with two
ruined marriages in his wake and the IRS on his tail--is dispatched to the
Brazilian wetlands in search of a mysterious heir named in the will.
After a harrowing trip upriver to a remote settlement in the
Pantanal, he encounters Rachel Lane, a pure-hearted missionary living with
an indigenous tribe and carrying out "God's work."
Rachel's grave dedication and kindness impress the jaded lawyer, so
much that a nasty bout of dengue fever leads him to a vision that could
change his life.
Back in the States, the legal proceedings drag on and Grisham has a
high time with Phelan's money-hungry descendents, a regrettable bunch who
squandered millions, married strippers, got druggy, and befriended the
Mob.
The youngest son, Ramble, is a multi-pierced, tattoo-covered
malcontent with big dreams for his rock band, the Demon Monkeys.
Will Nate get straight with Rachel's aid? Do the greedy heirs get
theirs? What's the real legacy of a lifetime's work?
The Testament is classic Grisham: a down-and-out lawyer, a
lot of money, an action-packed pursuit, and the highest issues at stake.
It's not just about great characters; it's about the question of what
character is. --Rebekah Warren
Book
Description
Heart of darkness...
In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting
his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a
message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions, a message that
will touch off a vicious legal battle and transform dozens of lives.
Because Troy Phelan's new will names a sole surprise heir to his
eleven-billion-dollar fortune: a mysterious woman named Rachel Lane, a
missionary living deep in the jungles of Brazil.
Enter the lawyers. Nate O'Riley is fresh out of rehab, a disgraced
corporate attorney handpicked for his last job: to find Rachel Lane at any
cost. As Phelan's family circles like vultures in D.C., Nate is crashing
through the Brazilian jungle, entering a world where money means nothing,
where death is just one misstep away, and where a woman--pursued by
enemies and friends alike--holds a stunning surprise of her own
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