I read this because I got in on a discussion of the novel on social media and discovered it was set on Amelia Island, my old haunting ground. Also, I liked John Grisham books so I thought I would give it a try. It didn't disappoint and was very good. I enjoyed the characters and the setting with lots of surprise twists. Also, he gave some writing tips through the story also. Would recommend it for all who want an island getaway without all the expense... Looking forward to reading his next book in the series, Camino Winds.
Camino Island: A Novel
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars | 87,787 ratings
Price: 19.69
Last update: 11-04-2024
About this item
Best-selling author John Grisham stirs up trouble in paradise in his endlessly surprising new thriller.
Priceless F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts stolen in a daring heist; a young woman recruited to recover them, and a beach-resort bookseller who gets more than he bargained for - all in one long summer on Camino Island.
Top reviews from the United States
laura merrone5.0 out of 5 stars
An Intriguing Story That Really Keeps You Guessing
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2024
Robin Landry4.0 out of 5 stars
Parts were great
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2017
This might not be my favorite Grisham novel, but there's still plenty to like when it's Grisham writing the story. Set on an island in Florida, centered around a small bookstore with a national reputation, this is the story of Mercer, a thirty-something writer with writer's block who's just been let go from her college teaching job because of budget cuts. She's approached by a woman who works for the insurance company who is on the hook for 25 million dollars after five, handwritten manuscripts, by Fitzgerald, were stolen from Princeton and are suspected to be on the black market soon to disappear into the murky world of black market collectors. Mercer is hired to ingratiate herself into Bruce Cable, the owner of the bookstore on the island, because it's rumored that he has the manuscripts. Mercer spent summers on the island with her grandmother, so she has a logical 'in' and will not be suspected as a spy.
Okay, first the good parts of the book, starting with Grisham's always readable prose, interesting plots, and just plain good story-telling skills. I always finish any of his books I've started and have read everything he's written, so for me, Grisham has a good track-record. This story kept me entertained throughout, and the ending was wonderful.
Now for the not-so-good parts of the book, I won't say bad, because Grisham probably couldn't write a bad book if he tried, starting with the lead character Mercer. She's as boring as one of those perfect characters out of a pulp-fiction-romance-chic-lit novels. She's slim and fit, with no visible means of exercise which at 31 does NOT happen, she wrote one wonderful, critically acclaimed first novel and then quit her tour because no one came to the first two signings(so what? You were supported by a real publisher, something most writers only dream of, stop being a baby and get out there and do the work), she gets paid and sleeps with someone she's ready to send to jail(no moral compass, yet she talks about her vampid sister's obsession with material things),she whines about how her sister's college was paid for while Mercer only got one year out of her dad before he went broke, and then says she dutifully sees him once a year and whines again about how they have nothing in common and he only talks about himself. What? Mercer is the classic example of a narcissist. I could not like her for a single second. Happily, the other characters are fresh, funny and amazing, and worth reading the book for.
If you love books, which I'm assuming most people who read even this review are, this is a fun book. I loved the writers in the books, especially the lesbians who write romance novels. Perfect. And the bookstore owner should have been the main character. The thieves are boring and I almost quit the book after the first couple of chapters of those four. Boring.
But in the end, this is an entertaining, well-written book that taught me something about the book world and I'm glad I read it.
Okay, first the good parts of the book, starting with Grisham's always readable prose, interesting plots, and just plain good story-telling skills. I always finish any of his books I've started and have read everything he's written, so for me, Grisham has a good track-record. This story kept me entertained throughout, and the ending was wonderful.
Now for the not-so-good parts of the book, I won't say bad, because Grisham probably couldn't write a bad book if he tried, starting with the lead character Mercer. She's as boring as one of those perfect characters out of a pulp-fiction-romance-chic-lit novels. She's slim and fit, with no visible means of exercise which at 31 does NOT happen, she wrote one wonderful, critically acclaimed first novel and then quit her tour because no one came to the first two signings(so what? You were supported by a real publisher, something most writers only dream of, stop being a baby and get out there and do the work), she gets paid and sleeps with someone she's ready to send to jail(no moral compass, yet she talks about her vampid sister's obsession with material things),she whines about how her sister's college was paid for while Mercer only got one year out of her dad before he went broke, and then says she dutifully sees him once a year and whines again about how they have nothing in common and he only talks about himself. What? Mercer is the classic example of a narcissist. I could not like her for a single second. Happily, the other characters are fresh, funny and amazing, and worth reading the book for.
If you love books, which I'm assuming most people who read even this review are, this is a fun book. I loved the writers in the books, especially the lesbians who write romance novels. Perfect. And the bookstore owner should have been the main character. The thieves are boring and I almost quit the book after the first couple of chapters of those four. Boring.
But in the end, this is an entertaining, well-written book that taught me something about the book world and I'm glad I read it.
LeaAnne Chapman5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun read
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2024
This is a first John Gresham book that I have read in years. I have forgotten how quickly I get sucked in with his books. I liked the storyline of rare books and black market. It was different from his legal thrillers. I like the characters and the plot. I look forward to reading the next one in the series.
Stephen L. Dalton3.0 out of 5 stars
Summary of Camino Island a Novel Mercer is the “perfect” woman for the job as she is young and beautiful, newly unemployed and up to her eyeballs in ...
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2017
Introduction
Camino Island is a novel about the theft of five original, hand-written F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts from Princeton’s Firestone Library by five cunning yet nerdy guys, well except the one psychopath, which goes south rather quickly after the heist, when the FBI discovers a small drop of blood left by one of the thieves.
There are rumors that Bruce Cable, a Camino Island bookstore owner bought the manuscripts. Elaine, an investigator for a mysterious and covert company hired by an insurance company that holds a policy on the manuscripts for $25 million, hires Mercer Mann. Mercer is a down-on-her-luck writer, who has just lost her teaching job. Elaine wants her to get close to Bruce and his wife, Noelle Bonnet, an antique dealer, to possibly discover if they have the manuscripts.
Summary of Camino Island a Novel
Mercer is the “perfect” woman for the job as she is young and beautiful, newly unemployed and up to her eyeballs in student debt. Elaine offers to pay off for her, plus $100,000 for a six-month assignment, during which time she can finish the novel she has not even started writing yet and is three years overdue. She will get half up front and the other half at completion. Another component that makes her ideal for the situation is that she spent nearly every summer with her grandmother, Tessa on Camino Island. Though she has not been back since her grandmother’s passing, the beach cottage is still in the family and available for use.
Mercer fits right in with the crowd of Bruce’s friends on the island, mostly writers with storied pasts and stories about each other, as writers are notorious gossips. At least, they are in this story. Her plan to spend the six months writing her passed due novel does not necessarily go as planned. However, the discussion she has with Bruce about writing turns into a story that draws them closer together. One of Bruce’s past girlfriends was writing a story about a love triangle between F. Scott Fitzgerald, his wife Zelda, and Ernest Hemingway before his ex-girlfriend committed suicide and he begins giving Mercer the details.
While Noelle is in France buying antiques, they have a romantic fling. Despite Bruce and Noelle’s open marriage, Mercer feels a bit guilty about it, but not enough to stop.
Narration
The narrator is the storyteller, the bard, or Mr. Grisham, whichever you please.
Setting
The first setting of this novel is the Firestone Library at Princeton, then the cabin in the Poconos where the thieves hide out for a while, but the setting for most of the story is modern day Florida, Camino Island, in the small, sleepy tourist town of Santa Rosa.
Theme
To me, the overall theme of this novel is not to let greed rule your life. The thieves wind up dead, in jail, or on the run because of greed. Mercer sells her moral standing to discover if Bruce has the manuscripts, mainly because she has no job, no money, and a ton of student debt. Elaine’s company and the insurance company do not want to pay the $25 million they insured the books for, and Bruce gives up a cushy, comfortable, and prosperous life on a resort island and possibly risks everything for the excitement of dealing in stolen goods.
Genre
This is a crime fiction dealing with rare books and manuscripts.
Author
As all Grisham fans know, he is a notable trial defense and courtroom drama writer with very few exceptions. From his very first novel, A Time to Kill to The Rooster Bar, and some top-rated titles in between, such as The Frim, Sycamore Row (the sequel to A Time to Kill), and The Pelican Brief most are courtroom dramas. Many of these titles became major motion pictures. Even his Young Adult (YA) series of Theodore Boone books were courtroom drama based. And yes, he did stray from the genre with Playing for Pizza, Calico Joe, The Tumor, and a few others, but crime drama or legal thriller, at least to me, is his forte! After all, he was an attorney.
Well, this is not the usual John Grisham courtroom drama, but you could refer to it as a legal thriller because much of the storyline deals with criminal elements within the underground rare books and art trade.
My Opinion & Recommendation
My favorite character was Bruce Cable. I cannot imagine having a more perfect life than as the owner of a successful bookstore and coffee where you are the barrister. I mean come on, you can wear any outfit you want, even with a bowtie if you are into such things, and no one thinks you are weird because, hey you own a bookstore. You go to “work,” make some coffee, grab whatever book you choose from the shelf, and sit down and read until someone comes in. You have a huge collection of first edition books autographed by the authors, most of whom you know personally; and then, you meet and marry a beautiful and beguiling antique dealer, who fills your home with Provençal furnishing. I could not imagine wanting much more, but then there are the nefarious deals with rare books to keep things exciting.
To me, this was a good story, not a great John Grisham page-turner novel like many of his legal thrillers, but it is a superb crime fiction. If you are looking for a compelling story that forces you to turn the page in anticipation, this is not it. Although, I do believe it is a must-read for all Grisham fans, and it did not become a New York Times Bestseller and reach number one just because it was Grisham who wrote it; still and all, I'm sure that helped. Plus, his going on tour for the first time in twenty-five years to publicize the book probably helped as well.
I think non-Grisham fans would probably like this book much more than his regulars because it is such a departure from courtroom dramas and legal thrillers. Someone that is not expecting a cutting-edge courtroom battle would perhaps be more in tuned to the book. Nevertheless, I do think anyone would enjoy the story, but not if you are waiting for a page-turner. Camino Island: A Novel
Camino Island is a novel about the theft of five original, hand-written F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts from Princeton’s Firestone Library by five cunning yet nerdy guys, well except the one psychopath, which goes south rather quickly after the heist, when the FBI discovers a small drop of blood left by one of the thieves.
There are rumors that Bruce Cable, a Camino Island bookstore owner bought the manuscripts. Elaine, an investigator for a mysterious and covert company hired by an insurance company that holds a policy on the manuscripts for $25 million, hires Mercer Mann. Mercer is a down-on-her-luck writer, who has just lost her teaching job. Elaine wants her to get close to Bruce and his wife, Noelle Bonnet, an antique dealer, to possibly discover if they have the manuscripts.
Summary of Camino Island a Novel
Mercer is the “perfect” woman for the job as she is young and beautiful, newly unemployed and up to her eyeballs in student debt. Elaine offers to pay off for her, plus $100,000 for a six-month assignment, during which time she can finish the novel she has not even started writing yet and is three years overdue. She will get half up front and the other half at completion. Another component that makes her ideal for the situation is that she spent nearly every summer with her grandmother, Tessa on Camino Island. Though she has not been back since her grandmother’s passing, the beach cottage is still in the family and available for use.
Mercer fits right in with the crowd of Bruce’s friends on the island, mostly writers with storied pasts and stories about each other, as writers are notorious gossips. At least, they are in this story. Her plan to spend the six months writing her passed due novel does not necessarily go as planned. However, the discussion she has with Bruce about writing turns into a story that draws them closer together. One of Bruce’s past girlfriends was writing a story about a love triangle between F. Scott Fitzgerald, his wife Zelda, and Ernest Hemingway before his ex-girlfriend committed suicide and he begins giving Mercer the details.
While Noelle is in France buying antiques, they have a romantic fling. Despite Bruce and Noelle’s open marriage, Mercer feels a bit guilty about it, but not enough to stop.
Narration
The narrator is the storyteller, the bard, or Mr. Grisham, whichever you please.
Setting
The first setting of this novel is the Firestone Library at Princeton, then the cabin in the Poconos where the thieves hide out for a while, but the setting for most of the story is modern day Florida, Camino Island, in the small, sleepy tourist town of Santa Rosa.
Theme
To me, the overall theme of this novel is not to let greed rule your life. The thieves wind up dead, in jail, or on the run because of greed. Mercer sells her moral standing to discover if Bruce has the manuscripts, mainly because she has no job, no money, and a ton of student debt. Elaine’s company and the insurance company do not want to pay the $25 million they insured the books for, and Bruce gives up a cushy, comfortable, and prosperous life on a resort island and possibly risks everything for the excitement of dealing in stolen goods.
Genre
This is a crime fiction dealing with rare books and manuscripts.
Author
As all Grisham fans know, he is a notable trial defense and courtroom drama writer with very few exceptions. From his very first novel, A Time to Kill to The Rooster Bar, and some top-rated titles in between, such as The Frim, Sycamore Row (the sequel to A Time to Kill), and The Pelican Brief most are courtroom dramas. Many of these titles became major motion pictures. Even his Young Adult (YA) series of Theodore Boone books were courtroom drama based. And yes, he did stray from the genre with Playing for Pizza, Calico Joe, The Tumor, and a few others, but crime drama or legal thriller, at least to me, is his forte! After all, he was an attorney.
Well, this is not the usual John Grisham courtroom drama, but you could refer to it as a legal thriller because much of the storyline deals with criminal elements within the underground rare books and art trade.
My Opinion & Recommendation
My favorite character was Bruce Cable. I cannot imagine having a more perfect life than as the owner of a successful bookstore and coffee where you are the barrister. I mean come on, you can wear any outfit you want, even with a bowtie if you are into such things, and no one thinks you are weird because, hey you own a bookstore. You go to “work,” make some coffee, grab whatever book you choose from the shelf, and sit down and read until someone comes in. You have a huge collection of first edition books autographed by the authors, most of whom you know personally; and then, you meet and marry a beautiful and beguiling antique dealer, who fills your home with Provençal furnishing. I could not imagine wanting much more, but then there are the nefarious deals with rare books to keep things exciting.
To me, this was a good story, not a great John Grisham page-turner novel like many of his legal thrillers, but it is a superb crime fiction. If you are looking for a compelling story that forces you to turn the page in anticipation, this is not it. Although, I do believe it is a must-read for all Grisham fans, and it did not become a New York Times Bestseller and reach number one just because it was Grisham who wrote it; still and all, I'm sure that helped. Plus, his going on tour for the first time in twenty-five years to publicize the book probably helped as well.
I think non-Grisham fans would probably like this book much more than his regulars because it is such a departure from courtroom dramas and legal thrillers. Someone that is not expecting a cutting-edge courtroom battle would perhaps be more in tuned to the book. Nevertheless, I do think anyone would enjoy the story, but not if you are waiting for a page-turner. Camino Island: A Novel
12345678905.0 out of 5 stars
Great read
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2024
I think I like all of Gresham books and always look forward to next one. I loved the characters and the plot. I really like the the geography and the sights.
I recommend all Gresham book to everyone.
I recommend all Gresham book to everyone.