Clay Carter is an underpaid, unhappy lawyer working at Office of Public Defender(OPD). He had big ambitions and during his early days worked at his dad's successful firm which eventually closed down. His relationship with Rebecca, his girlfriend is a bit wobbly and a bit stretched out after four years.
I have never read a book based on or about torts and lawyers. In fact I found this in an old Readers Digest collection in my home. I really like the book. Solid plot, good characters and twists and turns of events. He basically became rags to riches kinda guy.
Clay never thought that an ordinary murder case would change his life. There was nothing different about drug addicts fighting and killing themselves. But this particular murder was different. The killer was clean and not an addict anymore. He didn't even realize that he had killed a person. There was no motive for the murder at all.
During this period he met Max Pace. He was a tough guy with chiselled body. Pace was an anonymous kin of person. Clay wasn't aware of his background.
Pace told him that he worked for a pharmaceutical company which makes a pill that is supposed to get rid of the addiction of cocaine and heroin.
Unfortunately the drug called Tarvan had a side effect, which would create a chemical imbalance in the brain. The person wouldn't be able to control his actions and wouldn't remember the event.
The company wanted to settle this with the family of the victims. It didn't want the hassles of lawsuits etc.
After much thought Clay agreed. And why wouldn't he, because he was being paid 15 million dollars. He couldn't refuse. That humongous amount of money could change his life. And it did. Yet Clay didn't know that it would also create a havoc in his life.
On Max directions he agreed to make settlements. Clays life took a dramatic turn. He left OPD, hired his friends from OPD, bought a new plush office, a swanky new Porsche. And he was on his way to lead a new life.
Tequila Watson, Washad and others were already jailed for murders. Somehow Max knew that they had consumed Tarvan, hence the crimes. Clay began settlements with their families. About 4 million to each family. Settlement was done in order to avoid the lawsuits if the drug came to the knowledge of other lawyers. Tarvan was withdrawn from the market.
Clay could have said no, but he was ambitious and wanted to prove himself. He didn't think of the consequences.
The book is almost like some Hollywood movie. Money, court, lawsuits, fancy yachts and cars and more money. Nonetheless it was a good novel. I might read more of Grisham's work. It was very enthralling book and at times my mind was baffled by the amount of money he made and also the mad tactics of tort lawyers.
He made enough money to be recognised by elite members of the Circle of Barristers and also ofcourse by the media. Clay was on a rollercoaster ride.
Later on he filed a suit on a pharmaceutical company called Ackerman on the directions of Max.
They didn't want a lawsuit so they settled the case for some millions.
Then came Dyloft and then there was Maxatil. Big pharmaceuticals companies. Then there was a scene with Hanna Portland Cement company about faulty homes and hence a settlement for that.
But Clay was running into losses. He thought he would make a fortune in the Maxatil case. But it didn't make it further to high courts and all.
And so Clay was headed for bankruptcy. I don't want to reveal all the good stuff.
It's kind of like an adrenaline rush you get when you read the book. It's fast paced, interesting and at times a bit emotional. In the end Clay Carter was surely happy with Rebecca.
Hope you like the review. I highly recommend The King of Torts.
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