Theodore Boone Is Back

Good news for young thriller fans: the sixth novel in John Grisham’s exciting Theodore Boone series is here! Theodore Boone: The Scandal finds the titular aspiring attorney in the middle of a new mystery. The school board has received an anonymous tip about a suspicious uptick in standardized test scores at another middle school, and Theo needs to get to the bottom of the cheating scandal.
If you haven’t yet explored the Theodore Boone series, now is a great time to dive in. Precocious 13-year-old Theodore may not actually be a lawyer, but as the son of two lawyers of the firm Boone & Boone in the small town of Strattenburg, he has grown up immersed in courtroom procedure, and hopes someday to become either a judge or a trial lawyer himself. The depth of Theo’s legal knowledge is impressive, and the series manages to make legal drama interesting in an accessible way for young readers (of course, we would expect no less from Grisham, author of such definitive legal thrillers as The Firm and Gray Mountain).
Still, what will most inspire middle grade fans isn’t Theo’s legal acumen so much as his calm levelheadedness, his knack for thinking under pressure, and his poise as he holds his own in some very nerve-wracking situations, and among some pretty intimidating adults (from judges to police officers to FBI agents). There’s also something charmingly guileless about young Boone, as savvy as he is, which will resonate with adults who grew up reading mystery series like Nancy Drew and the The Hardy Boys, which are filled with intrigue, adults who are up to no good, and smart, meddling kids who nonetheless have good manners.

In the first book, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, Theo’s ordinarily quiet town of Strattenburg is abuzz with the news that one of their residents has been accused of murder. When it’s discovered that Theo has information that will impact the case, he’s pulled from the sidelines and becomes an active participant in the murder trial—which puts him in the middle of a dangerous game.

The adventures continue with Theodore Boone: The Abduction. Theo’s detective skills are put to the test when his best friend, April, is kidnapped, and the authorities have no leads. It’s up to Theo, who knows April better than anyone, to investigate her disappearance before it’s too late.

The tables are turned in the third book, Theodore Boone: The Accused, when Theo finds himself the main suspect in a crime he did not commit. As the evidence begins to pile up against him, Theo works to clear his name while learning a hard lesson about what it’s like to be on the other side of the law.

In the fourth book, Theodore Boone: The Activist, Strattenburg finds itself up in arms over a politically charged environmental controversy that has divided the town. When Theo discovers the corruption lying at the center of the conflict, he must choose whether to put himself in harm’s way in order to stand up for his beliefs.

The fifth book in the series, Theodore Boone: The Fugitive, brings Theo face to face with a terrifying nemesis. When Theo spots dangerous fugitive Pete Duffy on the D.C. metro during a class field trip to Washington, he alerts his Uncle Ike, who urges him to go to the authorities. They enlist Theo to help with their search—and land him in his most dangerous predicament yet. Mixing history, courtroom drama, and a high-stakes manhunt, Theodore Boone: The Fugitive is an electrifying installment in a series that has proven Grisham’s talent for crafting whip-smart thrillers for readers of every age.
Despite his astonishing adventures, Theodore never lets his successes go to his head, remaining admirably humble and grounded. This is part of what makes him such a likable hero, and young readers who love edge-of-your-seat suspense will eagerly follow him through the many twists, turns, and adventures of the Theodore Boone series.