The List

Very entertaining novel of suspense and a departure from this author’s typical work.

Brent Walker has moved back to Concord, a small town in central Georgia, after being hired by Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company as its assistant general counsel. When he left it behind years ago, he also left a woman he loved and his parents. Now, since his father is no longer alive, he is going to help care for his mom who has recently been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.

Not too long after beginning his new job and reuniting with an old friend, union leader Hank Reed, Brent faces a curious mystery when a list of names and numbers comes to his attention. Once the implications of that list becomes clear to Brent and Hank, they know show more that everything they believed about their town and its biggest employer was wrong.

This was so well written and very fast paced. I found it hard to put down as things heated up quickly. So many characters, easily divided into the good guys vs the bad guys, but the premise was good and there was lots of action. It was a fun read and though the ending was anticipated to some degree, I enjoyed how it all played out.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided for review by the publishers. The audio format was narrated by the incomparable Scott Brick. I love his voice and his dramatic flair that always brings the novel to life and this production was no exception. This immersive experience definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book! show less

This book has major pacing issues. For the first 2/3 of the book you essentially have a serial killer who know one besides the villains know exists. Slow burn worldbuilding can work in some genres but a thriller should catch you from the beginning and this one spends way too much time on corporate and relationship minutiae about characters we really don't care about.

I'll leave aside the fact that the timeline established in the book contradicts itself at several points (the authors note mentions it was originally written in the 2000s and some date references might not have been changed) or the main character having not one but two accidental pregnancies with two different women.

Well, this is Steve Berry like you have never seen him before. I have read them all. And to be honest, it is nice to take a break from Cotton Malone for a while.

For decades, Southern Republic has invested heavily in Concord, creating a thriving community where its employees live, work, and retire. But the genteel sheen of this quiet town is deceiving, and when a list of cryptic code surfaces, Brent starts to see the cracks.

There is a list! And when this list is discovered, it takes a while to put two and two together. But Brent eventually gets it right. And when he does…he discovers more than he bargained for and it hits very close to home.

This story takes you on a wild ride of corporate greed. Being someone who has worked for show more ComeVisitSatan (CVS Pharmacy), nothing a company does would surprise me. Corporate greed is a strong thing…and this book brings it to the front and center.

Y’all know I love this narrator! No one and I repeat…NO ONE is better than Scott Brick.

Need a good industrial murder thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. show less

Berry tells us that this story percolated for many years before it was fit for public consumption. In those years this storyline has been written, televised, bandied around and is completely believable. I had trouble hearing Steve Berry’s voice in this - but I was able to hear those listed in the publisher’s notes including David Baldacci, John Grisham and Harlan Coben. Despite the segue in style and content, this is a compelling story which asks many questions. The answers provided are ugly, disheartening and that is on the positive side.

Containing more despicable characters than can be counted, the action is intense, the corruption palpable. The Good Boy Syndrome is alive and well and engaged in the most despicable game of cat show more and mouse. Management, union bosses, the rank and file all have their say but does any of it mean anything. It appears that the deck is stacked and the cards already played. The ending is heart pounding and somewhat unsatisfying.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a copy. show less

I have kept up with Steve Berry's Cotton Mather series over the years. This stand-alone thriller centers on two old friends who reconnect in their hometown where life is largely controlled by the town's paper mill. Berry opens with a series of professional killings that are eventually traced to the list that is the central focus of the mystery. There really isn't any mystery about the villains, but there are enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. I noticed one reviewer complained about a few inconsistencies: Berry admits that the book has been sitting in a drawer for awhile. I honestly didn't notice: I don't read Berry for his literary genius but rather for an engaging story with interesting characters. This book delivered that.

The List by Steve Berry is a very highly recommended standalone thriller. This novel was started years ago, one of the first books Berry wrote, then put aside for years until he pulled it out and started working on it again in 2020. Subsequently, it reads more like a thriller from years ago.

After his father's death, Attorney Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, Georgia, to care for his elderly mother. He has accepted the position of assistant general counsel for the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company, which is the towns main employer. His longtime friend Hank Reed is a union official at Southern Republic and Walker will be working with him negotiating labor contracts with the union.

What they don't know, at first, is that show more the company's three owners have instituted a lethal program called the Priority program to cut costs. They have hire professionals to eliminate their list of employees or retirees who are costing the company money. they have to make the deaths look natural. One of the three, Christopher Bozin, is dying and desires to repent of his actions so he wants to exposes his partners evil deeds to Walker and Reed.

Readers are privy to the professional murders occurring right away so they understand some of what is going on before Walker or Reed. The writing is very good, the pace is even at first and then picks up as the story unfolds over twenty days. One indication that this was written years ago is that it doesn't depend upon numerous twists to hold your interest. Instead of gimmicks, twists, or constant surprises, the narrative logically follows both sides of the action with the nefarious murders and the investigation, behind the scenes. This is what makes it resemble a thriller from several years ago.

The characters are fully realized and portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately they are both good men who have found themselves working for unscrupulous men, and they want to stop them. There is plenty of backstory provided and character growth along the way.

The List is a great choice for readers who enjoy John Grisham's thrillers. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/07/the-list.html show less

"The List” by Steve Berry is a fast-paced, 5-star read! Brent Walker returns to his hometown of Concord, Georgia, as the newly hired assistant general counsel for the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company. The local paper mill provides enough jobs to keep the small town alive, but at what cost?

I was hooked from the very first word to the last. The story offers plenty of character development, giving us a deep look into Brent's background and the reasons he originally left town. There’s also a solid amount of context surrounding the paper mill and its owners, helping the reader understand how their questionable business practices came to be.

While the story doesn’t rely heavily on twists, since we learn details from both sides as show more the plot unfolds, it delivers enough action and tension to keep the pages turning. Even before reading the Writer’s Note at the end, I was definitely getting The Firm vibes, though this book has plenty of differences.

I haven’t started the Cotton Malone series yet, but after reading this one, I think it just moved up my TBR!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Steve Berry, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review. show less