John Grisham’s Shaken Exposes The Rush to Execute an Innocent Man

Shaken by John Grisham

On June 9, 2026, John Grisham, the No.1 New York Times bestselling author, will release Shaken: The Rush to Execute an Innocent Man. Unlike his legal thrillers, this book tells the harrowing true story of Robert Roberson, a Texas father who spent years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit.

Grisham’s longtime interest in justice - shown in works like The Innocent Man and the bestseller Framed with Jim McCloskey -shines through here. Shaken examines how failures in the legal system can lead to devastating consequences, offering a detailed and often shocking look at wrongful convictions. It showcases a justice system that too often prioritizes punishment over truth.

For fans of Grisham, this book combines the meticulous storytelling he’s known for with a real-life story that is both urgent and profoundly moving. With the tension of a thriller and the urgency of real life, Grisham exposes the cracks in US courts and the devastating cost of getting it wrong.