Suspect VS Sycamore Row: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Charleen

Cheap Thrills book blog 

 

My reaction upon finishing the second of my two books was, "Why did you agree to do this?" Both books were so good! How could I possibly choose a winner?

Suspect features an unconventional character duo that it's hard not to root for. I especially loved Maggie, the veteran military dog who feels like she's lost her pack. The mystery is a good one, but the growing bond between Maggie and Scott nearly overshadowed the rest of the story.

While Suspect was an enjoyable read, Sycamore Row is the one I keep thinking about. Grisham paints a complex picture of how one man's final act captivates a Southern town. I loved slowly losing myself in this community, and once the trial started, I had to finish the rest of the book in one sitting.

This was a hard decision as I thoroughly enjoyed both of them, but it's Sycamore Row that wins Round One for me.

Charleen @ Cheap Thrills