This is a novel strangely devoid of suspense or excitement, but somehow indisputably compelling.

I’ve enjoyed Grisham’s two preceding titles in this series—“Camino Island” and “Camino Winds”—​and while this is absolutely suitable as a standalone, much of the pleasure comes from witnessing the evolving lives of the ensemble cast. When we met Mercer Mann, for example, she was a struggling writer. When “Camino Ghosts” opens she’s a New York Times Bestseller, and desperate for a story to get her to number one on that esteemed list. Thanks to roguish Camino Island bookshop owner Bruce Cable, she might’ve found one.

In 1760, the slave ship Venus smashed apart in a storm on its way to Savannah. The few African survivors made a home for themselves on a tiny island—​Dark Isle—​ within bridge-building distance from Camino Island. Its final permanent resident was Lovely Jackson, who left as a teenager in 1955. ​Today, a developer called Tidal Breeze wants to build a casino resort on this sacred ground, and Lovely refuses to let it go without a fight. Not even a million dollars is enough to persuade her otherwise. Thus the legal battle begins: a classic David versus Goliath story, only without any courtroom dramatics or innovation. Honestly, without much incident at all.

Of late, Grisham’s novels sometimes read like long, embellished plot outlines. There’s a bit of that here. “Camino Ghosts” proceeds with nary a twist or turn in its delineation. I appreciated its construction, with various flashbacks—presented as excerpts from Lovely’s self-published book—that delve into Dark Isle’s history, and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with the characters. I kept waiting for the leisurely pace to kick up a notch, for some kind of major drama, or a gut-punch climax. But no. And somehow, I’m okay with that.