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3.2 AVERAGE
3.2 AVERAGE
medium-paced
It was really straight forward with no real twists or surprises. Kinda boring that way
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book is the successor to the absolute banger, The Firm. Grisham gives us yet another face-paced thriller that I couldn’t put down. Interestingly, it puts the focus on other characters besides Mitch, but at the end of the day it really is about Mitch and Abby.
Personally, I wish this book had caught us up a little bit more on where The Firm left us off, but I understand wanting to write another thrilling storyline with new characters and new challenges. Certainly a worthy read to tie up the Mitch McDeere universe.
Personally, I wish this book had caught us up a little bit more on where The Firm left us off, but I understand wanting to write another thrilling storyline with new characters and new challenges. Certainly a worthy read to tie up the Mitch McDeere universe.
Like many readers, I’ve wondered if John Grisham would revisit Mitch McDeere at some point. This is a great thriller but it lacks a bit on the legal thriller side and fans of The Firm may feel it didn't adequately deliver as a follow-up to Mitch's storyline.
Full review on my blog!
Setting and Context
The events take place about fifteen years after the events of The Firm. Mitch McDeere is 41 years-old, still married to his wife Abby McDeere, and they have two sons. Abby and Mitch live in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at Scully & Pershing and Abby is a cookbook editor.
Plot
Mitch and Abby finally have the life they could have had if Mitch hadn’t accepted the offer in Memphis. Mitch is at one of the high-paying, high-profile law firms in New York City, he’s a partner, and he works on cases for their wealthy global clients in addition to a few pro-bono cases each year.
Mitch is tired of the pro-bono work, where he has taken on (and lost) a series of death row cases. He agrees to help out with a lawsuit for Luca Sandroni, a partner at his firm out of the Rome office who’s dying from pancreatic cancer.
The client is a Turkish construction company that is suing the government of Libya for an unpaid debt of $400 million. At Luca’s request, Mitch takes the case and agrees to let Luca’s daughter Giovanna—an associate at the London branch of their firm—come with to assist. When on their travels to see the bridge that is at the center of the lawsuit, Mitch comes down with severe food poisoning and Giovanna goes to the site without him.
While on her outing, the drivers and guards protecting her are murdered and Giovanna is kidnapped. In the wake of this horrible event, a mysterious woman contacts Abby with explicit instructions that the price to return Giovanna alive is $100 million. As videos of violent murders populate the news and the media becomes aware of the beautiful, young attorney who was taken, the pressure is on to figure out how to get her back.
Amidst the struggles navigating foreign governments, the firm’s insurance policy, and raising the money to secure her return, Mitch can’t help but wonder who is really behind the crime and whether their efforts will be enough to save her. Did Mitch’s past come back to haunt him?
Review
This is a gripping story and a reminder why John Grisham is a perpetual best-seller when his books come out each fall. The Exchange leans much more into a crime thriller than legal thriller (though some legal commentary is included throughout). You won’t find a courtroom or even an extensive legal narrative throughout the book.
This book could have featured any lead, though Grisham chose to make this Mitch McDeere’s story. I enjoyed the book a lot, though it felt more inspired by Tom Cruise the actor than Mitch McDeere the character. Fast-paced and engaging, this book delivers a great plot but may disappoint readers who were looking for a stronger tie to the Mitch McDeere we fell in love with. The Mob never forgets, right? But so far, they have left Mitch alone.
Read as a standalone Mitch McDeere book rather than a sequel, it’s a thrilling premise and I was engaged in the plot the whole way through. The beginning included some great scenes where we learn some about what happened to Mitch and others following the events of The Firm. There’s a fun little twist later in the book that also pulls together those events.
The audiobook is outstanding. The narrator Edoardo Ballerini lends an easy tone, the right inflections, and handled the variety of accents with ease.
I did see an interview with John Grisham where he acknowledged the Mob is still out there and perhaps that could still be explored. A third Mitch McDeere book, perhaps?? All is forgiven if you deliver that, Mr. Grisham!
Full review on my blog!
Setting and Context
The events take place about fifteen years after the events of The Firm. Mitch McDeere is 41 years-old, still married to his wife Abby McDeere, and they have two sons. Abby and Mitch live in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at Scully & Pershing and Abby is a cookbook editor.
Plot
Mitch and Abby finally have the life they could have had if Mitch hadn’t accepted the offer in Memphis. Mitch is at one of the high-paying, high-profile law firms in New York City, he’s a partner, and he works on cases for their wealthy global clients in addition to a few pro-bono cases each year.
Mitch is tired of the pro-bono work, where he has taken on (and lost) a series of death row cases. He agrees to help out with a lawsuit for Luca Sandroni, a partner at his firm out of the Rome office who’s dying from pancreatic cancer.
The client is a Turkish construction company that is suing the government of Libya for an unpaid debt of $400 million. At Luca’s request, Mitch takes the case and agrees to let Luca’s daughter Giovanna—an associate at the London branch of their firm—come with to assist. When on their travels to see the bridge that is at the center of the lawsuit, Mitch comes down with severe food poisoning and Giovanna goes to the site without him.
While on her outing, the drivers and guards protecting her are murdered and Giovanna is kidnapped. In the wake of this horrible event, a mysterious woman contacts Abby with explicit instructions that the price to return Giovanna alive is $100 million. As videos of violent murders populate the news and the media becomes aware of the beautiful, young attorney who was taken, the pressure is on to figure out how to get her back.
Amidst the struggles navigating foreign governments, the firm’s insurance policy, and raising the money to secure her return, Mitch can’t help but wonder who is really behind the crime and whether their efforts will be enough to save her. Did Mitch’s past come back to haunt him?
Review
This is a gripping story and a reminder why John Grisham is a perpetual best-seller when his books come out each fall. The Exchange leans much more into a crime thriller than legal thriller (though some legal commentary is included throughout). You won’t find a courtroom or even an extensive legal narrative throughout the book.
This book could have featured any lead, though Grisham chose to make this Mitch McDeere’s story. I enjoyed the book a lot, though it felt more inspired by Tom Cruise the actor than Mitch McDeere the character. Fast-paced and engaging, this book delivers a great plot but may disappoint readers who were looking for a stronger tie to the Mitch McDeere we fell in love with. The Mob never forgets, right? But so far, they have left Mitch alone.
Read as a standalone Mitch McDeere book rather than a sequel, it’s a thrilling premise and I was engaged in the plot the whole way through. The beginning included some great scenes where we learn some about what happened to Mitch and others following the events of The Firm. There’s a fun little twist later in the book that also pulls together those events.
The audiobook is outstanding. The narrator Edoardo Ballerini lends an easy tone, the right inflections, and handled the variety of accents with ease.
I did see an interview with John Grisham where he acknowledged the Mob is still out there and perhaps that could still be explored. A third Mitch McDeere book, perhaps?? All is forgiven if you deliver that, Mr. Grisham!
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes