Publication
Random House Large Print, 2023
Collection
Call number
Large Print Fiction G
Physical description
452 p.; 24 cm
Status
Checked out
Due 2024-06-03
Call number
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:#1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham delivers high-flying international suspense in a stunning new legal thriller that marks the return of Mitch McDeere, the brilliant hero of The Firm. What became of Mitch and Abby McDeere after they exposed the crimes of Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke and fled the country? The answer is in The Exchange, the riveting sequel to The Firm, the blockbuster thriller that launched the career of America�s favorite storyteller. It is now fifteen years later, and Mitch and Abby are living in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at the largest law firm in the world. When a mentor in Rome asks him for a favor that will take him far from home, Mitch finds himself at the center of a sinister plot that has worldwide implications�and once again endangers his colleagues, friends, and family. Mitch has become a master at staying one step ahead of his adversaries, but this time there�s nowhere to hide.… (more)
Series
User reviews
LibraryThing member Clara53
Disappointed. I had high hopes for this book - nostalgic for the reappearance of Mitch and Abby McDeere, the protagonists of the well known legal thriller "The Firm". (And who doesn't remember the movie, too, starring Tom Cruise???...).
But in "Exchange", although the plot is quite engaging, only
But in "Exchange", although the plot is quite engaging, only
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the beginning and the very end could be described as "readable", sorry to say. Lately, Grisham has been vacillating between unexpectedly good, solid novels and so-so reads, below his standard that he has established in the beginning of his writing career. This one is of the latter variety, or, in a charitable view, maybe somewhere in the middle. But not all is lost - this book will make a great movie, I am sure, because in the screenplay only the best aspects of it would be retained. Show Less
LibraryThing member alanteder
A Firm Letdown
Review of the NetGalley Kindle ARC eBook obtained in advance of the official Doubleday release (October 17, 2023)
It comes as somewhat of a shock to realize that John Grisham had avoided doing a follow-up to his 1991 breakthrough novel The Firm for 32 years. Grisham hasn't shied away
Grisham compromises in The Exchange by setting the book in 2004, so that we still have a reasonably young Mitch and Abby McDeere as our leads. Mitch is now with an international law firm in NYC. Abby is a prominent cookbook editor (hard to continue to be a school teacher when you are on the run). The law firm of Scully & Co. is not concerned with Mitch's past and is mostly oblivious to it.
The book starts off with Mitch accepting a pro bono death penalty defense case. This subplot ends abruptly and you would suspect that it would somehow tie into later events, but such is not the case. Instead the main story involves the law firm pursuing a legal action against the then Libyan government of Muammar al-Qaddafi (well before his downfall in 2011) for reneging on a construction contract with a Turkish firm in the amount of $400 Million. Mitch is sent in and partners with an Italian part of the law firm. His British/Italian co-counsel is kidnapped in Libya though and held for ransom, at first by unknown parties. The rest of the book involves Mitch trying to negotiate the release of the hostage for money (i.e. the "exchange" of the title). Abby becomes an unlikely intermediary in that process. That's it! There are no courtroom fireworks, no thrilling pursuits, no great betrayals, no shocking twists. Just a bunch of negotiations. The kidnappers are revealed to be ruthless of course, but their victims along the way are basically unknowns to the reader. Unfortunately this follow-up earns both Not-So-Thriller Fiction™ and Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™ tags.
I read this Advance Reading Copy of The Exchange: After The Firm in eBook format thanks to the publisher Doubleday Canada and the NetGalley website in exchange for which I provide this honest review.
Review of the NetGalley Kindle ARC eBook obtained in advance of the official Doubleday release (October 17, 2023)
It comes as somewhat of a shock to realize that John Grisham had avoided doing a follow-up to his 1991 breakthrough novel The Firm for 32 years. Grisham hasn't shied away
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from building other series characters such as Jake Brigance, the protagonist in his first book A Time to Kill (1989), which has had 3 sequels. A follow-up for a character such as Mitch McDeere, who was on the run from the mob, might be a bit tricky of course. It would also seem very unlikely that McDeere could possibly end up in yet another law firm with a shady background.Grisham compromises in The Exchange by setting the book in 2004, so that we still have a reasonably young Mitch and Abby McDeere as our leads. Mitch is now with an international law firm in NYC. Abby is a prominent cookbook editor (hard to continue to be a school teacher when you are on the run). The law firm of Scully & Co. is not concerned with Mitch's past and is mostly oblivious to it.
The book starts off with Mitch accepting a pro bono death penalty defense case. This subplot ends abruptly and you would suspect that it would somehow tie into later events, but such is not the case. Instead the main story involves the law firm pursuing a legal action against the then Libyan government of Muammar al-Qaddafi (well before his downfall in 2011) for reneging on a construction contract with a Turkish firm in the amount of $400 Million. Mitch is sent in and partners with an Italian part of the law firm. His British/Italian co-counsel is kidnapped in Libya though and held for ransom, at first by unknown parties. The rest of the book involves Mitch trying to negotiate the release of the hostage for money (i.e. the "exchange" of the title). Abby becomes an unlikely intermediary in that process. That's it! There are no courtroom fireworks, no thrilling pursuits, no great betrayals, no shocking twists. Just a bunch of negotiations. The kidnappers are revealed to be ruthless of course, but their victims along the way are basically unknowns to the reader. Unfortunately this follow-up earns both Not-So-Thriller Fiction™ and Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™ tags.
I read this Advance Reading Copy of The Exchange: After The Firm in eBook format thanks to the publisher Doubleday Canada and the NetGalley website in exchange for which I provide this honest review.
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LibraryThing member fredreeca
Mitch has been asked to take a case in Libya. He only takes the case because his mentor has asked him. Mitch, like many of his colleagues, is not a big fan of the Middle East. When his associate lawyer is kidnapped, he knows he and his family are in extreme danger.
No one does thrillers quite like
Need a quick thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
No one does thrillers quite like
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John Grisham. Now, this one does not move as fast as The Firm but it is still one I moved through like lightening. This story has twists and turns and money…lots of money changing hands. But, never fear, Mitch is smart! So, with a little luck, intelligence and some very strategic connections, Mitch knows he will bring his associate home…OR WILL HE!Need a quick thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
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LibraryThing member GrandmaCootie
Very disappointing. Both the book and film versions of The Firm were fast-paced, exciting and suspenseful. While Mitch and Abby didn’t always follow the rules or stay within legal limits, they were young, eager and looking to find their place in life. Mitch, still with a chip on his shoulder and
There is nothing of that in The Exchange. The story itself is slow, muddled and often confusing. Mitch and Abby have “grown up” to be almost-middle-aged snobs. They are ironically and hypocritically disdainful of the life they actually lead. There are a lot of paragraphs about the best restaurants, excellent meals being prepared in their kitchen, fancy cookbooks, private schools, swank hotels.
When they find their family in danger they are almost blasé in their reluctance to accept help and protection, as if they plan to steal another $X Million from the Mob and just leave the country and then carry on with their lives. Abby is especially surly and uncooperative.
There is no sense of the chase, the rush-to-the-finish with the reader flipping pages frantically to see if they will make it out safely or not as was the case in The Firm. Rather than the little guy caught up in extraordinary circumstances, The Exchange is about lawyers trying to make deals to broker an exchange.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy of The Exchange in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the hype. I would not have finished it if I had not received an ARC and committed to reviewing. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
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feeling he was from the wrong side of the tracks and never belonged was immediately taken with the Firm’s offer. He wanted to make money and achieve power. Even though he was surprisingly easily unfaithful to Abby, they were devoted to each other when escape from the Firm’s grasp became dangerously necessary.There is nothing of that in The Exchange. The story itself is slow, muddled and often confusing. Mitch and Abby have “grown up” to be almost-middle-aged snobs. They are ironically and hypocritically disdainful of the life they actually lead. There are a lot of paragraphs about the best restaurants, excellent meals being prepared in their kitchen, fancy cookbooks, private schools, swank hotels.
When they find their family in danger they are almost blasé in their reluctance to accept help and protection, as if they plan to steal another $X Million from the Mob and just leave the country and then carry on with their lives. Abby is especially surly and uncooperative.
There is no sense of the chase, the rush-to-the-finish with the reader flipping pages frantically to see if they will make it out safely or not as was the case in The Firm. Rather than the little guy caught up in extraordinary circumstances, The Exchange is about lawyers trying to make deals to broker an exchange.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy of The Exchange in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the hype. I would not have finished it if I had not received an ARC and committed to reviewing. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member Twink
Have you ever wondered might happen to a character if there was a follow up tale? John Grisham's new novel, The Exchange, brings back lead character Mitch McDeere from 'The Firm.'
Nobody does legal thrillers like Grisham - I picked up this new title without even looking at the synopsis.&
Mitch has
Now, you certainly don't have to read The Firm to enjoy The Exchange. Grisham provides lots of background in the first few chapters. I actually thought the plot was going to be similar to that first book. But it wasn't. Instead Grisham takes Mitch on a world wide search for answers. Without giving much away, this plotline seems ripped from newspaper headlines.
I like Mitch as a lead character - and his wife Abby just as well. She has a significant role in this latest book. The novel is populated by a number of supporting characters - but it's hard to tell who is backing Mitch and who's have their own agenda.
Grisham's background as both a lawyer and a politician add so much to his storytelling. There's a sense of urgency with every page turned and the tension is palpable with each situation and emotion. There is a lot of detail around some the agencies, legal machinations and more. I must admit, some of it was a bit too much for me.
Overall, another great read from Grisham. As I turned the last page, I wondered if there's perhaps a third book for Mitch?
Nobody does legal thrillers like Grisham - I picked up this new title without even looking at the synopsis.&
Mitch has
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avoided Mississippi and all that happened there for fifteen years. He's now a partner in a large, wealthy firm in New York. They literally have thousands of offices across the world. And it is one of those far flung offices that desperately needs Mitch's skill set...Now, you certainly don't have to read The Firm to enjoy The Exchange. Grisham provides lots of background in the first few chapters. I actually thought the plot was going to be similar to that first book. But it wasn't. Instead Grisham takes Mitch on a world wide search for answers. Without giving much away, this plotline seems ripped from newspaper headlines.
I like Mitch as a lead character - and his wife Abby just as well. She has a significant role in this latest book. The novel is populated by a number of supporting characters - but it's hard to tell who is backing Mitch and who's have their own agenda.
Grisham's background as both a lawyer and a politician add so much to his storytelling. There's a sense of urgency with every page turned and the tension is palpable with each situation and emotion. There is a lot of detail around some the agencies, legal machinations and more. I must admit, some of it was a bit too much for me.
Overall, another great read from Grisham. As I turned the last page, I wondered if there's perhaps a third book for Mitch?
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LibraryThing member jbarr5
The Exchange by John Grisham
Story is about Mitch and the hardships he and his family have gone through. He tries to do the right thing always. He is a lawyer and works in international law offices around the world, based out of NY. His wife is a chef editor of cookbooks. Many times the chefs work
Mitch travels quite a bit and his boss Jack has an assignment in Libya, about a bridge in the desert over the water, that is not there, just oil.
He takes on the big boss, Luca daughte
Story is about Mitch and the hardships he and his family have gone through. He tries to do the right thing always. He is a lawyer and works in international law offices around the world, based out of NY. His wife is a chef editor of cookbooks. Many times the chefs work
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out of her own family kitchen and use the family as taste testers.Mitch travels quite a bit and his boss Jack has an assignment in Libya, about a bridge in the desert over the water, that is not there, just oil.
He takes on the big boss, Luca daughte
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LibraryThing member DrApple
When a friend's daughter and member of the firm is kidnapped by terrorists, a turmoil ensues.
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Enjoyed the tour of Marrakesh. Interesting twists and turns with good character development. Tangentially related to the firm but no real blowback. Time as a jetsetter. Kidnapping and ransom.
LibraryThing member coachtim30
I've read somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 or 17 Grisham books and have had a good experience with each book. Unfortunately, that streak ended with The Exchange, a roughly-based sequel to The Firm. In many cases sequels are mistakes and can't improve on the original (think Jaws 2). That's the
Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for sending me an ARC of The Exchange in exchange for an honest review.
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issue with this book. We find Mitch and Abby McDeere living in New York some 15 years after the Bendini, Lambert, and Locke nightmare that Mitch and Abby were lucky to escape from with their lives. Mitch is now an associate at one of the largest law firms in the country, Scully & Pershing, along with being happy, successful, wealthy, and the father of twin boys. When Mitch is assigned to help one of Scully's oldest and most successful foreign associates, Luca Sandroni, resolve a legal issue between one of the firm's best clients and the government of Libya over the failure to pay for the building of a bridge. Luca asks Mitch to travel to Libya to work his magic to help end the dispute over the bridge. Accompanying Mitch is another Scully associate (and Luca's daughter), Giovanna. Once in Libya, Mitch and Giovanna meet their contact, Samir Jamblad, and preparations are made to travel to the bridge for an inspection and assessment of the situation. Unfortunately, Mitch contracts food poisoning the night before the trip is to take place and is unable to accompany Giovanna. Samir also stays back to help Mitch find medical care for his issue. Giovanna and her escorts never make it to the bridge. Soon, Mitch, Luca, and personnel at Scully & Pershing are contacted via video displaying the gruesome murders of Giovanna's guard along with a message about the ransom needed for the release of Giovanna. That, in a nutshell, is the scope of this book. Unfortunately, there's little action, but detail upon detail of way too many meetings to talk about resolving the situation, plus a lot of overseas flights. To compare this book to The Firm is a disservice to that fine novel. The Exchange does not have any plot twists, nor does it carry the amount of interest that The Firm did. Mitch McDeere is just one of many characters in this novel and does not stand out in any way. I'm sorry that this book didn't work for me because I really enjoyed The Firm. Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for sending me an ARC of The Exchange in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member terran
I never really felt connected to the people or actions in this book, even though I generally enjoy Grisham's books a great deal. Mitch and his wife live a very comfortable life, and even though they are participating in a life or death situation to rescue a kidnapping victim, they travel first
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class and stay in four-star hotels on company money. No one ends up in court which is a shame because courtroom drama is one of Grisham's strengths. Show Less
LibraryThing member jspurdy
I enjoyed this latest legal thriller from Grisham, a follow-up to the characters originally introduced in his breakthrough bestseller The Firm in 1991. Though the main characters are the same, the story centers on a new chapter in their lives some 15 years after the events in the first book. Having
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read it at the time, I remembered almost none of the plot, but the author does a good job of recounting any details that are essential to this plot (and probably a few that weren't). The plot this time features characters from a global legal mega-firm, and international intrigue, differing from the usual story lines. I found it entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member diana.hauser
The Exchange: After the Firm is written by John Grisham. Mr. Grisham seems to be creating a series (with more books to follow) based on his 1991 thriller The Firm.
We read of the return of Mitch & Abby McDeere. We last read of them ‘escaping’ from Memphis after they exposed the crimes of
The Firm captivated me. I still think it is one of the best ‘thrillers’ I have ever read. And I have to say the movie was excellent also.
The Exchange is set 15 years later and we learn a bit of Mitch and Abby’s life after Memphis.
*I loved this part. I always wondered about what happened to them.
Mitch is now a partner at the largest law firm in the world centered in Manhattan. Mitch is a high-profile international lawyer. (very high-profile) Abby is an editor at a publishing company, specializing in cookbooks. The have 2 sons. They seem content and are surrounded by friends, family and colleagues.
But Mitch finds himself at the center of a sinister plot with worldwide implications.
The plot is very sinister and thrilling. There is a lot of travel and negotiating and suspicion.
***** Five Stars and I can’t wait for Book #3.
We read of the return of Mitch & Abby McDeere. We last read of them ‘escaping’ from Memphis after they exposed the crimes of
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Mitch’s law firm, Bendini, Lambert & Locke.The Firm captivated me. I still think it is one of the best ‘thrillers’ I have ever read. And I have to say the movie was excellent also.
The Exchange is set 15 years later and we learn a bit of Mitch and Abby’s life after Memphis.
*I loved this part. I always wondered about what happened to them.
Mitch is now a partner at the largest law firm in the world centered in Manhattan. Mitch is a high-profile international lawyer. (very high-profile) Abby is an editor at a publishing company, specializing in cookbooks. The have 2 sons. They seem content and are surrounded by friends, family and colleagues.
But Mitch finds himself at the center of a sinister plot with worldwide implications.
The plot is very sinister and thrilling. There is a lot of travel and negotiating and suspicion.
***** Five Stars and I can’t wait for Book #3.
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LibraryThing member JosephKing6602
Good for a quick thriller
LibraryThing member Doondeck
Good fast paced story with lots of intrigue.
LibraryThing member LivelyLady
A mega lawfirm associate is abducted and held for big ransom. Mitch McDeere, who was the protagonist in THE FIRM, is in charge of getting her from her captors. This is a great thriller, with a time frame and around the world travels as he tries to meet their demands. Loved the look into big law
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practices. EXCELLENT. Show Less
LibraryThing member maryreinert
Read "The Firm" so long ago that I can't remember much but this is a "follow-up" but still readable on its own. Mitch McDeere is a highly paid lawyer in New York City working for one of the largest international law firms. (The Firm had him in Memphis working in a corrupt law firm). His boss gives
Much of the story is set in Rome or in Libya which makes it especially interesting. Mitch's mentor's beautiful daughter, who is also a lawyer in London is kidnapped and a most of the story involves finding the ransom money which eventually Abby delivers.
A good, fun, quick read - typical Grishom!
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him the case of an international dispute between a Turkish construction company and the government of Libya; the Turkish company built a "bridge to nowhere" in Libya, now the country led by Gaddafi. Mitch leaves his wife, Abby in New York with their young twin sons and heads to Rome to meet with an old mentor who is dying, Mitch gets involved with an international legal and dangerous struggle. Much of the story is set in Rome or in Libya which makes it especially interesting. Mitch's mentor's beautiful daughter, who is also a lawyer in London is kidnapped and a most of the story involves finding the ransom money which eventually Abby delivers.
A good, fun, quick read - typical Grishom!
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Exchange, John Grisham, Edoardo Ballerini, narrator
In this supposed sequel to “The Firm”, Mitch and Abby McDeere return. More than a decade later, they are now living in NYC. He is working for the largest law firm in the world, and she is an executive in the publishing industry. Their twins
When the novel begins, a lawyer in Mitch’s firm asks him to help on a case in Memphis, the city he had fled after exposing the crimes of the firm he had worked for there. He is asked to help to stay the execution of a convicted murderer. Before he can begin, however, the man supposedly commits suicide. This theme is dropped, as I assume it is only brought up to review the origin of Mitch’s law career and the first novel in which he is introduced.
When this case is no longer necessary, he is called to Rome to help a close friend and lawyer, Luca. Luca is dying from an incurable cancer and does not have much time left to live. He wants Mitch to help settle the lawsuit between a Turkish construction company that he represents and Libya. Libya is refusing to pay the bill for the bridge the company built in the desert. Luca asks him to go to Libya to and to hire his daughter, Giovanna, to help. She works for the same company as Mitch, in another location, but he senses that she is unhappy and bored with the law.
When Mitch and Giovanna go to Libya, he becomes very ill almost immediately and cannot visit the bridge location. Luca’s daughter volunteers to go instead. Violence follows the group at a checkpoint. Who kidnapped her? Was it the enemies of Mitch, enemies of the Turkish Company, enemies of Mitch’s firm, terrorists, or possibly Qaddafi?
The story gets mired down in meetings and the mundane. Will she be rescued? Will she be ransomed? Why was she kidnapped? Is it a crime of convenience? Do you negotiate with terrorist? Is it moral not to do so if you can save a life or is negotiating with terrorists, paying them to save the victims which then empowers them to create more havoc, amoral? The story feels thin, and I am not sure this book answers any of the questions it raises. The book feels like it is drowning in the minutiae of unnecessary details.
In this supposed sequel to “The Firm”, Mitch and Abby McDeere return. More than a decade later, they are now living in NYC. He is working for the largest law firm in the world, and she is an executive in the publishing industry. Their twins
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are thriving. When the novel begins, a lawyer in Mitch’s firm asks him to help on a case in Memphis, the city he had fled after exposing the crimes of the firm he had worked for there. He is asked to help to stay the execution of a convicted murderer. Before he can begin, however, the man supposedly commits suicide. This theme is dropped, as I assume it is only brought up to review the origin of Mitch’s law career and the first novel in which he is introduced.
When this case is no longer necessary, he is called to Rome to help a close friend and lawyer, Luca. Luca is dying from an incurable cancer and does not have much time left to live. He wants Mitch to help settle the lawsuit between a Turkish construction company that he represents and Libya. Libya is refusing to pay the bill for the bridge the company built in the desert. Luca asks him to go to Libya to and to hire his daughter, Giovanna, to help. She works for the same company as Mitch, in another location, but he senses that she is unhappy and bored with the law.
When Mitch and Giovanna go to Libya, he becomes very ill almost immediately and cannot visit the bridge location. Luca’s daughter volunteers to go instead. Violence follows the group at a checkpoint. Who kidnapped her? Was it the enemies of Mitch, enemies of the Turkish Company, enemies of Mitch’s firm, terrorists, or possibly Qaddafi?
The story gets mired down in meetings and the mundane. Will she be rescued? Will she be ransomed? Why was she kidnapped? Is it a crime of convenience? Do you negotiate with terrorist? Is it moral not to do so if you can save a life or is negotiating with terrorists, paying them to save the victims which then empowers them to create more havoc, amoral? The story feels thin, and I am not sure this book answers any of the questions it raises. The book feels like it is drowning in the minutiae of unnecessary details.
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LibraryThing member dara85
Mitch McDeere and his lawyer partner, Giovanna go to Libya to view a project of one of their clients. Giovanna is kidnapped. As demands are made, Mitch spends his time trying to meet their demands for money. The kidnappers keep threatening that if their demands are not met they kill Giovanna as
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they did with her security team and driver. The law partners are having difficulty raising the huge sum of money demanded by the kidnappers. To complicate matters, Abby, Mitch's wife was contacted and must act as go-between. Mitch worries about Abby's safety and what will happen if the money is not raised. Show Less
LibraryThing member Judiex
Mitch McDeere was a higher up a major international law firm based in New York City. Doing pro bono work was one of the requirements. In 2005, he was sent to Memphis for case involving a man on death row who was due to be executed in three months. He had just fired his lawyers.
Mitch and his wife
When Mitch got to Memphis, he learned the man had died that morning by hanging. It was ruled to be suicide but he had his doubts. However the case is not mentioned again in the book.
His company then sent him to Italy to help resolve a case for Luca Sandroni, one of their international partners. Luca had pancreatic cancer and wanted to get the case resolved.
Muammar Gaddafi, ruler of Libya, wanted to connect wadis to create a river in his dry country. He hired a company to build a bridge connecting them. It was expensive to begin with and he kept making changes until the cost was $410 million, plus interest $52 million. Another $50 million was added for damages. But he refused to pay.
After Mitch met with Luca, they put together a team to go to Libya to see what was happening. Luca’s daughter Giovanna was part of the team.
The night before leaving, the team met for dinner. Afterwards, everyone became ill, possibly with food poisoning.
The checkpoint in Libya was monitored by security guards of the Libyan army. And when they got there, they discovered there were five of them, and they have been dead for an hour. Theirs bodies were in the rear of a stolen truck that would soon be burned. Their uniforms were now being worn by their killers.
And the real action began.
The story quickly moves to murderers, hostages, and having to pay a ransom. Two of the major problems were finding out what would be needed to get the hostages released, and how they would pay raise the money to pay the ransom. The resolution involves excessive international travel. They didn’t believe the CIA or the FBI Would be helpful.
Interesting sidenote: The Third Amendment to the US Constitution is useless. It forces civilians to house soldiers.
I’ve read and enjoyed John Grisham’s books for many years, but was very disappointed in THE EXCHANGE. The basic plot was fine, but there was way too much repetition an unusually complex and unnecessary situations. Was he being paid by the word?
Mitch McDeere was a higher up a major international law firm based in New York City. Doing pro bono work was one of the requirements. In 2005, he was sent to Memphis for case involving a man on death row who was due to be executed in three months. He had just fired his lawyers.
Mitch and his wife Abby, the editor of Epicurean magazine, had moved from Memphis under in usual circumstances several years earlier. He pledged never to go back
When Mitch got to Memphis, he learned the man had died that morning by hanging. It was ruled to be suicide but he had his doubts. However the case is not mentioned again in the book.
His company then sent him to Italy to help resolve a case for Luca Sandroni, one of their international partners. Luca had pancreatic cancer and wanted to get the case resolved.
Muammar Gaddafi, ruler of Libya, wanted to connect wadis to create a river in his dry country. He hired a company to build a bridge connecting them. It was expensive to begin with and he kept making changes until the cost was $410 million, plus interest $52 million. Another $50 million was added for damages. But he refused to pay.
After Mitch met with Luca, they put together a team to go to Libya to see what was happening. Luca’s daughter Giovanna was part of the team.
The night before leaving, the team met for dinner. Afterwards, everyone became ill, possibly with food poisoning.
The checkpoint in Libya was monitored by security guards of the Libyan army. And when they got there, they discovered there were five of them, and they have been dead for an hour. Theirs bodies were in the rear of a stolen truck that would soon be burned. Their uniforms were now being worn by their killers.
And the real action began.
The story quickly moves to murderers, hostages, and having to pay a ransom. Two of the major problems were finding out what would be needed to get the hostages released, and how they would pay raise the money to pay the ransom. The resolution involves excessive international travel. They didn’t believe the CIA or the FBI Would be helpful.
Interesting sidenote: The Third Amendment to the US Constitution is useless. It forces civilians to house soldiers.
I’ve read and enjoyed John Grisham’s books for many years, but was very disappointed in THE EXCHANGE. The basic plot was fine, but there was way too much repetition an unusually complex and unnecessary situations. Was he being paid by the word?
Mitch and his wife
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Abby, the editor of Epicurean magazine, had moved from Memphis under in usual circumstances several years earlier. He pledged never to go back. When Mitch got to Memphis, he learned the man had died that morning by hanging. It was ruled to be suicide but he had his doubts. However the case is not mentioned again in the book.
His company then sent him to Italy to help resolve a case for Luca Sandroni, one of their international partners. Luca had pancreatic cancer and wanted to get the case resolved.
Muammar Gaddafi, ruler of Libya, wanted to connect wadis to create a river in his dry country. He hired a company to build a bridge connecting them. It was expensive to begin with and he kept making changes until the cost was $410 million, plus interest $52 million. Another $50 million was added for damages. But he refused to pay.
After Mitch met with Luca, they put together a team to go to Libya to see what was happening. Luca’s daughter Giovanna was part of the team.
The night before leaving, the team met for dinner. Afterwards, everyone became ill, possibly with food poisoning.
The checkpoint in Libya was monitored by security guards of the Libyan army. And when they got there, they discovered there were five of them, and they have been dead for an hour. Theirs bodies were in the rear of a stolen truck that would soon be burned. Their uniforms were now being worn by their killers.
And the real action began.
The story quickly moves to murderers, hostages, and having to pay a ransom. Two of the major problems were finding out what would be needed to get the hostages released, and how they would pay raise the money to pay the ransom. The resolution involves excessive international travel. They didn’t believe the CIA or the FBI Would be helpful.
Interesting sidenote: The Third Amendment to the US Constitution is useless. It forces civilians to house soldiers.
I’ve read and enjoyed John Grisham’s books for many years, but was very disappointed in THE EXCHANGE. The basic plot was fine, but there was way too much repetition an unusually complex and unnecessary situations. Was he being paid by the word?
Mitch McDeere was a higher up a major international law firm based in New York City. Doing pro bono work was one of the requirements. In 2005, he was sent to Memphis for case involving a man on death row who was due to be executed in three months. He had just fired his lawyers.
Mitch and his wife Abby, the editor of Epicurean magazine, had moved from Memphis under in usual circumstances several years earlier. He pledged never to go back
When Mitch got to Memphis, he learned the man had died that morning by hanging. It was ruled to be suicide but he had his doubts. However the case is not mentioned again in the book.
His company then sent him to Italy to help resolve a case for Luca Sandroni, one of their international partners. Luca had pancreatic cancer and wanted to get the case resolved.
Muammar Gaddafi, ruler of Libya, wanted to connect wadis to create a river in his dry country. He hired a company to build a bridge connecting them. It was expensive to begin with and he kept making changes until the cost was $410 million, plus interest $52 million. Another $50 million was added for damages. But he refused to pay.
After Mitch met with Luca, they put together a team to go to Libya to see what was happening. Luca’s daughter Giovanna was part of the team.
The night before leaving, the team met for dinner. Afterwards, everyone became ill, possibly with food poisoning.
The checkpoint in Libya was monitored by security guards of the Libyan army. And when they got there, they discovered there were five of them, and they have been dead for an hour. Theirs bodies were in the rear of a stolen truck that would soon be burned. Their uniforms were now being worn by their killers.
And the real action began.
The story quickly moves to murderers, hostages, and having to pay a ransom. Two of the major problems were finding out what would be needed to get the hostages released, and how they would pay raise the money to pay the ransom. The resolution involves excessive international travel. They didn’t believe the CIA or the FBI Would be helpful.
Interesting sidenote: The Third Amendment to the US Constitution is useless. It forces civilians to house soldiers.
I’ve read and enjoyed John Grisham’s books for many years, but was very disappointed in THE EXCHANGE. The basic plot was fine, but there was way too much repetition an unusually complex and unnecessary situations. Was he being paid by the word?
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LibraryThing member jfe16
Review of uncorrected eBook file
Finally, after the Bendini, Lambert & Locke debacle, Mitch McDeere and his wife, Abby, are living the life they’d always wanted. He’s a partner in the prestigious Scully & Pershing law firm; she is a cookbook editor. Eight-year-old twin boys, Carter and Clark,
At the request of Luca Sandroni, Mitch travels to Rome and becomes involved in a dispute between Lannack, a Turkish construction company, and the Libyan government that refuses to pay Lannack for their work constructing a bridge. Luca wants Mitch to handle the case. And he asks Mitch to bring his daughter, Giovanna, from the London office to work with him on the case.
Mitch agrees, but when he arranges a trip into Libya to see the bridge, things go horribly wrong: terrorists kidnap Giovanna and the security team. The two men are brutally murdered; no one knows what’s happened to Giovanna. Will she become another victim of the terrorists?
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Finally, readers of “The Firm” know what has happened to the McDeere family. However, readers who have not read “The Firm” will find sufficient backstory here for “The Exchange” to work well as a standalone.
Mitch and Abby, as well as a plethora of new characters, are well-developed, realistic, and believable. Combined with a strong sense of place and non-stop action, the unfolding narrative keeps readers turning those pages as fast as possible. The story is riveting; the pace, expeditious. Filled with international intrigue, the narrative is ruthless, sinister, and suspenseful. Despite a few gruesome scenes necessary for the telling of the tale, readers are sure to find “The Exchange” both compelling and unputdownable.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from Doubleday Books, Doubleday and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#TheExchange #NetGalley
Finally, after the Bendini, Lambert & Locke debacle, Mitch McDeere and his wife, Abby, are living the life they’d always wanted. He’s a partner in the prestigious Scully & Pershing law firm; she is a cookbook editor. Eight-year-old twin boys, Carter and Clark,
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make their lives complete. Looking over their shoulders has become a thing of the past.At the request of Luca Sandroni, Mitch travels to Rome and becomes involved in a dispute between Lannack, a Turkish construction company, and the Libyan government that refuses to pay Lannack for their work constructing a bridge. Luca wants Mitch to handle the case. And he asks Mitch to bring his daughter, Giovanna, from the London office to work with him on the case.
Mitch agrees, but when he arranges a trip into Libya to see the bridge, things go horribly wrong: terrorists kidnap Giovanna and the security team. The two men are brutally murdered; no one knows what’s happened to Giovanna. Will she become another victim of the terrorists?
=========
Finally, readers of “The Firm” know what has happened to the McDeere family. However, readers who have not read “The Firm” will find sufficient backstory here for “The Exchange” to work well as a standalone.
Mitch and Abby, as well as a plethora of new characters, are well-developed, realistic, and believable. Combined with a strong sense of place and non-stop action, the unfolding narrative keeps readers turning those pages as fast as possible. The story is riveting; the pace, expeditious. Filled with international intrigue, the narrative is ruthless, sinister, and suspenseful. Despite a few gruesome scenes necessary for the telling of the tale, readers are sure to find “The Exchange” both compelling and unputdownable.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from Doubleday Books, Doubleday and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#TheExchange #NetGalley
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LibraryThing member lisaghudson
RIVETING!
In my opinion, Graham has released another novel that will fly up the charts and have readers scrambling to purchase it in all forms! THE EXCHANGE is riveting from start to finish. This novel is Grisham at his best – leading you worldwide to pursue justice and mainly to help a friend.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Doubleday Books & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.
In my opinion, Graham has released another novel that will fly up the charts and have readers scrambling to purchase it in all forms! THE EXCHANGE is riveting from start to finish. This novel is Grisham at his best – leading you worldwide to pursue justice and mainly to help a friend.
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Loaded with international intrigue, greed, lack of loyalty, espionage, and danger at every turn, Grisham provides readers with our old friend and good guy hero, Mitch McDeere, who does his best to take care of family first and his close friends second. Not the person you would want to provoke, or you will live to regret it if McDeere is on the case. Mitch heads up a host of other players working with several countries to meet the demand of a group of rogue soldiers in exchange for an irreplaceable commodity. That commodity is a treasure to all on Mitch’s team, and no price is too high – or is it? Mitch learns who his true friends are and, more importantly, where their priorities lie. This novel is a thriller from start to finish!I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Doubleday Books & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.
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Language
Original publication date
2023
ISBN
9780593669891