Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Vintage Books
Pages
401
Description
Fiction. Literature. Short Stories. Thriller. HTML:#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER �?� John Grisham is the acknowledged master of the legal thriller. In his first collection of novellas, law is a common thread, but America�??s favorite storyteller has several surprises in store. �??Homecoming�?� takes us back to Ford County, the fictional setting of many of John Grisham�??s unforgettable stories. Jake Brigance is back, but he�??s not in the courtroom. He�??s called upon to help an old friend, Mack Stafford, a former lawyer in Clanton, who three years earlier became a local legend when he stole money from his clients, divorced his wife, filed for bankruptcy, and left his family in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again�??until now. Now Mack is back, and he�??s leaning on his old pals, Jake and Harry Rex, to help him return. His homecoming does not go as planned. In �??Strawberry Moon,�?� we meet Cody Wallace, a young death row inmate only three hours away from execution. His lawyers can�??t save him, the courts slam the door, and the governor says no to a last-minute request for clemency. As the clock winds down, Cody has one final request. The �??Sparring Partners�?� are the Malloy brothers, Kirk and Rusty, two successful young lawyers who inherited a once prosperous firm when its founder, their father, was sent to prison. Kirk and Rusty loathe each other, and speak to each other only when necessary. As the firm disintegrates, the resulting fiasco falls into the lap of Diantha Bradshaw, the only person the partners trust. Can she save the Malloys, or does she take a stand for the first time in her career and try to save herself? By turns suspenseful, hilarious, powerful, and moving, these are three of the gr… (more)
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2022
Physical description
401 p.; 7.5 inches
ISBN
0593470907 / 9780593470909
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Clara53
Typical Grisham: reads fast and with interest of what's coming on the next page. The downside - his (also typical) unrelenting cynicism of main characters and the general practice of law. Out of the three novellas ("Homecoming", "Strawberry Moon", "Sparring Partners"), my favorite is "Strawberry
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Moon" - probably because there is at least a glimmer of some goodness there, although not in the plot itself, which is death row. Somehow, John Grisham doesn't "wow" me anymore, like he did by his early novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member Judiex
In SPARRING PARTNERS, John Grisham presents three novellas, all dealing with criminals and the criminal system.
The first, longest, and most developed,, “Homecoming,” has Jake Brigance contacted by Mark Stafford, an old friend and former lawyer who allegedly stole money from his clients,
With the help of Jake and their friend Harry Rex, Mark want to know if it is safe for him to come back of if he might be arrested.
It gets complicated.
The second story, “Strawberry Moon,” finds Cody Wallace, a 29-year-old death row inmate three hours before his scheduled execution. Fourteen years old when he and his brother went to rob a home only to learn that the residents were there. Unknown to Cody, his friend had a gun and killed them.
Not surprisingly, Cody’s previous lawyers did not work very hard to save this boy with a troubled background. In the fifteen years he had been in prison, he had no visitors. The one benefit he had derived was the friendship of a woman from another state who sent him books and helped him learn to read and write. They had never met, but his cell was filled with paperback books which enabled him to see a world beyond those walls.
“Strawberry Moon,” tells Cody’s story during those last hours including his thoughts about dying for a crime he hadn’t committed.
“Sparring Parners” is the story of a father who had built up a thriving business but was imprisoned for unsavory practices. He tries to control the business which he turned over to his two sons from his jail cell. The brothers. Kirk & Rusty, had totally different interests, personalities, and abilities. The only thing they had in common was that they hated each other. Meanwhile, the business was bottoming out. A sub-partner, Diantha, was the only one they trusted. She had been with the firm the longest.
Different stories. Different circumstances. Different endings. Interesting change of pace.
The first, longest, and most developed,, “Homecoming,” has Jake Brigance contacted by Mark Stafford, an old friend and former lawyer who allegedly stole money from his clients,
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divorced his wife, and snuck out of town, abandoning his daughters and office, while a bankruptcy was looming. Three years later, Stafford wanted to return to Clanton to try to repair some of the damage he did. His ex-wife is dying from cancer and she and her family want nothing to do with him. His daughters have mixed reactions but don’t trust him. With the help of Jake and their friend Harry Rex, Mark want to know if it is safe for him to come back of if he might be arrested.
It gets complicated.
The second story, “Strawberry Moon,” finds Cody Wallace, a 29-year-old death row inmate three hours before his scheduled execution. Fourteen years old when he and his brother went to rob a home only to learn that the residents were there. Unknown to Cody, his friend had a gun and killed them.
Not surprisingly, Cody’s previous lawyers did not work very hard to save this boy with a troubled background. In the fifteen years he had been in prison, he had no visitors. The one benefit he had derived was the friendship of a woman from another state who sent him books and helped him learn to read and write. They had never met, but his cell was filled with paperback books which enabled him to see a world beyond those walls.
“Strawberry Moon,” tells Cody’s story during those last hours including his thoughts about dying for a crime he hadn’t committed.
“Sparring Parners” is the story of a father who had built up a thriving business but was imprisoned for unsavory practices. He tries to control the business which he turned over to his two sons from his jail cell. The brothers. Kirk & Rusty, had totally different interests, personalities, and abilities. The only thing they had in common was that they hated each other. Meanwhile, the business was bottoming out. A sub-partner, Diantha, was the only one they trusted. She had been with the firm the longest.
Different stories. Different circumstances. Different endings. Interesting change of pace.
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LibraryThing member Doondeck
Nice to see Brigance again but I prefer Grisham's longer form works.
LibraryThing member poolays
Three novellas. I’m not usually a fan of short stories, but these were excellent All the elements of a good John Grisham story. The first “Homecoming” is about a lawyer who took off with the cash, and has been successfully on the run. He wants to come back and make amends, but it’s not that
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simple. The second story “Strawberry Moon, takes place on death row. I was prepared not to like it but it’s a story with heart. The third story, “Sparring Partners” is about two brothers, raised to be enemies and not particularly moral, by their greedy unethical father. A twist in the story makes for a humorous ending. As usual, Grisham introduces really likeable characters. I’m impressed with how well developed these characters are in such short stories; many authors don’t achieve that depth in much longer works. Show Less
LibraryThing member buffalogr
As the reader may have guessed, this book is actually 3 novellas. I liked them all and they were very tight stories--no fluff. The characters were believable. I liked the first one, Homecoming, best because it portrayed lawyer "sharks" eating their own. The second, about a guy on death row, was a
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bit too gooey for my tastes. The third kept me guessing right up until the end. Grisham would do well to develop these stories more fully. Show Less
LibraryThing member DrApple
This is a collection of three novellas. One features Jake Brigance, one a death row inmate, and one a partner in a shady law firm. All three are excellent.
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Character development and the challenge each has dealing their circumstances is what makes the novellas. An unfair pending execution and prosecution of a bribery to block another bribery are two of the Challenges.
LibraryThing member azroadrunner88
I thought it was going to be a book, instead of 3 short stories with no endings. What happened to the guy on death row? Did he escape, have a heart attack and die before he was executed, go in a coma? He had to be in good physical condition before they could kill him. That's just the first story.
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The other 2 stories didn't end either. I was disappointed. Show Less
LibraryThing member lewilliams
Sparring Partners is a book of three novellas. Homecoming is a Jake Brigance story. A former lawyer who divorced his wife and skipped town with money from his clients is back in town and looking for help from Jake. Among other things he wants to reconcile with his daughters. The ending left some
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unanswered questions. Strawberry Moon tells on an inmate with three hours left on death row and one last request. Will it be granted? Sparring Partners is about greed and what lengths the Malloy brothers will go to to keep their father in jail. Show Less
LibraryThing member bblum
Three terrific novellas from Grisham. One goes back to a favorite character in the late 70’s Jake Brigance. Mack a fellow struggling lawyer disappears, leaving his marriage and everything else but eventually reaches out to his friend Jake to help him return. The most poignant is the story of a
All good reads and all would be great full length novels.
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death row inmate awaiting his execution in a few hours. And last we have the battling Malloy brothers who share a practice, unhappily, while their father sits in jail. Corruption just follows in this family. All good reads and all would be great full length novels.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Sparring Partners, John Grisham, author; Jeff Daniels, Ethan Hawke, and January LaVoy, narrators
In the first story, “Homecoming”, we encounter lots of familiar characters from previous Grisham books. Jake Brigance, a small town lawyer, is contacted by an old acquaintance, Mack Stafford, who
The second story, “Strawberry Moon”, will tug at your heart strings. It is about a young man who is on death row, Cody, 29 years old, about to be the youngest man executed. He was only fourteen years old when his brother Brian, four years older, murdered two people. Although Cody never pulled the trigger that took the lives of the couple, he was there and was an accessory. At age 15, his trial ended, and he was sentenced to death. His brother, who did pull the trigger, had been murdered at the scene by one of the victims as he lay dying. Cody was traumatized but uninjured.
We enter the story on the last day of his life. His culpability and rehabilitation are both revealed. The reader is left to wonder if taking his life is the worthwhile solution. He really never had much of a life, to begin with. The simplest things impressed him. He had been abandoned by his prostitute mother and bounced around from orphanage to foster home until his brother Brian found him. They both lived off what they could steal. It turns out that his only friend ever, is his pen pal, Miss Iris. She gave his life meaning, encouraged him to educate himself and sent him over 1000 books in the 15 years he had been in prison and on death row. She may have rescued Cody, but he was still condemned to die and beyond the hope of redemption. He was both good and bad because of circumstances. Did his dreadful life justify his behavior? Was his punishment just? Will Miss Iris enjoy his “estate”?
The next story, which was my least favorite, gives the book its title, Sparring Partners. It is about the Malloy brothers, Rusty and Kirk. They are opposites in personality and lifestyle. One is a Democrat and the other a Republican. One is a stickler for rules, one likes to push the envelope. One is outgoing and the other is less so. Their father is in jail. He seems to have gotten away with the murder of their mother. He also made a lot of money from the settlement of a tobacco lawsuit that the boys did not want to join. He does not share the proceeds with his sons, and together with the accountant, he has hidden the funds from even the government. Rusty and Kirk resent him, and they profess to hate him. They also dislike each other.
Diantha Bradshaw is a lawyer and the managing director. She is a partner in the crimes the brothers eventually commit. Should she get away with her part in their schemes? Should the accountant? Are all of her actions justified? She resented not being made partner. There was little chance for advancement at Malloy and Malloy. She thought the brothers were guilty of having too much privilege. She was a bitter employee because she felt abused. Did Diantha’s actions justify her rewards?
All the stories are about two sides of the coin. Each talks about actions and reactions, lawfulness vs lawlessness, guilt vs innocence, reward vs punishment. In the end who deserves punishment and who deserves a reward?
In the first story, “Homecoming”, we encounter lots of familiar characters from previous Grisham books. Jake Brigance, a small town lawyer, is contacted by an old acquaintance, Mack Stafford, who
Show More
disappeared shortly after he divorced his wife. He had not been heard from for three years. He had abandoned his two daughters, one a pre-teen and one a teenager. Margot, the daughter who pushed the envelope was the older one, and Helen, the obedient, goody two shoes, was the younger. Harry Rex had been Mack’s lawyer, but Mack insisted that he wanted Jake and Carla to come to Costa Rica for a week, just to talk. Harry would not be in a position to advise him. It seemed that his ex-wife Lisa was dying, and he wanted to return to Clanton to make amends of sorts, but he was not going to go to jail and needed to know if the law was after him. His wife and her family had other ideas. Was Mack guilty? If so, should he go to jail and pay for his crimes or did his unhappy life justify his actions? Will Margot reap the benefits of her father’s promise? This story is engaging, and is set up for a sequel. The second story, “Strawberry Moon”, will tug at your heart strings. It is about a young man who is on death row, Cody, 29 years old, about to be the youngest man executed. He was only fourteen years old when his brother Brian, four years older, murdered two people. Although Cody never pulled the trigger that took the lives of the couple, he was there and was an accessory. At age 15, his trial ended, and he was sentenced to death. His brother, who did pull the trigger, had been murdered at the scene by one of the victims as he lay dying. Cody was traumatized but uninjured.
We enter the story on the last day of his life. His culpability and rehabilitation are both revealed. The reader is left to wonder if taking his life is the worthwhile solution. He really never had much of a life, to begin with. The simplest things impressed him. He had been abandoned by his prostitute mother and bounced around from orphanage to foster home until his brother Brian found him. They both lived off what they could steal. It turns out that his only friend ever, is his pen pal, Miss Iris. She gave his life meaning, encouraged him to educate himself and sent him over 1000 books in the 15 years he had been in prison and on death row. She may have rescued Cody, but he was still condemned to die and beyond the hope of redemption. He was both good and bad because of circumstances. Did his dreadful life justify his behavior? Was his punishment just? Will Miss Iris enjoy his “estate”?
The next story, which was my least favorite, gives the book its title, Sparring Partners. It is about the Malloy brothers, Rusty and Kirk. They are opposites in personality and lifestyle. One is a Democrat and the other a Republican. One is a stickler for rules, one likes to push the envelope. One is outgoing and the other is less so. Their father is in jail. He seems to have gotten away with the murder of their mother. He also made a lot of money from the settlement of a tobacco lawsuit that the boys did not want to join. He does not share the proceeds with his sons, and together with the accountant, he has hidden the funds from even the government. Rusty and Kirk resent him, and they profess to hate him. They also dislike each other.
Diantha Bradshaw is a lawyer and the managing director. She is a partner in the crimes the brothers eventually commit. Should she get away with her part in their schemes? Should the accountant? Are all of her actions justified? She resented not being made partner. There was little chance for advancement at Malloy and Malloy. She thought the brothers were guilty of having too much privilege. She was a bitter employee because she felt abused. Did Diantha’s actions justify her rewards?
All the stories are about two sides of the coin. Each talks about actions and reactions, lawfulness vs lawlessness, guilt vs innocence, reward vs punishment. In the end who deserves punishment and who deserves a reward?
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LibraryThing member Amzzz
Some stories mildly interesting. Lent to me due to the links to the power of reading, which was only a small part of one of the novellas.
LibraryThing member mmodine
I can see why Grisham basically left these stories in a drawer for a few years, as he says in the introduction. Spoiler: it’s because they suck. I had to jam through to finish them before the loan expired…didn’t want to renew and give the wrong impression that these were worth reading.
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Unworthy of the names of John Grisham the author and Jake Brigance the character. Show Less
LibraryThing member OscarWilde87
John Grisham's Sparring Partners is a collection of three novellas named after the third story in the book. That story is about two brothers, Kirk and Rusty, who are partners in the law firm their father once headed. Their father is in prison, however, convicted for killing his wife. Kirk and Rusty
The first story in the book is titled "Homecoming" and features Jake Brigance, a Ford County lawyer that Grisham's readers already know from previous books. In this story, Brigance is supposed to help a former lawyer colleague, Mack Stafford, who fled the country and is said to have embezzled a large sum of money. After a couple of years abroad he plans to return, however, as his former wife is terminally ill and he wants to be a part of the life of his two daughters again. Legally, there are some hurdles, however, which is why he needs Jake's help.
Eventually, "Strawberry Moon", the second story in the book, is about Cody Wallace, who is on death row and only hours away from the needle. None of his appeals have worked and the governor, a firm believer in the death penalty, does not grant him clemency. The reader learns about the reason for Wallace's sentence and follows him during his last hours and making his final requests.
I liked all three of the stories as they moved along quite fast, were easy to get into and left certain things open at the end so that there is room for sequels which I would definitely like to read. The characters are well-crafted and the writing is of the quality you are used to from Grisham. 5 stars for a very entertaining collection of stories.
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divided up the firm equally and they could not be more different from one another and only speak with each other when absolutely necessary. Diantha Bradshaw manages the law firm and works as an intermediary between the two brothers. As the firm is in dire straits financially, the brothers - together with Diantha - hatch a plan to get at some of the illegal money that their father has moved offshore before going to prison. Will their plan work out, though?The first story in the book is titled "Homecoming" and features Jake Brigance, a Ford County lawyer that Grisham's readers already know from previous books. In this story, Brigance is supposed to help a former lawyer colleague, Mack Stafford, who fled the country and is said to have embezzled a large sum of money. After a couple of years abroad he plans to return, however, as his former wife is terminally ill and he wants to be a part of the life of his two daughters again. Legally, there are some hurdles, however, which is why he needs Jake's help.
Eventually, "Strawberry Moon", the second story in the book, is about Cody Wallace, who is on death row and only hours away from the needle. None of his appeals have worked and the governor, a firm believer in the death penalty, does not grant him clemency. The reader learns about the reason for Wallace's sentence and follows him during his last hours and making his final requests.
I liked all three of the stories as they moved along quite fast, were easy to get into and left certain things open at the end so that there is room for sequels which I would definitely like to read. The characters are well-crafted and the writing is of the quality you are used to from Grisham. 5 stars for a very entertaining collection of stories.
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LibraryThing member srms.reads
Overall Rating: 4/5
Sparring Partners by John Grisham is a collection of three novellas, each of which is very well-written, distinctive in setting, theme and tone and makes for an intriguing read. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and would definitely recommend it to both longtime fans of
“Homecoming” revolves around Mack Stafford, a former lawyer and resident of Clanton, Mississippi, and friends with lawyers Jake Brigance and Harry Rex (who also happens to be his lawyer). Mack disappeared from Clanton after divorcing his wife, declaring bankruptcy, and closing his practice rumored to have skipped town with his clients’ money due to them as part of a settlement. Three years later he makes contact with Jake and expresses his desire to return to Clanton, meet his ex-wife who is terminally ill and reconnect with his daughters who he had left behind. However, his homecoming is more complicated than he anticipated with his family wanting to have nothing to do with him and suspicions about his indiscretions leading to potential legal problems for which he requires the assistance of Jake and Harry. This novella was an average read and my least favorite among the three. With a few familiar characters (it was great to revisit Ford County with Grisham) and many new ones and an intriguing start, it did have some interesting moments but I was a tad disappointed with the way the story ultimately panned out. (My Rating: 3.5/5)
“Strawberry Moon” is an engaging story revolving around 29-year-old death row inmate Cody Wallace, who is hours away from being executed. Incarcerated for a home invasion that resulted in the deaths of his brother/partner in crime and the two residents of the house they were in the process of burgling, his appeals and requests for clemency have been denied and now he waits for the inevitable. The narrative gives us a snapshot of his life on ‘The Row’ and takes us through his final interactions with his lawyer, the prison doctor, the chaplain, his warden, a surprise visitor he has been corresponding with and the guard on duty who grants him his final wish. This was a moving and thought-provoking read. You cannot help but feel sympathy for Cody who was arrested at the young age of fourteen and ponder over the justification for capital punishment. (My rating: 4.5/5)
The final novella, “Sparring Partners”, revolves around St. Louis based law firm Malloy & Malloy and the Malloy brothers, Rusty and Kirk, who couldn’t be any more different in nature, management styles or political inclinations. They barely speak to one another and mostly communicate through ‘unofficial third partner’ Diantha Bradshaw. However, together they run the family law firm after their father was incarcerated for manslaughter and duly disbarred, though his devious efforts to manipulate from behind bars remain a constant factor of irritation. Unfortunately, the firm is in a downward spiral. While the brothers and Diantha are concerned with the survival of the firm, each of them is also motivated by self-interest and is looking to grab a larger slice of the pie from a settlement that Malloy Sr. has kept hidden with the help of his lawyer. What follows is a thrilling sequence of events involving collusion and deceit, bribery and political corruption and financial fraud. The fast-paced narrative, well-developed characters and intriguing plot kept me glued to the pages with this one. (My rating: 4.5/5)
Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due for release on May 31, 2022.
Sparring Partners by John Grisham is a collection of three novellas, each of which is very well-written, distinctive in setting, theme and tone and makes for an intriguing read. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and would definitely recommend it to both longtime fans of
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Grisham and also as an interesting introduction to those who are yet to read any of his novels.“Homecoming” revolves around Mack Stafford, a former lawyer and resident of Clanton, Mississippi, and friends with lawyers Jake Brigance and Harry Rex (who also happens to be his lawyer). Mack disappeared from Clanton after divorcing his wife, declaring bankruptcy, and closing his practice rumored to have skipped town with his clients’ money due to them as part of a settlement. Three years later he makes contact with Jake and expresses his desire to return to Clanton, meet his ex-wife who is terminally ill and reconnect with his daughters who he had left behind. However, his homecoming is more complicated than he anticipated with his family wanting to have nothing to do with him and suspicions about his indiscretions leading to potential legal problems for which he requires the assistance of Jake and Harry. This novella was an average read and my least favorite among the three. With a few familiar characters (it was great to revisit Ford County with Grisham) and many new ones and an intriguing start, it did have some interesting moments but I was a tad disappointed with the way the story ultimately panned out. (My Rating: 3.5/5)
“Strawberry Moon” is an engaging story revolving around 29-year-old death row inmate Cody Wallace, who is hours away from being executed. Incarcerated for a home invasion that resulted in the deaths of his brother/partner in crime and the two residents of the house they were in the process of burgling, his appeals and requests for clemency have been denied and now he waits for the inevitable. The narrative gives us a snapshot of his life on ‘The Row’ and takes us through his final interactions with his lawyer, the prison doctor, the chaplain, his warden, a surprise visitor he has been corresponding with and the guard on duty who grants him his final wish. This was a moving and thought-provoking read. You cannot help but feel sympathy for Cody who was arrested at the young age of fourteen and ponder over the justification for capital punishment. (My rating: 4.5/5)
The final novella, “Sparring Partners”, revolves around St. Louis based law firm Malloy & Malloy and the Malloy brothers, Rusty and Kirk, who couldn’t be any more different in nature, management styles or political inclinations. They barely speak to one another and mostly communicate through ‘unofficial third partner’ Diantha Bradshaw. However, together they run the family law firm after their father was incarcerated for manslaughter and duly disbarred, though his devious efforts to manipulate from behind bars remain a constant factor of irritation. Unfortunately, the firm is in a downward spiral. While the brothers and Diantha are concerned with the survival of the firm, each of them is also motivated by self-interest and is looking to grab a larger slice of the pie from a settlement that Malloy Sr. has kept hidden with the help of his lawyer. What follows is a thrilling sequence of events involving collusion and deceit, bribery and political corruption and financial fraud. The fast-paced narrative, well-developed characters and intriguing plot kept me glued to the pages with this one. (My rating: 4.5/5)
Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due for release on May 31, 2022.
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LibraryThing member ZachMontana
Three great short stories somewhat different than the normal Grisham, but equally enjoyable. I listened to audiobook
LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
There are three stories in this book, and two of them left me "meh". The third however, Strawberry Moon, is a little gem of writing with a character, Cole, you don't soon forget. More like this one, please, Mr. Grisham.
LibraryThing member GarySeverance
Sparring Partners by John Grisham (2023)
Sparring partners is a set of three novellas involving criminal activity that ends in escape, death, or restructure. The stories are called: Homecoming, Strawberry Moon, and Sparring Partners.
I have read many of the novels of John Grisham, a master writer of
In Homecoming an independent lawyer in a small town becomes fed up with his legal practice. For years, he has been grubbing for client dollars in the shadow of a large law firm that gathers most of the legal activity in the town.
Strawberry Moon is a novel about a young man reviewing his life while incarcerated in a prison cell on “Death Row.”
Sparring Partners is the most complex story involving a very successful but troubled family law firm that has spawned dirty deals, envy, and hatred among the three managing partners over the years. Brother against brother, father against sons, partners against each other is the name of the game in the lucrative law firm.
The three themes can be summarized by the following questions. First, can you go home after betraying family and law partners? Second, can insight and peace be achieved when sins of the past were not completely caused by the will of the person facing the consequences. Finally, who do you trust in a thriving law firm with a history of shady legal maneuvers and family partners infighting?
Guilt is a toxic legacy that affects individual and group decisions that determine the outcome of legal sparring and main bouts. Sparring Partners is an enjoyable reading experience.
Sparring partners is a set of three novellas involving criminal activity that ends in escape, death, or restructure. The stories are called: Homecoming, Strawberry Moon, and Sparring Partners.
I have read many of the novels of John Grisham, a master writer of
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legal thrillers. It is so enjoyable to read his prose that is simple and direct on the surface but complex in the deep content.In Homecoming an independent lawyer in a small town becomes fed up with his legal practice. For years, he has been grubbing for client dollars in the shadow of a large law firm that gathers most of the legal activity in the town.
Strawberry Moon is a novel about a young man reviewing his life while incarcerated in a prison cell on “Death Row.”
Sparring Partners is the most complex story involving a very successful but troubled family law firm that has spawned dirty deals, envy, and hatred among the three managing partners over the years. Brother against brother, father against sons, partners against each other is the name of the game in the lucrative law firm.
The three themes can be summarized by the following questions. First, can you go home after betraying family and law partners? Second, can insight and peace be achieved when sins of the past were not completely caused by the will of the person facing the consequences. Finally, who do you trust in a thriving law firm with a history of shady legal maneuvers and family partners infighting?
Guilt is a toxic legacy that affects individual and group decisions that determine the outcome of legal sparring and main bouts. Sparring Partners is an enjoyable reading experience.
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LibraryThing member Artzylibrarian
This was not my favorite Grisham book; I usually love his stories. My husband and I did not finish listening to it.
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
This is a set of three novellas. I was a bit surprised to see it listed as Jake Brigance #4 because he only appears in one of the three.
The first novella takes the reader back to Clanton and Jake Brigance (along with other Clanton regulars) when former attorney Mack Stafford contacts Jake about
The second novella takes us to death row, where an inmate who was sentenced at age 15 (and is now 29) is in his last few hours before his execution. I liked Miss Iris who sent him books.
And the third novella deals with the law firm of Malloy and Malloy. Founder Bolton Malloy is serving a 10 year manslaughter sentence. He's been disbarred but is still trying to run the law firm via an agreement he made his sons sign prior to his incarceration. His sons can't stand each other and a third lawyer (Diantha) ends up being the go between. There are lots of twists and turns to the story and readers are left to infer what happens to many of the characters based on narrative.
The first novella takes the reader back to Clanton and Jake Brigance (along with other Clanton regulars) when former attorney Mack Stafford contacts Jake about
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returning to Clanton (wanting to make sure there are no pending charges against him). The second novella takes us to death row, where an inmate who was sentenced at age 15 (and is now 29) is in his last few hours before his execution. I liked Miss Iris who sent him books.
And the third novella deals with the law firm of Malloy and Malloy. Founder Bolton Malloy is serving a 10 year manslaughter sentence. He's been disbarred but is still trying to run the law firm via an agreement he made his sons sign prior to his incarceration. His sons can't stand each other and a third lawyer (Diantha) ends up being the go between. There are lots of twists and turns to the story and readers are left to infer what happens to many of the characters based on narrative.
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Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — 2023)
Call number
FIC F Gri