An unexpected surprise from Grisham. Not a novel but 3 stories. One has old characters from a novel and the other w have the potential to be new novels. Who knows... Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #SparringPartners

Read this while on vacation. All 3 stories were engaging and easy to get into. The endings on all of them leave me hoping there will be a continuation.

Terrific tales. The length of a novella is perfect for some stories. They may leave you wanting more, but so can six-hundred-page books. Very diverse plots. Each enjoyable for their uniqueness. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

Grisham’s Sparring Partners” is a perfect summer read or anytime you have a few hours curled up with a book. I love that there are three novellas to read. And, of course, the reader is treated in the first novella, “Homecoming,” to Jake Brigance (my favorite character) who along with Harry Rex are contacted by Mack Stafford, a former lawyer who disappeared three years ago after divorcing his wife and leaving his family, and taking money from his clients, Mack asks for help in returning. The second novella “Strawberry Moon,” was my favorite and the most emotional for me. It covers the last three hours on death row for Cody Wallace, a young teenager arrested for the deaths in a home invasion.
The third novella “Sparring Partners” is about two brothers who are partners in the law firm, Malloy and Malloy. They do not get along. This novella is fast paced and I really enjoyed it, My thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Sparring Partners is a collection of three novellas by John Grisham.

"Homecoming" focuses on the sudden disappearance of a fellow attorney in town three years earlier as rumors emerge that Mack Stafford might return. What sort of reception might he experience, and is the only tension with his ex-wife and children, or are there legal complications?

"Strawberry Moon" takes place on death row, as Cody reflects on his life on his final day, considering his circumstances that led him to prison at 15 years of age as well as how he used that time. The power of books and the connection they can provide take center stage.

The titular story, "Sparring Partners," closes out the book. A family law practice is full of tension, with the father in prison but still trying to orchestrate the business and keep his two sons civil with each other. There have been shady dealings and hidden funds, and the sons consider how far loyalty needs to extend.

Of the three stories, I found "Sparring Partners" the most enjoyable; the other two ended abruptly and, in my estimation, are yet incomplete.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

This was a very enjoyable book for anyone who is a John Grisham fan or is new to his writing. The book is made up of three stories that were all attention grabbing. The characterizations and plots were quintessential Grisham. I especially like the surprise endings for each story.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a collection of three short stories by Grisham that don't have anything in common other than the law. I enjoyed the first story, "Homecoming", the best because we once again visit Ford County and Jake Brigance. It's not the courtroom thriller we are typically treated to in this setting, but it was great to read about the familiar characters that I've come to love. This time Jake is helping an attorney from Clanton, Mack Stafford, that notoriously, and allegedly, stole client money, left his unhappy marriage and children, and fled to parts unknown, never to be heard from again. Hearing that his ex-wife is dying, Mack returns to apologize and try to form a relationship with his daughters. The story is heartbreaking and uplifting and will make you yearn for more stories from Ford County.

In Strawberry Moon we meet Cody Wallace, a young man that was sentenced to death as a juvenile for participating in a robbery in which his brother killed a man. As I spent Cody's last three hours with him, my emotions ranged from anger at the system, sympathy for the circumstances that landed Cody on death row, and hope and joy for the compassion one person showed to Cody during his short life.

The last story, Sparring Partners, was probably my least favorite in that it depicted greedy lawyers (which I take great umbrage with, being an attorney myself) behaving badly and trying to game the system. Not my cup of tea.

I don't typically read short stories - I've never liked them - and didn't realize this was a collection of short stories when I requested the book. That being said, I really enjoy John Grisham's writing so I'm not mad at it. If you want to get the benefit of reading a Grisham story, but don't have the time to devote to an entire book, this collection will serve your purposes perfectly. Even if you have time to read an entire book, this collection is a good read that you will enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Doubleday Books. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the latest Grisham read. Some authors, you just pick up and the read the book because you know there work. I had no idea what to expect when I started reading “Sparring Partners” and was pleasantly surprised to find out it’s three novellas, one featuring a favorite character - Jake Brigance.

It was a nice turn of pace from his normal novels where we get to enjoy there separate stories. Each one left me wanting more!

In the first story, Jake helps out an old friend on the run reconnect with his family. The second story shares the last three hours of a young death row inmate. And the third, exposes corruption within an old family law firm where you really aren’t sure who is telling the truth.

After the last sentence, I kept trying to swipe to the next page to find out more. That’s good storytelling!

I can always count on John Grisham for excellent writing, interesting characters, and a story that contains both humor and intrigue. This book was different than most Grisham work - it's 3 novellas. Some might not care for the format but I liked it. It's always interesting to revisit past characters (i.e. Jake)

This book has 3 short stories in it. The first has Jake Briggance and a lawyer running from the law. It gets 5 stars just because of this. The second is a guy on death row which is making a statement. Just ok.. The last one gives the book it's title. A family law firm that does not get along. It ends rather abruptly. I thought I was missing pages. It is John Grisham and I will read anything he writes.

The fact this is 3 novellas instead of one long novel will disappoint some readers. Those who are genuine Grisham fans will like it anyway.

I always enjoy reading his books. I think that this book was full of short stories of different lawyers. I liked the 1st one about the lawyer that left town . The 2nd was about a someone in jail and being on his last day. The 3rd one was of brothers who didn't get along. I kept hoping for some connection for all of these stories. I thought that there was something at all. Overall I enjoyed the stories and kept trying to remember from all of the books that I heard of the Ray, The jackal, Mallory brothers and Diana . I was just hoping for a connection for all of these stories.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sparring Partners by John Grisham
A special thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this title all thoughts and opinions are my own.
For starters Jake Brigance is back! He is one of my all time favorite book characters so it’s always nice to see him. In addition to Jake you get 2 more novellas each well written a fantastic stories all on their own.
Homecoming takes you back to Clanton where Jake returns to help a fellow lawyer find out if he’s wanted by the FBI. Mack had fled down south 3 years with a pile of his clients money but now his ex-wife is dying and his daughters need him. The normal cast of characters make their appearance Harry Rex is as feisty as ever and Lucien still keeping a hand in the mix.
Next up is Strawberry Moon, we meet a 29 year old Cody Wallace who is sitting on death row on his execution date. You learn the story of how he got there at the age of 15. It’s a heart wrenching story with a horribly sad ending.
Lastly The Sparring Partners is about the Malloy brothers. Their father has been in prison for 5 years killing of their mother. Kirk and Rusty have never gotten along but before their dad went in, he makes them sign an agreement on how the law firm will be run in his absence. They lasted 5 years before everything goes off the rails.
All 3 were fabulous reads! I’m always sad when I finish cause I know it will be a year before I can get more Grisham!

Sparring Partners is a collection of three novellas from John Grisham.

In the first - Homecoming - A former attorney who had disappeared from Clanton, MS asked Jake Brigance to help him reconnect with his daughters. This is after the attorney had run off with clients' money and abandoned his family. And there may be an indictment.

In Strawberry Moon, an inmate on Death Row reminisces about what got him there,

In Sparring Partners, two brothers, who are partners in their father's law firm, try to find a way to keep their father in jail, while spending his recurring settlement.

None of these characters are likable and they're all comitted some crime. Grisham tries to make them sympathetic but you just want to yell at them - "See what bad choices get you!" Maybe you feel for the man on Death Row, because it seems like he never got a chance at life.

The stories are easy to read - like an old-school Grisham narrative. But they don't really end as much as drift away.

Good pick if you want a shorter narrative. Grisham fans should enjoy these stories.

Grisham, the master of the legal novel, here has provided three novellas which could have easily been expanded into full length reads. In the first, we get a bit (it's not all about him) from our old friend Jake Brigance who has been enlisted by Mack Stafford to facilitate his return to town. In the second, Cody who was arrested at 14 for a home invasion robbery gone horribly wrong is on death row and contemplating his life and his existence in the hours running up to his execution. Finally the hateful brothers Rusty and Kirk are in fit of machinations over money their father, in prison for manslaughter, hid from the court. It's the most fleshed out of the stories and the twistiest. As always, Grisham makes legal issues which can be arcane and complicated such as fraud understandable (I always learn something). His characters, while sometimes familiar are also realistic. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Thoroughly enjoyed this collection.

I will forever be a Grisham fan. This one was so different and unique for Grisham. It was a book comprised of three short stories, each one was powerful. The first, Homecoming, takes the reader back to Ford County and features Jake Brigance. It tells the story of a fellow lawyer that may have stolen millions, living it up in Costa Rica, and he wants Jake's help to come home.

The second story (which was my favorite) is about an inmate on death row. Cody has been on death row for 15 years. Cody is a reader that has collected around 1000 books in his cell. As the reader, we get to hear how Cody got to this point and hear his final requests because they "give him the needle".

The last story, Sparring Partners, made me think of the Ewing Brothers (JR and Bobby), only in a law firm. These guys can't get along at all!! The firm is going to fall apart and there is one person who might save the brothers or maybe she will just save herself.

It is very easy to read most of these stories in just a sitting or two. A great book to take along that summer road trip.

Sparring Partners is three novellas, one of which features Jake Brigance from [book:A Time to Kill|32542]. His story - Homecoming - features an old friend who left his wife and kids in the middle of the night and hasn't been heard from since. Until now. He wants to come home. Decent story, but nothing spectacular.

Strawberry Moon has a lot to say about the death penalty and minors and being present when a crime is committed and books and the difference kindness can make in a life. This one is outstanding.

Sparring Partners is the story of two brothers who inherit a law firm from their criminal father. The brothers hate each other but decide to work together when their imprisoned father begins to hint he's getting out early. They know he's got millions coming in, and they want it. The managing director, Diantha, is responsible for keeping the peace. The characters are not very likeable, but the manipulation involved in the story is fascinating.

Three novellas create the Sparring Partners book. Quite predictable at times, this was not a favorite. I prefer the legal thrillers to be longer, with more twists that are not seen coming. This is a great example for readers who would like a taste of this author's writings.

I would have happily read a full length novel of any one of these three stories, but I think the only one that was actually served by being a novella instead of a novel was "Strawberry Moon".

While I was so happy to revisit Jake Brigance in "Homecoming," I kept feeling echoes of Grisham's earlier work THE PARTNER, with another lawyer who stole money, fled the scene, and then returned.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for sending me an ARC of Sparring Partners in exchange for an honest review.

Sparring Partners is John Grisham’s first collection of novellas. The best of the three, also the shortest one, is the middle one, “Strawberry Moon,” which follows a Death Row inmate named Cody Wallace over the final three hours before his execution. Much of the story revolves around a visit from the elderly woman who has been sending him hundreds of old paperback books over the years. It’s a sad story, subtle in its critique of imposing the death penalty on for crimes committed by minors (that kind of subtlety is not common for Mr. Grisham). “Strawberry Moon” is all about regret, and it’s a good little story. 4 stars.

The first story is “Homecoming,” set in Ford County and featuring Jake Brigance. But it’s really about a former lawyer named Mack Stafford who years ago stole a windfall settlement from his clients and disappeared, leaving his family behind. Now, a few years later, Mack reaches out because he’d like to return home, if the people he wronged will let him. The story is a very slow burn and really never goes anywhere. But Mack’s attempt to reconcile with his older daughter is poignant, and it’s always fun catching up with Jake and Harry Rex Vonner. 3 stars.

The final story is “Sparring Partners,” and it’s a story about two brothers who hate each other but have to work together at the law firm they inherited when their father went to jail for killing their mother. There are about five characters and each is more crooked than the last, including the protagonist Diantha Bradshaw, who’s purportedly the heroine but is actually as flawed and criminal as the rest of them. 3 stars.

The three stories in Sparring Partners aren’t terrible, but they certainly aren’t “three of the greatest stories John Grisham has ever told.” “Sparring Partners” feels like a true novella, it’s just populated with such unlikable characters that I didn’t enjoy it very much. The other two feel like B-plots that Mr. Grisham couldn’t figure out how to weave into one of his novels. “Strawberry Moon” would have been great in one his other novels about Death Row, and “Homecoming” could have been in either of his more recent Ford County novels. Recommended for Grisham fans, but not the place to start for new readers.