John Grisham returns to the world of The Firm with The Exchange, reuniting readers with Mitch McDeere decades after his dramatic escape from the corrupt law firm in Memphis. This time, Mitch is a high-powered international lawyer, but his past comes back to haunt him.

Fast-paced story, filled with legal intrigue, moral dilemmas, and courtroom drama. While the novel keeps you engaged with its suspenseful plot, I feel that it doesn't keep at the edge of your seat. The Exchange is a solid legal thriller that will appeal to Grisham fans, especially those who enjoyed The Firm.
Thank you Net Galley for a free copy of the book in an eschange of an honest opinion.

The Exchange is an exceptional sequel to The Firm. It follows the McDeeres in their lives after the events in The Firm. If you think they have settled into a peaceful, blissful life, think again. Mitch is on the fast track to a partnership in one of the largest law firms on Earth and Abby is busy as a writer and editor of culinary books. They and their two boys are happy in New York. Then a visit to a client in Libya swiftly becomes a nightmare.
I have always enjoyed John Grisham's writing. As a former attorney, he has an extensive knowledge of legal issues and the inner politics found in law firms. The twists and turns in this novel will keep you turning pages long into the night.

The Exchange

by John Grisham

John Grisham’s second book, The Firm, was published in 1991. Two years later this legal thriller was made into a movie that guaranteed Grisham’s success. The Exchange is a sequel to The Firm revisiting lawyer Mitch McDeere and his wife Abby fifteen years after they escaped a very dishonest law firm that the FBI investigated. They bounced around a bit, and we meet up with them in New York City where Mitch has become a partner in Scully, a worldwide law firm with over a thousand lawyers.

Mitch is assigned an international case in which a Turkish construction company is trying to get Gaddafi to pay what he owes them for work on the Great Gaddafi Bridge in Libya which has become an embarrassment to Gaddafi because the predicted waters never arrived. It is essentially a bridge to nowhere.

The starting point for Mitch’s work is in Italy where an old friend Luca, who runs a branch of the law firm, convinces Mitch to bring his daughter Giovanna along on an exploratory visit to the bridge. Giovanna is a lawyer working for Scully’s firm in London. Unfortunately, Mitch ends up in the hospital with intestinal distress. Giovanna goes out to the bridge with a security team anyway, but is kidnapped.

The rest of the story details the convoluted multi-country effort to get Giovanna back safely. It involves politics, banks, and terrorists. The story was entertaining, and it was good to catch up with Mitch and Abby. It was not of the same caliber as The Firm and was not engaging enough to make me wish for a followup. I appreciated the way Grisham let the reader know the terrible things the terrorists did without sharing gruesome details. I was disappointed in the ending because there was closure for the characters without revealing the motivation of the villains. Mitch had an ethical decision to make in The Firm and again in The Exchange. I liked that he maintains his strong moral base, not caving to greed in either book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery and Thriller, Fiction

Notes: 1. Although this is a sequel, it could be read as a standalone as Grisham provides enough information and really little is needed to enjoy the current plot.
2. Some swearing, no sex.
3. Unless you are a thriller aficionado, this probably would not make good bedtime reading.

Publication: October 17, 2023—Doubleday Books

Memorable Lines:

For thirty years he had waged war on behalf of cold-blooded killers who were guilty of crimes that often defied description. To survive, he had learned to take the crimes, put them in a box, and ignore them. The issue wasn’t guilt. The issue was giving the state, with its flaws, prejudices, and power to screw things up, the right to kill.

“This is the Great Gaddafi Bridge in central Libya, over an unnamed river yet to be found. It was and is a foolish idea because there are no people in the region and no one wants to go there. However, there is plenty of oil and maybe the bridge will get used after all. Lannak doesn’t really care. It’s not paid to plan Libya’s future. It signed a contract to build the bridge and held its end of the deal. Now our client wants to be paid”

The story itself was certainly newsworthy—an associate in the London office of the world’s largest law firm kidnapped by murderous thugs in Libya—but the scarcity of real facts did nothing to throttle the breathless headlines, photography, and speculation. If the facts were insufficient to carry a story, others were simply created on the fly.

The Exchange by John Grisham is a gripping legal thriller that blends suspense with sharp social commentary, focusing on a high-stakes corporate case with deep moral implications. Grisham’s storytelling is as fast-paced as ever, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you hooked from start to finish. While the ending may feel a bit too neat for some, the taut narrative and thought-provoking themes make it a satisfying and timely read.

As someone who has read or watched The Firm COUNTLESS times, I wanted so badly to love this long-awaited sequel . . . but it just wasn't it. I could've taken the tissue-paper thin plot and the barely-there characterizations if they'd come with some remotely plausible (or even attempted!) explanation of how Mitch and Abby were able to rejoin society from their mob's-gonna-get-us exile. Instead, we enter their lives long after they've returned to the States, built a life in NYC, and had twin boys. So confusing!!! I went back and read The Firm specifically so I could be sure I wasn't just misremembering the implications of the end of that book (that they are very much on the run), and I wasn't. Can't in good faith gift this one to Grisham/The Firm fans. Total bummer.

This is a hard review to write because I really liked the book The Firm. The Exchange is a sequel to that bestselling book, taking place fifteen years later. Mitch and Abby are living in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at the largest law firm in the world. When his mentor asks him for a favor, the result is more than Mitch bargained for. His family once again becomes a target, this time with global implications.

Unfortunately, John Grisham did not capitalize on the success of The Firm. This sequel paled in comparison to the aforementioned book and did not grab my attention in any way. Considering how much they endured at the hands of Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke, you would think that Mitch would never place himself or family in harm's way again. I was disappointed in the plot, especially as it was so transparent. Overall, I would hesitate to recommend The Exchange to other readers, for these reasons.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

Many of John Grisham’s bestsellers have been made into powerful movies, none more popular than The Firm. The movie ended with Mitch and Abby driving into the proverbial sunset. Did their marriage survive? What about the corrupt Memphis firm of Baldini, Lambert & Locke: did any of their lawyers crawl out from beneath the wreckage? And what about Mitch’s legal career? He did a brilliant job of bringing his firm to justice but at what cost to his life and potential career? Remember, he graduated from Harvard Law, one of the top students in his class—the legal world should have been his oyster. Fear not, The Exchange, a follow-up to The Firm, answers all your questions.

The Exchange is an eerily topical book. Stop reading now if you don’t want spoilers.

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Fifteen years have gone by since Mitch McDeere took down Baldini, Lambert & Locke. He’s back on top of the world—the legal world at least. Mitch is a New York partner at Scully & Pershing, a world-wide firm of two thousand plus: it “vainly considered itself to be the premier international firm on the planet.”

Mitch is none too pleased when Willie Backstrom, the partner in charge of the firm’s pro bono arm, strong arms him into going back to Memphis. “There’s a case down south I want you to take a look at.” Mitch immediately asks if the guy is on death row. Yes, he is. Mitch has had no luck in previous attempts to save a death row prisoner, so why bother?

“Because we have to try, Mitch, and I think you’re our best bet.”



“I’m still listening.”



“Well, he reminds me a lot of you.”



“Gee thanks.”



“No, seriously. He’s white, your age, and from Dane County, Kentucky.”



For a second Mitch couldn’t respond, then managed to say, “Great. We’re probably cousins.”



“I don’t think so, but his father worked in the coal mines, same as yours. And both died there.”



“My family is off-limits.”



“Sorry. You caught a lucky break and had the brains to get out. Tad did not … “

There’s a lot to unpack in this conversation—like how readily the lawyers at Scully & Pershing turn to Mitch when they’re in a tight spot; how much Mitch’s past still impacts his present; how scared he still is that somehow his family could be harmed or affected by his work; and lastly, the realization that luck and happenstance have helped Mitch along the way. On his way home from Memphis, Mitch looks up Lamar, the lawyer who recruited him at Harvard. Mitch and Kay had been good friends with Lamar and Kay. It’s a bittersweet meeting: Lamar is still bitter about the implosion of Baldini et al and delivers a few pithy truths.

Once Mitch is back in Manhattan, memories of Memphis and Lamar fade away. Managing partner Jack Ruch wants to see him. Luca Sandroni, an eminent Italian lawyer, “widely respected throughout Europe and North Africa,” and whose firm is part of Scully, has a favor to ask. Luca’s health is questionable—he wants to speak to Mitch personally. Why? Jack says, “It involves Lannak, the Turkish construction company,” and an outstanding bill that the Libyan government won’t honor. Gaddafi is still in charge. Lannak built a magnificent bridge in the desert, per Gaddafi’s wish, but even the Colonel now realizes it’s useless. Lannak still expects payment—in the order of billions. Mitch is the go-to guy at Scully for thankless, problematic, far-flung assignments—and truth be told, he has a knack for pulling rabbits out of the hat. Mitch thinks to himself that it, “Sounded like another great adventure!” Be careful what you wish for.

Luca wants Mitch to add his daughter Giovanna, a Scully associate at the London office to the team he takes to Libya; “according to the firm gossip, she was as brilliant and driven as her father.” No problem. Can Mitch get to Libya as soon as possible? Mitch asks if it’s safe. Luca says, “as safe as ever,” and that his security team will keep him safe. The night before the Scully team is to go into the desert, Mitch gets violently ill with a vicious intestinal bug—he ends up hospitalized and very reluctantly, since he’s not able to shift the time of the meeting, sends Giovanna in his stead. She’s kidnapped and her security team is brutally murdered. Their barbaric killings are televised and make horrific viewing on the dark web.

What do Giovanna’s capturers want? Money. One hundred million dollars. Law firms don’t have that kind of money in their vaults, but Mitch never wavers from his mission. He’ll do whatever it takes to bring home one of their own, an associate in the firm of Scully & Pershing, and the daughter of his longtime friend, Luca. A quote from Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez encapsulates Mitch’s beliefs.

For me, no ideological or political conviction would justify the sacrifice of a human life. For me, the value of life is absolute, with no concessions. It’s not negotiable.

It could be Mitch speaking. “It’s not negotiable,” to do anything other than get Giovanna home safely. The kidnappers pick Abby to be their point person: they text her the details of their demands. The McDeeres are terrified: Abby is shown pictures of her walking their twin boys Clark and Carter to school, having coffee at her favorite coffee shop and the paranoia she endured in Memphis comes rushing back.

Gathering one hundred million dollars is no easy task. Mitch’s law firm doesn’t have that kind of cash on hand—the partners are wealthy but not billionaires. They’re also not altruistic. Watching Mitch negotiate with all the parties that have an interest in saving Giovanna’s life is like watching a master chef on television—tossing knives and pots without dropping a one. How can he amass all that money in the short time allotted, while also keeping his family safe? It’s a full circle plot. Where else would nefarious, huge sums of money be massaged and manipulated but the Cayman Islands.

The Exchange is a brilliantly written nail-biter of a book. What’s next for Mitch and Abby? Let’s not wait another thirty-two years to find out.

"The Firm" was the first John Grisham book I ever read about 30 years ago, and I became an immediate fan of Grisham. Over the years, I have read most of his books, and while some were almost up to par with "The Firm", most were unfortunately not. "The Exchange" is the long awaited sequel to my old favorite, and I hate to say that it is a totally unnecessary sequel. That said, Grisham knows how to write books in a way that makes them very difficult to put away - a skill that is taken into consideration in my rating of this book. The plot is weak and the connection to "The Firm" is forced and somewhat calculated.
Fans of Grisham will probably pick this book up no matter what, but fans of "The Firm" will be disappointed and should consider letting it stand on the shelf.

I've only read a few Grisham books but I can't say this was a good one. It was so slow and the writing was extremely basic. The story could have been tightened up considerably.

John Grisham was my late teens/early twenties binge read author. I devoured all titles I could get my hands on and promptly watched the movies as they came out. I love the Firm. When I saw that Mitch had a follow up book after all these years I knew I had to request this. I didn't go back and read the Firm or watch the movie, and that was okay. There were only a few references to the Firm, so I do feel like you could read this without having read the Firm (its been over 30 years since I read it).

That being said, this book was just okay for me. It was entertaining enough, but it was not as 'edge of your seat' as it's predecessor was. While I enjoyed seeing where Mitch and Abby were now, I was less emotionally involved. And perhaps that's because the life or death situation was another character and Mitch and Abby were supporting that situation vs. being the one in peril. Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

As the book opens it's fifteen years since Mitch McDeere fled the imploding Bendini law firm known as THE FIRM. For years he and his wife hid out in the Caribbean and Europe, finally rebuilding his law career with a large international firm with its main headquarters in New York City. Now parents of twin boys, both Mitch and Abby are content in their careers. Then Mitch is assigned a case which takes him to Libya which leads to a young Italian female co-lawyer being abducted by an unknown terrorist group. With a bizarre twist Abby is drawn into the story as an intermediary. As Mitch travels in a mind boggling cross global maze trying to arrange the ransom funds, Abby becomes more and more fearful for her family's safety and for the hostage as the deadline approaches. On one level, this is classic Grisham and yet Mitch's part just seemed to be ineffective meeting and meeting. I've read reviews that felt the same and then I've read a review by an international lawyer that said Grisham faithfully captured the behind the scenes negotiations that happen daily. Final verdit -- if you are a Grisham fan, you don't want to miss any of his books, especially the sequel to perhaps his most famous title THE FIRM.

This is a true Grisham adventure ! I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the setting.
It was a little different than some of his recent books. Highly recommended for fans of his other books

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Fifteen years after he escaped with his life, bringing down a law firm involved in all sorts of illegal activities, Mitch McDeere is living the good life as a partner in the world’s largest law firm in New York. He and his wife, Abby, have twin boys and lead a peaceful, happy life in a fine house in an upscale neighbourhood. It all gets disrupted when Mitch takes on a job that needs him to visit Libya, a nation with a notorious law and order situation, along with Giovanna Sandroni – an associate and the daughter of the head of his law firm’s Rome office – who gets kidnapped by a shockingly violent group of terrorists. The abductors demand a mammoth ransom – an amount topping the highest ransom paid in history by a large margin – arranging which is an impossible task for even the phenomenally wealthy law firm, and time is fast running out. Most worryingly for Mitch, the terrorists, who seem to know a lot about his past, assign Abby to be their messenger, shattering the McDeeres’ domestic bliss. And so the couple embark on the mad scramble to help free Giovanna while protecting their own family, both objectives seemingly unattainable.

The outline of John Grisham’s The Exchange: After The Firm above might look intriguing to most readers, especially those who know of the author’s storytelling prowess. But the ones that pick it up, like me, are in for one of the biggest disappointments of their reading life. I have been an ardent fan for decades, persisting with his books despite the dip in quality in recent years, but I have never felt this cheated. It is a cheap trick to bill this one as the sequel to the supremely entertaining The Firm, which the readers would feel like rereading to get rid of the bad taste left by The Exchange. The beginning, where Mitch is forced to visit Memphis – the site of the horrors of his previous life – shows a lot of promise, which gets dashed before long. The remainder is bland, tedious, and utterly underwhelming. Much of the book is filled with repetitive descriptions of a million meetings and the food consumed in and out of those meetings. Despite being at the forefront, neither Mitch nor Abby does anything worthwhile other than going with the flow, and the other characters do nothing to gain the reader's interest.

The Exchange is a book that Grisham fans should avoid if they wish to continue being his fans. Having read it, I have lost the eagerness to pick up anything Grisham writes in the future. It is sad beyond words...

I am grateful to Doubleday Books / Knopf and Mystery and Suspense Magazine for the Digital Review Copy of The Exchange through NetGalley.

Fantastic sequel. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I really enjoyed the story line, and how it all fit together. Grisham is a master storyteller and this lived up to the Firm.

I’ve loved John Grisham’s legal thrillers for a long time. This story brings back some of his first characters to see what they’ve been up to. I enjoyed the story but it was not a courtroom legal thriller. Yes it has lawyers and one courtroom scene but it was not the typical Grisham. I still enjoyed the book and all the suspense.

I have to credit The Firm to getting me back into pleasure reading after college.

I don't read a lot of Grisham anymore, but this one didn't do it for me. Maybe it's been too long for me to still care about the characters or my tastes changed or I was swayed to read a book that isn't meant for me or most likely the book didn't really feel like the characters I remember.

It's been 20 years, but the story seemed more about other characters with the original characters making a cameo.

It is fast paced, tense, and action packed. There is an international setting. It was a quick and easy read.

You can easily read this without having read the Firm and maybe those without expectations will love it more than I did.

In true Grisham fashion, this was another edge-of-your-seat story that had me sweating bullets.

The sequel to The Firm , this story goes into detail about what happens after Mitch and Abby blew the whistle on a Memphis law firm 15 years ago.

John Grisham is a fantastic story teller and can really set the scene and build the tension. Even before the halfway point of the book, I was getting anxious to find out what would happen next. Bugged phones, dirty dealings, kidnappings, ransoms... what more could you ask for in a legal thriller?

4 stars, it was really intense and well done.

Certainly got to travel all over the world with this novel! International intrigue, ransom and large corporate Big Law! Liked the characters, story line ok and see this becoming a hit on the big Screen!!

This book was unputdownable because I wanted to know what would happen next. I liked the gore. You can read this book without reading The Firm.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.