Before reading The Exchange, I decided to first re-read The Firm since it has been 25+ years since the release of The Firm. That was a mistake, the writing styles for these two books were very different. The Firm was fast-paced and pulled me into the story and The Exchange was just blah. This sequel was slow-paced, repetitive, the characters were boring and I didn’t care how it ended. Which is probably good, because the ending was unsatisfactory so at least I wasn’t terribly let down by the time I finished. I wanted to know more backstory, like how Mitch and Abby were able to return to using their names and not fear the mob. Truly, The Exchange, did not need to be a sequel to The Firm, Grisham could have written this as a separate book since there wasn’t much from the McDeere’s history integrated into the new storyline. Quite possibly might have rated this higher if The Exchange was not a sequel to The Firm.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another compelling and believable story by one of this generation's very best authors. Working in a large international law firm, Mitch McDeere has experienced more of the world than most younger lawyers have or ever will. Although his work is challenging, he places a high priority on his time spent with his talented wife Abby and their children.
The heart of this book is focused on the international kidnapping of another lawyer in his firm and the key role Mitch played in efforts to save and retrieve that lawyer. Every page is tense and exciting and until the end, the reader is far from certain of the outcome.
I would count The Exchange as among the very best ever written by this great author and once I began reading, I could not put it down. Bravo Mr. Grisham, you have topped yourself once again!

I received an ARC free, but I give my honest opinion voluntarily.

I received this book from NetGalley and Doubleday for an honest review. This story picks up 15 years after The Firm with Mitch and Abby McDeere as the main characters. The beginning of the book reiterated a lot of the “The Firm” and there are many references to The Firm thru out the story. Mitch is a partner in a large international law firm ; he is hired to represent a Turkish company that is suing Gaddafi’s Libyan government for $400M . Gaddafi wanted to build a bridge in the Sahara and when things went bad, he didn’t want to pay the construction company what he owed them. I the middle of all this, Giovanna, the daughter of a wealthy Italian, is kidnapped by terrorists and held for ransom. Much of the rest of the book involves negotiations, meetings, jetting around the world and phone calls to try to raise the $100M ransom . The meetings and phone calls were very repetitive and not interesting.. There were no courtroom scenes to make the story interesting. There was a countdown for getting the ransom money or Giovanna would be murdered. The book ended without divulging who the kidnappers were. Maybe Mr. Grisham a sequel? It was a disappointing ending. .

Having loved how John Grisham wrote follow-up books about Jake Brigance, the main character in A TIME TO KILL, I was excited to finally see a follow-up to THE FIRM following Mitch and Abbie McDeere. The book opens fifteen years later with Mitch working for Scully, the largest law firm with offices opened all over the world. The McDeere’s have six-year-old twin boys.
The first third of the book dragged a bit until a kidnapping happens to a young lawyer whose father is an Italian client. When this happened I found myself totally engrossed in the story turning pages at a rapid pace. Again, the story started to slow down for me. I thought the book was too much telling rather than showing. It just fell flat for me. My thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Dollycas's Thoughts

I read the book The Firm in 1991 when it was released and have watched the film starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and many other big Hollywood names several times. I will admit I always wanted to know what happened to Mitch and Abby so I was thrilled to see that John Grisham was working on a sequel and that it was going to be released this year.

It is now 15 years later. Mitch is now a partner at Scully and Pershing, one of the largest law firms in the world. Abby is working for a publisher editing cookbooks and getting to know many high-profile chefs. They have 8-year-old twin boys. The McDeere's have made a home in Manhattan and have pretty much put what happened 15 years ago in Memphis behind them.

Mitch has been asked to take over a case from his mentor who is having health issues. It means a lot of traveling a long way from home but Mitch finally agrees. While the case is complicated Mitch never imagined that he, his family, his friends, and his colleagues would all be in danger again. Mitch has gotten out of terrifying situations before but this time he may not be so lucky.

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As soon as I started reading I was visualizing Tom Cruise and Jeanne Tripplehorn and quickly got invested in their lives all over again. There is a very large cast of characters but I truthfully had no trouble keeping all the characters straight because they were diverse and interesting. The connections all made sense and the circumstances always pierced through making each memorable. Characters from the previous book are mentioned but other than Mitch and Abby only one was actually visited in this book.

The case Mitch takes on is for a contractor in Turkey for a bridge they built in Libya. Mitch's mentor, Luca asked him to take his daughter along as an associate. Giovanna is a capable lawyer so he agrees to the request. They make plans to visit the bridge so they can decide how to proceed with the case but things become dire when he can't travel with her and she goes missing before she reaches to bridge. What follows is a heart-pounding race to save her. The evil they face, the measures they need to go through with no guarantees was sometimes very hard to read but knowing that part of the world is so volatile Mr. Grishman could have pulled the story from real headlines. I did have to slow down my reading pace to catch all the nuance of the story and peel through all the layers. The story is intense and the plot is tight.

Never having visited any of the many places Mitch traveled I appreciated the author's detailed descriptions. It was easy to see each in my mind, it was like watching a movie. A movie I hope comes to fruition. I saw Mr. Grisham on The View earlier this week where he stated for a movie to happen Tom has to be on board. I hope he has sent him a copy of the book.

The Exchange is full of suspense and more thrilling moments than I can count. With a slow build to pull you in it soon becomes impossible to put the book down. While the current story wraps up within the pages the bad guys are still out there. Are Mitch and Abby really safe? I wonder if Mr. Grisham has more in store for them.

Please be aware the book does contain some very graphic events.

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 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?

I am a long time fan of John Grisham having read almost everything he has written. I must say I rushed to request this book especially when I learned it was a follow-up of sorts to his book, “The Firm”. That being said I was delighted when I got my request fulfilled. While the book does update Mitch and Abby it truly fell short of my expectations and interest. It read more like a travel log of wealthy lawyers and was so far from believable that I just did not connect. There were way too many characters and too much time was spent on what they were eating and drinking and modes of transportation. I found Abby’s part as the go between totally unbelievable. When the ransom is that kind of money I hardly think Mitch’s wife would have been selected to free the prisoner. I also found it crazy that anyone would believe that the criminals would not know exactly where their children were hiding since they knew everything else about the families involved. Sadly, this book just did not hit on any of my interest points. I am used to sharp twists and turns and this was sadly lacking.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Exchange takes place 15 years after The Firm. I was excited to see what had happened to Mitch but this book fell flat. The basic premise is that Mitch gets involved in an international kidnapping. Could have been great but instead it was just ok. Too much information about meetings he took and meals he ate instead of really getting to know about the characters. Ending fell flat for me also.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

It has been fifteen years since Mitch McDeere and his wife Abby fled for their lives from the law firm of Bendini, Lambert and Locke and exposed the firm as the crooks they were. Now Mitch has reestablished his legal career and is a partner in an international law firm. But when the daughter of another partner, who is also an associate of the firm, is kidnapped on a trip to Libya, Mitch and Abby are once again put in danger. The Libyan group who has kidnapped the woman have chosen Abby as their sole contact as they demand a huge ransom for her safe return, and Mitch is very much in the middle of trying to get the ransom together.

With their family under surveillance, they spirit their twin boys away to safety and devote all their time to meeting the demands of the rogue group. The efforts involve travelling all over the world to get various governments and companies to contribute and Abby is called into action to deliver the ransom and rescue the kidnapped woman.

This takes you all over the world and re-introduces two characters we haven't heard from in a long time. It is a good read and will keep you guessing right to the end.

Welp, this one didn't quite work for me. Mitch and Abby McDeere are living in Manhattan where Mitch is a partner for the largest law firm in the world. Life is great until Mitch's mentor asks him for a favor and once again, Mitch is pulled into a world of lies, sinister plots, danger, and risk.

This book felt like more a spy thriller as there is a kidnapping, murders, danger galore, meetings, phone calls, negotiations, and risky situations.

I had high hopes for this book and felt a little let down. Fifteen years is a long time, and I was hoping for more on what happened with the mob, the money, and their lives after they fled Memphis? How did Mitch land so well on his feet? Did I miss something?

While this story was enjoyable, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I had high hopes and maybe they got a little in my way. I finished this book feeling underwhelmed.

I absolutely love John Grisham. I remember The Firm being one of the "adult" first books I really read and enjoyed when I was in school. When I first read one of his books, I binged read his entire back list within a week. These books are easy to read and they hook you! The Exchange is no different. I absolutely loved this one as well and can't wait to read more of his books!

John Grisham is one of the leading masters of mysteries. He brings stories and characters to life in a way that grabs the reader and keeps it rolling throughout the novel. A wonderful characteristic of his writing is that he writes clean fiction. In his latest book, The Exchange, Grisham brings back Mitch and Abby from The Firm and takes them and the reader on a roller coaster of a ride. While there are many characters and travels to keep up with, it is definitely worth the work. Grisham fans will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book.

Quick summary: This is a hot mess.

It has been a while since I have read something by John Grisham, but what I recall is quick-paced, dialogue-heavy and courtroom suspense. There is none of that here.

This is supposed to be a follow up to The Firm, which was a great book that was later adapted to a film starring Tom Cruise. Now, 15 years later, we've got Mitch McDeere and Abby and their 2 sons. They live a life of privilege and he works at the world's largest law firm.

The biggest issue with this storyline, which follows Mitch being asked to be head counsel in a suit against Libya for non-payment of a government-contracted bridge constructed in a desert, is its lack of focus.
We have a sub-plot at the start that goes nowhere and would actually have been really intereresting had it had something (anything) to do with anything else.

The entire premise of the kidnapping and bringing Abby into it and then Mitch literally flying around the world to raise the ransom money was elementary and unbelievable.

I found Mitch to be undeveloped as a character. He walks his boys to school -- even when he's been asked to come in early because *checks notes* a colleague has been kidnapped and is being held by Libyan terrorists. I guess Abby was too busy doing something else?
And, sometimes, the language sounded old. An example. The boys stood up tall and when they met someone. "Their father was proud." Oh boy.

This was a disappointing read and I was glad to reach the end.

The Exchange is the follow up to The Firm by John Grisham which takes place about fifteen years after the first book. and brings back Mitch and Abby McDeere.

I re-read The Firm prior to this, to remind myself of the action and characters , but it really wasn't necessary as apart from a flying visit back to Memphis, the flashbacks were few and far between. It can easily be read as a standalone.

I did enjoy reading this book, don't get me wrong, but again, it could have been about a different family and not be a sequel at all.

Mitch is now working at the New York office of one of the world's biggest law firms - Scully & Pershing and his colleague has been kidnapped while on a business trip to Libya.

It's very exciting book, but I kept waiting to find out what happened immediately after the events of the last book and there were a few mentions but I was left wanting more from it. Maybe I shouldn't have re-read the Firm, but really enjoyed it, so found this one a little disappointing in comparison..

I was also surprised at the number of flights Mitch managed to take on behalf of his law firm. Maybe they have more money than sense or they really do have private jets at their disposal, but seems a little unlikely.

A good standalone, but as a sequel wasn't really up to it. Rounded up to 4 stars for a good plot, but a few areas missing for me. Although really good, wasn't up to The Firm 5 star standards.

A big thanks to Doubleday Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book, happy to see a continuation of Mitch and Abby McDeer's story, after the way their lives were shattered with what happened in Memphis.

They lived a life always looking over their shoulder for years - until enough time had passed; Mitch is now a partner a world renowned law firm, and Abby is editing/publishing cookbooks - must be fantastic to have these chefs come to your home to try out recipes, YUM!!!

Once again, when an associate from a firm in London, is kidnapped, Mitch is tasked with finding a solution. Murder, suspense and world travel is front and center, danger lurks for all, from New York, Rome, London and Morocco - trust no one.

In this sequel to The Firm, we come back to the McDeere's fifteen years later. Mitch is working in a high powered law firm in New York and Abby is a well-known cook book editor. Mitch works all over the world with his new firm and when the daughter of one of the important people to the firm is kidnapped, Mitch is sent into the middle of it. The story is relatively fast paced and at times a little frantic with Mitch quickly hopping all over the world. It doesn't have the "oh, wow!" quality of The Firm, but it is definitely a worthy read. If you are a fan of legal thrillers, this will be for you.

John Grisham fans won’t be disappointed by this follow-up to The Firm! Set 15 years after the original story, it is a fast-paced race against terrorism.

I haven't read much by John Grisham in a while, but I remember loving The Firm, so I had to request this one to see what Abby and Mitch would get into next. The premise of the story was promising, and there was a fair bit of suspense along the way, but the ending fell flat for me. I kept waiting for a twist that never materialized, so I have to say I was a bit disappointed.

Because I’m such a fan of The Firm, I was thrilled to read John Grisham’s newest thriller, The Exchange. Did Mitch’s old firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke survive? What happened to the firm partners? I can say that you don’t need to have read The Firm but if you have, all the loose ends are tied up nicely here.

Mitch is still humble, even years later and even now that he’s a partner at a huge international law firm with offices in New York City. He still wants to do the right thing, and is still very happily married to Abby, who is now a cookbook editor.

Mitch and Abby are now living a very comfortable life but we do get a small glimpse of what life would have been like back in Memphis when Mitch looks up his friend Lamar who had practiced with him at his old law firm. Theresa are lots of firm meetings and form lunches but the pace picks up when the daughter of a senior form partner, who is also an associate at the law firm, is kidnapped in Libya. The identity of the kidnappers is always kept vague and although the book is set in 2005, it feels very current and timely.

If you’re looking for a direct sequel to The Firm, this isn’t it. But it is a standalone, fast-paced international thriller that ties in nicely with certain events from The Firm.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!

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 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.