Couldn't put this down. What a story! A woman who is the daughter of one of the firm's partners is kidnapped while visiting a bridge being built. Mitch was supposed to go with her but got sick. Now he is working to help get her released.

I like how you get some back story from The Firm. It was a good book but not as exciting to me as The Firm was. I am glad to know where Mitch and Abby ended up and loved having a story featuring them again. Solid book worth a solid four stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the DRC.

Apparently, Mitch McDeere, the protagonist of The Firm (1991), was not finished with author John Grisham as The Exchange: After the Firm is Grisham’s latest legal thriller coming out October 17. This novel answers the question about what became of Mitch and his wife Abby after they revealed that Mitch’s law firm, Bendini, Lambert & Locke, in Memphis was corrupt.

The story picks up 15 years later with Mitch and his family – now including twin boys: Clark and Carter – living in Manhattan where Mitch has become a partner in the world’s largest law firm, Scully & Pershing, and Abby is a cookbook editor.

An Italian colleague in Rome, Luca Sandroni, has requested Mitch’s assistance in dealing with a situation in Libya involving Lannak, a Turkish construction company that has not received full payment for a bridge it constructed for none other than Colonel Gaddafi. Sandroni’s health is failing, and he would like Mitch to partner with his lawyer daughter Giovanna in the London office in hopes this experience would help boost her career.

When Mitch and Giovanna go to Libya to see the bridge to determine for themselves the situation at hand, things go terribly wrong, putting Mitch right back into a situation that endangers not only himself but his family, friends, and colleagues. A kidnapping occurs requiring a hefty exchange of money that no single entity could cover. The enemy proves to be ruthless killers with a penchant for WARNING: violence and gore.

The end of the tale leaves one to wonder, will there be a Firm volume 3?

John Grisham made a name for himself with his very first novel, A Time to Kill (1989), followed by other court procedural novels that made him king of the modern legal thriller. Having worked 60+ hour weeks in a Mississippi law practice, Grisham knows what he’s talking about.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting August 21, 2023.

I would like to thank Doubleday Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Many thanks to both Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Exchange, by John Grisham. Expected publication October 17, 2023.

When his mentor in Rome, (Luca, a Scully partner who’s dying of pancreatic cancer) asks him for a favor that will take him far from home, Mitch finds himself at the center of a sinister plot that has worldwide implications—and once again endangers his colleagues, friends, and family.

The Exchange is a wee bit of a follow-up to The Firm, a book Mr. Grisham wrote in 1991. This book very lightly touches on the events from The Firm, but not nearly enough to make clear what took place back then. I loved The Firm (the book and the movie) so I anticipated loving The Exchange equally well. There were some characters I fell in love with, such as Mitch and Abby's twin sons, and Mitch's boss at Scully, who was a cool dude with a ponytail and a big heart. I also really liked that Abby played a more significant part in this book and that she was a cookbook editor.

I'm not sure why Mitch had to go back to Memphis for a death penalty case that fell through when it had nothing to do with the rest of the book. (Maybe there is going to be a third book, featuring Mitch's former co-worker he visited while in Memphis?)

Anyway, Mitch is desperate to rescue Luca's daughter, and the kidnappers want 100 million dollars for her return. From there, it's mansions, luxury cars, and private planes as Mitch jets from country to country ... yet no one at Scully wants to pitch in towards the ransom. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't understand who the kidnappers were or exactly why Luca's daughter was kidnapped.

Ultimately, The Exchange is an entertaining book with a lot of action and I have a feeling it's going to be hugely popular. I definitely liked it, although I didn't love it.

When I heard that John Grisham was writing a sequel to The Firm from 1992, I went and checked The Firm back out from the library so I could re-acquaint myself with all the characters in his first book. After all, it has been 31 YEARS since that book came out and I know I read it way back then and loved it but I could not remember what happened 31 years ago. Now we are 15 years since the new book and we have Mitch and Abby along with their twin sons back in business. Mitch is now a partner in a big NY law firm and must travel to Libya to represent a bridge builder but someone gets kidnapped and there seemed to be a lot more lawyer talk in this one and I found myself lost somewhat. I did enjoy the first one a lot more but this one was ok for me. John does talk about the first book a bit ahead of time so you don’t have to read the first one for this to make sense but The Firm was really an excellent book so I would highly recommend that one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release and I couldn't’ have been more excited to receive it.

I loved seeing Mitch and Abby as characters again. I love where they have been and how their story has come along since The Firm. I am not giving any spoilers away but there is some revisiting of the past which I loved to see how they thought about the past 15 years later. A lot of the story takes place in Libya, which is such an interesting aspect. And since it’s Grisham, of course it is a huge legal case, which I love legal thrillers so I loved that aspect too. I am so pleased that the sequel to The Firm holds up!

Having read most of John Grisham’s books I jumped on the opportunity to read this one. I remember the characters from The Firm but the author provides a nice recap of what happened to them many years ago. To see the life Mitch and Abby have built was great and initially I enjoyed the story of Mitch traveling to Libya to represent bridge builders. When Mitch’s team was kidnapped, the story began to go sideways for me. Some of the details were quite gruesome. If you enjoy spy novels, this might work well for you. I would have liked to see more plot twists. The ending was not satisfying for me but it did leave open the possibility of a sequel. I thank NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read this ARC. 3.75 stars for me.

I was so excited to receive this book as I absolutely loved reading The Firm. Unfortunately, even though I enjoyed catching up with Mitch and Abbie and finding out what happened to others from “The Firm”, I did not enjoy the actual story itself. The whole book was about a kidnapping and Mitch helping to get her back from whoever the kidnappers are. I was bored to tears. I honestly thought it would be just as compelling and suspenseful as The Firm and it was not at all. I thank Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

John Grisham books are always interesting and I was eager to read The Exchange. The Exchange is the follow-up to The Firm, one of the author's best in my eyes. The two stories are not really connected. The Exchange mentions a few details from The Firm but you would not need to read The Firm to follow The Exchange. For me, this book did not compare well to Grisham's other books. This book just plodded along for me without any real suspense. Even the parts that should have been exciting ( ie. when his wife was brought into negotiations) were not in the least bit thrilling. I would still say the book was good, but unfortunately I've read better ones of the authors. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the digital ARC. In return I have given my honest opinion.

I was really excited to receive this book from Netgalley as I'm a huge fan of The Firm (book and movie). I finished The Exchange and I was not a fan. I kept having to remind myself that I was reading Grisham's Mitch McDeere and not Stuart Woods' Stone Barrington (without the sex) - that's not a compliment. Grisham managed to say very little with WAY...TOO...MANY...WORDS. The only endearing character was Luca. I could not have cared less about his daughter whose kidnapping the entire book centered on. Mitch and Abby's twins weren't even likeable. And..and what happened to Abby? She's no longer a teacher, which wasn't explained, but a cookbook editor. Surprisingly, her new profession took up a lot of reading space. Who cares? There were discrepancies throughout the book that will hopefully be fixed before publishing. One that stuck out was when Mitch was, once again, lamenting his childhood, his father dying in the coal mines was mentioned. Then, the book stated that his mom couldn't bear to lose another son. She didn't lose a son; she lost a husband. Whatever...This review pains me. I am a huge Grisham fan otherwise.

Many thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for my gifted copies. Pub date 10/17/23.

The Exchange takes place 15 years after the ending of The Firm. We find out what happened to Mitch and Abby and what happened to all the workers at Bendini, Lambert, and Locke. Mitch now works at a law firm in NY and is enjoying his life until his friend and mentor asks Mitch to take over a case for him out of the country. When Mitch and his group travel to North Africa one of his colleagues is kidnapped.

The Exchange was my most anticipated read of the year. There were things I loved about this book and things I wish could have been a little different.

Things I loved:
-Abby had a much bigger role in this book.
-Page turner and very suspenseful.
-Good closure of The Firm.

Things I wish could have been different:
-I wish the survivors of The Firm had a bigger role in this book.
-Many characters and traveling between countries, it got a little confusing at times.
-This really was not a courtroom drama, just one small scene.

Overall, this was a good follow up of The Firm and I would definitely recommend reading. If you haven't read The Firm I would recommend reading it before this book, however this is a whole different story and group of characters, and Grisham does a good job of recapping what happened, so it wouldn't be too hard to follow.

In "The Exchange," John Grisham once again proves his mastery of the legal thriller genre, delivering a gripping and relentless narrative that seamlessly intertwines law, conspiracy, and suspense. A sequel to the bestselling "The Firm," this novel thrusts readers back into the captivating world of Mitch and Abby McDeere, while introducing them to a new web of intrigue that spans continents and threatens to upend their lives once more.

Grisham's storytelling prowess shines as he revisits the McDeeres' lives fifteen years after their daring escape from the clutches of a corrupt law firm. Now residing in Manhattan, Mitch McDeere is a partner at a prestigious law firm, seemingly far removed from the dangers that once plagued him. However, Grisham masterfully weaves a tale of international consequence as a seemingly innocuous favor propels Mitch into a complex web of deceit and malevolence.

The author's signature attention to legal intricacies lends authenticity to the plot, immersing readers in the inner workings of the legal world while ensnaring them in a suspenseful narrative. Grisham navigates the boundaries of law, morality, and loyalty with finesse, leaving readers questioning the motivations of every character and the extent to which the global conspiracy reaches.

As the pace accelerates and the tension escalates, readers are once again reminded of Grisham's ability to craft multidimensional characters who grapple with ethical dilemmas in the face of danger. Mitch's evolution from a fledgling attorney to a seasoned master of survival takes center stage, showcasing Grisham's keen exploration of resilience and adaptability.

"The Exchange" is a roller-coaster ride of legal intrigue and pulse-pounding suspense, with every twist and revelation expertly placed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. John Grisham's storytelling finesse and razor-sharp prose make this novel a must-read for fans of legal thrillers, conspiracy plots, and heart-pounding suspense, solidifying his reputation as a master of the genre.

Absolutely loved every second of this book. My expectations were blown out of the water and I felt myself not putting it down for long before I needed to pick it back up and read more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I was really excited to be approved, as John Grisham has been one of my favorite authors. That being said, his last couple of books just don't have the same page turning drama that so many of his other books have. The story was confusing at times with so many meaningless names being thrown around and then the end of the book was utterly anticlimactic. There was no suspense or anything to keep me engrossed and then it just ended. Just ok for me.

Fifteen years later, we finally get the opportunity to find out what happened to Mitch and Abby McDeere who brought down the Mob-owned law firm in Memphis. Life seems to be moving along for them and their family with no problems until one of the lawyers is kidnapped when on a trip to Libya with Mitch. The story is well-written, and the pacing is pure Grisham. International intrigue abounds, and it keeps you on your toes. I will admit that I was not exactly pleased with the ending. It could have been fleshed out a bit more considering what it took to get to that point. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this new offering by Grisham. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Mitch and Abby are back in John Grisham's continued saga of the Firm. When we last found Mitch and Abby they were running for their life. Now it has been a few years they now live and work in New York City or at least around the area. Mitch now works for one of the largest firms in the world. The pace picks up when Mitch gets notice that he is need in Rome by one of the firms top European lawyers who needs help on a construction client's lawsuit against the Libyan government. When things take a turn for the worst Mitch finds himself in a pinch again. This is a typical well put together Grisham read, and it is fast paced but I had an issue with the subject matter and for me took one star away from the book. But give it a read and see what you think, and I would still buy for a friend.

The Exchange (2023) takes up the lives of Mitch and Abby fifteen years after the end of John Grisham's groundbreaking, The Firm. They have recovered from the drama of those events, landed on their feet with excellent jobs, a loving family, and a good marriage. Mitch is tasked by his new firm to take over an international case involving Libya when the primary attorney becomes too ill to handle it. That isn't a problem for Mitch until part of his team is kidnapped while in the terrorist state during negotiations, her body guards brutally slaughtered, and her ransom a jaw-dropping $100 million. The driving force of the plot is less the legal twists involved in the complicated case than the machinations required to collect the massive ransom in the short time frame required by the kidnappers. It is a complicated plot with a lot of countries, international figures, and curious requirements that Mitch tries to unravel in an effort to save the young woman's life.

Here were my problems with this book. First, it is somewhat confusing. I can let that go because of all the international stuff, plethora of foreign names, and legaleze that is far over my head. I got a tad tired of being inundated with Mitch's financial and personal success, with his supposed humility in the face of his accomplishments, his perfect children--I stipulate he is a Renaissance Man. Let's move on. The more these posh details surfaced unexpectedly in the book, the more the word 'stereotype' filled my mind. Not a good look for a fictional thriller. I don't remember the Mitch and Abby of the prequel being so focused on possessions and accomplishments (but maybe I forgot.). Still, I was sure the brilliance of a John Grisham plot would save the story. In fact, it was filled with intricate interweaving of events and clues, international travel and high intrigue, rich people doing their curious stuff. What cost it in my final metric was the ending: It wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped. Nor did it spotlight Mitch's true creative legal characteristics I had been looking forward to being wowed by. I think until that point, I was torn between 3 and 3.5, rounded up to 4. The ending pushed it down to 3/5.

I'd love to hear what you thought of the book if you read it.

Set 15 years after The Firm, we finally get to see what happened to Mitch and Abby McDeere after they brought down the Mob-owned law firm in Memphis. The year is 2005 and the McDeeres now live in New York, where Mitch a partner in the "largest law firm in the world" and Abby is a cookbook editor. One of Mitch's partners from his firm's Rome branch asks him to take over a lawsuit one of their clients is about to engage in with the country of Libya involving a bridge the company built but isn't being paid for. When he goes to Libya to inspect the bridge and begin the lawsuit, Mitch's associate is kidnapped by a group that may be terrorists, rebels or even the Libyan government. This begins a severely tense time as Mitch has to juggle international politics as well as the law in an effort to bring the associate home.
The star of this book is Grisham's prose and pacing of the story. Fans of his writing will have no qualms there. However, for a story billed as the sequel to The Firm, the plot fell kinda flat. The narrative played out as more of a political drama, only semi-thriller, and at no time felt like the McDeeres had to be part of the story. I'm guessing Grisham conceived of the plot, realized it wasn't one of his strongest, especially the rather tepid ending, and instead of creating some generic new main characters plopped Mitch and Abby in in order to juice it up a bit. If you're just looking for Grisham's writing, it's still enjoyable, but plot-wise it wasn't much of a legal thriller and didn't live up to the promise in the description. 3.5/5*

{4.5 stars}

Mitch McDeere is back and he finds himself ensnared in another unusual situation. After his time on the run after bringing down his previous law firm, he's settled into regular lawyer life at a nice firm in NYC. When his former mentor in Rome falls ill, he asks Mitch to take on a case in Libya, which includes a trip there much to Mitch's chagrin. He and his mentor's daughter travel to Tripoli and immediately find themselves in peril. He manages to escape but his friend's daughter is taken hostage for ransom. Now Mitch and Abby must find a way to save her.

This one had great heist vibes and it held true to the pulse pounding tension of the original The Firm. There are no courtroom scenes, as has been par for the recent Grisham novels but there was enough legal scenarios that I think the average Grisham reader will be entertained. What I appreciated the most was that it all felt very realistic and not far fetched even though there was the need to drum up an insane amount of money. I loved that both Mitch and Abby got into the action at different times. There were lots of moving parts and politics but I was never bored by the machinations. I actually found myself not wanting to put it down, and it's been a while since I felt that way about a Grisham novel. Now if we can only get a sequel to The Rainmaker...

Thanks to Doubleday for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Mitch McDeere is back for another intriguing but complicated story of international suspense. Prepare for a kidnapping in Libya, multimillion dollar ransom demands and lots of bad guys in this well written novel.