Another hit from John Grisham!

While this isn't your typical John Grisham thriller it was an edge of your seat ride till the very end. The beginning for me was a bit slow but once they travel to the Middle East things get hairy, and very quickly!

Mitch and Giovanna are on the way to see a bridge that their company Lannak wasn't fully
Paid to build. Mitch is violently ill and hospitalized, so Giovanna goes alone with security detail. Everything has been pre arranged. She and the detail are kidnapped some killed and Giovanna held hostage.

What will become of Giovanna? Will she make it back home in one piece? Who is behind this?

You will keep turning the pages to find out!

Thank you to netgalley and double day books for this pile pounding thriller!!!

Classic Grisham, but definitely not a sequel to the firm. Same characters and there is a brief moment where the story takes us down memory lane but that is the extent of the connection. In this case, Mitch has been part of a big international law firm for 15 years. The family is doing well and living in NYC - stark difference from his previous firm and living in small town South. Certain events come together and snitch is the only lawyer that seems to be able to handle the situation - unfortunately, it also brings all the he holds dear into danger. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange (!) of an honest review.

I have read a few John Grisham novels here and there in my life and was excited to read this one, a sequel to his success The Firm, where main character Mitch McDeere is involved in a hostage situation.

Meetings, meetings, meetings!!

I do get that lawyers have to attend a lot of them. But as much as The Firm had been action packed, The Exchange missed the mark on this one. I don't think there is even one scene where we get to see Mitch actually practice law. He sure talks to a lot of people, but it feels like for the most part of this novel, all we got were accounts of Mitch talking on the phone or deciding what to order in a hotel restaurant. The scenes with Abby McDeere were more interesting by far, but there were too few of them.

The social commentary was questionable. Characters from a lot of countries meet in The Exchange and I would have appreciated more work on their personalities. Instead, they get type casted and almost no character-building is done. Picture the depth of an American action movie made in the 90s.

I enjoyed the few narrative twists and turns (hence the 3 stars), but it feels like the story was wrapped up too quickly in the end. I read this on my kobo and kept looking at the page number wondering how this was going to get resolved in x pages.

I have read and watched many of Mr. Grisham's stories and have found everyone to keep me guessing and riveted until the end! So it is with a sad heart that I had to give this book 4 stars instead of 5. I don't know if it would make a difference if this book was made into a movie to keep the action flowing, but I just felt like it was a little slow. Slow maybe isn't the right word because believe me, there is all kinds of action and suspense. I'm not sure what it was maybe because I was reading instead of watching? Anyway, this book is definitely worth reading if you are interested in finding out what is happening in the lives of Mitch and Abby after they fled into hiding at the end of THE FIRM. Once again, Mitch is back with a very interesting case in front of him, but it is one he really doesn't want to get involved in. He is at a new company and has worked his way up to being a partner. The characters we meet in this book are amazing, and they become people that we really want to care about as their lives come into danger and suspense. There are, of course, some people we would like to knock them on the head and say, "What is your problem, smarten up! Get a heart!"
I could probably go on and on but all I can say is grab the book! You know you aren't going to be disappointed!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Doubleday New York for allowing me to read an advance copy of such an awesome author's books. This review is my own honest opinion.

Riveting doesn't even begin to describe this. I spent the entirety of the book tense wanting to know what could possibly happen next, even when things got a little too violent and graphic for me.

This is the kind of story for which "edge of your seat" was invented. It's the book that reminds you why an author is considered a master of their craft. A masterclass in pacing, character development, and weaving a complex plot without getting too complicated.

My one complaint is just that Grisham gets a little too into the gory details of violence and I could have really done without it. I'm sure there are ways to show how awful human beings can be to each other without going into enough detail to make me almost pass out.

Full confession, I have not read The Firm. I watched the movie and loved it, but somehow, I never got around to reading the book it's based on. I really don't feel like it's necessary to know that story to understand and enjoy this one, as it's truly an epic thriller that can stand on its own. It probably wouldn't hurt and I might be missing some background stuff, but it's a phenomenal story even without it.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the thrilling read!

I love John Grisham, but this one missed the mark for me. I was expecting Mitch and Abby 15 years later and a typical courtoom drama. That is not what this book is at all. You don't need to brush up on the firm prior to reading this. You'll get a refresher in the beginning and then at the end. You'll learn quite a bit about Libya, Rome, and various other countries. You'll get hostage negotiations, and in the beginning, you'll get a glimpse into death row inmates. But that's about it. The ending was blah.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Mitch and Abby McDeere are back in a kind-of sequel to The Firm. It's about 13 years later and Mitch is a lawyer again, in a big NYC firm. To call this an actual sequel is a disgrace to The Firm and all that was good about Grisham's writing in the early years. Tom Cruise can't save this. Mitch and Abby have become entitled snobby elitest leftist liberals. If Abby sneers and is fed up once she's that a hundred times. Mitch provides a travel log of places to see and things to do, all on a private company jet. He's a partner in only a decade? And the plot...who remembers Muammar Gaddafi & Libya (besides me)? The kidnapped by a terrorist plot in 2005 is just not relevant to most readers in 2023. And it's boring. Not enough action and how the kidnapped woman got along. It took me a long time to finish, I picked it up and put it down a lot. I cannot recommend this to any John Grisham fan, it's disappointing.
#Netgalley #Doubleday #TheExchange #JohnGrisham #TheFirm

I look forward to reading John Grisham’s new book every fall. I’ve been a fan of Grisham’s writing since The Firm. I enjoyed catching up with Mitch and Abby. The Exchange delivers plenty of action and suspense.

The Exchange by John Grisham

Abby and Mitch McDeere star in this novel, 15 years after The Firm. One of Mitch’s colleagues has been kidnapped and Mitch must spearhead the effort to collect the 100 million ransom.

I enjoyed reading about Abby and Mitch again, and their life after his employment at the firm. There were no courtroom settings but some international travel, which was interesting. I kept waiting for Grisham’s trademark plot twist, which never really came. All in all, this book left me rather flat, but for a reader wanting to follow up on Abby and Mitch’s latest adventures, it would be a worthy read. I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy in return for this, my honest opinion.

Every now and then I like to delve into a John Grisham legal thriller. I find they are usually guaranteed dose of suspense. Unfortunately, The Exchange was the first Grisham novel that fell flat for me.

Knowing this was a follow up to The Firm, I expected a lot more action and some twists. Aside from the initial kidnapping, nothing happens in this book. Everything is what you expect and predict. I suppose the suspense is supposed to hinge on their efforts to secure the financing to negotiate a release, but all the meetings regarding money about put me to sleep.

I don't mind Grisham's extremely detailed style of writing when the plot is suspenseful enough to carry it, but I found myself skipping over entire pages describing flights, meals, hotel rooms etc. I also found it bizarre that the antagonists of the story are given so little real estate and are completely underdeveloped.

Die hard Grisham fans may have gotten more from the book than I did, but for me it was just OK for 70% and then got far too slow to be enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Double Day Books for a free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am nothing if not a JG stan but unfortunately this one was giving ghost writer in a big way. As part 2 of The Firm I was SO excited but the writing quality was suspect at best and the ending felt middling.

Not great

Thank you to Doubleday Books, Doubleday and NetGalley for this ARC.

I LOVED the Firm and was so excited when I saw the sequel was coming out.

I am giving this book 4 stars, as I didn't love it as much as I love all of John Grisham's other books.
Like others I found this book to be more of an action thriller then a legal thriller. I found it held my attention but didn't grab me and reel me in like most of Grisham's books do!

However, if you loved the firm and the characters then you will absolutely still love this book!

I've read and loved Grisham's books since The Firm and it was a delight to catch up with Mitch and Abby again. This book seems a lot different than most of Grisham's books. No courtroom drama, very little actual action; but it's a suspenseful and entertaining book and it kept me engaged.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for gifting me a digital ARC of the sequel to The Firm by John Grisham - 4 stars!

In the years after Mitch exposed all the corruption happening in his Memphis law firm, he and his wife, Abby, now have a new life in NYC with their twin boys. A colleague and friend from Rome summons him to ask for his help on a huge construction project lawsuit, and asks that his daughter, Giovanna, a law associate, help Mitch. They head to Libya but Mitch gets sick and Giovanna is forced to go on her own. Then the worst happens and she is kidnapped. Mitch and Abby are suddenly in the midst of a terrorist negotiation.

I love John Grisham's books but this is not a legal thriller as you might expect. It's certainly a compelling thriller but more in the vein of terrorists and international politics. I kept trying to figure out how Abby got so involved, and I never quite felt the connection to any of the characters. But it's still a new John Grisham book and a must read!

Grisham is one of my FAVORITE authors! Grisham is known for his intricate plots and complex characters, and it's not uncommon for his books to present ethical and moral dilemmas within them. His storytelling style keeps readers engaged and guessing - this time on an international level. The Exchange catches up with Mitch and Abby McDeere fifteen years after the events in The Firm. The story revolves around a kidnapping and ransom plot and was quite suspenseful.

Another great story from John Grisham. I enjoyed how he continued the story of Abby and Mitch many years later. It was a seamless transition. Overall, the storyline was interesting. Some parts seemed to move slower and others were predictable. Overall 4 stars.

This felt hastily written and was something of a let down. I’m not sure if I missed something, but the action was hardly propulsive, most of the exposition was hurried and too vague to be believable, and the sheer amount of incidental characters made it hard to follow. This is the second Grisham I’ve read this year, and I’m inclined to say he may have lost his touch. It’s entertaining and gripping, but the sudden conclusion felt too reminiscent of The Firm, although not as satisfying. At the final page, I found myself wondering if I had accidentally skipped a chapter. I was delighted to revisit Mitch and Abby, but I found the adventure illogical at best and poorly crafted at worst.

The Exchange by John Grisham is the sequel to The Firm. I read The Firm many years ago, but can still recall the intensity of it and how I just had to keep reading until I knew the outcome. Sadly, The Exchange did not evoke the same feelings. The story follows Mitch and Abby McDeere fifteen years after they fled Memphis, they now live in Manhattan and have twin boys. Mitch is sent to Rome to meet with the head of the Italian division of his current law firm, where he is a partner. Once there, he is asked to go to Libya and while there, his colleague Giovanna is kidnapped and held for ransom. The story continues with Mitch and his firm working to get the funds for her release by the terrorists. While I enjoyed the storyline for the most part, it lacked excitement and I never felt connected to the characters in a way that I wanted to come back for more.

Mitch and Abbey 15 years later are still together raising twins in NYC. I used to read everything John Grisham wrote. I especially liked the Firm and was excited to read the sequel. I found this book a bit flat. The action starts when Mitch’s associate, the daughter of a senior partner is kidnapped in Libya. Murders, failed raids, lots of air travel and trying to convince people to provide money to pay the ransom. The characters were not fully developed and the ending underwhelming. Thank you #NetGalley, #DoubledayBooks, #JohnGrisham and #TheExchange for the advance readers copy for my honest review.

Thank you so much @prha & @doubledaybooks for the e & audio advanced copies.


This is a story about complications.

I really enjoyed elements of this- getting to see where Mitch is today, that they’re still married etc… that being said it felt like it was fairly unconnected to book 1 & could easily be read as a standalone novel. I think this would be a solid read if you enjoy international politics (I do not especially). This wasn’t his strongest work for me personally, but the writing was still excellent!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 💫 rounded to 4.