(Published by Century)
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Grisham’s latest novel, The Broker, is set outside the USA. It’s only the second time Grisham has gone down this route, the first being The Testament published in 1999, which takes place in Brazil and is deemed by many to be one of Grisham’s best.
Joel Backman is a lawyer serving a 20-year prison sentence. In the final hours of the outgoing President’s term he is granted a controversial last minute pardon. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisticated satellite surveillance system.
Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country in a military cargo plane, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. Eventually, after he has settled into his new life, the CIA will leak his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis. Then the CIA will do what it does best: sit back and watch. The question is not whether Backman will survive – there is no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is who will kill him?
When the novel moves to Italy the plot slows down considerably as Backman savours the food, language and history of the country. Indeed the reader is given a tutorial in basic Italian and Italian food. Although this may sound tedious, Grisham has managed to do it in such a way that the reader is not bored to tears and may actually come away with some useful Italian phrases.
Unfortunately, as the plot unfolds in Italy, the unbelievability factor also increases. The reader is asked to believe that this corporate lawyer develops the skills to evade surveillance by some of the most highly trained professionals in the world. I am sure we would all like to believe that espionage would come as second nature but in this case Grisham is asking too much.
Although touted as a suspenseful thriller, The Broker is far from that. It ambles along rather than races and, while the reader will undoubtedly continue to turn the pages, it will not be from a sense of burning curiosity.
Grisham’s previous book – The Last Juror – was Grisham at his best. Unfortunately, with The Broker, he has slipped backwards. The Broker is lazy and depends far too much on the reader accepting the unacceptable. 
Also by John Grisham
The Painted House
The Last Juror
