Mægleren

by John Grisham

Kort før den amerikanske præsident går af, benåder han advokaten Joel Backman, der har siddet i fængsel de sidste seks år. Hvad ingen ved er, at præsidenten har benådet Backman, fordi CIA har presset ham til det. CIA har nemlig grund til at tro, at Backman ligger inde med informationer om det mest sofistikerede satellitovervågningssystem til dato.
I al hemmelighed bliver Backman smuglet ud af landet. Han får et nyt navn, en ny identitet og et nyt hjem i Italien. Når alt er klar, vil CIA lække disse informationer til russerne, kineserne, israelerne og saudiaraberne og så ellers vente på, hvem der reagerer. At Backman dermed er dødsdømt, er der ingen tvivl om. Det der er interessant for CIA er, hvem der dræber ham!

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Legal Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Legal

364 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 2005

About the author

John Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include Framed, Camino Ghosts and The Exchange: After the Firm.

Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.

When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.

John lives on a farm in central Virginia.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't have a whole lot to say about this book. It is an older Grisham book I have waited a while to read, and I could have waited longer. It was not great. In an author's note at the end he even mentions the subject matter and plot in this book are not his normal. While I applaud him for stepping outside of his comfort zone, I am glad he stepped back in.

As you may have seen in other reviews, almost 2/3 of this book is learning Italian language and culture filler. It could easily have been summed up "and then the main character spent some time learning Italian and I'm emersing himself in the culture" and we would have ended up in the same place. And, what is even crazier is that him learning to be Italian doesn't really play into the ultimate resolution of the book.

So, if you want to try Grisham, don't start here. If you are a Grisham fan and you haven't read this yet, consider yourself warned before you try it!

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Broker got his hands on some world-changing tech and had the world in his palms when it all came crashing down and the only way to save the rest of his family an friends was to go to prison. The outgoing President is convinced to pardon the Broker by the FBI. Why did the FBI want him pardoned? Because hopefully they can get some essential intel from whomever comes to kill the Broker. This is thee story of how the Broker using his brokering skills to navigate his post-prison life and tries to keep himself and his loved ones safer form multiple external and internal threats. Sounds a bit boring? Well, this one is a pretty tame Grisham, and it's only the Broker's personal struggles with post-prison faux deep-witness protection life that kept me reading. A subdued 6 out of 12, Three Star jam :)

2024 read

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am finding myself totally attracted to the older Grisham novels. This one was published in 2005.

There is international political intrigue that kept me turning pages trying to figure out what is going on here and why is the main character, Joel Backman important enough to be pardoned by the outgoing President, protected by the CIA or wanting to be killed by other countries agents?!

And that is the beauty of Grisham’s writing – there is corruption at the top – but who is it, and why – and as readers we want to know! And, is our main character Joel worth saving?

So many questions need answering? So, what is a reader to do? Keep reading? Who needs sleep anyway?

And this is what makes this book so readable! Joel is a person who as an attorney in the past, has brokered deals, and now that he has been pardoned by the outgoing President, he realizes he is the cheese in a cat-and-mouse game with a target on his back. And he has no intention of parading around in full view of his hunters. So, what can he do to save himself?

And as readers, we turn pages quickly, intrigued with the spy-versus-spy intrigue in this well constructed, fast-paced non-courtroom thriller. Where we root for the flawed anti-hero, hope for a father-son reunion, some redemption, and wonder if he can out-run the guns in this political thriller.

It is an imperfectly, perfect reading experience. Why imperfect - because, so much of what I read, feels so oddly familiar, like a story I have read before, or a movie I saw. But then again, that is what happens when one reads a 2005 novel in 2024, right?

Still, I really enjoyed it. And...keep in mind…sleep is fleeting with this one.

4.5 stars rounded down.

[Jay Schutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly your typical Grisham legal-eagle book. But rather a story with a different twist toward an international espionage/change of identity/cat and mouse thriller.
The book was an easy read, but there seemed to be a lot of needless filler. That filler was just the setup for the fast paced ending.
Overall, an enjoyable read.

[Mark Porton · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Joel Backman is pardoned by an outgoing US President (why is this even a thing?) he is given a new identity and is dropped into the beautiful Italian city of Bologna. Backman (now Marco) is a potential target for intelligence agencies around the world due to him possessing software able to disarm various satellite intelligence systems. The very thing that put him in prison in the first place. It is not clear exactly why he was pardoned, not initially anyway.

I must say it is a refreshing change to read a story with a plot. For some reason, my preferred stories are character based – this is the first time I’ve ever read Grisham, or any thriller/spy type story, with the possible exception of a Le Carre tale when I was in high school. I think I need to change this!

What made this super interesting for me was Marco’s life in Bologna, he had to learn Italian in quick time, so he had to fully immerse himself in Italian life - such as frequenting cafes, tourist sites, and various other places under the watchful eyes of his handlers. The fact, I have been to Bologna meant I recognised many of the wonderful sights – Grisham captured the mood of the city brilliantly.



The beautiful towers of Bologna

Anyway, this plot is complicated and there are many players - FBI, CIA, Mossad, Saudi, China, and Russian secret services, Politicians and more. Marco is constantly looking over his shoulder. There is an ominous feeling throughout this story. Grisham can certainly spin an interesting tale, he had me totally invested to the point I would get that sinking feeling in my stomach if Marco was in danger, or even if he was answering his door or crossing a street.

I really, really enjoyed this and now I have a new author to enjoy.

4 Stars

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

The unique (and successful) combination of thriller with a European travelogue!

With technology stolen from two US defense contractors, a cutting edge satellite surveillance system dubbed Neptune was secretly built and launched under the very nose of the CIA and the rest of the world's elite spy communities - Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, England and China. Nobody even knew of the system's top secret existence (let alone who was operating it) until two brilliant Pakistani computer wizards unwittingly hacked into the system and parlayed that illicit entry into an astonishing piece of software capable of hijacking, manipulating and neutralizing the system.

When greed and human nature drive these naive programmers into the arms of Washington power broker, Joel Backman, to ask for his help in shopping the knowledge of the clandestine satellite system and their superlative software package to the highest bidder, the best laid plans of mice and men and crafty programmers and Washington lawyers are smashed into a million tiny pieces. The hapless young hackers are assassinated and never seen from again and Joel Backman is indicted and hidden away in prison on some nebulous but entirely bogus conspiracy and treason charges. The reputation of his multi-million dollar legal firm is shattered, his partner commits suicide (maybe?) and his son's reputation is left in tatters.

The story really begins in earnest when a cynical, conniving director of the CIA and an unscrupulous outgoing president hatch an idea to solve the continuing puzzle of who owns Neptune. Grant Backman a pardon, create a false identity for him in another country, be a little less than 100% efficient in guarding this identity and location and, finally, sit back to see who comes gunning for him!

Joel Backman's character as a man, a failed father, a wealthy lawyer and power broker, a broken prisoner, a driven student of culture and language and a newly minted caring lover is exceptionally well-developed. Francesca Ferro, his language tutor, is equally well crafted and a wonderfully detailed study of an enigmatic and sophisticated but very human European woman.

While its fundamental premise is a tad over the top and registers a little low on the credibility meter, THE BROKER is an enjoyable spy vs spy suspense thriller with the legal overtones for which Grisham is so well known. It's a cautionary tale that warns of the dangers of power without checks, balances and accountability. It's a dark and sinister story that should terrify readers about the extent to which an unscrupulous government spy agency will go, ostensibly in the interests of national security.

Finally, and perhaps this will be quite difficult to believe, it is also a charming low-key romance and a wonderfully informative travelogue on Italian life in the city of Bologna. By the bye, THE BROKER also relates an exceptionally interesting narrative of the difficulties of cultural assimilation and learning a foreign language. As surprising as the juxtaposition of these story components may be, Grisham has pulled it all off quite effortlessly. It's not a combination that will work and be of interest to every reader but I found it thoroughly enjoyable and charming at the same time as it was exciting.

THE BROKER is a fine addition to Grisham's already excellent and well-stocked body of work. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Peiman E iran · Rating 2 out of 5]

‎دوستانِ گرانقدر، داستان در موردِ «آرتور مورگان» رئیس جمهورِ آمریکاست که پس از چهار سال ریاستِ جمهوری، به طرزِ مفتضحانه ای در رقابت و جمع آوریِ آرا از رقیبش «کریتز» که دوست و همکارِ صمیمیِ او بود، شکست خورد و تنها در یک ایالت، آنهم ایالتِ «آلاسکا» رأی آورد
‎رئیس جمهور پس از سالیانِ سال خدمت کردن به مردم در پُست ها و مقام هایِ گوناگون، اکنون آهی در بساط ندارد... بنابراین به او پیشنهاد میدهند در ازایِ دریافت رشوه، حکمِ بخشش و آزادیِ یک زندانی مشهور به نامِ «جوئل بکمن» معروف به " سوداگر" را صادر کند... و از آنجایی که نزدیک به 15 سال از مدتِ حبسِ بکمن باقی مانده است و خبرنگارها و مردم ممکن است به این موضوع شک کنند و سر و صدایِ زیادی به پا شود، بنابراین قرار میشود تا رئیس جمهور که روزهایِ آخر ریاستش را در کاخِ سفید میگذراند، مخفیانه به جزیره ای در "کارائیب" پرواز کند و پس از چندماه برایِ همیشه و برایِ ادامهٔ زندگی به "آلاسکا" سفر کند و در آنجا در کلبه ای زندگی کرده و باقی عمر را به ماهی گیری و استراحت بپردازد
‎از طرفی جوئل بکمن که رئیس جمهور با قدرت و نفوذِ او به ریاستِ جمهوری رسیده است، از اطلاعاتِ سریِ زیادی آگاه است، که باعث میشود خیلی ها در اندیشهٔ قتل او باشند... بنابراین تصمیم میگیرند او را مخفیانه از زندان آزاد کرده و مشخصاتِ شناسایی و هوئیتِ جدیدی برایِ او درست کرده و به یکی از کشورهایِ اروپایی که کسی نمیداند کدام کشور است، بفرستند
---------------------------------------------
‎امیدوارم این ریویو در جهتِ آشنایی با این کتاب، کافی و مفید بوده باشه
‎«پیروز باشید و ایرانی»

[Jr Bacdayan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's OK. Not that bad, not that good either. The plot was promising, but I got bored along the way. Because it's Grisham, the characters are always interesting and the writing is always great. But my problem here was the pace. There were a lot of instances where I thought Grisham was beating around the bush. He was rather fond of the Italian culture and took lengths to explain quite a few things and that would have been nice if this was a book about Italy. But, this is an espionage thriller of some sort and there were quite a lot of dull parts. Well if this is a thriller, I wasn't thrilled. The ending was redeeming because it contained some excitement, but it was little too late. I was at the point of no return. I had already gotten bored and my mind was already filled with thoughts about how I wasted my time. That being said, I still think that Grisham's sub-par work is better than most out there. If you're a Grisham fan then read this. If not, then don't. You're better off reading his other books.

[Sumit RK · Rating 2 out of 5]

It starts promisingly.. Then it gets repetitive and reads like Italy's tour guide instead of a thriller. Even the ending seems too far fetched & implausible.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A stand alone thriller published 2005.

A so-so 3 stars.

This was, at it’s best, just so-so. There bits that were intriguing and bits that just went on and on.
Our main protagonist, Joel Backman, was a high level lobbyist who got his hands on some very sensitive software. So sensitive that it would become a game changer for future military conflict.
All Joel could see were dollar signs in front of his eyes and so he tried to sell it to the highest bidder. When the CIA became aware of this Joel was arrested and convicted for treason and to spend the next twenty years of his life behind a prison door.
There were a lot of countries after Joel’s blood, promises were made and promises were broken. As a result Joel spent much of his life looking over his shoulder, even in prison.

When the current Presidents term was just about over he gave, much to Joel’s delight and surprise, a pardon for past wrong doings. The reality was that this was a CIA ruse to see who would kill Joel first.
Part of the ruse was to give Joel a new identity and send him somewhere safe, which turned out to be Bologna Italy. So Joel ends up in Bologna with some CIA minders in tow.
At this point the book becomes a travelogue for Bologna, a crash course in learning Italian and also a good food guide to the best restaurants in Bologna. This would have been interesting had I been interested in going to Bologna. Enough said.

Where credulity leaves us was when Joel, who knows about as much about espionage as I do, decides to takes on the CIA at there own game.

Look there were parts that were quite exciting but there were lots of it that were just a drag so as I said at the beginning, at its best this was just so-so.

[Paul E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to John Grisham's fast pace, high-tech (not too technical) International, political, suspense/thriller. All complete with a nicely flawed antihero. A tad bit of romance. And a nice descriptive trip to Italy (however and unfortunately, at times the language interpreting portion within this trip has a casual tediousness to it).
Oh, did I forget to mention CIA hitmen?

4 to 4.5 stars

[Elusive.Mystery · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this hefty 422-page wanna-be spy-novel-travel guide, -421 pages too long-, Mr. Grisham confirms that he is fortunate, indeed, to make so much money with so little talent. This book is generously peppered with little gems, such as, ‘”I love Stuttgart,” Marco said, just to watch it unwrinkle.’ Or, “He met Joel at the powerful oak door and they shook hands properly, but not like old friends.” “In other days, he’d have followed Elke anywhere, but now it was only downstairs.” Mr. Grisham, who is no Paul Theroux, daringly forays into travel writing with his tedious descriptions of Bologna, Italy, and increases the word count by tediously writing delightful, rambling, mundane phrases, first in Italian, followed by the translation in English. “He had a brain, cervello. He touched a hand, mano; an arm, braccio; a leg, gamba.”
The trees cut down for this book would have been more useful for toilet paper purposes, but nevertheless, not wanting to begrudge the book its value as in-flight low-grade soporific entertainment, one can best suggest to leave it on an airport bench somewhere, with a forewarning inside for its next unsuspecting reader.

[Vikas Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a huge let down. While clearly legal thrillers is his forte, he has ventured into spy thriller genre with this novel. However, neither is the chase thrilling nor is the plot gripping. Some how limping and disenchanted you will reach the climax which is quite a dampener. The novel at times looks like a tourist brochure for Italy!

[Marty Fried · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very entertaining book, fairly easy to read and with a bunch of interesting characters. Perhaps the most amazing thing was that it got me to cheer on a guy that was a total asshole before going to prison - a super rich lawyer/lobbyist who liked to show off how rich and powerful he was more than he liked to spend time with his family. One of the few people who even admitted to knowing him after he went to prison was his mother, who barely knew who she was herself, and perhaps one son who didn't hate him too much. He was arrogant, and seemed only interested in power. Yet somehow, Grisham made him likable, and someone we wanted to see win.

I guess it helped that some of the "good guys" were just as bad or worse, if the CIA and other government officials can be called good guys. The outgoing president was so bad that he came very close to getting zero votes for his reelection. The incoming president was so bad he contested the one state (Alaska) that that gave 3 votes to the old president, because he wanted to completely whitewash his opponent. But the incumbent finally won Alaska - by 17 votes.

The outgoing president had nothing to lose really by giving pardons to a few lowlifes, including our unsuspecting hero, Joel Backman. The CIA initiated this, in order to use him as bait. Joel became a free man, but had to stay out of the US, because the CIA wanted him dead, but not in the US. So, they took him to Italy, even though he knew no Italian. A lot of the book was about Italy, and learning to be Italian, which Joel, now Marco, did pretty well for an old worn out American. I enjoyed this part of the book, which made me want to go to Italy. It seems like a great place except for the speaking Italian part, which although I'd love to be able to do this, I'd probably never be able to learn.

By the end of the book, I was wishing it wouldn't end so soon. We have to use our imagination a bit to guess what happens afterwards, but I think everyone lives happily ever after. Don't they always?

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 1 out of 5]

1-Star for The Broker - "A Definite DNF For Me"
I read a print copy of this book sometime around 2009, prior to joining Goodreads. When I loaded my books into Goodreads after I joined in October 2011, I thought this one had been worthy of 1-Star.
My "Date Finished" Year is approximate and the "Month/Day" is my date of birth.

[Metodi Markov · Rating 1 out of 5]

По принцип съм любител на творчеството на Гришам, но тази книга е поредно разочарование.

Интересна идея и много слабо изпълнение, типично за този автор в последните няколко години. :(

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My brother recommended this book. Since I want him to read Joel Salatin, in a tit-for-tat deal I agreed to read The Broker. The first 13 pages, the political pardon arrangement, were hilarious. I was hooked. But not for long. After the main character, Backman, was whisked away to Europe by the CIA, the spy-vs-spy vs innocent-in-a-strange-land story - or whatever this was supposed to be - went awry. At this point Grisham's editor - he does have one, I presume - should have sent back the manuscript and told his celebrated author to toss all pages from 14 on into the garbage and not only rewrite the book, but rethink the story.

What is all this mangiare and vino and birra and espresso doing in a story of a man hunted by assassins? While I belong to the 1% of Grisham's readers who thoroughly enjoyed learning to speak basic Italian right along with Backman, I was expecting a thriller, not a language lesson and tour guide to northern Italy with an emphasis on Bologna. To repeat, where was his knife-wielding editor?

Worse, The Broker doesn't make sense. It contains many plot Whys, but I'll note just 5 big ones. First, the CIA places Backman in Italy, gives him an apartment and wardrobe but no money or passport, tutors him in how and when to order a cappucino, and then gives the equivalent CIAs of 4 foreign governments a recent photo of Backman on the streets of Bologna just because the CIA wants to see who will kill him. The CIA says this plan is vital to the national security of the U.S.A., but even I, a non-reader of thrillers, recognize that this plan is pointless, so why do it? Second, how is killing Backman going to help the CIA get what they desperately want, which is JAM? Third, since the CIA believes Backman has JAM, why didn't they stick to Plan A and inject him with sodium pentathol when they had him under their thumb at the military hospital? Fourth, eventually we learn that Backman does have JAM. He's always had it. So why didn't he cut a deal with the CIA before he was sentenced to 20 years in solitary confinement? Of course, had Backman done that, this book would not exist. Fifth, while real life doesn't have neat endings, fiction does. But this story has no conclusion. Is Backman safe now from all his would-be assassins, or not? Is this sloppy mess typical of Grisham or was I just handed a lemon?

[Bodosika Bodosika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am a fan of John Grisham and if am not mistaken I have read almost all his work starting from "A time to kill,The firm,The pelican brief,The runner way jury, The client and so on and so forth.
John Grisham don't disappoint.

[Eric Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another novel in a long line of great books by John Grisham. You know it's going to be a fun book when the CIA is leaking someones whereabouts just to see who kills him. When I read the jacket of the book I was afraid that they may have given too much of the plot away. I was wrong. There was still plenty of suspense and drama to be had. This book had me guessing how it was going to end until it was over. I must admit that I didn't guess right at all.


The characters in this book are well rounded and well developed. It seems that Grisham takes great pride in developing the characters and the settings of his books and it shows. The chase in this book takes you into 3 or 4 different countries and crosses paths with many, many people.


If you are a mystery fan or a Grisham fan then this book is a good read for you. It's not as good as "A Time to Kill" or "Runaway Jury" but it's by far better than "The Brethren" (those references will make sense to the Grisham addicts out there).


Overall Rating: 4/5

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. Another gripper from Grisham. High powered lobbyist Joel Backman is serving a twenty year sentence for numerous offences, the most important of which is shopping secrets which could jeopardize the security of the United States. A new satellite surveillance system is at the heart of this one. A terrible President in his last days in the White House unexpectedly pardons him. The question is why. It turns out to be a set up by the CIA which proceeds to hide Backman in Italy to see which foreign government wants to limit their losses and kill him. Will it be the Chinese? The Russians? The Saudis? Others? The CIA really wants to know which country, or was it an organization, he was dealing with previously. Who's worried he might spill the beans? It's a plan; what could go wrong? Leave it to Grisham to elaborate on that. A great adventure. Even if you don't like the book, you will surely improve your Italian! And it's such a wonderful place to visit. (Au2017/Ja2024)

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first, somewhat sluggish half is immersed in Italian lessons before gaining traction in the exciting second half. 8 of 10 stars

[Noella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joel Backman zit in de gevangenis, maar krijgt gratie van de aftredende president. Hij wordt echter niet zomaar vrijgelaten, hij wordt in het grootste geheim naar Italïe gebracht, meer bepaald naar Bologna. Daar moet hij leren een echte Italiaan te worden, de taal leren, de gebruiken, enz.

Backman had een software programma in bezit dat satellieten kon beheersen. Hij wilde dit verkopen aan de hoogste bieder: de USA, de Saudi's, de Israëliërs of de Chinezen. Maar omdat de mensen in zijn nabijheid vermoord werden, pleitte hij schuldig in een proces (over fraude geloof ik) om zo 'veilig' in de gevangenis te belanden. Het software programma werd nooit teruggevonden.

Na twee maanden in Italïe, onder het toeziend oog van de CIA, beseft Joel dat hij hier ook niet veilig is. Men is hem toch op het spoor. In feite zit het zo, dat de CIA hem een tijd in leven wilde houden, en dan informatie over zijn verblijf zou lekken, om te zien wie zou trachten hem te vermoorden.

Maar Joel is een echte manipulator. Hoewel hij soms in nauwe schoentjes komt te zitten, slaagt hij er toch in te ontsnappen uit Bologna. Maar zal hij zijn problemen kunnen oplossen? Zal hij ervoor kunnen zorgen dat hij ooit terug ergens veilig kan leven?

Het boek wordt langzaam opgebouwd, een groot deel gaat over de tijd van Joel (dan Marco) in Bologna. Zijn lessen Italiaans, zijn bezoekjes aan verschillende bezienswaardigheden, aan restaurants waar hij algauw zelf zijn menu moet bestellen in het Italiaans en dergelijke.

Het is pas een eind in het tweede deel van het boek dat de spanning er echt in komt, en dan gaat het eigenlijk razendsnel. Zo snel dat het moeilijk was het boek weg te leggen.
Ik vond het dus eigenlijk super goed geschreven, en hoewel het eigenlijke onderwerp politiek is, was het toch niet moeilijk te volgen en begrijpelijk beschreven. Goed boek.

[Ashlei A.K.A Chyna Doll · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW..... THIS WAS A WILD RIDE!!!!

This starts out with a super secret meeting in the White House, doing HIGHLY ILLEGAL things, and from that first bit we go to a Federal Prison to get out "The Broker" A High command, High powered lawyer/lobbyist(Rubbing shoulders with Senators, Congressmen, Even Getting a President elected!!!!) in Washington D.C. He is out and from there whisked out of the country to Italy......
From there is where our main character is on his own so to speak with the deck stacked against them (That's was always the plan....) Can he figure out how to save his butt from whats coming, Can he use all his wits and skills to keep 1 step ahead of trained CIA, FBI, AND MORE!!!! Little does he know the last deal that put him in prison is far from over... and it could be ANYONE around the corner ready to jump!!!

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the hell was that? A travel guide for Bologna? A beginners guide to speaking Italian? I really like him and I can’t believe Grisham allowed it to be published. I’m not even going to waste any more time with this review. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟
This was good from the first page until the end. Tons of action, never a dull moment in this one. My favorite thing about this one is all the coffee talk in the cafes and all the espresso drinking through the whole story 😂. It ended different than I expected but loved the ending.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know me, you know that I am a Grisham fan through and through. So I loved this book!!!

The Broker was intense, fast-paced and well written. I missed sleep because I couldn’t put this novel down. From the presidential pardon to the tour of Italy, this book moved quickly

Of note,his characters were complex and evolved at the right pace. Joel’s struggle to learn Italian is a struggle that I can relate with. I have struggled with German my whole life.

The ending caught me by surprise. I loved it. Grisham stiles again!!

I highly recommended.

[Sully (sully.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The president had shifted to the 'we' mode now, something he invariably did when a potentially unpopular decision was at hand. For the easy ones, it was always 'I.' When he needed a crutch, and especially when he would need someone to blame, he opened up the decisionmaking process and included Critz.”

Every so often, we wonder how the decision making process goes inside the government, particularly in the seemingly superior branch of the government (go figure). The Broker gave us a little preview of how the decisions go into process inside the government legally and (surprisingly…not!) illegally. In this novel, the process goes a little too corrupt. It began with a Washington power broker-lobbyist and a lawyer, Joel Backman. He is, in the story, the famous broker that was sent to jail for six years. Upon the dissolution of his sentence, the political wheels in Washington have turned and numerous powerful people want him dead. So, several bloody bargains were made. Unexpectedly, the outgoing disgraced president granted him a full pardon at the request of the CIA. Joel Backman now finds himself out of the prison in the middle of the night, bundled onto a military plane flown to Italy to begin a superficially new life. He began having a new name and mysterious "friends" who will teach him to speak the language and to blend in with the people in Bologna.

The Broker is not a very good book but I don’t hate it. The novel’s plot has a lot to offer but I was surprised that it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to be. There are too many “extra scenes” and the pacing was too slow. For instance, the story intensively put the attention to Joel Backman’s idle days where he ordered pizza, cappuccino before 10:30am in an Italian café speaking Italian. The routine of his life is too reiterated, that it is too much to be told.

Anyway, this book is one of my Vacation Reads , so I am off to read a new one! *happy*

[Dimitrios · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some time ago, i entered a multistore in my area. I was just browsing books, when this book caught my eye. I took it in my hands to take a look at it. When i saw writers name, a had a feeling that i know this name.

«John Grisham? John Grisham? I know him for sure…», i thought. It felt like, i’ve heard of him, before. Of course! It’s the write of «Pelican Brief», the book that, the 1993 homonymous film, was based on. As i start to read it, it felt like i was the main protagonist and i was commiserated with him.

The book is about a big-time lawyer called Joel Blackman, which is entangled with goverment secret and some strange coincidences, involving White House, the secret agencies of several countries (CIA, FBI, Mosad etc.) and a group of hackers.

The writer narrates in the third person , so his way , does not potentially confuses, the reader.

After six years in prison for illegal possession of confidential documents, Joel Backman, suddenly gets pardoned by outgoing President , after a request from CIA. He is released from prison, but now, he must live in Italy with a new name and a new identity , while CIA is protecting him(?)

The case is unfolding in Bologna, Italy, Where the author – narrator describes the entire city with tremendous accuracy. From the city monuments to the shops!

This book has all the elements of a good spy story! Double-crossing, manhunt, disguise, even a love story.

5/5 stars from me.

[wanderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read every book Grisham writes but seldom read one twice. The Broker is by far my favorite, thanks to the Italian setting. (Yes, I know it's becoming cliche to set books in Italy but I am shamelessly in love with that country and believe you can't have too much of a good thing in this case.)

Caution: do not read while hungry and especially not while in need of coffee with no way of getting any. I considered counting how often the main character drank espresso or some other delectable Italian coffee drink but decided not to, as I was trapped on an endless toll road with days of indifferent McDonalds lattes behind and before me.

The plot is perhaps improbable but kept my interest all the same. I liked the main character and most of the secondaries and this was one of those books you really want to end all tied with a bow.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My third John Grisham book.

Listened on Audio. Read by Dennis Boutsikaris. and VERY well read, I might add.

With 14 years left on a 20-year prison sentence, notorious Washington power broker Joel Backman receives a surprise pardon. But Backman has serious enemies from his past. As the CIA watches him closely, the question is not whether he will be killed, but rather who will get to him first.

Enjoyed the book.

Next Grisham: The Boys from Biloxi.

4 stars