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The Firm #1
La Firme
Le jeune juriste Mitchell Y. McDeere est récompensé de ses brillantes études à Harvard : à Memphis, le très sélect cabinet d'avocats Bendini, Lambert & Locke lui offre un véritable pont d'or pour l'engager. Son épouse Abby est ravie, même si la firme semble bien indiscrète sur leur vie privée et si Mitch doit travailler comme un forcené pour mériter son salaire mirobolant. Les choses se gâtent quand des collaborateurs meurent mystérieusement et qu'un agent du FBI apprend au jeune homme la terrifiante vérité sur les véritables activités du cabinet d'avocats. Il semble que l'on ne sorte de chez Bendini, Lambert & Locke que les pieds devant. Mitch devra courir vite pour sauver sa vie...
Incarné au cinéma par Tom Cruise dans La Firme, le personnage de Mitch McDeere est celui qui a révélé John Grisham au grand public. Vendu à plus de trois millions d'exemplaires aux États-Unis, ce roman a permis à l'auteur d'arrêter sa carrière de juriste pour se consacrer à l'écriture de best-sellers, comme L'Affaire Pélican, L'Associé, L'Idéaliste, Le Testament, La Loi du plus faible. Un suspense mené de main de maître. --Bruno Ménard
232 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1991
6201 people are currently reading
45615 people want to read
About the author
John Grisham
490 books90.2k followersJohn 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,703 reviews
April 27, 2019
This was the first or second John Grisham book I ever read. I read it years ago - in fact, I think when I read it the most recent Grisham book release was The Pelican Brief or maybe The Client.
I remember enjoying this book a lot and that all of his early books had a similar feel and were very easy to get into. It was also the start of my expectation that several times throughout a Grisham you will get details on what the main characters are eating or drinking. Instead of just saying he grabbed a bite to eat on the way home, you always get details about what was ordered and usually a couple of beers are involved. When he does that in his newer releases I automatically think "Classic Grisham!"
I have managed to read most of his books over the years, and while many are not up to the same standard as his early books, I still enjoy checking them out every time there is a new release.
I remember enjoying this book a lot and that all of his early books had a similar feel and were very easy to get into. It was also the start of my expectation that several times throughout a Grisham you will get details on what the main characters are eating or drinking. Instead of just saying he grabbed a bite to eat on the way home, you always get details about what was ordered and usually a couple of beers are involved. When he does that in his newer releases I automatically think "Classic Grisham!"
I have managed to read most of his books over the years, and while many are not up to the same standard as his early books, I still enjoy checking them out every time there is a new release.
October 24, 2023
⚖️ A cut throat firm if ever there was one. The film with Cruise is also quite good. ⚖️ Another book I think of when I reflect on The Firm is The Devil’s Advocate. The film version brings together Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves, and Al Pacino. It’s diabolical🔥
August 22, 2021
If you weren’t around when The Firm came out almost 30 years ago, it was one of those books that broke through into super-popularity, like The Da Vinci Code or Gone Girl. I’d argue that Presumed Innocent and The Firm reinvigorated the legal fiction genre. If you’ve never read it or seen the movie, you know early that something is wrong at the law firm of Bendini, Lambert, & Locke: the firm’s weird selection criteria and rules, the focus on loyalty and family stability. You know the promises made to Mitch McDeere to lure him from Harvard Law School to a job in Memphis are too good to be true, but you probably won’t guess why until the reveal.
It is a clever plot, and original too, even though it could be reduced to a 10-second elevator pitch. Part of what makes it work is that the back half of The Firm goes in unexpected directions. Mitch McDeere is caught in an impossible position, and his hesitance to work with the government is understandable under the circumstances, but he’s not exactly a morally upstanding character: he only helps to take down the villain after getting what’s his and stealing a bit that’s not, and he never tells his wife about what happened in the Caymans.
The Firm is not perfect, and while it was his breakout book I don’t think it’s one of Mr. Grisham’s best novels. It is longer than it needs to be. There’s fat here that Mr. Grisham learned to cut from his later novels. In fact, it could have been one of those rare books where the movie is better (I mean, that cast is incredible), but the movie changes the back half of the novel in some really unsatisfying ways. Still, it’s an enjoyable book, and definitely worth reading if you never have.
It is a clever plot, and original too, even though it could be reduced to a 10-second elevator pitch. Part of what makes it work is that the back half of The Firm goes in unexpected directions. Mitch McDeere is caught in an impossible position, and his hesitance to work with the government is understandable under the circumstances, but he’s not exactly a morally upstanding character: he only helps to take down the villain after getting what’s his and stealing a bit that’s not, and he never tells his wife about what happened in the Caymans.
The Firm is not perfect, and while it was his breakout book I don’t think it’s one of Mr. Grisham’s best novels. It is longer than it needs to be. There’s fat here that Mr. Grisham learned to cut from his later novels. In fact, it could have been one of those rare books where the movie is better (I mean, that cast is incredible), but the movie changes the back half of the novel in some really unsatisfying ways. Still, it’s an enjoyable book, and definitely worth reading if you never have.
May 16, 2024
Third in his Harvard graduation class Mitchell McDeere gets the job opportunity of a lifetime with a Memphis lawyer firm offering huge earnings now and in the future, great perks and even a low-rate starter mortgage; the fact that they have no non-white or female lawyers he is prepared to overlook; they demand absolute loyalty and want him and his wife to become part of their extended family. It's only when he's knee deep in his new job that he realises that he may have a made a mistake they he can never get out of!
One of Grisham's signature books, and it's a monster. A delightfully insidious conspiracy is slowly revealed leaving the protagonist in a very difficult situation. An interesting take on us against them, but it's the law firm that fascinated me - is there always a price for any sort of utopia, even for a business? A no holds barred suspense filled legal thriller that truly made Grisham into the commercial storytelling global leader that he is today and has been for decades. An 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2024 read
One of Grisham's signature books, and it's a monster. A delightfully insidious conspiracy is slowly revealed leaving the protagonist in a very difficult situation. An interesting take on us against them, but it's the law firm that fascinated me - is there always a price for any sort of utopia, even for a business? A no holds barred suspense filled legal thriller that truly made Grisham into the commercial storytelling global leader that he is today and has been for decades. An 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2024 read
December 1, 2019
Mitch McDeere, a young promising lawyer, hires with Bendini, Lambert & Locke, a small firm of integrity set in Memphis. But the firm is secretely controlled by the mafia (an crucial aspect he doesn't know when signing a contract with them). Relatively soon the FBI wants him to cooperate with them. Everything is wired (house, car, office) and he really is between a rock and a hard place. What will he do to save his and his family's life? This is an "eerie firm with people that make your skin crawl." In this early Grisham novel you get incredible insight beside the shiny facade of a renowned lawyer firm how the real business is done. The story is tight, the plotting excellent and the characters absolutely convincing. One of his earliest bestsellers and the novel absolutely deserves it. Intriguing til the last page with a surprising development of the story. Highly recommended! If you want to understand the Grisham phenomenon you probably should start here. "It's a cutthroat business when the weak are eaten and they starting get rich... he who endures wins the gold." There is also a Tom Cruise film on this novel. But the book is the real deal!
October 20, 2014
it's not that this book necessarily deserves a 1, being the worst score possible, but... it's just so fucking dumb. I only finished it because I'm stuck in between 4 rice fields in japan, and the only reading I had available in english was. well. the label on my pepsi bottle.
IF you happen to be a 40-50 year old (white)man, and like reading about "6 figures", then I'll understand you liking this book.
Hhere's a taste.
"And, don't worry McDeere (former star college quarterback), The firm will front you a mortgage at NO INTEREST *reader gasps* and the BEAMER?? Consider it a gift *holy shit this book is crazy! Wow! These guys have so much money!* Your house? Yeah.... get this.... INTERIOR DECORATING
uh oh... are you getting nervous yet? Isn't this TOO GOOD?
knock yourself out, white collar, money grubbing, unimaginitive suburbanites all over america.
IF you happen to be a 40-50 year old (white)man, and like reading about "6 figures", then I'll understand you liking this book.
Hhere's a taste.
"And, don't worry McDeere (former star college quarterback), The firm will front you a mortgage at NO INTEREST *reader gasps* and the BEAMER?? Consider it a gift *holy shit this book is crazy! Wow! These guys have so much money!* Your house? Yeah.... get this.... INTERIOR DECORATING
uh oh... are you getting nervous yet? Isn't this TOO GOOD?
knock yourself out, white collar, money grubbing, unimaginitive suburbanites all over america.
October 7, 2023
This was my first read by Grisham in 1993 and I can truthfully say that the thrill is NOT gone. The Firm is brilliant and reminds me why I have continued to devour one Grisham title after another for the past 30 years. Mitch and Abby are unstoppable and I can't wait to see what happens in Book 2. Also want to rewatch the movie and see Tom Cruise in his signature sprint through Memphis. 😎
January 11, 2024
I had read this novel way back in the mid-1990s, much before I was on Goodreads. The release of the sequel prompted me to pick it up again (paired with the audiobook this time). One of my favorites from John Grisham, I enjoyed it this time as much as I did over twenty-five years ago). The only difference is that this time, I could visualize the setting having visited Memphis, The Peabody (loved those ducks!) and The Rendezvous (the food is delicious!). It was fun to be able to relate to those experiences!
Mitch McDeere, fresh out of Harvard Law School passes up the opportunity to work on Wall Street for a small firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke, with an enviable salary, benefits, and ample opportunity for growth. Mitch promptly packs up and moves to Memphis with his wife Abby. Little did he know then that The Firm was being covertly investigated by the FBI for financial crimes and links to the mob and he would be right in the middle of it all, endangering his career and his life. The narrative follows Mitch as he looks for a way out before it is too late.
The Firm by John Grisham is surely one of his best works and one that has stood the test of time. Despite this being a second reading, I was immersed in the story until the very end. Well-thought-out characters, consistent pacing, a gripping plot, and Grisham’s masterful storytelling – what more could we ask for? Could not recommend this novel enough!
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Scott Brick which made for an entertaining immersion reading experience!
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
Mitch McDeere, fresh out of Harvard Law School passes up the opportunity to work on Wall Street for a small firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke, with an enviable salary, benefits, and ample opportunity for growth. Mitch promptly packs up and moves to Memphis with his wife Abby. Little did he know then that The Firm was being covertly investigated by the FBI for financial crimes and links to the mob and he would be right in the middle of it all, endangering his career and his life. The narrative follows Mitch as he looks for a way out before it is too late.
The Firm by John Grisham is surely one of his best works and one that has stood the test of time. Despite this being a second reading, I was immersed in the story until the very end. Well-thought-out characters, consistent pacing, a gripping plot, and Grisham’s masterful storytelling – what more could we ask for? Could not recommend this novel enough!
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Scott Brick which made for an entertaining immersion reading experience!
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
January 20, 2021
John Grisham was a struggling lawyer and a struggling writer when he wrote The Firm. His first book had not done well.
But this book would sell millions of copies and pave the way for his later success as one of the bestselling writers in the world.
A young lawyer,straight out of law school is offered a job at a top law firm on very attractive terms. But even before he starts the job,he has to attend the funerals of two of the firm's lawyers.
Not much later,he discovers that three more lawyers employed by the firm have also died. He soon finds himself under constant surveillance. What is the firm's secret and why have they hired him ?
This is compelling storytelling,a first rate legal thriller. It was also adapted as a film with Tom Cruise in the lead role. However,the book is much better than the movie.
But this book would sell millions of copies and pave the way for his later success as one of the bestselling writers in the world.
A young lawyer,straight out of law school is offered a job at a top law firm on very attractive terms. But even before he starts the job,he has to attend the funerals of two of the firm's lawyers.
Not much later,he discovers that three more lawyers employed by the firm have also died. He soon finds himself under constant surveillance. What is the firm's secret and why have they hired him ?
This is compelling storytelling,a first rate legal thriller. It was also adapted as a film with Tom Cruise in the lead role. However,the book is much better than the movie.
February 17, 2022
One of my favorite books--an engaging legal thriller that kept me invested from the first page to the last.
Read
January 11, 2024DNF. Too much dialogue. I would have love to see more thought processes, it was just not my thing.
November 1, 2025
Good things really do come to those who wait. This is my first time reading The Firm and feel very fortunate to be able to segue right into book two, The Exchange while it is so fresh in my mind. Stoked to find out what happened to Mitch and Abby after this pulse-pounding cliffhanger ending.
In short, this is a heart pounding cat-and-mouse chase which never ceases to bedazzle.
In short, this is a heart pounding cat-and-mouse chase which never ceases to bedazzle.
August 21, 2018
Sorry to say but I found this book overly long and, at times, a bit pedantic.
Mitch McDeere has an IQ that’s off the Richter scale and has just finished a law degree at Harvard Uni and managed to come in third in his class.
A small, by New York standards, legal firm in Memphis woes Mitch to join the firm. The money being offered is well above what other bigger and more prestigious firms are offering. So with this carrot in front of him Mitch joins the firm. Mitch obviously hasn’t heard the expression “if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is”. So much for his high IQ.
After a few months Mitch is approached by the FBI who tell him that the firm is a front for a ruthless Mafia family. Mitch is expected to help the FBI to bring this family to justice or else find himself in a whole lot of trouble.
Mitch is left with no choice but to help. Mitch helps by copying ten thousand documents that reveal the extent of corruption performed by the firm on behalf of the Mafia.
By chance the firm just leaves all of these damning documents in a locked room, in an unguarded condo on Cayman Island.
Ineptitude rules, Mitch is inept for taking the job in the first place, the firm is inept for its lack of security with the documents and the family are inept for putting their trust in the firm.
To be fair, the last 150 pages were exciting to read. But all in all it was just a bit too silly.
This was not my first John Grisham book and it won’t be my last but this has been my least favourite so far.
Mitch McDeere has an IQ that’s off the Richter scale and has just finished a law degree at Harvard Uni and managed to come in third in his class.
A small, by New York standards, legal firm in Memphis woes Mitch to join the firm. The money being offered is well above what other bigger and more prestigious firms are offering. So with this carrot in front of him Mitch joins the firm. Mitch obviously hasn’t heard the expression “if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is”. So much for his high IQ.
After a few months Mitch is approached by the FBI who tell him that the firm is a front for a ruthless Mafia family. Mitch is expected to help the FBI to bring this family to justice or else find himself in a whole lot of trouble.
Mitch is left with no choice but to help. Mitch helps by copying ten thousand documents that reveal the extent of corruption performed by the firm on behalf of the Mafia.
By chance the firm just leaves all of these damning documents in a locked room, in an unguarded condo on Cayman Island.
Ineptitude rules, Mitch is inept for taking the job in the first place, the firm is inept for its lack of security with the documents and the family are inept for putting their trust in the firm.
To be fair, the last 150 pages were exciting to read. But all in all it was just a bit too silly.
This was not my first John Grisham book and it won’t be my last but this has been my least favourite so far.
January 13, 2024
Mitch McDeere is about to graduate third in his class from Harvard Law School. Now his goal is finding the best job with the most eye-watering salary and benefits that he can. So when he has secured not one but three offers from exclusive law firms in New York City and Chicago, he believes his future is on the fast track to success. Just the same, an offer from the small but lucrative firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke in Memphis, Tennessee has gotten him curious, so he agrees to an interview with the partners on a whim.
When he meets with them face-to-face just months before his graduation, the offer they make is truly a dream come true. Instead of having to wait years for the big money and amazing benefits, they’re offering everything right from the start. Granted, his follow up visit to the law firm’s headquarters gives both Mitch and his wife, Abby, somewhat of an uneasy feeling, but who could possibly walk away from this chance of a lifetime.
Once in town, the couple finds themselves living in a home they never thought they could afford so soon and driving a BMW that Mitch adores. But just as quickly as his life seems to be ticking off all of his desires, he’s approached by FBI Special Agent Wayne Tarrance. It seems that the firm Mitch has ensconced himself within is in the middle of a harrowing investigation that links his employer with none other than that of the Mafia.
Not exactly the gleaming pinnacle of ethics that he had hoped for, Mitch finds himself in a nightmare of his own making. Now the freshly minted, strait-laced attorney must pit his own smarts and principles against that of his bosses. He is not, however, the first to do this dance with the firm and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Chess move after chess move, Mitch must watch his own back. After all, if he’s not careful, he just might not make it out alive.
Having watched the movie adaptation of The Firm, which starred none other than Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, I generally knew what to expect from the book. What I was unprepared for, however, was the perfect plotting, convincing characters, and one thoroughly epic game of cat-and-mouse.
Starting at the top, I do have to say that while each of the characters were genuine and true-to-life, they were hardly engaging. Told in a round robin way via multiple, omniscient POVs, every perspective was covered. At the same time, though, it was delivered in a someway dry manner that kept me from really connecting with any of them along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I was rooting for Mitch and Abby every step of their journey, but their sense of desperation was missing just a tad.
What I absolutely loved, however, was the dynamite plot filled with one astounding twist after another. How Mitch could stay one step ahead of the game was beyond me, but I was fully invested just the same. Even better, I loved the fact that Grisham managed to explain the goings on without getting too bogged down in legal jargon or the extremely complicated illegal acts. Did I need to pay a bit more attention than I normally do in a thriller? Well, yes, but much of that was due to how fast-paced the whole book felt.
With dynamic, sharp writing that had me sitting beside Mitch in his office or getting off of a plane in the Caymans, it was imbued with palpable tension throughout. What really got me, though, was how downright plausible it all felt. A legal thriller that raced along with nary a courtroom in sight, my fingers flew as fast as they possibly could. And that climax! What can I say? I could almost hear the building tempo of the music playing around me.
There were some flies in the ointment, however. First off, it was obvious that this was written by a man in the very early 90s. With plenty of skirt chasing that included some rather sexist descriptions as well as an all too unenlightened view on race, the white, elite, Southern views rolled off of this one in spades. Granted, those were the kinds of individuals this plot centered around, but the book didn’t have to adopt them as well. I’m hoping that had it been written today, much of that would’ve been toned down. But then, you never really know, do you?
Secondly, while not a huge problem for me, the descriptions were often too long and with details that were unnecessary for the plot. Due to this, a good quarter of the over 400 pages could probably have been shaved off without damaging the storyline in the least. Did it greatly affect my opinion? No, not really, but I still found myself skimming here and there.
Ultimately, partly because a few things that were changed when it was adapted into a movie, I highly recommend reading this one before diving into the much anticipated sequel, The Exchange. A clever, original storyline packed with plenty of suspense, one gut-churning chase, and more mind games than you could ever imagine, I’m now eager to find out what Mitch has been up to for the last fifteen years. So while the movie is not one to be missed, I definitely suggest checking out the book first. After all, I, for one, had an absolute blast. Rating of 4 stars.
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Trigger warning: infidelity, sexism, racism, being roofied, organized crime, mention of: tax fraud, money laundering
When he meets with them face-to-face just months before his graduation, the offer they make is truly a dream come true. Instead of having to wait years for the big money and amazing benefits, they’re offering everything right from the start. Granted, his follow up visit to the law firm’s headquarters gives both Mitch and his wife, Abby, somewhat of an uneasy feeling, but who could possibly walk away from this chance of a lifetime.
Once in town, the couple finds themselves living in a home they never thought they could afford so soon and driving a BMW that Mitch adores. But just as quickly as his life seems to be ticking off all of his desires, he’s approached by FBI Special Agent Wayne Tarrance. It seems that the firm Mitch has ensconced himself within is in the middle of a harrowing investigation that links his employer with none other than that of the Mafia.
Not exactly the gleaming pinnacle of ethics that he had hoped for, Mitch finds himself in a nightmare of his own making. Now the freshly minted, strait-laced attorney must pit his own smarts and principles against that of his bosses. He is not, however, the first to do this dance with the firm and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Chess move after chess move, Mitch must watch his own back. After all, if he’s not careful, he just might not make it out alive.
Having watched the movie adaptation of The Firm, which starred none other than Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, I generally knew what to expect from the book. What I was unprepared for, however, was the perfect plotting, convincing characters, and one thoroughly epic game of cat-and-mouse.
Starting at the top, I do have to say that while each of the characters were genuine and true-to-life, they were hardly engaging. Told in a round robin way via multiple, omniscient POVs, every perspective was covered. At the same time, though, it was delivered in a someway dry manner that kept me from really connecting with any of them along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I was rooting for Mitch and Abby every step of their journey, but their sense of desperation was missing just a tad.
What I absolutely loved, however, was the dynamite plot filled with one astounding twist after another. How Mitch could stay one step ahead of the game was beyond me, but I was fully invested just the same. Even better, I loved the fact that Grisham managed to explain the goings on without getting too bogged down in legal jargon or the extremely complicated illegal acts. Did I need to pay a bit more attention than I normally do in a thriller? Well, yes, but much of that was due to how fast-paced the whole book felt.
With dynamic, sharp writing that had me sitting beside Mitch in his office or getting off of a plane in the Caymans, it was imbued with palpable tension throughout. What really got me, though, was how downright plausible it all felt. A legal thriller that raced along with nary a courtroom in sight, my fingers flew as fast as they possibly could. And that climax! What can I say? I could almost hear the building tempo of the music playing around me.
There were some flies in the ointment, however. First off, it was obvious that this was written by a man in the very early 90s. With plenty of skirt chasing that included some rather sexist descriptions as well as an all too unenlightened view on race, the white, elite, Southern views rolled off of this one in spades. Granted, those were the kinds of individuals this plot centered around, but the book didn’t have to adopt them as well. I’m hoping that had it been written today, much of that would’ve been toned down. But then, you never really know, do you?
Secondly, while not a huge problem for me, the descriptions were often too long and with details that were unnecessary for the plot. Due to this, a good quarter of the over 400 pages could probably have been shaved off without damaging the storyline in the least. Did it greatly affect my opinion? No, not really, but I still found myself skimming here and there.
Ultimately, partly because a few things that were changed when it was adapted into a movie, I highly recommend reading this one before diving into the much anticipated sequel, The Exchange. A clever, original storyline packed with plenty of suspense, one gut-churning chase, and more mind games than you could ever imagine, I’m now eager to find out what Mitch has been up to for the last fifteen years. So while the movie is not one to be missed, I definitely suggest checking out the book first. After all, I, for one, had an absolute blast. Rating of 4 stars.
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Trigger warning: infidelity, sexism, racism, being roofied, organized crime, mention of: tax fraud, money laundering
November 4, 2020
*some plot points may be spoiled so beware*
Ever heard when snobs call romance novels nothing more but wish fulfilment for women? Well I present you with a wish fulfillment for a young to middle age men!
How do I know that? Well we have a very young guy who just finished university who acts chill and super confident in the situations that will make everyone except for trained spy sweat. And he has a super hot supermodel looking wife who is always horny for her husband and also an elementary school teacher! But you’ll hear about her sexy legs a lot, be prepared. There is this big plot point where Mitch goes away for three minutes and cheats on her. Why? At least make her a nagging shrill of a wife. What are you afraid of, Grisham? Oh, I remember, this is wish fulfillment. We cannot have non-bangable wives here.
The part where the law firm hires only ugly women so men will not be tempted, you can judge for yourself. It’s too easy a target.
Now when s*it got real and Mitch needed to escape how do you think his wife reacted? Did she say “come on, Mitch, I have a life and job and family and friends here. I cannot disappear. “? WRONG! This is wish fulfillment, remember! Wife has all that stuff but just to fill her day between waiting for her darling or asking when he will be home. Of course she is totally fine with that plan. And finding out your house is bugged? No big deal!
BTW the proof that this book was not written with me in mind was in the scene when Mitch comes home. He cheated, he is afraid of being caught. And there is an envelope for his wife!! Our blood runs cold, heart skips a beat. Are these THE photos?? But then his wife said - “ah, no, just some empty envelope was delivered.” I always don't recycle them but lay down for my husband to see them. When I was reading this scene I imagined countless men reading this chapter and thinking about their wives and mistresses and being frightened vicariously through Mitch.
The only character worth discussing here is Mitch. Others are just “basic guy” type, “ugly women” type and “hot women” type. Nothing more can be said about them.
So Mitch. Mitch is a big piece of poop. He cheated. When everything went south he made his wife his minion (she did a lot of risky work for him and he kinda was chill about it), he still did not tell her about cheating and risked her life. He also had her cornered into forgiving him and not leaving (well if she finds out when they were on the run and she was without her support or job then what she’s gonna do?). Also his brother Ray is important but her parents. Who cares about them.
And in the last sentence of the book he has sex on the beach (not a drink).
And the thriller part was just not very thrilling and also nothing was realistic ( FBI boss meeting with our guy in some dark alley, telling him that he, the top manager of a huge bureaucratic machine that is FBI, will personally wire to some dingy bank 2 millions without the IRS knowing, all the getting Ray out of jail bs was just laughable. And omg FBI are a bunch of incompetent goons). This is the most basic Michael Douglas-starring type of thrillers.
Ever heard when snobs call romance novels nothing more but wish fulfilment for women? Well I present you with a wish fulfillment for a young to middle age men!
How do I know that? Well we have a very young guy who just finished university who acts chill and super confident in the situations that will make everyone except for trained spy sweat. And he has a super hot supermodel looking wife who is always horny for her husband and also an elementary school teacher! But you’ll hear about her sexy legs a lot, be prepared. There is this big plot point where Mitch goes away for three minutes and cheats on her. Why? At least make her a nagging shrill of a wife. What are you afraid of, Grisham? Oh, I remember, this is wish fulfillment. We cannot have non-bangable wives here.
The part where the law firm hires only ugly women so men will not be tempted, you can judge for yourself. It’s too easy a target.
Now when s*it got real and Mitch needed to escape how do you think his wife reacted? Did she say “come on, Mitch, I have a life and job and family and friends here. I cannot disappear. “? WRONG! This is wish fulfillment, remember! Wife has all that stuff but just to fill her day between waiting for her darling or asking when he will be home. Of course she is totally fine with that plan. And finding out your house is bugged? No big deal!
BTW the proof that this book was not written with me in mind was in the scene when Mitch comes home. He cheated, he is afraid of being caught. And there is an envelope for his wife!! Our blood runs cold, heart skips a beat. Are these THE photos?? But then his wife said - “ah, no, just some empty envelope was delivered.” I always don't recycle them but lay down for my husband to see them. When I was reading this scene I imagined countless men reading this chapter and thinking about their wives and mistresses and being frightened vicariously through Mitch.
The only character worth discussing here is Mitch. Others are just “basic guy” type, “ugly women” type and “hot women” type. Nothing more can be said about them.
So Mitch. Mitch is a big piece of poop. He cheated. When everything went south he made his wife his minion (she did a lot of risky work for him and he kinda was chill about it), he still did not tell her about cheating and risked her life. He also had her cornered into forgiving him and not leaving (well if she finds out when they were on the run and she was without her support or job then what she’s gonna do?). Also his brother Ray is important but her parents. Who cares about them.
And in the last sentence of the book he has sex on the beach (not a drink).
And the thriller part was just not very thrilling and also nothing was realistic ( FBI boss meeting with our guy in some dark alley, telling him that he, the top manager of a huge bureaucratic machine that is FBI, will personally wire to some dingy bank 2 millions without the IRS knowing, all the getting Ray out of jail bs was just laughable. And omg FBI are a bunch of incompetent goons). This is the most basic Michael Douglas-starring type of thrillers.
October 13, 2025
I loved this book. This book belongs in the same category with the ones you can’t put down, and you curl in a corner, shaking with red eyes and a gaunt frame from malnutrition. Grisham developed the characters well and developed the plot with skill of a master storyteller. I noticed some similarities with Stephen King’s style, such as using a reference to the object with “the” instead of “a” (the “coffee table sat alone in the room,” “the man sat at the bar”), and he refers to people with nicknames, such as, for example, Collar-neck, or Red-nose (not used any books I’m aware of, just examples). King and Grisham had the same agent for a while, I believe, and used to be close, I’ve heard, so that makes sense.
I appreciated the business humor in dialogues, and the sarcasm. Grisham writes great, down-to-earth dialogue that forms characters into real people. I laughed a lot with the dialogue. For example, the main character, Mitchell McDeere tells his wife she has to do all this stuff to hide from both the Mob and the FBI, run here, change this, do that. He tells her she needs to dye her hair blonde. Instead of freaking out or moving fast in anticipation of being murdered, she says, “Blonde!” This developed her character and made me laugh, made me feel like I knew her, like when you shake your head and smile about someone and say to yourself, “Abby,” with affection.
If you don’t know the plot, or haven’t seen the movie or read the book:
Mitchell McDeere comes out of law school top of his class, and he knows what he wants. He has drive. He lands in with a Firm with promises to make him abnormally rich, faster than usual, as long as he follows certain ethical rules (which I thought Grisham a brilliant writer; as a Christian he made a way around all the sexual and immoral craziness of that kind of lifestyle, a great example for my writing; I’m also a Christian). He ends up in a conspiracy between the Mob and the FBI, and becomes directly involved with both organizations at the same time. He fights to keep himself and his family alive. A smart guy, Mitch pulls a few brilliant stunts only a good lawyer could conjure.
Grisham has earned a place on my favorite authors list. I want more! I just sold a few books of his to Half Price Books and when I realized I had got rid of them I about screamed. Off to Goodwill I go a-huntin’ again.
I appreciated the business humor in dialogues, and the sarcasm. Grisham writes great, down-to-earth dialogue that forms characters into real people. I laughed a lot with the dialogue. For example, the main character, Mitchell McDeere tells his wife she has to do all this stuff to hide from both the Mob and the FBI, run here, change this, do that. He tells her she needs to dye her hair blonde. Instead of freaking out or moving fast in anticipation of being murdered, she says, “Blonde!” This developed her character and made me laugh, made me feel like I knew her, like when you shake your head and smile about someone and say to yourself, “Abby,” with affection.
If you don’t know the plot, or haven’t seen the movie or read the book:
Mitchell McDeere comes out of law school top of his class, and he knows what he wants. He has drive. He lands in with a Firm with promises to make him abnormally rich, faster than usual, as long as he follows certain ethical rules (which I thought Grisham a brilliant writer; as a Christian he made a way around all the sexual and immoral craziness of that kind of lifestyle, a great example for my writing; I’m also a Christian). He ends up in a conspiracy between the Mob and the FBI, and becomes directly involved with both organizations at the same time. He fights to keep himself and his family alive. A smart guy, Mitch pulls a few brilliant stunts only a good lawyer could conjure.
Grisham has earned a place on my favorite authors list. I want more! I just sold a few books of his to Half Price Books and when I realized I had got rid of them I about screamed. Off to Goodwill I go a-huntin’ again.
September 28, 2023
It doesn’t take law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke long to entice one of Harvard Law’s top five students to consider a job offer despite the firm being based in Memphis, Tennessee. Mitchell Y. McDeere is young, impressionable, hungry, recently married, and up to the ears - $23,00 - in student loan debt. To Royce McKnight (managing partner), Oliver Lambert (senior partner), and Lamar Quin (not yet made partner), McDeere is the perfect fit for their firm. Willing to do whatever it takes to make money, McDeere racks up the billable hours and spends more time at the office than at home.
It all changes one day when McDeere is having lunch at Lansky’s Deli. Special Agent Wayne Tarrance of the FBI approaches him and gives McDeere three pieces of advice and an offer he soon discovers he can’t ignore.
Other than a short Christmas novella, I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any of John Grisham’s books before. I had seen the movie over 20 years ago, and when I was surprised with a gifted ARC of Grisham’s sequel (The Firm #2), I knew I had to go back and read about McDeere’s work at The Firm. I loved this book and have added Grisham to my auto-read author list. Needless to say, I can’t wait to read The Exchange.
It all changes one day when McDeere is having lunch at Lansky’s Deli. Special Agent Wayne Tarrance of the FBI approaches him and gives McDeere three pieces of advice and an offer he soon discovers he can’t ignore.
Other than a short Christmas novella, I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any of John Grisham’s books before. I had seen the movie over 20 years ago, and when I was surprised with a gifted ARC of Grisham’s sequel (The Firm #2), I knew I had to go back and read about McDeere’s work at The Firm. I loved this book and have added Grisham to my auto-read author list. Needless to say, I can’t wait to read The Exchange.
April 8, 2010
This book irritated me a lot. I can definitely see the appeal, as it is usually fast paced and pretty exciting. I just could not buy into the setup of the book, and never once identified with the main character, Mitch McDeere. I felt like every single thing he did in the book, I would do differently.
The book starts out with Mitch getting a job offer to the relatively small law firm Bendini, Lambert, and Locke. The first 100 to 200 pages basically delve into what a champ Mitch is (college football star, genius lawyer at the top of his class, stellar work ethic), what a knockout his wife Abby is, and all the money he is going to be making with his new job. He works 18 hours per day, six days a week with his sights set on becoming a partner of the firm within 10 years or so. Then, one day, Mitch is approached by the FBI. It turns out his firm is an elaborate front put on by a Chicago based crime family. The rest of the book involves his adventures as he is followed by both the mob and FBI, as he tries to decide how to handle the situation.
I guess I didn’t really like this book because it focuses on all the wrong things. There are so many tedious descriptions of fancy BMWs, luxury restaurants, private jets…etc. It is supposed to lure the reader into the appeal and temptation of the firm, but somehow working 18 hours a day on tax law never made any of it seem worth it to me. So right off the bat, I was frustrated by the degree to which Mitch ignored his wife and all other aspects of life so that he could slave away for the firm.
Then the real kicker comes when Mitch cheats on his wife with some woman in the Cayman Islands. It’s revealed that it was all setup by the firm so that they could blackmail Mitch if need be. The problem is, the blackmail is never actually used, and basically never comes up again! So all it did was succeed in securing my hatred of Mitch, making all the subsequent plot developments and action less intense. In a book full of slimy criminal lawyers, it is not good that the main protagonist usually seems just as loathsome.
Overall, this seemed like a pretty standard legal thriller book. Good fun where you can check your brain at the door. It was marred by characters I hated and motivations that seemed silly to me. Not to mention some extremely clumsy dialogue. I guess I am being pretty hard on this book but it just had nothing in it that appealed to me whatsoever. Not my cup of tea!
The book starts out with Mitch getting a job offer to the relatively small law firm Bendini, Lambert, and Locke. The first 100 to 200 pages basically delve into what a champ Mitch is (college football star, genius lawyer at the top of his class, stellar work ethic), what a knockout his wife Abby is, and all the money he is going to be making with his new job. He works 18 hours per day, six days a week with his sights set on becoming a partner of the firm within 10 years or so. Then, one day, Mitch is approached by the FBI. It turns out his firm is an elaborate front put on by a Chicago based crime family. The rest of the book involves his adventures as he is followed by both the mob and FBI, as he tries to decide how to handle the situation.
I guess I didn’t really like this book because it focuses on all the wrong things. There are so many tedious descriptions of fancy BMWs, luxury restaurants, private jets…etc. It is supposed to lure the reader into the appeal and temptation of the firm, but somehow working 18 hours a day on tax law never made any of it seem worth it to me. So right off the bat, I was frustrated by the degree to which Mitch ignored his wife and all other aspects of life so that he could slave away for the firm.
Then the real kicker comes when Mitch cheats on his wife with some woman in the Cayman Islands. It’s revealed that it was all setup by the firm so that they could blackmail Mitch if need be. The problem is, the blackmail is never actually used, and basically never comes up again! So all it did was succeed in securing my hatred of Mitch, making all the subsequent plot developments and action less intense. In a book full of slimy criminal lawyers, it is not good that the main protagonist usually seems just as loathsome.
Overall, this seemed like a pretty standard legal thriller book. Good fun where you can check your brain at the door. It was marred by characters I hated and motivations that seemed silly to me. Not to mention some extremely clumsy dialogue. I guess I am being pretty hard on this book but it just had nothing in it that appealed to me whatsoever. Not my cup of tea!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2012
I recently realized 1) I've never read any of John Grisham's novels and 2) that's a shame. So I picked this up at the library a couple trips ago, when I found myself browsing in the G's. Why The Firm rather than The Client or The Associate? My grandfather, a former lawyer, happened to mention it in a conversation a couple months ago, so the title was on my mind.
My main impression is that this is the kind of pulp that no one will read 100 years from now (thank goodness). It reminded me very strongly of some bad late Victorian short stories I read for a class in fin de siecle fiction. My, how far we've come since the early '90s (the 1990s, just to be clear, not the 1890s). I mean, really, if you're ever in doubt, just pick up this book. It's definitely a product of its time. Sexism, classism, ageism, consumerism--it's all here, unvarnished and unexamined. I don't think John Grisham is or was especially unenlightened...I think he just faithfully represented the cultural norms and popular attitudes.
(This might be a tangent, but if I really wanted to understand what life was like in a previous era, I would look first at its advertising and its advice columns. I would look at what was ephemeral, not intended to survive. Not just at that, but I certainly wouldn't neglect it. I think there's treasure to be gleaned from scrutinizing what was created purely for the present and not for the eyes of history.)
Aside from what now seems crass and/or naive (the sexism especially so, for me), this is a pretty good story. Gripping. At times seemingly very realistic. At others, less believable. (For example, I find it hard, very hard to believe that Abby would say what she does on the last page, given the limitations she and Mitch must find a way to live within. I'm told the movie ending is more realistic. I haven't seen it yet.) I can understand why this book might have put a whole year's worth of law school graduates off their interviewing. I'm sure someone out there decided at the last second to switch their focus to fashion design or sales.
My favorite bits by far were the scenes that show Mitch's interaction with his secretary. As far as I'm concerned, there weren't enough of them. Maybe because his secretary seems like the kind of woman who would resent being underestimated or labeled.
My main impression is that this is the kind of pulp that no one will read 100 years from now (thank goodness). It reminded me very strongly of some bad late Victorian short stories I read for a class in fin de siecle fiction. My, how far we've come since the early '90s (the 1990s, just to be clear, not the 1890s). I mean, really, if you're ever in doubt, just pick up this book. It's definitely a product of its time. Sexism, classism, ageism, consumerism--it's all here, unvarnished and unexamined. I don't think John Grisham is or was especially unenlightened...I think he just faithfully represented the cultural norms and popular attitudes.
(This might be a tangent, but if I really wanted to understand what life was like in a previous era, I would look first at its advertising and its advice columns. I would look at what was ephemeral, not intended to survive. Not just at that, but I certainly wouldn't neglect it. I think there's treasure to be gleaned from scrutinizing what was created purely for the present and not for the eyes of history.)
Aside from what now seems crass and/or naive (the sexism especially so, for me), this is a pretty good story. Gripping. At times seemingly very realistic. At others, less believable. (For example, I find it hard, very hard to believe that Abby would say what she does on the last page, given the limitations she and Mitch must find a way to live within. I'm told the movie ending is more realistic. I haven't seen it yet.) I can understand why this book might have put a whole year's worth of law school graduates off their interviewing. I'm sure someone out there decided at the last second to switch their focus to fashion design or sales.
My favorite bits by far were the scenes that show Mitch's interaction with his secretary. As far as I'm concerned, there weren't enough of them. Maybe because his secretary seems like the kind of woman who would resent being underestimated or labeled.
December 11, 2023
To be honest…
I saw the movie first, and absolutely loved every fast-paced moment of it with Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
So…
It was only natural that I read the book which obviously gained popularity after the movie.
Read years ago, it seems fitting to share this review now, especially after the author has presented a sequel, with “The Exchange,” all these years later. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In this page-turning thriller, Mitch is a young lawyer at a top law firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke. He is brilliant...
But...
This is a law firm he should not have accepted the offer. Especially as a top of his class student at Harvard with many other pending offers available.
And…
Even though this was the last place that he and Abby wanted to settle, the offer was just too good to walk away from…
Especially when they offer a brand-new vehicle and pay off his student loans, and arrange for a mortgage on a new home, with their very own decorator.
Eventually…
Mitch and Abby begin to feel uneasy about this decision.
And…
When he is approached by an FBI agent about two recent deaths of the firm’s employees, Mitch decides to investigate.
And thus…
The book takes off.
As readers…
We become involved in a fast-paced action thrilled mystery suspense that keeps us turning pages.
So…
Even if we know what is happening, and what could possibly be to come, we are still interested in the eventual outcome. (Whether you saw the movie, or not.)
Would it have been better to read the book first? Probably.
But…
The story made Grisham well-known, and this reader, always anxious for the next great read from him.
I saw the movie first, and absolutely loved every fast-paced moment of it with Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
So…
It was only natural that I read the book which obviously gained popularity after the movie.
Read years ago, it seems fitting to share this review now, especially after the author has presented a sequel, with “The Exchange,” all these years later. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In this page-turning thriller, Mitch is a young lawyer at a top law firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke. He is brilliant...
But...
This is a law firm he should not have accepted the offer. Especially as a top of his class student at Harvard with many other pending offers available.
And…
Even though this was the last place that he and Abby wanted to settle, the offer was just too good to walk away from…
Especially when they offer a brand-new vehicle and pay off his student loans, and arrange for a mortgage on a new home, with their very own decorator.
Eventually…
Mitch and Abby begin to feel uneasy about this decision.
And…
When he is approached by an FBI agent about two recent deaths of the firm’s employees, Mitch decides to investigate.
And thus…
The book takes off.
As readers…
We become involved in a fast-paced action thrilled mystery suspense that keeps us turning pages.
So…
Even if we know what is happening, and what could possibly be to come, we are still interested in the eventual outcome. (Whether you saw the movie, or not.)
Would it have been better to read the book first? Probably.
But…
The story made Grisham well-known, and this reader, always anxious for the next great read from him.
April 10, 2020
I wonder how many pages Grisham could have shaved off this excessively long thriller if he had cut some of the descriptions the characters' cars, the outfits of FBI agents and Mafia goons disguised as tourists at tropical locations and every single female character's physique.
The book starts out promising a light but thrilling ride along Mitchell McDeere, a newly-graduated 'Harvard man' who is shopping for jobs around the US' best law firms. He is not only 'young and hungry', but also absolutely brilliant, incredibly handsome, and has a pretty young wife with stunning legs. He decides to settle at a small and unknown law firm in Memphis, ignoring offers from big-shot firms in New York, after they offer him everything he's ever wanted: money. Oh, and a Mercedes, a brand new house, free holidays in the Caribbean, and did I mention the Mercedes?
Somehow, the genius Mitch does not doubt for a second that there might be something fishy going on behind the surface ... until he's contacted by the FBI. Cue the next 200+ pages of dramatic chases around t-shirt shops in the Caymans and Korean shoe stores in Memphis, many thousands of photocopies and hotel rooms.
A big thing that irked me about the novel was, as is often the case, the length. Good writers have the talent of keeping you engaged at least 90% of the time - great writers know when they have said all there is to say about the story and it's time to wrap up gracefully. I think Grisham missed the mark on this one. Coupled with dubious stylistic choices (repetitive dialogue and expressions, limited vocabulary, excessive descriptions of cars and other material objects), the book became hard to get through around page 300 or so.
But even beyond that, the content of the story becomes increasingly unlikely and unrealistic, and characters remain barely fleshed out until the very end. Even when there are chances to develop them beyond surface level, Grisham prefers to concentrate on their tans, their stockings, their lips and bums than to delve on their personalities, rendering them completely forgettable at best and deeply unsympathetic at worst. The reader is never given a chance to empathize with their struggles, motivations and objectives.
Personally though, one of the elements that really put me off the most was Grisham's disturbing and unnecessary use of lewd references to women's bodies throughout the novel. Women in this book, even the few that are named, seem to serve as nothing but scenery in Mitch and the other men's incessant pursuit for money and success. There are the 'fat and ugly' secretaries, the 'bitch' former attorney at the firm; there are the 'string bikinis' at the beach and the 'native pros' with their breasts hanging out at the Caymans. There are the black women who cook greasy meals (or should learn to do so; there is a memorable passage where the narrator laments Cayman women's inability to fry chicken 'even though they are black'). There is Mitch's sidekick Tammy, whose brave deeds to help Mitch are overshadowed by obsessive descriptions of her 'sticky lips', her high heels, her breasts, her toenail polish and derriere. And, finally, there's Abby, Mitch's trophy wife, perhaps the book's greatest missed chance and disappointment.
I understand this book was written in the '90s, that it was a different time with different sensibilities, but Grisham's complete disregard for women as actual people with wishes and desires and needs going beyond men's sexual satisfaction, a litter of kids and a nice kitchen was not okay then as it is not now. It's tasteless, lazy writing and downright offensive at times.
The book is okay if you have patience and not much else to do. Wouldn't recommend it though.
The book starts out promising a light but thrilling ride along Mitchell McDeere, a newly-graduated 'Harvard man' who is shopping for jobs around the US' best law firms. He is not only 'young and hungry', but also absolutely brilliant, incredibly handsome, and has a pretty young wife with stunning legs. He decides to settle at a small and unknown law firm in Memphis, ignoring offers from big-shot firms in New York, after they offer him everything he's ever wanted: money. Oh, and a Mercedes, a brand new house, free holidays in the Caribbean, and did I mention the Mercedes?
Somehow, the genius Mitch does not doubt for a second that there might be something fishy going on behind the surface ... until he's contacted by the FBI. Cue the next 200+ pages of dramatic chases around t-shirt shops in the Caymans and Korean shoe stores in Memphis, many thousands of photocopies and hotel rooms.
A big thing that irked me about the novel was, as is often the case, the length. Good writers have the talent of keeping you engaged at least 90% of the time - great writers know when they have said all there is to say about the story and it's time to wrap up gracefully. I think Grisham missed the mark on this one. Coupled with dubious stylistic choices (repetitive dialogue and expressions, limited vocabulary, excessive descriptions of cars and other material objects), the book became hard to get through around page 300 or so.
But even beyond that, the content of the story becomes increasingly unlikely and unrealistic, and characters remain barely fleshed out until the very end. Even when there are chances to develop them beyond surface level, Grisham prefers to concentrate on their tans, their stockings, their lips and bums than to delve on their personalities, rendering them completely forgettable at best and deeply unsympathetic at worst. The reader is never given a chance to empathize with their struggles, motivations and objectives.
Personally though, one of the elements that really put me off the most was Grisham's disturbing and unnecessary use of lewd references to women's bodies throughout the novel. Women in this book, even the few that are named, seem to serve as nothing but scenery in Mitch and the other men's incessant pursuit for money and success. There are the 'fat and ugly' secretaries, the 'bitch' former attorney at the firm; there are the 'string bikinis' at the beach and the 'native pros' with their breasts hanging out at the Caymans. There are the black women who cook greasy meals (or should learn to do so; there is a memorable passage where the narrator laments Cayman women's inability to fry chicken 'even though they are black'). There is Mitch's sidekick Tammy, whose brave deeds to help Mitch are overshadowed by obsessive descriptions of her 'sticky lips', her high heels, her breasts, her toenail polish and derriere. And, finally, there's Abby, Mitch's trophy wife, perhaps the book's greatest missed chance and disappointment.
I understand this book was written in the '90s, that it was a different time with different sensibilities, but Grisham's complete disregard for women as actual people with wishes and desires and needs going beyond men's sexual satisfaction, a litter of kids and a nice kitchen was not okay then as it is not now. It's tasteless, lazy writing and downright offensive at times.
The book is okay if you have patience and not much else to do. Wouldn't recommend it though.
July 10, 2020
Of all Grisham's novels, The Firm is one of his best. Engaging, evocative and filled with surprises, it takes the reader on a journey into the 'dark' world of a law firm immersed in illegitimate enterprise, aka paradox. I read this book when it first came out, so memory of details isn't spot on. That said, the film adaptation has been one of my favorites, Tom Cruise aside :) Regardless, I'm a fan of Grisham's storytelling, his remarkable knowledge of law, trials, and all things associated.
October 24, 2019
I think this is the best of Grisham's books, maybe because it was the first of his I'd read and found it unique in style and plot. Starting a career with such hopes and ideals, and then finding things are not what he thought they were, even being mortally threatened, did not dilute his efforts to make things "right" in the world. A good, fast paced, insightful read.
December 3, 2019
What I liked: Despite my whinging in the notes, I actually enjoyed this novel until the halfway point. Grisham's descriptions are his strength, and the two main settings - a law firm in the 90s and Mitch's lovely new house - were well evoked. The scene in the Caymans also had a believable beach-retreat feel to it. Mitch's slow uncovering of the conspiracy felt a bit much, but the 'poor, intelligent boy coming into money' dynamic was played well despite its being unrealistic that a Harvard graduate who came third in his class would settle for an obscure law firm in suburban Michigan. I loved the law premise idea, even though it's pretty unrealistic that a firm would actually hire anyone who wasn't from the actual criminal underworld. They should really have threatened his wife straight away rather than waiting for months. What's to be gained by making someone work 20 hours a day before you rope them in? At best, wouldn't you get reported to Fair Work/the Ombudsman (US equivalent) and isn't that a risk for you?
The narrator, Scott Brick, did a wonderful job of the voices and the accents.
What I didn't like:
1) Plenty of sexism: gratuitous description of female characters' bums, lips, breasts and legs. The narration made it a point to emphasise the secretary's weight and her lack of a social life.
At one point, Grisham spends a long time describing a minor female character smoking a cigarette in titillating and cringeworthy detail, complete with description of "her sticky lips". Later, there's an unnecessarily detailed description of signing a lease, interspersed with (as is par for the course) paeans on her legs. A few sentences are spent on describing a character's stockings, her toenails and her nailpolish. One gets the impression that this was an excuse to elaborate about this character's legs.
Here it is for you, in full colour:
A shapely platinum blond with a constricting leather shirt and matching black boots asked for his name… [Tammy] thrust [the cigarette] between her sticky lips. When the flame disappeared, the lips instinctively compacted and tightened around the tiny protrusion and the entire body began to inhale…. She coughed, a hacking, irritated cough which reddened her face and gyrated her full breasts until they bounced dangerously close to the typewriter keys...
There was more hacking and wheezing behind him. Just when he began to feel dizzy, the typing and smoking stopped. She was now sitting on the edge of her desk, legs crossed, with the black leather skirt well above her knees… he admired her legs, which for the moment were positioned just so and demanded to be admired.” She then stops her work, starts flirting and making small talk with him. “Mitch then studied leather boots, the legs, the skirt, and the tight sweater around the large breasts, and tried to think of something cute to say.”
Can you imagine if I were to write a similar description of a male clerk smoking? "The cigar clutched between his thick fingers, he pulled it slowly in and out of his mouth. The muscles under his Armani shirt rippled as he bent to retrieve a file." And so on, and so phallic. But do we ever see descriptions of men like this in crime novels? No. This is a random secretary, not a main character.
As if that wasn't enough, literally every single random woman these characters come across wants to jump their bones. Unless the woman is specifically described as unattractive. He even sleeps with one of the Cayman Islanders because she hits on him (and, incidentally, her clothing is so scanty that "almost everything was showing". Women are also described as 'string bikinis'.
John Grisham, you do realise women are real people? By all means write poorly conceived sexual fantasies, but for God’s sake keep it in your desk drawer. None of the rest of us need to see it. I don't know if Grisham himself is this sleazy or whether he thought this was some sort of fanservice, but it hasn't aged well. And no, 'It was the 90s' is not an excuse. There’s some racism as well, but not as much.
2) Abby is never developed beyond the 'typical, generic female character'. Almost every time she's mentioned, it's either in the context of a domestic issue (e.g. 'thinking about babies') or with reference to her beauty. Now, I have nothing against female characters being feminine or wanting children, but combined with the above, it's clear Grisham doesn't (or didn't) know how to write female characters.
3) The dialogue was rather stilted at times, and conversations often went into far too much minute detail. There was some repetition of material.
Why I abandoned it: I found it too hard to suspend my disbelief that a) the FBI would spend seven years keeping track of his family, were fairly certain it was a front for the Mafia, and still didn't act and b) an FBI agent would spend hours on a bus negotiating with a guy who is, in effect, innocent, and not only that, but would indirectly threaten him with arrest if he failed to comply. Why couldn't they put in an undercover agent, as a secretary or a gardener or something? I mean... it's the FBI, not your local police station.
The narrator, Scott Brick, did a wonderful job of the voices and the accents.
What I didn't like:
1) Plenty of sexism: gratuitous description of female characters' bums, lips, breasts and legs. The narration made it a point to emphasise the secretary's weight and her lack of a social life.
At one point, Grisham spends a long time describing a minor female character smoking a cigarette in titillating and cringeworthy detail, complete with description of "her sticky lips". Later, there's an unnecessarily detailed description of signing a lease, interspersed with (as is par for the course) paeans on her legs. A few sentences are spent on describing a character's stockings, her toenails and her nailpolish. One gets the impression that this was an excuse to elaborate about this character's legs.
Here it is for you, in full colour:
A shapely platinum blond with a constricting leather shirt and matching black boots asked for his name… [Tammy] thrust [the cigarette] between her sticky lips. When the flame disappeared, the lips instinctively compacted and tightened around the tiny protrusion and the entire body began to inhale…. She coughed, a hacking, irritated cough which reddened her face and gyrated her full breasts until they bounced dangerously close to the typewriter keys...
There was more hacking and wheezing behind him. Just when he began to feel dizzy, the typing and smoking stopped. She was now sitting on the edge of her desk, legs crossed, with the black leather skirt well above her knees… he admired her legs, which for the moment were positioned just so and demanded to be admired.” She then stops her work, starts flirting and making small talk with him. “Mitch then studied leather boots, the legs, the skirt, and the tight sweater around the large breasts, and tried to think of something cute to say.”
Can you imagine if I were to write a similar description of a male clerk smoking? "The cigar clutched between his thick fingers, he pulled it slowly in and out of his mouth. The muscles under his Armani shirt rippled as he bent to retrieve a file." And so on, and so phallic. But do we ever see descriptions of men like this in crime novels? No. This is a random secretary, not a main character.
As if that wasn't enough, literally every single random woman these characters come across wants to jump their bones. Unless the woman is specifically described as unattractive. He even sleeps with one of the Cayman Islanders because she hits on him (and, incidentally, her clothing is so scanty that "almost everything was showing". Women are also described as 'string bikinis'.
John Grisham, you do realise women are real people? By all means write poorly conceived sexual fantasies, but for God’s sake keep it in your desk drawer. None of the rest of us need to see it. I don't know if Grisham himself is this sleazy or whether he thought this was some sort of fanservice, but it hasn't aged well. And no, 'It was the 90s' is not an excuse. There’s some racism as well, but not as much.
2) Abby is never developed beyond the 'typical, generic female character'. Almost every time she's mentioned, it's either in the context of a domestic issue (e.g. 'thinking about babies') or with reference to her beauty. Now, I have nothing against female characters being feminine or wanting children, but combined with the above, it's clear Grisham doesn't (or didn't) know how to write female characters.
3) The dialogue was rather stilted at times, and conversations often went into far too much minute detail. There was some repetition of material.
Why I abandoned it: I found it too hard to suspend my disbelief that a) the FBI would spend seven years keeping track of his family, were fairly certain it was a front for the Mafia, and still didn't act and b) an FBI agent would spend hours on a bus negotiating with a guy who is, in effect, innocent, and not only that, but would indirectly threaten him with arrest if he failed to comply. Why couldn't they put in an undercover agent, as a secretary or a gardener or something? I mean... it's the FBI, not your local police station.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2020
*Spoilers if you haven't read the book or seen the film*
I have two main complaints, one narrative-related and the other morality-related:
1. The book is touted as a suspenseful thriller. Yet every time my interest piqued as a reader ("Oooh, that subtle hint was interesting. What's going to happen now?!"), Grisham would take all the fun out of it by giving me a flipping VILLAIN CHAPTER, where the main evil lawyers meet in a back room to tell the reader exactly what just happened and what will happen next, sucking all the suspense--and therefore fun--out of the narrative. And anyway, Mitch was always about one million steps ahead of the evil lawyers during the ending "chase" scene, so I guess the purpose was not so much suspense as it was "be impressed with my really kickin' main character." But I very much was not impressed. (See #2.)
2. My working theory is that Grisham wanted Mitch to be a suburban James Bond: work your rear off in your super-competitive, high-paying job and still have time to run to keep up that college football star physique (oh yes and he was also top of his class), cheat on your wife in an exotic affair and get away with it entirely (she pouts about your schedule but deals with it while decorating the house and trying new recipes), outsmart the Mafia with ease and while you're at it steal their money because THAT's real moral, and other ridiculously over-the-top traits. He doesn't grow in any important way, which I know isn't necessary for the protagonist of an action thriller, but when he cheats on his wife after treating her like dirt for a while because he's working too hard to respect her wishes... I would like to see some growth in THAT case, at least. So, he's too "perfect"--or at least, perfect in a materialistic, superficial way that I really can't respect.
And the main reason I can't respect it is the sex. I'm not even talking about just the affair. I'm talking about the line "trying to kill each other" (an idiom used more than once, I believe) describing intimacy between a husband and wife. I'm talking about Mitch looking "lustfully" at his wife while she sleeps: lust is attraction to the forbidden, so how does this even work?
As a result, Abby, who actually has some agency and grit in the film, is (in the book) reduced to nothing but a trophy wife for Mitch to save heroically, eye candy whose legs are constantly emphasized and whose hopes really don't matter: she waits around on Mitch, does whatever he says, and remains ignorant of his infidelity. Tammy, too--by far the most heroic character in this novel--has a very nice body, as we are constantly reminded. Does Grisham do this to women in every novel, or did he ever grow out of it?
And why make THAT the last line of the book? (For those of you who can't remember, Abby accidentally brushes a topic that might turn into an actual confession from Mitch, a chance for truth and a real relationship, and instead he flat-out lies to her. Then they go have sex. The end.) What possible purpose could there be in that ending? Was it an attempt at humor? How is that funny?! All it does for me is rub my hopes for their relationship in the mud. And the worst part is, the affair happened so much earlier in the book that I *could* have forgotten it if Grisham hadn't chosen to bring it up again in that beyond-obnoxious way.
Ugh, just go watch the film.
I have two main complaints, one narrative-related and the other morality-related:
1. The book is touted as a suspenseful thriller. Yet every time my interest piqued as a reader ("Oooh, that subtle hint was interesting. What's going to happen now?!"), Grisham would take all the fun out of it by giving me a flipping VILLAIN CHAPTER, where the main evil lawyers meet in a back room to tell the reader exactly what just happened and what will happen next, sucking all the suspense--and therefore fun--out of the narrative. And anyway, Mitch was always about one million steps ahead of the evil lawyers during the ending "chase" scene, so I guess the purpose was not so much suspense as it was "be impressed with my really kickin' main character." But I very much was not impressed. (See #2.)
2. My working theory is that Grisham wanted Mitch to be a suburban James Bond: work your rear off in your super-competitive, high-paying job and still have time to run to keep up that college football star physique (oh yes and he was also top of his class), cheat on your wife in an exotic affair and get away with it entirely (she pouts about your schedule but deals with it while decorating the house and trying new recipes), outsmart the Mafia with ease and while you're at it steal their money because THAT's real moral, and other ridiculously over-the-top traits. He doesn't grow in any important way, which I know isn't necessary for the protagonist of an action thriller, but when he cheats on his wife after treating her like dirt for a while because he's working too hard to respect her wishes... I would like to see some growth in THAT case, at least. So, he's too "perfect"--or at least, perfect in a materialistic, superficial way that I really can't respect.
And the main reason I can't respect it is the sex. I'm not even talking about just the affair. I'm talking about the line "trying to kill each other" (an idiom used more than once, I believe) describing intimacy between a husband and wife. I'm talking about Mitch looking "lustfully" at his wife while she sleeps: lust is attraction to the forbidden, so how does this even work?
As a result, Abby, who actually has some agency and grit in the film, is (in the book) reduced to nothing but a trophy wife for Mitch to save heroically, eye candy whose legs are constantly emphasized and whose hopes really don't matter: she waits around on Mitch, does whatever he says, and remains ignorant of his infidelity. Tammy, too--by far the most heroic character in this novel--has a very nice body, as we are constantly reminded. Does Grisham do this to women in every novel, or did he ever grow out of it?
And why make THAT the last line of the book? (For those of you who can't remember, Abby accidentally brushes a topic that might turn into an actual confession from Mitch, a chance for truth and a real relationship, and instead he flat-out lies to her. Then they go have sex. The end.) What possible purpose could there be in that ending? Was it an attempt at humor? How is that funny?! All it does for me is rub my hopes for their relationship in the mud. And the worst part is, the affair happened so much earlier in the book that I *could* have forgotten it if Grisham hadn't chosen to bring it up again in that beyond-obnoxious way.
Ugh, just go watch the film.
January 7, 2011
This book was fantastic! Loved every second of it. A few weeks ago it came on TV and I was saying "this is a great movie!" but within minutes I realized I had NOT seen it! I was thinking of A Few Good Men! Who knew I had never seen The Firm?? My husband said he'd read it years ago and it was one of the best books he'd ever read. So, I DVRd the movie and went to get the book (I didn't watch the movie yet, but I've heard it was a disappointment from the book... of course right???)
I seriously couldn't put it down. The premise drew you in- everyone that works hard wants an offer like the one Mitch McDeere is offered by the Firm. It's intoxicating! I wanted to get that offer! There's no way you could say no. Grisham was a master at pulling you into Mitch's shoes, which is impressive since its written in 3rd person omniscient. You feel his stress as the work is piled onto him, and the expectations he places on himself are enormous. He's treading water, at the expensive of his marriage and trying his best to stay afloat. Then as he starts to question things, you feel that same unease, especially because as the reader, you know there is a huge coverup going on. He is so clever, which is awesome because you think there's no way he can get out of it.
The storyline is gripping. Its like you take a huge breath at the beginning and then hold on... because you won't stop til you're at the end. I see why this book put Grisham on the map. Fantastic. Recommend it to anyone that wants to get sucked into a book!
I seriously couldn't put it down. The premise drew you in- everyone that works hard wants an offer like the one Mitch McDeere is offered by the Firm. It's intoxicating! I wanted to get that offer! There's no way you could say no. Grisham was a master at pulling you into Mitch's shoes, which is impressive since its written in 3rd person omniscient. You feel his stress as the work is piled onto him, and the expectations he places on himself are enormous. He's treading water, at the expensive of his marriage and trying his best to stay afloat. Then as he starts to question things, you feel that same unease, especially because as the reader, you know there is a huge coverup going on. He is so clever, which is awesome because you think there's no way he can get out of it.
The storyline is gripping. Its like you take a huge breath at the beginning and then hold on... because you won't stop til you're at the end. I see why this book put Grisham on the map. Fantastic. Recommend it to anyone that wants to get sucked into a book!
December 29, 2023
Can’t believe it has taken me so long to read the book that the film was based on. Can still see Tom Cruise as the young lawyer Mitch McDeere joining a law firm run by the Morolto crime family. Seduced by the pay and perks Mitch eventually finds out who his pay masters are from the FBI who recruit him to turn informer.
The action is fast paced. The last 50 or so pages just zip along. Mitch is the clever, wise talker I remember in Tom Cruise. Lots of great characters. Yes I do like a Grisham👍
The action is fast paced. The last 50 or so pages just zip along. Mitch is the clever, wise talker I remember in Tom Cruise. Lots of great characters. Yes I do like a Grisham👍
January 28, 2022
Grisham's most outstanding, best ever, page turner, and my favorite legal thriller!
He kept me guessing to what happens next and next until the very end, but it hits you just when you least expect it. Very few books bring such anticipation as this one does.
12-26-1991
"The Firm" revolves around Mitchell McDeere and his law career in the Bendini, Lambert and Locke a law firm situated in Memphis. A firm that no one has ever quit on and the ones that retire are rich. That is what the outside world sees. It really is this, occasionally members in the firm have not made partner so they do not retire. Accidental deaths? Their memories are honored with portraits in the boardroom.
Mitchell has a huge character flaw it was pure greed that brought him to Memphis. There are so many red flags in the Firm. Mitchell meets with the FBI agent and the cat and mouse game between the Firm and Mitchell begins. The rest is thrilling, intriguing and unexpected!
This is the one that I compare all of Grisham books to.
1-20-2022
He kept me guessing to what happens next and next until the very end, but it hits you just when you least expect it. Very few books bring such anticipation as this one does.
12-26-1991
"The Firm" revolves around Mitchell McDeere and his law career in the Bendini, Lambert and Locke a law firm situated in Memphis. A firm that no one has ever quit on and the ones that retire are rich. That is what the outside world sees. It really is this, occasionally members in the firm have not made partner so they do not retire. Accidental deaths? Their memories are honored with portraits in the boardroom.
Mitchell has a huge character flaw it was pure greed that brought him to Memphis. There are so many red flags in the Firm. Mitchell meets with the FBI agent and the cat and mouse game between the Firm and Mitchell begins. The rest is thrilling, intriguing and unexpected!
This is the one that I compare all of Grisham books to.
1-20-2022
December 25, 2020
5 Stars: Here's the thriller which made Grisham's name as one of the best writers of our time. On the big screen, Tom Cruise couldn't have portrayed the young and cash-starved Mitch McDeere better. The novel's just as good, if not a notch above! A star in taxation at law school, McDeere signed up to become an associate with a little-known law firm in Memphis - Bendini, Lambert and Locke. The perks and the pay couldn't be topped even by Wall St. He and Abby had it made. The firm even bought him a BMW! It isn't long before disturbing matters confront our naïve hero. Why would an FBI agent, Wayne Tarrance, suddenly sit down with him at lunch at a local greasy spoon? Why is the firm so eager to have Mitch and his wife start a family? Is it true that there are listening devices in their cars and home? Furthermore, is it also true that five members of the firm have died accidently, including two in the Caymans while scuba diving just recently? Incredible, there's a crime syndicate in the background. Inexorably Mitch and Abby move towards a decision. It's extremely hazardous. Grisham's genius is to makes us part of their journey. (December 2020)
November 17, 2023
Blending my love of series with my love of rereads - let’s chat about THE FIRM by JOHN GRISHAM.
The first time I read this was back in the 90s. (Which feels so 10 minutes ago, but I digress!) It was my gateway book into the world of GRISHAM. If you keep swiping you can see my well-loved, well-read original mass market paperback. I’ve since thrifted this First Edition and am so happy to have it in my collection.
THE FIRM opened my eyes to legal thrillers and I read it obsessively - pulled in by the writing and the story. I was living in my first apartment and can vividly remember reading it on my commute on the T and during some downtime at my on-campus summer job 🤫
I promptly binged my way through more GRISHAM and went down a legal thriller rabbit hole while I waited for a new release. When I talk about pivotal books I tend to talk about A TIME TO KILL, but truth is I read THE FIRM first so this is really when my book-changing moment happened.
My first read for Series September was a nostalgic one and I have to say it totally holds up. I did a mix of reading + audiobook (both great!). I’m so excited for THE EXCHANGE to see what Mitch McDeere is up to these days!
In case you’re not familiar with this one here’s a quick synopsis:
Mitch McDeere was top of his class at Harvard Law. He had his choice of the best firms in America. He made a deadly mistake when he chose Bendini, Lambert & Locke.
It was an offer Mitch McDeere couldn’t refuse: a position at a law firm where the bucks, billable hours, and benefits are over the top. It’s a dream job for an up-and-comer—if he can overlook the uneasy feeling he gets at the office. If he can ignore the portraits on the wall honoring the lawyers from the firm who have died in a string of accidents. If he can find a way to stay on top of his work and his marriage.
Then an FBI investigation into the firm’s connections to the Mafia plunges the straight and narrow attorney into a nightmare of terror and intrigue. He has no choice but to pit his wits, ethics, and legal skills against the firm’s deadly secrets—if he hopes to stay alive.
The first time I read this was back in the 90s. (Which feels so 10 minutes ago, but I digress!) It was my gateway book into the world of GRISHAM. If you keep swiping you can see my well-loved, well-read original mass market paperback. I’ve since thrifted this First Edition and am so happy to have it in my collection.
THE FIRM opened my eyes to legal thrillers and I read it obsessively - pulled in by the writing and the story. I was living in my first apartment and can vividly remember reading it on my commute on the T and during some downtime at my on-campus summer job 🤫
I promptly binged my way through more GRISHAM and went down a legal thriller rabbit hole while I waited for a new release. When I talk about pivotal books I tend to talk about A TIME TO KILL, but truth is I read THE FIRM first so this is really when my book-changing moment happened.
My first read for Series September was a nostalgic one and I have to say it totally holds up. I did a mix of reading + audiobook (both great!). I’m so excited for THE EXCHANGE to see what Mitch McDeere is up to these days!
In case you’re not familiar with this one here’s a quick synopsis:
Mitch McDeere was top of his class at Harvard Law. He had his choice of the best firms in America. He made a deadly mistake when he chose Bendini, Lambert & Locke.
It was an offer Mitch McDeere couldn’t refuse: a position at a law firm where the bucks, billable hours, and benefits are over the top. It’s a dream job for an up-and-comer—if he can overlook the uneasy feeling he gets at the office. If he can ignore the portraits on the wall honoring the lawyers from the firm who have died in a string of accidents. If he can find a way to stay on top of his work and his marriage.
Then an FBI investigation into the firm’s connections to the Mafia plunges the straight and narrow attorney into a nightmare of terror and intrigue. He has no choice but to pit his wits, ethics, and legal skills against the firm’s deadly secrets—if he hopes to stay alive.
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