Like weekly TV series that I can’t miss, I have certain currently publishing authors that I must read asap when a new book comes out. That list currently includes Lilian Jackson Braun, Sue Grafton, Michael Crichton, James Patterson, Rita Mae & Sneaky Pie Brown, and the author of book number five: John Grisham.
In his latest novel, The Broker, Grisham once again has a lawyer as his protaganist. However, this book is not about lawyers or court rooms as much as it is about Italy. It is the story of a once-powerful Washington D.C. lobbyist who was jailed for white collar crimes who finds himself unexpectedly pardoned by an outgoing president and “disappeared” by the CIA in Italy. There is spying and assassins and a lot of Italy. It was a little like The Bourne Identity if Jason Bourne knew who he was but didn’t have his crazy assassin skills. It had moments of excitement that reminded me of The Firm, of the good exciting non-lawyer stuff that Grisham used to write so well at the beginning of his writing career. A good deal of the story takes place in Italy, especially Bologna. It really flared my wanderlust. Captured the city in a nice way, the way I’d love to be able to explore and become familiar with a new place if I ever had the time. I liked it.
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