Description:

What became of Mitch and Abby McDeere after they exposed the crimes of Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke and fled the country? The answer is in The Exchange, the riveting sequel to The Firm, the blockbuster thriller that launched the career of America’s favorite storyteller. It is now fifteen years later, and Mitch and Abby are living in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at the largest law firm in the world. When a mentor in Rome asks him for a favor that will take him far from home, Mitch finds himself at the center of a sinister plot that has worldwide implications—and once again endangers his colleagues, friends, and family. Mitch has become a master at staying one step ahead of his adversaries, but this time there’s nowhere to hide.

Adele’s Review:

The Exchange is the long-awaited sequel to the blockbuster hit novel and movie, The Firm. Readers reunite with Mitch and Abby McDeere to learn what happened after they fled Memphis fifteen years earlier. This reviewer was excited to discover the answers, and gladly accepted the invitation to read an advance copy of the book. Who could say no to Doubleday, Grisham and the McDeeres? Not me.

It was easy to envision Tom Cruise in his role as Mitch while I read The Exchange, and I kept waiting for his character to run after bad guys, shoot a gun, or fly a plane. But those actions take place in his Mission Impossible and Top Gun movies and are not part of his character as a high-powered New York attorney. The Exchange features Mitch as a contract’s negotiator in this international drama. The book is not an action-adventure story, but a legal thriller.

Abby McDeere enjoys a larger role in The Exchange than she had in The Firm and becomes a major player when the story unfolds. No spoilers here. You’ll have to read the book to learn why. Her character is fleshed out in this second book, and I rooted for her on every page.

The Exchange wasn’t a five-star read for me for a few reasons. Plot threads drop and disappear without explanation. Scenes take place with no solutions. There are few plot twists and turns. The ending, however, leads me to believe there will be a third book in the series. If The Exchange becomes a movie starring Tom Cruise, I imagine the film will be a blockbuster. Dropped plot points in the novel will be explained or deleted, and mundane conversations in restaurants between lawyers will be eliminated. The heart of the book will shine through and make movie watching worthwhile. Grisham fans will likely enjoy reuniting with the McDeeres.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5851183915

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYHPHG1L