Editorial Product Review:

Item Description:
In his final hours in the Oval Office, the outgoing President grants a controversial last-minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious Washington power broker who has spent the last six years hidden away in a federal prison. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisticated satellite surveillance system.

Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country in a military cargo plane, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. Eventually, after he has settled into his new life, the CIA will leak his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis. Then the CIA will do what it does best: sit back and watch. The question is not whether Backman will survive—there is no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is, who will kill him?

Amazon.com Review:
Before he was sent to federal prison for treason (among other things), Joel Backman was an extremely powerful man. Known as 'the broker,' Backman was a high roller--a lawyer making $10 million a year who could 'open any door in Washington.' That is, until he tried to broker a deal selling access to the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. When caught, Backman accepted prison as the one option that would keep him safe and alive, since the interested parties (the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians, and the Chinese) were all itching to get their hands on his secrets at any cost. Little does he know that his own government has designs on accessing that information--or at least letting it die with him. Now, six years after his incarceration, the director of the CIA convinces a lame duck president to pardon Backman, and the broker becomes a free man--and an open target.

The Broker marries the best of John Grisham's many talents--his ability to immerse himself in the culture of small town life (in this case, Bologna, Italy), and his uncanny mastery of the chase. The first half of the book focuses on Backman's transformation from infamous power broker to helpless victim in his own game. Upon his release from prison, Backman is taken into 'protective custody' and whisked off to Italy where he is assigned a new identity, and a tutor to help him blend in. Sure he is on the run, but some readers may feel that Backman's time spent in Bologna is a bit too leisurely--readers join him on an almost cinematic tour through the Italian town, complete with language and history lessons. Impatient readers will be happy to know that the final half of the novel is classic Grisham--a fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse chase pitting Backman against the numerous agencies that want him dead--as the broker makes a move to take back his life. --Daphne Durham

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Grisham: The Books

A Time to Kill, 1989 The Firm, 1991 The Pelican Brief, 1992 The Client, 1993 The Chamber, 1994 The Rainmaker, 1995

The Runaway Jury, 1996 The Partner, 1997 The Street Lawyer, 1998 The Testament, 1999 The Brethren, 2000 A Painted House, 2001

Skipping Christmas, 2001 The Summons, 2002 The King of Torts, 2003 Bleachers, 2003 The Last Juror, 2004 The Broker, 2005

Essential Grisham
Amazon Editor Favorites

A Time to Kill	The Firm	A Painted House
The Client	The Rainmaker	The Pelican Brief

Bestselling Grisham
Amazon Customer Favorites

The Last Juror	Skipping Christmas	Bleachers
The Testament	The Partner	The King of Torts

If You Like Grisham, You'll Love...

John Lescroart Richard North Patterson David Baldacci

Lisa Scottoline Robert Crais Michael Crichton

Harlan Coben Dennis Lehane Ken Follett

Best Grisham Books on DVD

A Time to Kill	The Pelican Brief	The Client
The Firm	The Rainmaker	The Chamber

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Customer Rating: - Bad...very bad
Predictable, boring, tedious...but hey, I'm sure Grisham got a truckload of cash for this, so I guess someone got to enjoy this book.

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Customer Rating: - The slice of Italian life saves this moderately suspenseful novel
With the usual vices of greedily gotten money, expensive adult toys, exotic world travel and the usual cat-and-mouse game of the all-powerful organization hunting the harried middle-aged protagonist all on full display, John Grisham's worldly novels have a way of making the average person feel somewhat mundane -- as if you're missing out on the bounty of corporate and political sleaziness that's out there. In "The Broker," Grisham forgoes his usual narrative about the lawyer who works a hundred grueling hours a week and instead focuses on Joel Backman, a former money-grabbing lobbyist in Washington, D.C., who served six years in prison and is pardoned by the outgoing President of the United States. As is the case with many of Grisham's main characters, Backman was at one time rock-star rich, had an unbelievably busy job and lifestyle, ignored his family and went through multiple wives and women on the side. All in a day's work for the usual Grisham protagonist.

In typical Grisham fashion, "The Broker" is grabbing from the outset. What's been less common within some of his recent books, however, is vibrant characters, interesting dialogue and engaging plots that don't feel rehashed many times over. Fortunately, "The Broker" is well done and should hold the attention of most Grisham fans. What sets the book apart from Grisham's usual mode of storytelling is a genuinely thorough description of the setting in Italy, where most of the book takes place. From beautiful cathedrals to endless coffee shops to Italian cuisine, language and culture, Grisham's knowledge and love of Italy is evident. At times, as poor Backman slaves to learn the Italian language with his tutors, you almost want to learn it with him. Character development and descriptive settings are not always strong suits of Grisham's writing, but in "The Broker" they're not half bad.

No major twists occur in "The Broker," but then, few usually do in a Grisham novel. Ironically, given that his bread and butter has always been suspenseful legal thrillers, many of Grisham's books actually come across as languidly paced, just like real life, and more like puzzles than all-out action dramas. Additionally, amid the cloak-and-dagger events that take place, there's usually a few lessons to be learned, which seem to be just as important for Grisham to convey. The author loathes corporate greed and dishonesty; often the humbled former millionaire main character has to learn this the hard way. But in the end, things usually work out just fine for the reformed protagonist, while the crooks who pursued him are quickly tossed aside. "The Broker" won't change your life, but it will entertain for several hours.

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Customer Rating: - Getting Better....
After slogging my way through half of "The Appeal" before putting it down I thought that I would not read another new John Grisham novel ever again. However, I was pleasantly surprised by "The Broker". I enjoyed the story and the reader on the CD was very good. It wasn't quite the return to his glory days of The Firm and The Testament but nevertheless is was a good read. Maybe there's hope for him yet.

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Customer Rating: - The Broker
This book reached its destination in a reasonbile time limit. The book was in excellent shape and I got it at a very reasonable price. I will continue using Amazon because I have no trouble with orders from this company.