This will likely be my last John Grisham review—in part because The Broker was such a flawed novel, and in general because most of Gisham’s later books fall flat. He’s a great example of an author whose passion for writing has turned into a job. His earlier novels are rich and intense (possibly worth a re-read and review sometime down the road), but the later ones are just hammered out to meet deadlines. It’s sad.

Grisham tries his hand at an international-spy thriller here, but his execution is terribly weak. Don’t get me wrong: his writing made me feel like I was in Bologna, Italy, so he communicates well, but his plotting. Yikes!

First off, I think Grisham chose Bologna simply because it’s where his royalties took him for vacation that month. I can see the author sipping coffee in a street-front cafe penning this story about Joel Backman’s new life in Italy, hoping the plot would unfold from there. It feels legit at first, because Grisham’s obviously in the real-deal setting….but he forgot his “How to write a good novel” notes at home and thus completely fails in writing a solid, believable story.

Here are a few questions I had to ask myself as I read:

1. How, with all their international expertise, were these professional killers unable to kill an untrained American transplanted into a country and culture he doesn’t even know? It’s ridiculously untenable and highly distracting. Read Geoffrey Household to see how an untrained guy evades capture. Now that’s some genuine intrigue!
   
2. Luigi’s character was a good foil, but the reader knows so little about him—he’s a guide and a pal, yet he also watches Joel’s every move. What’s his real position, job, affiliation? It’s never made clear—loose ends that don’t tied leave readers like me so frustrated.
   
3. Then there’s the Chinese assassin: how is that he is such an expert as his deadly trade, but he can’t pull off this simple job? Every time Joel Backman ordered room service, I expected a murder or at least an attack, but nothing. He gets through this entire book without ever facing an ounce of real danger! It’s a huge letdown from a book that promises thrills. Plus, the assassin should have been from a scarier, more violent country than passive China. Why not Israel or Russia? For some foantastic international-spy thrillers, try out fiction by Joel C. Rosenberg.

This book is like a piece of motel art—interesting to look at from a distance, but the closer you get, you find out it’s just a pixelated, mass-produced piece of junk. Don’t waste your time.

©2025 E.T.

Read More from John Grisham:

• The Rainmaker (1995)
• The Street Lawyer (1998)
• Skipping Christmas (2001)
• A Painted House (2001)
• The Summons (2002)
• The Broker (2005)
• Playing for Pizza (2007)
• Gray Mountain (2015)
• Camino Island (2017)
• The Rooster Bar (2017)