John Grisham - The Broker

review by Brian Lowen live on show 24th May 2012.
Another good story from John Grisham.

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 that 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 – the major powers that were involved with Backman in his scheme when it went wrong.

The CIA will then sit back and watch and wait to see which country seeks out Backman to kill him.

An enjoyable read that keeps you interested the whole way through but I was a bit disappointed with the rather tame ending. In the acknowledgements, John Grisham admits that he adores Italy and thinks Bologna, where Backman is housed is a wonderful town. This is obvious, as in the story we are treated to a virtual tourist guide to the place and after finishing this book you will be able to find your way around! It would have been helpful to have a town map open beside you when reading this story!

Recommended as a good story but not really a thriller.