Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 2 November 2023.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Weekly website.
Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for The Exchange, The Night House and The Armour of Light.
Tag: The Exchange
The Exchange by John Grisham
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 17/10/23)
Series: The Firm – Book Two
Length: 338 pages
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
John Grisham presents an intriguing sequel to one of his best-known books with his latest release, The Exchange.
Grisham is a talented and well-respected author who needs very little introduction after wowing audiences for years with books (and their movie adaptations) such as The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury and A Time to Kill. I personally came into Grisham’s novels a bit later than I probably should have, but I have had fun reading some of his latest releases such as The Judge’s List, The Boys from Biloxi and Sparring Partners. I had a wonderful time with each of those books and I now make sure to grab the latest Grisham novel whenever they come out. As such, I made sure to get a copy of Grisham’s new release, The Exchange, a fantastic legal thriller that serves as a sequel to one of his best-known novels, The Firm.
15 years ago, Mitch and Abby McDeere exposed the crimes of a corrupt Memphis law firm and its mobster clients, fleeing the country with a stash of the firm’s crooked money. After spending years abroad in Europe fearing potential retribution, the McDeeres finally returned to America, taking up residence in New York, far away from their troubled past in Memphis.
Now, Mitch works as a partner in one of the biggest law firms in the world, sent to troubleshoot some of its most difficult cases. A request from an old friend sees Mitch travel to Libya, where a Turkish construction company is suing the tyrannical Libyan government over failure to pay an extensive bill. This is far from a routine case, and Mitch soon finds out just how dangerous that part of the world is when one of the firm’s young associates is kidnapped in a bloody attack.
Determined to save his associate before she is killed, Mitch desperately utilises all his contacts and legal knowhow to raise the ransom money needed and encourage governments to intervene. However, the organisation that kidnapped the young woman is far more dangerous than anyone expected, and they soon launch a series of attacks against Mitch’s new firm while demanding an extravagant amount of money. With his own family caught in the crossfire, Mitch must unwind the turbulent politics surrounding this event if he is to save everyone he cares about.
I must admit that I had some mixed feelings when it came to The Exchange, and it honestly wasn’t my favourite Grisham novel. Let us start with what I liked about The Exchange, which for the most part was a pretty fun and exciting read.
Grisham wrote an intriguing and fast-paced narrative for The Exchange that is really easy to get into and proves very hard to put down in places. There is a great set-up surrounding the Libyan deal, and it was fascinating to have a book set in Libya in 2005 during the Gaddafi regime. Grisham ratchets up the tension early, as you know something bad is going to happen, and when it does, Grisham does not hold back with the brutality and violence. The second half of the book, which primarily follows the protagonist as he uses all his contacts to try and negotiate for his colleague’s release, is also quite fascinating, and you can feel the fear and desperation of the characters, especially when Mitch’s family is brought into the situation. Add into this the complex characters and the compelling, detailed and highly cynical examination of life in one of the world’s biggest law firms (in this case, a fictional law firm which has appeared in prior Grisham novels), and The Exchange has a lot going for it.
While I found it exiting and captivating to read, and I enjoyed a lot of how this story came together, most of my dissatisfaction came from the conclusion. I won’t go into a lot of detail here to avoid spoilers, but frankly I found the end of the book to be rather underwhelming and a little lazy. Despite setting up some intriguing storylines at the start that could have resulted in a great and engaging conclusion, Grisham instead chose to just resolve the storyline in a predictable manner and leave a lot of stuff hanging. There are so many unanswered questions left over as a result, especially when it comes to the means and motive of the antagonists, and I was honestly surprised that Grisham did not tie it into the plot of The Firm somehow. Frankly, this lacklustre conclusion put a damper on my enjoyment of The Exchange as a whole and I was a little disappointed about not getting a satisfying ending.
Another major element of the book that I am not sure hit home completely for me was its connections to Grisham’s previous novel The Firm. I must admit upfront that I haven’t read The Firm, but I honestly don’t think The Exchange’s story really benefited from being a sequel. While I am sure that some Grisham fans really appreciated getting a continuation of the McDeeres’s story, it didn’t do a lot for me. For example, the first 50 or so pages are dedicated to Mitch returning to Memphis for the first time since the events of The Firm, which does serve as a good bridging element for new readers. However, this opening scene had no connections to the main plot of the book, and it was just so unnecessary in hindsight. I also never really connected to Mitch and his family throughout the course of The Exchange’s story, and it might have been better if Grisham had introduced an original protagonist instead. Still, the author did do a good job of recapping the key events of The Firm to new readers, and I am sure dedicated Grisham fans will appreciate this interesting continuation after all these years.
While I did have a bunch of issues with The Exchange, I think overall it was a good book by Grisham and I did have a fun time reading it. Much of the plot is very exciting and well set out, and there are some truly fascinating elements to it. Probably best read by those fans of Grisham’s style and prior novels (especially The Firm), The Exchange is well worth a read, but I just wish it had a better ending.
WWW Wednesday – 25 October 2023
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading?
The Armour of Light by Ken Follett (Hardcover)
I started reading the new massive historical fiction novel from Ken Follett, The Armour of Light, this week and I am currently about 100 pages in. Another compelling entry in Follett’s most iconic series, The Armour of Light is off to an interesting start as it examines several great characters during a troubled historical period. I am hoping to finish this off in the next week or so and it is so far proving to be one of the better historical fiction novels of 2023.
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)
I honestly did not intend to listen to more of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels this week, but thanks to the major cliffhanger at the end of Changes, I had to dive into the next book, Ghost Story, as well. One of the darker books in the entire series, Ghost Story is a great listen and I am deeply enjoying it’s complex and powerful story.
What did you recently finish reading?
Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham (Trade Paperback)
An intriguing and entertaining fantasy novel that I really enjoyed. I am hoping to get a review up for it soon and I am also planning to dive into the sequel when I get a chance.
Changes by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)
A particularly brilliant and brutal entry in the Dresden Files series that will have you hooked the entire way through.
The Exchange by John Grisham (Trade Paperback)
An intense and clever new novel from the always dependable John Grisham.
The Night House by Jo Nesbo (Trade Paperback)
A gritty horror thriller with some compelling twists behind it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Saevus Corax Deals With The Dead by K. J. Parker
If I manage to get through the Follett this week I will probably dive into the new K. J. Parker novel, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead. A fun fantasy novel about a battlefield looter who gets into all manner of trouble, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead sounds like an exceptional read and it has the potential to be one of the best books of 2023.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Book Haul – 20 October 2023
Thanks to being away for a few weeks on a much-needed holiday I haven’t had much of an opportunity to update my blog lately. However, that time away ensured that I had a massive pile of books waiting for me when I got back so I figured this would be a good time for a Book Haul post. I actually received several really good books while I was away, including some of my most anticipated reads for the second half of the year, which was a great welcome back present. I cannot wait to read all the books below and I am sure they are all going to be cracking reads.
The Armour of Light by Ken Follett
First up, I was very happy to receive a copy of the new Ken Follett historical fiction novel, The Armour of Light. A massive novel, The Armour of Light is the latest book in Follett’s Kingsbridge series and will follow a new group of protagonists in the titular city of Kingsbridge. Set during the industrial revolution and the Napoleonic wars, The Armour of Light looks set to be a mighty read and will no doubt be one of the best historical fiction books of 2023.
Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
I was particularly happy to receive a copy of the fun murder mystery Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson, which is set to be one of the top Australian books of 2023. A sequel to Stevenson’s exceptional 2022 novel, Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect should be a hilarious and clever murder mystery that pokes fun at classic crime fiction.
The Exchange by John Grisham
One of the more interesting novels I recently received was The Exchange by legendary author John Grisham. The long-awaited sequel to his iconic novel The Firm, The Exchange looks set to be a great new legal thriller and I look forward to seeing how Grisham continues his original story. I am hoping to read this book next and it should be a compelling and exciting read.
Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead by K. J. Parker
One of the books I was happiest to get a copy of was the cool new novel from awesome fantasy author K. J. Parker, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead is the first book in a fun series that follows a battlefield looter as he gets into all manner of trouble. I am a big fan of Parker, especially after his outstanding The Siege Trilogy, and I cannot wait to see what sort of elaborate and comedic story he comes up with here.
The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt
Another great comedic fantasy novel I received is amazingly titled The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt. Tom Holt is the real name of K. J. Parker from above, so I’m pretty happy to receive a second book from him. The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse is actually a continuation of one of Holt’s ongoing series, so it will interesting to see how it turns out.
The Defector by Chris Hadfield
Former astronaut turned thriller author Chris Hadfield returns with his second intriguing novel, The Defector. The sequel to his cool debut, The Apollo Murders, The Defector is another great sounding read that will examine espionage and betrayal in the 1970s as the protagonist tries to bring in a mysterious Soviet defector. I really enjoyed Hadfield’s first book and I cannot wait to see how this cool sequel unfolds.
Weapons Grade by Don Bentley
Author Don Bently continues to expand the Tom Clancy universe with a new Jack Ryan Jr thriller. Weapons Grade sounds like a fun read and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston
A fun and intriguing young adult thriller, Murder on a School Night sounds like a very entertaining novel and I am quite keen to dive into it.
The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed
A deadly treasure hunt and an intriguing adventure look set to dominate this great young adult read by Mackenzie Reed.
The Girl From London by Olivia Spooner
A complex and emotionally charged historical drama about a missing refugee ship during World War 2.
Zero Days Since Last Incident by J. E. Rowney
The last book I recently received was the exciting and entertaining sounding thriller Zero Days Since Last Incident by JE Rowney. This fantastic sounding book, which is billed as The Office meets Lord of the Flies, sounds very amusing and I look forward to seeing how crazy it gets.
Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2023 TBR
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week was based around favourite character relationships, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to. However, as we are already a couple of weeks into the Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere), I decided to instead move up my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read (TBR) for the following three months. This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I honestly should have pulled this together a couple of weeks ago.
For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 September 2023 and 30 November 2023. There are quite a few very cool novels set for release in the next few months that I am extremely excited for, including some of my most anticipated book of the year (as well as my most anticipated fantasy/science fiction books of the year). Due to how impressive some of these upcoming books are, it took me a little while to finalise my list but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I also excluded several awesome Spring releases that I have already read or started reading (such as Holly by Stephen King which I am nearly at the end of). I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be pretty incredible reads. I have extremely excited for the next three months as quite a few up these upcoming reads are easily going to be amongst the best books of 2023.
Honourable Mentions:
Long Past Dues by James J. Butcher – 10 October 2023
The Exchange by John Grisham – 17 October 2023
The long-awaited sequel to Grisham’s iconic novel, The Firm, this should be a very interesting and compelling thriller.
The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom – 9 November 2023
Vendetta by Sarah Barrie – 15 November 2023
Top Ten Tuesday:
Code Red by Kyle Mills – 12 September 2023
The latest book in the iconic Mitch Rapp spy thriller series (originally written by Vince Flynn and currently authored by Kyle Mills), Code Red sounds like a very exciting and intense novel that I am hoping to read this week.
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – 12 September 2023
Filled with mystery, great characters and a wicked dose of humour, Richard Osman’s fourth Thursday Murder Club book, The Last Devil to Die, is going to be exceedingly awesome and so much fun to read.
The Armour of Light by Ken Follett – 26 September 2023
An epic and massive historical fiction novel from the master of elaborate character-focused tales, Ken Follett.
Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead by K. J. Parker – 3 October 2023
An intriguing and awesome upcoming fantasy comedy book that I know I am going to love, Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead will follow a battlefield looter as they experience all manner of trouble. Two sequels to Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead are also coming out in the next few months, but I think I will just highlight this first book for now.
Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson – 17 October 2023
The fantastic sounding sequel to Stevenson’s hilarious and addictive 2022 Australian murder mystery, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect sounds extremely amazing and should be one of the funniest and most compelling crime fiction novels of 2023.
Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly – 7 November 2023
Michael Connelly continues his entertaining and captivating Lincoln Lawyer series with Resurrection Walk, which sees the titular lawyer protagonist face off against a corrupt police force. An awesome legal thriller featuring several of Connelly’s best characters, this is going to be something very special.
Murtagh by Christopher Paolini – 7 November 2023
Acclaimed author Christopher Paolini returns to the world of his original work, the Inheritance Cycle, with a new standalone novel focused on the amazing character of Murtagh. Set to follow this conflicted and hated dragon rider as he encounters a new dangerous threat, this will be an awesome book and I am very excited to finally have a continuation of one of my favourite series.
Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 14 November 2023
The always exciting Simon Scarrow continues his excellent Eagles of the Empire series with the fantastic sounding Rebellion. Set to follow the brutal battles of Boudica’s uprising, Rebellion looks set to be an outstanding addition to this already epic series.
Defiant by Brandon Sanderson – 21 November 2023
Sanderson brings his fantastic Skyward series to an end with the fourth book Defiant. Following on from previous epic reads, Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic, Defiant should be pretty damn exceptional and I am eager to see how Sanderson brings everything to an end.
Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath – 28 November 2023
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome upcoming Australian crime fiction novel, Kill Your Husbands. The sequel to author’s previous fantastic read, Kill Your Brother, Kill Your Husbands will feature a unique murder scenario with a twisted web of lies, deceit and intriguing characters surrounding it, and I cannot wait to read it.
Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be pretty awesome.
Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2023 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2023. While my previous list looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.
Just like with my list about fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together. Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut. I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.
Honourable Mentions:
Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe – 5 July 2023
Agent Eighteen by John Brownlow – 8 August 2023
A cool sequel to Seventeen, one of the best debuts of 2022, Agent Eighteen will continue Brownlow’s thrilling tale of elite assassins trying to kill each other.
Dark Corners by Megan Goldin – 8 August 2023
The Exchange by John Grisham – 17 October 2023
A sequel to the classic John Grisham novel, The Firm. Need I say more?
Top Ten List (by release date):
Kill for Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh – 3 August 2023
A fantastic and intense standalone thriller from the always impressive and fun Steve Cavanagh. I am a big fan of Cavanagh’s legal thrillers (see my reviews for The Devil’s Advocate and The Accomplice), and I look forward to powering through this awesome book, especially as it has a fantastic Strangers on a Train vibe to it.
Ripper by Shelley Burr – 30 August 2023
Shelley Burr, the author of Wake, one of the best debuts and Australian fiction novels of 2022, returns with an intriguing new crime fiction novel, Ripper. Set in a dying Australian town made famous for its serial killer heritage, Ripper sounds like another outstanding read from Burr, and I am interested to see how she continues the cool story started in Wake.
Holly by Stephen King – 5 September 2023
The master of suspense, Stephen King, has yet another awesome book coming out later this year with Holly. Following one of his most compelling recurring protagonists, Holly Gibney, this new novel from King will see Holly face off against dark secrets, hidden opponents, and a mysterious set of married, octogenarians, to find a missing child. This sounds like a very cool new book and I cannot wait to dive into the latest, captivating Stephen King novel in a few months’ time.
Code Red by Kyle Mills – 12 September 2023
For the last few years, I have had a lot of fun with the fantastic Mitch Rapp series, going out of my way to get a copy of each new release in the series. Following a dangerous government agent who faces off against all manner of elaborate threats, the Mitch Rapp books are a ton of fun and I have deeply enjoyed the excellent stories that author Kyle Mills (who took over from original author Vince Flynn) has come up with (check out my reviews for Red War, Lethal Agent, Total Power, Enemy at the Gates and Oath of Loyalty). The next book in the series, Code Red, will see Rapp once again face off against the Russians in a deadly conspiracy, and I know I’m going to have a fun time getting through it.
The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 14 September 2023
Few new books from 2022 impressed me as much as the fantastic historical fiction novel, The Lawless Land by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. Following an excommunicated knight as he tries to regain his honour by saving a precious artefact from a corrupt cardinal, The Lawless Land was a brilliant, exciting, and powerful historical adventure, and one that I took great joy in reading. I was very happy to see that the Morrison’s were returning for a sequel this year with The Last True Templar, and I know it is going to be an outstanding read. I already have a copy of The Last True Templar and I am hoping to read it soon.
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – 15 September 2023
Few books in 2023 are going to be as awesome as the new Thursday Murder Club book, The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman. Following on from the exceptional novels, The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite novels, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite novels and audiobooks of 2021) and The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite novels and audiobooks of 2022), The Last Devil to Die sounds like an incredible read and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Continuing the story of the titular Thursday Murder Club, a group of bored retirees who solve elaborate murders, The Last Devil to Die will no doubt feature Osman’s trademark humour, intelligence and outstanding character work, which is always so impressive. I already know this is going to be one of the top books of the year and I am so damn excited for it.
The Armour of Light by Ken Follett – 26 September 2023
I was very happy to find out that Ken Follet was releasing a new historical fiction novel in 2023, especially as it is part of his iconic Kingsbridge series (see my reviews for The Evening and the Morning and A Column of Fire). This outstanding series follows a range of unique protagonists at various points in the history of the English town of Kingsbridge, and every novel in this series has been pretty damn incredible. This new book will be set during the start of the industrial revolution and the war with Napoleon, and you just know that Follett is going to have a lot of fun diving into this complex period. I have no doubt that this epic read is going to effortless grab my attention and this will prove to be one of the best historical novels of the year.
Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson – 17 October 2023
Few Australian authors are impressing me as much as Benjamin Stevenson these days, especially with his work in the crime fiction genre. As such, I am very keen for his new book, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, especially as it is a sequel to his fantastic 2022 novel, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone. Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone was one of the funniest and cleverest novels of the year and Stevenson wove together a brilliant narrative that combined a clever mystery with messy family dynamics, all while hilariously parodying classic detective novels/whodunits. Everyone on This Train is a Suspect looks set to continue this trend by forcing the protagonist to solve a murder on a train full of professional crime fiction authors. I have no doubt that I am going to laugh myself silly reading this book and I am so damn excited to read it.
Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly – 7 November 2023
What would the end of a year be without a new novel from legendary crime fiction author Michael Connelly. I have had an amazing time reading some of Connelly’s recent novels, including Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire, The Dark Hours, Desert Star and Fair Warning, and I am always excited for a new novel from this amazing author. Luckily, I won’t have to wait too much longer as Connelly is releasing the intriguing novel, Resurrection Walk in November. The seventh book in the Mickey Haller series (make sure to check out my review for the sixth book, The Law of Innocence), Resurrection Walk will see the Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller, defend another desperate client. Featuring a collaboration with Haller’s brother, Harry Bosch, Resurrection Walk should be an amazing read, and I cannot wait to see what cool shenanigans and heartbreaking character moments Connelly will feature.
Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 14 November 2023
The final upcoming book I want to highlight tonight is the outstanding upcoming historical fiction novel, Rebellion by Simon Scarrow. The latest book in Scarrow’s long-running Eagles of the Empire series (The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome and Death to the Emperor), Rebellion will follow two veteran soldiers as they try to stop the hordes of Boudica’s rebellion. I have had an amazing time with the Eagles of the Empire books over the years and this new book from Scarrow is going to be pretty awesome. The perfect upcoming book to end this list with!
Well that’s the end of my second list. As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads. Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2023. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.
The Unseen Library 