The Broker

by John Grisham

Book Overview

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER - 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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385510454
• ISBN13: 9780385510455
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

It Seems all the Spies Want Joel Backman Dead

Washington powerbroker Joel Backman had fourteen years left to serve on a twenty year sentence for treason when the outgoing President of the United States pardons him. Great news for Backman, or not, depending on your point of view. It seems that Backman knows a few too many secrets that the spooks want to make sure remain secret, so the pressured the pres into signing the pardon. Then they spirt Backman out of the country and set him up in Italy with a new identidy. But just because Backman is now known as Marco Lazzeri it doesn't mean he is safe, because the CIA has leaked his whereabouts to the Isralies, the Chinese, the Russians and a host of other spy agencies and they all want poor Joel dead. But alas for them, Joel has other plans. So while the CIA guys sit on their rear ends and wait for Joel's untimely demise, he takes off and now you have the genesis of the kind of story that Mr. Grisham does best. This is a nail-biting, spine-tingler that will have you burning the mid-night oil, that's for sure.

¡¡Excelente grabación!!

Me encantan los audio-libros porque los escucho mientras manejo, pero son difíciles de encontrar en castellano sobre novelas modernas y de reconocidos autores; éste es una grata excepción, y además: el volumen de la grabación es perfecto; la pronunciación sin ningún tipo de acento; la dicción muy clara; e intervienen diferentes locutores-actores conforme el personaje. Normalmente no se consiguen audio-libros en castellano de esta calidad tan buena y a un precio muy razonable.

One of the better ones!

I've read all of Grisham's novels. Some are "great", some are "good" and some are "just okay." This is one of the "great" ones. I couldn't put it down. I'm not going to talk about the story, just suffice it to say that it's splendidly written and it's a page-turner. Oh, and I didn't mind the Italian travelogue aspects at all. Added to the book's charm, I guess.

It Seems all the Spies Want Joel Backman Dead

Washington powerbroker Joel Backman had fourteen years left to serve on a twenty year sentence for treason when the outgoing President of the United States pardons him. Great news for Backman, or not, depending on your point of view. It seems that Backman knows a few too many secrets that the spooks want to make sure remain secret, so the pressured the pres into signing the pardon. Then they spirt Backman out of the country and set him up in Italy with a new identidy. But just because Backman is now known as Marco Lazzeri it doesn't mean he is safe, because the CIA has leaked his whereabouts to the Isralies, the Chinese, the Russians and a host of other spy agencies and they all want poor Joel dead. But alas for them, Joel has other plans. So while the CIA guys sit on their rear ends and wait for Joel's untimely demise, he takes off and now you have the genisis of the kind of story that Mr. Grisham does best. This is a nail-biting, spine-tingler that will have you burning the mid-night oil, that's for sure.

Grisham is back! Great novel!

I read "The Broker" fast and it is full of suspense. And this time, Grisham is delivering an international suspense thriller, which he's quite good in writing. It's all about a Washington power broker (not a stock broker as the title may lead you believe) who's released from prison under a special deal. The CIA gives him (the power broker) a new identity, etc. relocates him to Italy. Nice scenery and details about Italian life. Now, the power broker is a target to his previous "clients" from the Russians to the shady middle eastern characters to whom he had sold U.S. secrets during his "good" old days. The Broker reminds me a little bit on the in 2000 published novel by Alec Donzi "The Consultant" which is along similar lines and also an exceptional international thriller. Both books are excellent reads -- and with "The Broker" the real Grisham is back in a powerful way.