I took a break from Grisham books a while back, but when I read “The Last Juror” a few months ago I decided to give him another chance. With “The Broker” he disappointed a bit, but not too badly.
“The Broker” follows Joel Backman, a high-powered DC lawyer/broker who goes to prison for various activities, only to be pardoned by a lame-duck president. The CIA moves him to Italy for protection, but in fact they merely want to see which country kills him, like a top-secret hunt.
The storyline falters in places, but where the plot fails the lovely despcription of Bologna, Italy shines. When I turned the last page of this book my first thought was “I want to go to Bologna for my 10th anniversary.” Generous descriptions of not just the scenery but the history makes me yearn for my own chance to walk the streets and eat in the cafes. It sounds heavenly there.