City News

“The Firm,” a novel written by John Grisham, is an engaging, intense, suspense-packed story that focuses on 25-year-old Mitchell Y. McDeere, an impressive man who has just graduated from Harvard Law School in the top five students of his class. In high demand, Mitchell receives offers from many law firms, but one stands out. This offer is from a small firm in Memphis called Bendini, Lambert & Locke, and at first glance, it seems like a joke. When Mitchell goes to the interview, however, he receives an offer that seems too good to be true. This offer includes a very high salary, more than any other firm offered him. It also includes paying of his law school student loans, a new BMW, a new, nice house for a low amount of money, vacations, medical and dental coverage, a great retirement plan that can make him a millionaire by the time he is 45, and other small perks he will receive when he works at the firm. Though this offer would be tempting to any man, this offer was especially tempting to Mitchell, because he comes from a very poor family, and this money can help him to provide a better life for he and his wife, Abigail McDeere. Mitchell decides to take the job, which is the beginning of a very dangerous journey he will be forced to embark on.

When Mitchell is viewed by the firm as the best candidate for the job, he is given a tour of the firm. At first sight, it appears as though it is just another hard-working firm. It is quickly made known to Mitchell that the fourth floor is off limits. A reason, however, is not given. When the tour is over, Mitchell decides that this would be the best place for him to work.

Before Mitchell even starts working at the firm, he learns that two members, Marty Kozinski and Joe Hodge, were killed in a boating accident on a business trip in the Cayman Islands. Little is understood about how it happened, and the details don’t seem to be completely accurate.

One day, Mitchell eats lunch at a small restaurant, and a man sits at his booth. It turns out that he is an FBI agent, and he is investigating the Bendini, Lambert & Locke firm. The FBI agent, Wayne Tarrance, comes to warn Mitchell about the firm.

The author, John Grisham, does a great job of intriguing the reader by making the firm into something mysterious. He is amazing at providing just enough information to make the reader feel the suspense and mystery when reading the book. Throughout the story, Grisham continually provides suspense, intense situations, mystery, and many literary devices that make the book into the thrilling novel it is. When reading it, I felt as though I was actually in the settings of the story, and it was easy to imagine what everything looked like in the story. Grisham is so exceptional at describing the scenes, that I always felt engaged in the story, and made it a very enjoyable book to read. On top of that, The Firm has a great plot that will always keep you craving for more. I would most definitely recommend this action-packed book to readers who are interested in thrillers, suspense, law, as well as to any readers in general.

Check out The Firm from the Newport Beach Public Library.