The Firm (book)

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The Firm is a 1991 legal thriller and the second novel by John Grisham. It was his first widely recognized piece of work, and in 1993, was made into a film starring Tom Cruise. Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, was initially only marginally successful and did not bring the author the attention of the general public.

[edit] Plot

The novel focuses on Mitch McDeere, graduated third in his class at Harvard Law School. Mitch is married to his girlfriend from college, Abby. Mitch's brother Ray is serving a prison term. Another brother died in Vietnam.

Mitch has offers from law firms in New York and Chicago, but he is seduced by a promise of great pay, a house, and a BMW from a small law firm in Memphis.

Initially, although he's worked very hard, life is good in Memphis, with the chance to become a partner after only a few years. Then two of Mitch's colleagues die in an accident. An FBI agent, Wayne Tarrance, confronts Mitch, and Mitch learns gradually that the Firm is actually a cover for the Mafia. They have a system in which new lawyers are successfully lured into the firm with promises of secure wealth. By the time a lawyer knows its actual operations, he cannot leave. No lawyer has actually quit the firm alive. Mitch learns that his house, office and even his car are bugged.

Desperate to find a way out and stay alive in the process, Mitch makes a deal with the FBI, in which he gets two million dollars and the release of his brother, but only if he collects enough evidence to indict the members of the firm.

Meanwhile, the firm becomes suspicious, and with the assistance of a mole in the FBI, they discover Mitch's plan. Once Mitch learns of this, he stops trusting the FBI and runs from both the police and Mafia, taking his wife and his now-released brother with him. He then proceeds to steal approximately ten million dollars from various bank accounts belonging to the firm.

Mitch manages to escape to the Caribbean, while the FBI gets the evidence they need to bust the firm. At the end, Mitch and his family are shown quietly enjoying their newfound wealth in the Caribbean.

Preceded by A Time to Kill

John Grisham Novels 1991

Succeeded by The Pelican Brief

John Grisham's novels (as of 2006)
1980s: A Time to Kill 1990s: The Firm — The Pelican Brief — The Client — The Chamber — The Rainmaker — The Runaway Jury — The Partner — The Street Lawyer — The Testament 2000s: The Brethren — A Painted House — Skipping Christmas — The Summons — Bleachers — The King of Torts — The Last Juror — The Broker
Non-Fiction
2000s: The Innocent Man