The French Illusion

TLDR: “Solid thriller”

Book review by Deane Barker • •
An image of the cover of the book "The French Illusion"

I’ve enjoyed John Grisham books in the past, but he’s mainly known for legal thrillers. However, in the NY Times review of his latest book, I saw this:

Grisham has written dozens of books since his first, “A Time to Kill,” in 1989, but this is the only one that can be called an espionage novel.

Say less. I was reading it on my Kindle two minutes later.

…however, I missed the fact that this is book one of the “French Illusion Series.” I wish I had known that going in, because I was waiting for a climax that never quite came.

When a honeymooning couple is abducted in Paris, the CIA has to admit this is becoming a pattern, and they suspect some international terrorist is at work. They come up with a plan to lure the bad guy into another kidnapping where they can trap him.

As with all Grisham novels, it’s efficient, well-written and page-turning. But it doesn’t have a clean ending, which I wasn’t expecting. My Kindle was getting to 98% and 99% and I was thinking, “How is he going to wrap this all up?”

Well, he doesn’t. The ending sets up the next book in the series.

Still, it’s a good read.

Book Data

Author
John Grisham
Year
Pages
352
Acquired
Not recorded
Open Library
booksOL62672811M
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