Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: Sparring Partners: The new collection of gripping legal stories

Top positive review

Three short stories (novellas) set in familiar Ford County featuring some favourite characters.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2022

Kindle version 304 pages.
Grisham's first novella collection - 3 stories.

Homecoming - p. 6 - 128.
Features Jake Brigance helping fellow lawyer who stole and disappeared with clients money.
Good story, builds well but rushed ending.

Strawberry Moon - p.129 - 179
Death Row inmates last 3 hours.
Concentrates on the inmate as opposed to the legal system.
Gives an insight into his survival and importance of books and reading to escape his confinement.
Good story.

Sparring Partners - p. 180 - 304.
Feuding law firm partners and their imprisoned father.
Bribery, pardons, double dealing.
Features some court room action.
Good story.

Strengths
Strong familiar characters/location.
Traditional Grisham themes.

Weaknesses
Abrupt/quick ending.
If a longer novel ending would develop slower.

Well worth a read for all, especially fans.
Covers traditional Grisham topics well.
Would recommend The Chamber as a traditional Death Row novel and The Runaway Jury for court room action.

4 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Mr. T. Jones

Disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2022

Not a typical Grisham in that it’s 3 shorter stories rather than one novel. All three all feel unfinished and could or should have had a lot more added to create a full book in their own right. It’s almost as though they finish mid story with a fair chunk of the start missed out too.
Judging from the dates in one of the stories they may have been early in the authors career and maybe left on the shelf unfinished as a result.
This just left me disappointed as I’ve really enjoyed the majority of his previous novels. Hopefully his next book will get back to form.

12 people found this helpful

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From United Kingdom

monxton13

Disconnected Jottings

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2022

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I always buy JG's latest, and of course in terms of output,when a top writer who has to produce something every year, you the reader are bearing the risk of whether it's representative of his best. This is not. 3 short stories non of which are well developed in characterisation or plot.
Yes it's always a page turning read but the literary reward is absent. Oh well I guess there is 2023!

10 people found this helpful

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Lady Dido

The trouble with short stories......

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2022

Verified Purchase

John Grisham has written some superb novels. However, the quality of his output is quite variable and this set of three short stories doesn’t hit the mark for me.

The problem with a short story is that there is no time for the author to develop the characters and therefore empathy. When I read a story I want to be rooting for at least one of the characters and see a build-up to a satisfying conclusion. In the case of two out of the three stories in Sparring Partners I didn’t care for any of the players. The middle story of the trilogy was the exception, and it was quite tragic. It was a heart-rending illustration of Grisham’s thoughts about the death penalty. It was the one section that built empathy for the main character – but sadly there was never going to be a good ending.

I am afraid this book, much of which seems to have been written early in the author's writing career, left me feeling disappointed and dissatisfied. However, it won’t stop me reading John Grisham’s books – many of them are excellent.

3 people found this helpful

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BeeJaySee

Surprised to have 3 short stories instead of a JG classic

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 June 2022

Verified Purchase

I always buy/pre order new Grisham’s on release but was unaware this was 3 short(ish) stories - wasn’t highlighted on my kindle. I didn’t realise this was the case until well into the third story when I realised there was no linkage between them!

4 people found this helpful

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margaret

Not your typical John Grisham

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2022

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Always read John Grisham books and really enjoyed the legal stuff but this was so disappointing in that it is, basically 3 stories( all different). Wont be picking up his next book!!

3 people found this helpful

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S C Loughridge

Good but.not what I expected

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 June 2022

Verified Purchase

A combo of stories that are fun and entertaining but not linked and a bit light. Suppose I enjoyed but disappointed

One person found this helpful

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Highland Lyn

Three good short stories

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 June 2022

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I wanted the stories to continue as they didn't seem long enough.

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Nick W

Not the usual Grisham high standard.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 June 2022

Verified Purchase

Satisfactory, but nothing special. Bring back the old Grisham classics.

Helpful

Under whelming

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 July 2022

I have read some excellent John Grisham novels with the three previous books in this series among them. This one however is a collection of novellas which although are well written and have good characters they failed to completely blow me away. I enjoyed the read I just didn’t love it.

Three short stories starting with ‘Homecoming’ featuring the excellent character Jake Brigance. This time he is not in the courtroom but called on to help a former lawyer and friend Mack Stafford. Mack became a local legend when he stole money from his clients, divorced his wife, filed for bankruptcy, and left his family in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again. That is until now. Mack is back on the scene and is looking for help from his old friends but his homecoming doesn’t go to plan.

In the second story “Strawberry Moon,” a young man on death row named Cody Wallace is to be executed in three hours time. His lawyers have tried everything to save him and the governor has denied any last minute pleas for clemency. With the minutes ticking away Cody has one final request.

The final story is probably the strongest of the three. Kirk and Rusty Malloy are two successful lawyers who inherited the family firm when their father was sent to prison. “Sparring Partners” There is bad blood with the two brothers who rarely speak other than when necessary. With the firm struggling they are forced to use Diantha Bradshaw the only person both brothers trust to operate as a go between. But will Diantha help the brothers save the firm.

The problem for me was just as I started to get into each story it was suddenly all over. I much prefer John Grisham full length novels.

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From other countries

Jude Livingston

three Tales

Reviewed in Australia on 8 June 2022

Verified Purchase

Grisham is a master writer. I enjoyed the three different lawyer short stories.

I feel the second one the hardest to read and understand how a 14 year old could be treated worst than our pets.

I wanted more of the first story. Definitely didn’t want it to be short.

The third I loved the most because it seemed as if three arrogant men got a taste of what it is like to be on the other side.

I hope the short story is not going to become Grisham’s method of delivering his writing. I’m one of those that love to read a “long” novel.

Three stars

Mirose

Unlike others, but interesting

Reviewed in Australia on 22 June 2022

Verified Purchase

Not a normal Grisham thriller, 3vseparate stories, 1and a half incomplete. Was waiting as I read to see how the stories tied up, did not, but still beautifully written and good reads each.
Subject matter was in fact true to the title.
Somewhat disappointed in that there was only one story with a satisfactory conclusion.
Quick read, 2 sittings.

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