Sparring Partners Audiobook By John Grisham cover art

Sparring Partners

Novellas

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Sparring Partners

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: Jeff Daniels, Ethan Hawke, January LaVoy, John Grisham
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About this listen

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • John Grisham is the acknowledged master of the legal thriller. In his first collection of novellas, law is a common thread, but America’s favorite storyteller has several surprises in store.

“Homecoming” takes us back to Ford County, the fictional setting of many of John Grisham’s unforgettable stories. Jake Brigance is back, but he’s not in the courtroom. He’s called upon to help an old friend, Mack Stafford, a former lawyer in Clanton, who three years earlier 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—until now. Now Mack is back, and he’s leaning on his old pals, Jake and Harry Rex, to help him return. His homecoming does not go as planned.

In “Strawberry Moon,” we meet Cody Wallace, a young death row inmate only three hours away from execution. His lawyers can’t save him, the courts slam the door, and the governor says no to a last-minute request for clemency. As the clock winds down, Cody has one final request.

The “Sparring Partners” are the Malloy brothers, Kirk and Rusty, two successful young lawyers who inherited a once prosperous firm when its founder, their father, was sent to prison. Kirk and Rusty loathe each other, and speak to each other only when necessary. As the firm disintegrates, the resulting fiasco falls into the lap of Diantha Bradshaw, the only person the partners trust. Can she save the Malloys, or does she take a stand for the first time in her career and try to save herself?

By turns suspenseful, hilarious, powerful, and moving, these are three of the greatest stories John Grisham has ever told.

Don’t miss John Grisham’s new book, THE EXCHANGE: AFTER THE FIRM!

©2022 Doubleday (P)2022 Random House Audio
Fiction Legal Short Stories Thriller Exciting Suspenseful

Critic reviews

"Grisham’s work—always superior entertainment—is evolving into something more serious, more powerful, more worthy of his exceptional talent."The Washington Post

“The law, by its nature, creates drama, and a new Grisham promises us an inside look at the dirty machineries of process and power, with plenty of entertainment.”Los Angeles Times

Interview: John Grisham Proves Yet Again That He Is the King of Legal Thrillers

'Every lawyer in a small town takes cases that he wishes a million times he had never taken.'
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  • Sparring Partners
  • 'Every lawyer in a small town takes cases that he wishes a million times he had never taken.'

What listeners say about Sparring Partners

Highly rated for:

Engaging Stories Intriguing Plotlines Excellent Narration Vintage Grisham Style Gripping Legal Thrillers
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Typical John Grisham

Three well constructed stories even though none seemed to have an ending leaving this reader wanting more. Although all three were read well, January LaVoy was close to perfect. One could tell not only when she was speaking as a woman but also as the many different men in her story.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Three novellas without an ending

These three novellas all started strong but didn’t deliver satisfying endings….it seemed liked Grisham lost interest. All three narrators were excellent.

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Good Reed

I like Novelas they are shorter and easier to read and especially when they come in a package of three. If you like Grisham this is the perfect package of pleasure for you!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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GOOD LISTENING LOVED IT.

THIS WAS WELL WRITTEN, I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE. WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANYONE WHO LIKES TO LISTEN TO AUDIO BOOKS.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Every story fascinating

Perfect for audible- great readers- the law has many faces! All in the details - vintage Grisham.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Always a John Grisham fan!

John Grisham always delivers! Sparring Partners started a bit slow but ended nicely. Homecoming was my favorite with Strawberry moon a close 2nd.

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Review

Entertaining enough to finish but not entertaining enough to love. Maybe i need more excitement in a book but i didn’t love it

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He never disappoints!

The narration was great! The
storyline, court drama, characters, plot....marvelous. It was a disappointment to have the story end.

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  • Overall
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    3 out of 5 stars

Hard to rate 3 novellas at the same time.

I’m a huge Grisham fan so wasn’t disappointed. All the stories were good, none great. The first really said nothing and did nothing but the narration was wonderful and it was a good story. The second probably out of necessity had a victim that didn’t deserve to be one and the third could’ve been a much much longer novel, but happily is wasn’t.

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John does not dissappoint

Sparring Partners is not the best of J. Grisham. The story is shorter, and the conclusion is anticlimactic.

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