The Associate by John Grisham

Kyle McAvoy grew up in his father’s small-town law office in York, Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential.

But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesn’t want—even though it’s a job most law students can only dream about.

Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed. (From Barnes and Noble)

This was such a good book I almost finished it in one night. It was entertaining and suspenseful and a really fast read. I liked it. Most of the criticism of this book is that it's too much like The Firm. It didn't bother me. Most of his stuff is the same anyway. Lawyers disgusted with the way big firms are run and would rather make a difference in the world. That kind of thing. But that's Grisham and I think he would be the first to admit that he doesn't write great literature and that's okay with me. There's nothing wrong with a little junk food for the brain. Makes life fun. My only complaint with this particular story is that he short changed us on the ending. I wanted the problem solved, instead he just kind of brushed it under the rug and sent Kyle on his happy little way. But if you're a Grisham fan, it's forgivable.