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Cover of The Firm by John GrishamThe Firm
Modern · Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

The Firm

by John Grisham
1991 · 432 pages · Fiction
68.7Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

For young lawyer Mitch McDeere, it's an offer he can't refuse: a job at a Memphis law firm with huge salaries and benefits. But he has an uneasy feeling, and when the FBI reveals the firm's connections to the Mafia, Mitch must use all his wits to escape its deadly secrets.

Why it's worth reading

It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1991. It made John Grisham famous and defined the legal thriller.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of The Pelican Brief by John GrishamThe Pelican Brief
The Pelican BriefJohn Grisham
Cover of The Client by John GrishamThe Client
The ClientJohn Grisham
Cover of The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael ConnellyThe Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln LawyerMichael Connelly

Good to know

It became a 1993 film with Tom Cruise. It's a fast read.

By the numbers

68.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller60 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the ten best-selling books of 1991 (Publishers Weekly)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 1990sTop 25 · 273 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Firm worth reading?

Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1991. It ranks #1,444 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Firm about?

For young lawyer Mitch McDeere, it's an offer he can't refuse: a job at a Memphis law firm with huge salaries and benefits. But he has an uneasy feeling, and when the FBI reveals the firm's connections to the Mafia, Mitch must use all his wits to escape its deadly secrets.

How long does it take to read The Firm?

About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Firm?

If you liked it, try The Pelican Brief by John Grisham, The Client by John Grisham or The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly.