What this yarn from the super-popular John Grisham lacks in suspense level, it makes up for in narrative adventure. As an Italy-phile, a huge attraction for me is in its setting of that country and a central figure who is tasked with learning Italian, the country's culture, an Italian city's streets and customs--activities to which I can well relate.

What sets it up is a threat on Joel Backman's (aka, "The Broker") life after receiving a presidential pardon. After spending 6 years in solitary confinement, with 14 more to go on his sentence, the notorious high-level operator who tried to broker a deal on a satellite surveillance system with the country that came up with the best offer, is sprung from confinement and spirited away to Bologna as a means to protect him from the squads of assassins that the CIA knows will come after him.

While political efficacy is to have the murder of the broker take place, and to see which country's agents will pull it off, the agency is none too anxious just yet. All the political ducks are not yet in a row. Under their protection and, in particular under agent Luigi's wing and rigorous surveillance, Backman is disguised, set up in small apartments, and all but forced to take intensive language lessons. When the time comes, his location will be leaked, and the inevitable will occur.

The effort of the scenario is to convince the reader that this makes any sense. The agency is training him to be adaptive to his circumstances when their objective is to keep him a defenseless target. Be that as it may, the setup is a great study in the discipline of language learning, a canny arrangement of a cute meet with a reluctant but beautiful Italian lady, an exposure of political intrigue at the highest and most murderous levels, and a considerable amount of spycraft. All of which is Grisham's current area of interest. Perhaps not his best-known literary bailiwick, but a reflection of where his heart beats.

In an author's note, he admits, "I know very little about spies, electronic surveillance, satellite phones, smartphones, bugs, wires, mikes, and the people who use them. If something in this novel approaches accuracy, it's probably a mistake." All right. But, for my money, his travelogue takes us to one of the richest and most historically colorful countries on the planet for some thrills, and when Grisham does that, I'm along for the ride.