Playing for Pizza by John Grisham

A new John Grisham! A new John Grisham!

If you're a John Grisham fan, I'm sure you're always on the lookout for a new book by the master of legal thrillers. Well, he has published a nice little book called Playing for Pizza.

First the warning: This is not a legal thriller. The closest we get to a lawyer is the main character has some minor (as far as the plot is concerned) legal problems and someone might mention he has or needs a lawyer, but the lawyer doesn't get introduced. There might be another lawyer mentioned in passing (I don't want to give away the plot).

What is the other ingredient to a legal thrillers? Thrills, jeopardy, violence? Like the lawyers, there might be some hints of possible violence, but certainly not what you'd expect in a thriller.

Did I mention the book is about football and love and food and culture in Italy? There is some violence on the football field, but that's sports violence, not thriller violence.

This is a charming little book, a love story written by an accomplished writer.

I was disappointed by John Grisham's previous non-legal thriller (A Painter House). That book was autobiographical and not to my liking - however Playing for Pizza is delightful, and I'm not even a football fan!