Dear Diary

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

I love this entertaining short story. It's about Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American minister who purchased Canterville Chase. He was warned by Lord Canterville about his ancestor's haunted place, which no one cared to live in. However, the Otis family is undeterred by the ghostly presence and the ensuing trouble.

The ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville, who murdered his wife and met his own death in 1575, has been haunting and has been seen by living members since then. The ghost was irritated to find that the Otises treated the 'interruption' as a joke. The only person who alarmed him was little Virginia Otis, who was full of wisdom and grace. The delicate conversation between them delves into the meanings of life, death, and love messages without being preachy. One of the themes that stood out to me is that being a good listener can have a huge impact on how people feel and act.

The Exchange by John Grisham

I remember reading The Firm back in 2016, and now I've finally gotten around to its sequel. It's set fifteen years later, and Mitch McDeere is now a partner in a major firm called Scully & Pershing and is living the high life in the big city with an established reputation. A partner in Rome, Luca Sandroni, needs his help. Years ago, an ambitious bridge project was attempted by Muammar Gaddafi. A Turkish contractor signed a contract to build a bridge in Libya. The bridge is completed, but the Libyan government owes the contractor a sum of money and has refused to pay. So, here comes Mitch to save the day.

Unfortunately, he's suffering from food poisoning on the day of the meeting. Luca's daughter, Giovanna, who is also an associate, steps up to the plate and is willing to take on a risky mission: a visit to the bridge with a security team. However, things go haywire when they go missing at a checkpoint. The situation worsens when Giovanna's safe return costs $100 million, and any involvement from the police or FBI would put her life in danger.

There is a minor flaw: repetitive and unnecessary details, as well as too many characters that I think are insignificant. As a result, this legal thriller just didn't stand out to me.

Thanks to @times.reads and @putrifariza for the review copy. All views are my own 💙

*Available at all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia and their online stores