They intend to sit back and wait to see who kills him in an effort to solve the biggest mystery to hit the US government in decades: the question of who built this seemingly impenetrable and most advanced satellite ever. In reality, the CIA is setting him up for professional assassins from China, Israel, Russia, Saudi Arabia and other countries. However, he soon realizes that something isn't quite kosher in this new setup, in that he is under constant surveillance. He has a new name and mysterious new 'friends' who will teach him to speak the language and to blend in with the people in Bologna. Bargains are made, and after an outgoing disgraced president grants him a full pardon at the behest of the CIA, he finds himself spirited out of the prison in the middle of the night, bundled onto a military plane, and flown to Italy to begin a new life. Six years later, the political wheels in Washington have turned and other power-hungry men are eager for his blood. However, his life falls apart when a deal collapses involving a hacked spy satellite that nobody knows about, and Backman ends up in jail. Joel Backman is 'The Broker,' a Washington power broker-lobbyist, considered by some to be one of the most powerful men in Washington. The novel follows the story of Joel Backman, a newly pardoned prisoner who had tried to broker a deal to sell the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. The Broker is a suspense novel written by American author John Grisham and published in the United States on January 11, 2005.

Sycamore road by john grisham