FULL OF the twists and turns expected of John Grisham, his latest legal thriller has distinct echoes of The Firm, his second novel published in 1991. But while smart rookie lawyer Mitch uncovered corrupt goings-on in his massive new firm of attorneys in t

FULL OF the twists and turns expected of John Grisham, his latest legal thriller has distinct echoes of The Firm, his second novel published in 1991.

But while smart rookie lawyer Mitch uncovered corrupt goings-on in his massive new firm of attorneys in that book, smart rookie lawyer Kyle is blackmailed into stealing valuable secrets from his massive new firm of attorneys in The Associate (�18.88, Century).

Kyle McAvoy, 25, is one of the outstanding law students of his generation and, consequently, can choose a job in any firm he wants.

But he has a secret from his past, a secret that threatens to destroy his fledgling career and, possibly, land him in jail.

A wild child fellow college student claims two of Kyle's friends raped her at a party and that Kyle was there, too. The police weren't convinced and it seemed the allegation had gone away.

But one evening, Kyle is confronted by some shadowy men with a compromising video of the incident. And while it's clear he wasn't involved, if the video is made public, the consequences could still ruin him.

The men demand a high price for keeping Kyle's secret. He must take a job as an associate with the largest law firm in the world and pass on to them the secrets of its biggest trial to date - a dispute between two defence contractors worth billions of dollars.

Exhausted by the outrageously long hours expected of its new associates by Scully & Pershing, and under constant surveillance by the dangerous men blackmailing him - men who, he soon realises, are quite capable of murder - can Kyle extricate himself without destroying his future?

This is the usual pacy and enthralling adventure expected of Grisham, along with his usual eye for detail in the way law firms work.

- LINDSAY JONES