Another year, another novel from bestselling author John Grisham. 

He's had 51 consecutive number 1 bestselling books across various genres, and has sold nearly half a billion copies worldwide. 

And now he's stepping out of the courtroom with his first spy thriller and foray into international espionage – 'The French Illusion'.  

"I love spy novels," Grisham told Mike Hosking. 

"I grew up reading them – still read them a lot." 

And so he decided to take a break from the courtroom and the lawyers, getting the idea for this story while visiting Paris. 

"For years my wife has said, "why don't you set a book here in France? We enjoy Paris and there's so much to write about," and I said, "great, I'd love to do that, but I have to wait till I have a good story."" 

"And it finally... it took years for it to come about." 

Although he's not ruling out another spy novel down the line, Grisham told Hosking he's returning to the courtroom in his next book. 

"That's where I belong, that's where my readers expect to find me." 

"We're Americans – we love to sue people. We love courtrooms. Lawyers, we're always in court over something. It's very much a part of our culture." 

"That's what I enjoy writing about." 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Another year, another novel from bestselling author John Grisham.&nbsp;
He's had 51 consecutive number 1 bestselling books across various genres, and has sold nearly half a billion copies worldwide.&nbsp;
And now he's stepping out of the courtroom with his first spy thriller and foray into international espionage – 'The French Illusion'. &nbsp;
"I love spy novels," Grisham told Mike Hosking.&nbsp;
"I grew up reading them – still read them a lot."&nbsp;
And so he decided to take a break from the courtroom and the lawyers, getting the idea for this story while visiting Paris.&nbsp;
"For years my wife has said, "why don't you set a book here in France? We enjoy Paris and there's so much to write about," and I said, "great, I'd love to do that, but I have to wait till I have a good story.""&nbsp;
"And it finally... it took years for it to come about."&nbsp;
Although he's not ruling out another spy novel down the line, Grisham told Hosking he's returning to the courtroom in his next book.&nbsp;
"That's where I belong, that's where my readers expect to find me."&nbsp;
"We're Americans – we love to sue people. We love courtrooms. Lawyers, we're always in court over something. It's very much a part of our culture."&nbsp;
"That's what I enjoy writing about."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

John Grisham: American Author on his new spy novel 'The French Illusion', writing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0d51db68-0ca9-44a1-a810-b4dc01605a74/transcript

I tell you who should be feeling good this election campaign: political parties. 

If the commentary and expectation I'm seeing so far is truly representative of where we are at in this country, as consumers we have slipped back into a gliding-on type world of the 1970's. 

The supermarket scrap is stupid enough. But Labour yesterday yet again waded into the world of banking, promising to make it easier for more competition. 

I'm not sure I've ever seen a public so seemingly reliant, dependant, or expectant of a group of politicians to solve all of our perceived and imagined problems. 

It's like a bad, old habit. 

Who is going to make my butter cheaper? 

Who is going to punish a power company? 

Why can't I have some money for petrol? 

When are you going to teach those supermarkets a lesson? 

There doesn’t seem a single grievance we can dream up that doesn’t have a political party, or a queue of them, lined up to make a promise. 

To be fair to Labour, the right to repair thing the other day on cars has merit and addresses a potential and pending real problem. 

But making banking easier means nothing and doesn’t address the many other times many other parties have said exactly the same thing. 

Open banking is supposed to be a miracle, yet it won't be. There are 26 retail banks in this country. There is no shortage of competition and never has been and the large chunk of market share taken up by the big four is because we choose to be there, either because we are satisfied or we're lazy. 

We have sunk to a "lowest common denominator" level of expectation. Like children, our problems are for others to solve. 

"What can you do for me?" – when did that become a habit? 

It comes out of the global malaise post Covid. As JP Morgan told us recently the base level for happiness has dropped. We are all kinds of miserable and there is an element of resentment in there as well. 

Why solve your own issues if some poor sap who needs your vote can be given a good bollocking? 

Break up power companies, smash supermarkets, monitor petrol stations; it's all a scandal. It's all a con, banks are bad, airlines are rorts. 

All logic and reason as to why things are what they are, are out the door because the snake oil boys see some gormless saps too dumb to work it out for themselves. 

What are you going to do when the promises lead to nothing new? Oh, that’s right – wait until the next election. 

Seething. 

I tell you who should be feeling good this election campaign: political parties.&nbsp;
If the commentary and expectation I'm seeing so far is truly representative of where we are at in this country, as consumers we have slipped back into a gliding-on type world of the 1970's.&nbsp;
The supermarket scrap is stupid enough. But Labour yesterday yet again waded into the world of banking, promising to make it easier for more competition.&nbsp;
I'm not sure I've ever seen a public so seemingly reliant, dependant, or expectant of a group of politicians to solve all of our perceived and imagined problems.&nbsp;
It's like a bad, old habit.&nbsp;
Who is going to make my butter cheaper?&nbsp;
Who is going to punish a power company?&nbsp;
Why can't I have some money for petrol?&nbsp;
When are you going to teach those supermarkets a lesson?&nbsp;
There doesn’t seem a single grievance we can dream up that doesn’t have a political party, or a queue of them, lined up to make a promise.&nbsp;
To be fair to Labour, the right to repair thing the other day on cars has merit and addresses a potential and pending real problem.&nbsp;
But making banking easier means nothing and doesn’t address the many other times many other parties have said exactly the same thing.&nbsp;
Open banking is supposed to be a miracle, yet it won't be. There are 26 retail banks in this country. There is no shortage of competition and never has been and the large chunk of market share taken up by the big four is because we choose to be there, either because we are satisfied or we're lazy.&nbsp;
We have sunk to a "lowest common denominator" level of expectation. Like children, our problems are for others to solve.&nbsp;
"What can you do for me?" – when did that become a habit?&nbsp;
It comes out of the global malaise post Covid. As JP Morgan told us recently the base level for happiness has dropped. We are all kinds of miserable and there is an element of resentment in there as well.&nbsp;
Why solve your own issues if some poor sap who needs your vote can be given a good bollocking?&nbsp;
Break up power companies, smash supermarkets, monitor petrol stations; it's all a scandal. It's all a con, banks are bad, airlines are rorts.&nbsp;
All logic and reason as to why things are what they are, are out the door because the snake oil boys see some gormless saps too dumb to work it out for themselves.&nbsp;
What are you going to do when the promises lead to nothing new? Oh, that’s right – wait until the next election.&nbsp;
Seething.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Like children, our problems are for others to solve

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/794ce602-b7d1-4822-9252-b4dc01659448/transcript

National's small business plan is being seen as practical, but not transformational. 

The party's released a 47 point plan to cut red tape for small businesses, which it would implement if re-elected.  

It features tweaks to non-trade barriers, employment relations, health and safety, and a review of the compulsory GST registration threshold. 

ABC Business Sales Managing Director Chris Small told Mike Hosking that yes, it will help, but it's not particularly transformational or material when you think of being a business owner.  

He says the idea is good and they're showing they have a soft spot for small businesses, but they could've put a bit more meat on the bone. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

National's small business plan is being seen as practical, but not transformational.&nbsp;
The party's released a 47 point plan to cut red tape for small businesses, which it would implement if re-elected. &nbsp;
It features tweaks to non-trade barriers, employment relations, health and safety, and a review of the compulsory GST registration threshold.&nbsp;
ABC Business Sales Managing Director Chris Small told Mike Hosking that yes, it will help, but it's not particularly transformational or material when you think of being a business owner. &nbsp;
He says the idea is good and they're showing they have a soft spot for small businesses, but they could've put a bit more meat on the bone.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Chris Small: ABC Business Sales Managing Director on National's 47 point small business plan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7bf3fbcb-a63a-40f9-848c-b4dc015c3ad6/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 8th of October, our teacher training enrolments are the best they've been in years – are we solving the problem?   

Labour leader Chris Hipkins discusses education and charter schools, co-governance, capital gains, and the state of MMP. 

Legendary author John Grisham is back to talk about his new book and the career of the late Jeffrey Archer. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 8th of October, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/bruce-kearney-rangiora-high-school-principal-on-the-40-surge-in-people-in-teacher-training-since-2023/">our teacher training enrolments</a> are the best they've been in years – are we solving the problem? &nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-the-tvnz-leaders-debate-billionaires-election-campaigning/">Labour leader Chris Hipkins</a> discusses education and charter schools, co-governance, capital gains, and the state of MMP.&nbsp;
Legendary author John Grisham is back to talk about his new book and the career of the late Jeffrey Archer.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 08 October 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a3d29504-33d2-4d51-9496-b4dc0150a7bd/transcript

John Grisham: American Author on his new spy novel 'The French Illusion', writing

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