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New York Times bestselling author James Grippando delivers a powerful, nonstop thrill ride ripped from the headlines. Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck is back in his most frightening case yet, and this time the price of victory is measured in blood.
It is the most sensational murder trial since O. J. Simpson's. The nation is obsessed with Sydney Bennett, a sexy nightclub waitress and good-time girl accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter for cramping her party life. When he had agreed to defend Sydney, Jack Swyteck knew he'd be taking on the toughest and most controversial case of his career.
Millions of "TV jurors" have convicted Sydney in the court of public opinion.
When the shocking verdict of not guilty is announced, citizens across the country are outraged, and Jack is bombarded by the fallout: angry, profanity-laced phone calls and even outright threats. Media-fed rumors of "blood money"—purported seven-figure book and movie deals—ratchet up the hysteria, putting Jack's client and everyone around her at risk.
On the night of Sydney's release, an angry mob outside the jail has gathered to serve its own justice. In the frenzy, an innocent young woman bearing a striking resemblance to the reviled Sydney Bennett ends up in a coma. While the media blame Jack and his defense team, the victim's parents reach out to him, requesting his help. They don't believe the attack was the tragic result of random mob violence.
Searching for the truth about what happened that night, Jack makes a frightening discovery. Larger and much more powerful forces are working in the shadows, and what happened outside the jail is a symptom of an evil that infected the show-stopping trial and media-spun phenomenon of Sydney Bennett.
James Grippando is a New York Times bestselling author. Blood Money is his twentieth novel, the tenth in his acclaimed series featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. James Grippando was a trial lawyer for twelve years before the publication of his first novel in 1994 (The Pardon). He lives in South Florida with his wife, three children, two cats, and a golden retriever named Max, who has no idea he's a dog.
As he contemplated leaving the law, Grippando set his sights on becoming a writer, a career shift not as drastic as one might imagine. "A trial lawyer is in many ways a story teller," he said in an essay in Mystery Scene magazine. "Still, I had no idea how to become a novelist... So, I set a couple of ground rules. First, I would do my writing on the sly, nights and weekends, while continuing to bill my obligatory two thousand hours a year. Second -- and this was by far the most important rule -- I was determined to keep it fun."
Both Grippando's legal expertise and his determination to "keep it fun" were readily apparent in his 1994 debut, The Pardon, a taut thriller that introduced Jack Swyteck, a brash young Miami criminal defense attorney who successfully defends an admitted killer -- only to find himself framed for his defendant's murder. Called "a bona fide blockbuster" by the Boston Herald, this well-plotted first novel marked Grippando as a writer to watch.
Despite the popularity of The Pardon, Grippando would not return Jack Swyteck to active duty for eight more years. His second novel, written while he was still practicing law, was a fast-paced crime thriller called The Informant. Shortly after it was published in 1996, he left his practice for full-time writing and published a string of well received stand-alones, including The Abduction, Under Cover of Darkness, and A King's Ransom.
Then, in 2002, Grippando revived Jack Swyteck, placing him at the center of Beyond Suspicion, a gripping courtroom drama involving an insurance scam and the Russian Mafia. Readers reacted so joyfully to Swyteck's return that the author has -- with very few exceptions -- kept attention focused on his beloved series protagonist. As the review journal Booklist put it : "Grippando, whose best thriller have been full of imagination and out-of-left-field surprises, looks like he's found a winner in the Swyteck series."
Before becoming a writer, Grippando was on the fast track to becoming a partner at Steel Hector & Davis, the Miami law firm at which former Attorney General Janet Reno began her career.
Some interesting outtakes from our interview with Grippando:
"In this world of revolving doors, I'm what you might call a professional anomaly. I've had the same publisher (HarperCollins) and agent (Richard Pine, along with his father Artie until his death) since the start of my career. I've also had the same editor (Carolyn Marino) since my second novel. I treasure these relationships. It is because of them that I am able to do what I love for a living."
"My first published novel was actually inspired by a near arrest in a case of total mistaken identity. One night in October 1992, tired of staring at a blank computer screen, I went for a walk before going to bed. I got about three blocks from my house when, seemingly out of nowhere, a police car pulled up onto the grassy part of the curb in front of me. A cop jumped out and demanded to know where I was going. I told him that I was just out for a walk, that I lived in the neighborhood. He didn't seem to believe me. "There's been a report of a peeping Tom," he said. "I need to check this out." I stood helplessly beside the squad car and listened as the officer called in on his radio for a description of the prowler."Under six feet tall," I heard the dispatcher say, "early to mid-thirties, brown hair, brown eyes, wearing blue shorts and a white t shirt." I panicked inside. I was completely innocent, but it was exactly me! "And a mustache," the dispatcher finally added. I sighed with relief. I had no mustache. The cop let me go.
But as I walked home, I could only think of how close I'd come to disaster. Even though I was innocent, my arrest would have been a media event, and forever I would have been labeled as "the peeping Tom lawyer." It was almost 2 a.m. by the time I returned home, but I decided that I needed to write about this. I took the feeling of being wrongly accused to the most dramatic extreme I could think of. I wrote about a man hours away from execution for a crime he may not have committed. What I wrote that night became the opening scene of The Pardon."
"My first editor on everything I write is my wife, Tiffany, who was an English Lit major."
"I can't underestimate the impact Miami -- the city in which I live -- has had on my writing. Miami evokes all the right buzz words -- smart and sexy, young and beautiful -- but it also has a self-destructive quality that triggers the kind of fascination we have with a reckless youth. It is blessed with natural beauty, but it's threatened by developers. It has the gift of cultural diversity, but is plagued by ethnic tension. Its nightlife is unrivaled, but the threat of violence is never far enough away. There's glitz, there's money, there's the see-and-be-seen -- and then there are neighborhoods that seem straight out of the third world. You often hear it said that truth is stranger than fiction, and nowhere is that more true than in south Florida. Where else could the United States Attorney lose his job after losing a big case, getting drunk, and biting a stripper? But it's where I live, it's where I practiced law, and it will always be an inspiration to my writing.
Anonymous
Posted January 13, 2013
I read the sample and plot is so similar to the Casey Anthony murder case. I don'know if I want to invest $16 to relieve that horrible night mare aggain. And besides this book is beyond my budget.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 1, 2013
I love his novels especially about the character. I did not realize this was based on the Casey Anthony story and it disturbed me to read it. I don't think I will finish it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 20, 2013
I have read and enjoyed many of his books. However, regretted this purchase. A thinly veiled casey anthony story, right down to the avarice, swimming pool and proported daddy abuse.
Not worth the money or time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 6, 2013
As the title suggests, money is at the root of this plot in this, the latest in the Jack Swyteck series. It begins with a case in which Sydney Louise Bennett, the mother of a two-year-old child, is found innocent of murder. Jack, who stood in for his mentor at an earlier hearing in the woman’s matter, is the attorney of record, and the judge does not let him withdraw from the case.
The trial itself leads to a media circus, which fans a bloodthirsty crowd that surrounds the court chanting all kinds of slogans. Everyone believes Sydney to be guilty, fueled by the invectives of a cable channel, Breaking News Network. and its anchor. Jack is vilified, especially when the jury returns a Not Guilty verdict. Any further details of the ensuing plot would constitute a spoiler.
The author’s background as an associate with a leading law firm provides the basis for creating interesting courtroom scenes and raising unusual legal questions. The story that develops is on the one hand somewhat complicated, while the characterizations, on the other, are a bit oversimplified. Nevertheless, “Blood Money” upholds the level of the ten Swyteck series novels, and it is recommended.
3.5/5
This is the 10th book featuring Jack Swyteck, a Miami based lawyer. In Blood Money, Jack reluctantly takes on the defense of Sydney Bennett, a party girl cocktail waitress accused of killing her two year old. Sounds just like the real life case of Casey Anthony, also a Florida woman accused of killing her two year old in 2008, doesn't it? And, like Anthony, Grippando's character is found not guilty. The resulting social media storm also mirrors that of Anthony's case, which Time magazine called "the social media trial of the century." Bennett comes to be known as 'shot mom', a reference to her selling of drinks at her cocktail waitress job, by TV host Faith Corso. Anthony was called 'tot mom' by television news host Nancy Grace. There are some other similarities I won't bother listing.
So, part of me was disappointed in Grippando for simply fictionalizing a known case. But once things got underway, he did put his own spin on things with alternate scenarios. Lots of twists and turns kept me listening. I found the media frenzy surrounding the case a telling commentary on our society. I've always enjoyed the character of Jack - he's a likable, principled protagonist. Theo (whom Jack 'saved' from Death Row) is a solid sidekick, and the more physical of the duo. Their banter is often entertaining.
The reader was award winning Jonathan Davis and he was excellent. His interpretation of Jack really matched the mental image I had created for this character. His voice is very expressive, and captured the action and tone of the story perfectly. His range of voices was very good - I was able to easily tell who was speaking. Davis has a voice that is truly easy on the ears!
Blood Money was an entertaining listen for me
Kittyb1
Posted February 22, 2013
The book starts out with a Casey Anthony type trial and its distasteful outcome. However, it quickly becomes something else entirely. Twisted lives, several plot twists and Swyteck's usual associates combine to make this a thrilling adventure of just how bad some of these awful people are. You really don't like anyone in this book when you realize that no one is what they seem to be. Grippando's grasp of the visual beauty that is Miami is evident on every page and you are able to successfully picture yourself at the heart of the action. The ending is rewarding, but does leave a door open with regard to Swyteck's romanitc future.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 16, 2013
Hi cats...
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 11, 2013
Warriors second result and thanks
0 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 12, 2013
Im one moon oldand lost my mom to greencough and my dad died in battle im a speckled wite and gray with dark blue eyes i need a clan and bluesky told me this clan had a gueen to nurse me ive been alone for two days and barley survived with no food plz help me willowstar
0 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 12, 2013
You may join as my own kit if you like. We talk at result on as the main talkative area
0 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 10, 2013
Fur the color of the setting sun. (Deep golden orange.) Eyes are the color of a blue flame. She is an egyptian cat so she has longer ears and a longer tail than most cats.~~~ she is a warrior.~~~ has no mate or kits~~~ she is very calm and sweet but also has a very fierce side when needed.
0 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 10, 2013
Yes. Ive had three. Mosspaw Leafpaw and Rockpaw
0 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 28, 2013
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Anonymous
Posted February 5, 2013
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Overview
New York Times bestselling author James Grippando delivers a powerful, nonstop thrill ride ripped from the headlines. Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck is back in his most frightening case yet, and this time the price of victory is measured in blood.
It is the most sensational murder trial since O. J. Simpson's. The nation is obsessed with Sydney Bennett, a sexy nightclub waitress and good-time girl accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter for cramping her party...