Hear No Evil

Jack Swyteck #4

by James Grippando

Miami attorney Jack Swyteck is involved in the most explosive criminal trial of his career -- a case that starts with a murder on a military base and concludes with a shocking surprise that will change Jack's life forever. A beautiful woman comes to see Jack and begs him to represent her. She says she's about to be arrested for the murder of her husband, an officer stationed at Guantanamo Bay. Having no expertise in military law and sensing that the woman isn't telling him the entire truth, Jack turns her down. Then she drops a She claims she's the adoptive mother of Jack's biological son -- a child he's never met. Either Jack must represent her or he'll never see the boy. So Jack agrees, but with great foreboding. He has an unreliable client -- a blackmailer who just might be a murderer -- and he has to travel to Gitmo and on to Havana to tussle with people who clearly have a lot to hide. This is a case with as many twists and turns as it has unanswered questions, and the personal toll on Jack won't end until he's forced to confront the ultimate surprise witness in a trial that rocks the city of Miami. In signature Grippando style,  Hear No Evil  is an intricate, fast-paced, and captivating thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Crime, Legal Thriller

464 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 27, 2004

About the author

The first thing you should know about bestselling author James Grippando is that he is no longer clueless—or so they say, after “A James Grippando Novel” was a clue for #38 Across in the New York Times crossword puzzle. James is the winner of the Harper Lee Prize for legal fiction and a New York Times bestselling author with more than 30 novels to his credit, including the popular series featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. His latest, "Goodbye Girl" (HarperCollins 2024), is the 18th in the Swyteck series. His novels are enjoyed worldwide in 28 languages. As an adjunct professor he teaches "The Law & Lawyers in Modern Literature" at the University of Miami School of Law. He is also counsel at one of the nation’s leading law firms, where he specializes in entertainment and intellectual property law, representing clients who have won more than 40 Tony Awards. He writes in south Florida with Atlas at his side, a faithful golden retriever who has no idea he’s a dog.
Series:
* Jack Swyteck

Reviews

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good entry in the Jack Swyteck series. In this one Swyteck defends a conniving woman of the murder of her husband at Gitmo. Lots of surprises. Recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed all the books in this series. James Grippando writes a good mystery, always with a few twists. Murder, legal drama (since Jack Swyteck is a lawyer), and relationship drama. I listened to the audio book and really enjoy the narrator in these books, he keeps the drama going and the listener fully engaged.

This book also takes Jack on a journey to Cuba where he dives more into his mother's background.

[Dina Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of surprises...maybe a bit too many, actually. It was a bit over the top.

But I still enjoyed it.

It had a nice mix of family drama, courtroom drama, and political drama.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice addition to the series, a bit more background which was interesting

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook - 10:47 hours - Narrator: Steven Mendel
3.0 stars out of 5.0
An ok "Jack Swyteck" novel, although the plot and storyline are both somewhat far-fetched. The writing and the narration were good enough for me to hang in until the bitter end but the plotting was all so convoluted I couldn't see how the baddie was going to be found guilty. Overall, not a bad read.

[Amanda McGill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good courtroom drama. Jack has to defend the wife of a murdered military officer. Lots of surprises and the widow was full of lies to get Jack on board.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Groppando is a very good author, but this is not one of his better novels. 4 of 10 stars

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jack Swyteck is a Miami criminal defense lawyer. This is the 4th in the series. Jack is asked to defend a woman accused of murdering her U.S. Naval officer husband while they are stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Jack believes he is unsuited for the job because he knows little about military law. But, Lindsey is civilian and will be tried in Miami. Her husband was not only a military officer, he was the son of a Cuban refugee turned millionaire who is beloved for his rescue operation that tries to save Cubans escaping Castro on rafts. Jack doesn’t want the case, but Lindsey blackmails him emotionally by telling him that her adopted 10 year old son is Jack’s biological son. He is pulled into the case even though Lindsey lies to him continuously. She lies about everything. So why does Jack believe she is being framed? The case gets complicated when a Cuban soldier who mans a watch tower claims to have seen the activity around the house the morning of the murder. A Coast Guard officer is implicated. In the meantime Jack is delving into his own past. He is half Cuban; his mother died in his childbirth. Jack goes to Cuba for the case, but learns a lot about his Cuban mother while he is there. There are a lot of twists and turns. Overall, I did not like this book very much. The woman on trial is so manipulative that it is impossible to have empathy for her. Also, some of the courtroom scenes seem unlikely. The eventual story told by the woman is a little far fetched, too. I like this series, but this one missed the mark.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great case/mystery for Jack to solve and like the others; it’s personal.
This one also gives more insight into Jack’s cuban background & his abuela makes her entrance in person as a character.
And this is split b/w the investigation & the trial which I liked b/c I felt it was a good balance b/w the 2 elements in a mystery.
I wasn’t sure who the killer would turn out to be. I had my doubts about Jack’s client. this was also a more complicated story as there wasn't just the Jack's case but also cuban refugees & details about Jack's mother. At one point, I said, "this is one messed up case you got Jack."


The big negative for me about this series is that it’s very intense, (character wise). Jack Swyteck has a lot of heavy, emotional baggage attached which means that it’s not a lightweight type of story.
It reminds me of the Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke in that context.

The big positive is that overall I do like the characters. And the story keeps me guessing as the drama/suspense move at a quick pace.

and as usual, i had no idea how it would end. it had several surprises.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in Miami, Jack Swyteck is busy with one of the worst clients he has ever had as far as I know.

I would have booted her to the ground for all of the lies, but Jack is a better man than I am and he works it out.

Murder on a military base... that's FEDERAL COURT! The murder happened in Cuba, so there is a great deal of conflict in the Cuban community when the best witness is a Cuban Soldier. But that is the plight of his client who can't ever tell the truth. There is a good reason that Jack can't dump her, her son is Jack's biological son. Jack goes to Gitmo and that is interesting, and he finds out more information about his Mother while he is there.

Hear No Evil is really very intricately plotted and I was riveted from the start.

One of the better ones...

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Paula Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Swyteck agrees to represent Lindsey Hart, who has been accused of murdering her husband, who was an officer at Guantanamo Bay. He's not sure of her innocence, but is swayed by the fact that she's the adoptive mother of Jack's biological son, who was given up for adoption before Jack even knew of his existence. This being the military, Jack is up against it. All the witnesses are conveniently reassigned. The prosecutor is a friend of his father, but still out to get him. His only chance appears to be the testimony of a Cuban soldier who witnessed what happened, but by taking that option, he risks alienating his own Cuban heritage, who believe he is pro-Castro. It also puts him out of favour with the general public, since he's in Miami, Florida, which has a large Cuban population. Even worse, he's pretty sure his client is still lying to him!

Ah, the days before Gone Girl, where every second thriller didn't involve an unreliable female narrator. This was a good, old-fashioned, can't-put-it-down legal thriller with an interesting story and lots of plot twists. Is it just me, or do we simply not see these sorts of books anymore? Or am I looking in the wrong places? It seems James Grippando is still writing books, so I'll need to check out some of his more recent stuff. This was very compelling and entertaining. The NCIS certainly isn't portrayed as patriotically as the TV show! (This came out a year after that show started.) Characterisations aren't that deep, but Swyteck's investigation into his own past and struggles to connect with his part-Cuban heritage provided an interesting subplot, even if it ultimately did not really go anywhere.

Overall, no real complaints. Really good, solid legal thriller. I'm thinking of sticking with thrillers from pre-2012 for a while.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one in the series. I enjoyed delving into Jack's background more. My husband and I were back and forth on who we thought the killer was...especially with all the lying throughout the story! I was a little bummed about the outcome with the kid. Dang women and their lies!! Ready for the next one!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars rounded up. Not all portions of this book were believable, and the story stumbled a bit at times. It isn't as good as the previous one in this series, but it was pretty good.

[Fred Arshoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Grippando- Hear No Evil
75th book in read in 2018
I purchased this book used as I read other books by James that I really enjoyed. I am very glad I purchased this book.


Imagine your a defence attorney and a woman accused of murder on a USA military base and she wants Jack (the main character in all of James books) to represent her. Jack knows very little of military law, and she tells him if you refuse to represent me you will never see your son that he never knew he had. Of course, Jack has to give it his all so he can see his son.

I will give this book 4.5*

[ElaineY · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; JANUARY 13, 2016
Nick Sullivan

This one was one twist and turn after another. Very entertaining. I enjoy courtroom dramas, though I haven't read many, and this installment in the Jack Swyteck series spends more time in court than the others did.

The story does deviate onto a second thread which, while highly personal to Jack, isn't directly connected to the murder case but it does give a glimpse into the personal side of Jack and helped me understand the underlying sadness and loneliness that surrounds him. This, despite the great friendship he has with Theo who, despite his grumbling and exasperation with Jack always has his back. I'm always happy when the protagonist is given a best friend and constant companion to balance out the crappy things that happen to him. It feels good to know the protagonist has a sanctuary to chill out in and what could be better than a place and a friend like Theo and his bar!

Lindsey is one of those women/clients you can't sympathize with despite understanding the predicament she's in. She hides one piece of information after another that I was so fed up of her and wanted her locked up and the key thrown away. However, if you can hang on, you'll see Lindsey does have a good reason for playing those games with Swyteck.

This story moved at a fast clip and I wasn't bored at any point. I was surprised by the outcome and aftermath of the trial and if you're only expecting a light, entertaining beach-read, the Swytech series should do very well. These books have become my palate cleansers when I've been listening to an action thriller like Mitch Rapp or Scot Harvath.

The Narrator: Nick Sullivan was very good and giving the various characters distinctive voices. He did the accents well and so was his female voice for Lindsey. I have no complaints about this installment at all and even if it has more twists than a plate of spaghetti, I enjoyed this book very much.

[Grw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent enough book although strange that we have to wait until the forth book in a series about a trail lawyer, before we get one that actually features a trail.

Still, the main plot is good, with some nice twists and turns along the way, that will keep you guessing as to the guilt of the defendant right until the end, just as it should be.

However, as with the previous books there are too many asides to the main plot, some of which continue throughout - such as Jack digging into his background - whilst others crop up and are then forgotten pretty quickly. The thing is that this particular book would have been better if it had just stuck with the main plot as it was very easy to get lost and/or bored, with the side issues with the two never really coming together, other than both featuring Cuba.

Cuba is alas the other downside to the novel as there is quite a lot of political grandstanding by various characters, often repeating what the others had said, whilst depictions of the Cuban authorities were one cliche after another. Funny thing was, the US authorities - and legal system - were shown to be just as bad as the Cuban ones but this was accepted without protests from anyone.

Finally, there's the massive elephant in the room, although admittedly this may not have been such an issue when the book was published back in 2004, and presumable written the year or two before. That a story where the main events - the crime for which the trial is taking place - is set at the US base on Guantanamo Bay in Cuba doesn't mention, or even hint, at the one thing the location is infamous for even though a potted history is given as to why it is there.

Anyway, that aside, not a bad legal thriller, with some good insights into how the system works - or doesn't - some nice twists, better plotting than the previous books, but still with some, mostly technical, issues.

[Arlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my least favorite of the Jack Swyteck series. I really have loved most of the other books in the series, especially the more recent ones that feature Andie Henning. This story line was not at all interesting and really stretched the reader's imagination relative to bringing a Cuban soldier to the US to testify in a trial in a Miami courtroom. Jack's trips to Cuba and his interactions with Cuban officials in general were very contrived. Lindsey, Oscar, Damont, Hector and Mr. Pintado were all highly unlikeable characters. But what I absolutely hate is that Grippando persists in bringing in Jack's ridiculous 'relationship' with Rene. I'm so glad Grippando finally moved past the need to have Jack engage in irritatingly superficial relationships with shallow, one-dimensional girlfriends. It took me weeks to finish this book when I usually read a Jack Swyteck story in two days or less. It just didn't sustain interest.

[Pisces51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

HEAR NO EVIL [2004] By James Grippando
My Review Four Stars****

This novel is Book 4 of 17 in the author’s popular Jack Swytek series, counting the publication of his new Swytek legal thriller in January of this year. I like Grippando’s main character Jack and his colorful sidekick Theo Night. The author’s crisp writing style, witty dialogue and original plots have been very entertaining in the three installments I’ve read thus far.

I finished HEAR NO EVIL last night and the plot twists and turns were surprising yet realistic and overall rewarding. There are always readers posting to forums inquiring whether or not a given book can be read as a standalone or should the series be read in the order of publication. I would recommend to any would-be readers of this particular novel that they start at the beginning of the Jack Swytek series. I am certain that this storyline would not have been even a fraction as satisfying had it been read in a vacuum.

HEAR NO EVIL spends a substantial amount of time and pages of its narrative fleshing out the main character of Jack Swytek. The thread of his early life, including when he was born, the death of his mother in childbirth, and the initial estrangement from his father Harry play prominently in the plot. His Cuban heritage is explored in depth and in this installment of the book series Jack goes in search of his roots and to explore where his Cuban mother had lived and to learn whatever he could about her circumstances and experiences before her mother sent her to the United States. The character arc of Jack is interwoven throughout the entire book, to include shocking revelations about his mother’s connections to a man integral to the high profile murder case playing out in the present day.

The reader is pulled in to the story from the first page and Grippando’s writing style, knack for character development, and originality kept me turning the pages. I found the story to be riveting, and all the more so because of my knowledge of Jack’s prior history from the preceding three Swytek books. Jack is approached by Lindsey Hart, a woman who implores him to be her Defense Attorney in an impending high profile murder case. She tells Jack that he is the biological father of her 10-year-old adopted son Brian Pintado. Fans of the series know that Jack became aware of his former lover Jessie Merrill’s pregnancy and birth of a baby only after her death. Oscar Pintado, a respected Captain in the military presence at Gitmo, had been shot in the head and Lindsey finds herself in the crosshairs of the Federal US Attorney Hector Torres, Jack’s old boss and co-worker in the DA’s Office long ago. Lindsey hires an old school acquaintance to represent her probate interests, a beautiful female Latin lawyer named Sofia. She initially stands in as her criminal defense attorney due to Lindsey’s fiery tirade at Swytek during the early days of their negotiations. Swytek is ultimately persuaded by Sofia to be lead counsel and to work together with her to represent Lindsey in a capital murder trial.

The story is fast-moving and altogether captivating with plot twists you won’t see coming, and larger than life personalities vying for the stage. The murder victim Oscar Pintado is the son of Alejandro Pintado, a millionaire entrepreneur who is a legend among the large Cuban population in Miami for his public stance against Castro and his efforts to rescue men, women, and children attempting to cross the dangerous Florida Straits to reach American shores and freedom. Jack’s client, a Caucasian woman who was married to the respected Captain Oscar Pintado, garners virtually no sympathy or objectivity from the soldiers and civilians at the military base nor the large population of Cuban Americans inhabiting Miami. Judge Garcia who will hear the case is insensitive to any motions made by Jack, and the Federal US Attorney Hector Torres is stepping away from his desk job to try the case personally and is demanding the Death Penalty.

Jack and his co-counsel Sofia have their work cut out for them, and must try to obtain information from Gitmo only to travel to the military base on Cuban soil and learn that all persons on their interview list have been reassigned to undisclosed locations save one. The crime scene itself has been sanitized and with new military personnel living in the small house. It only gets more trying for our protagonists as they face dead ends, close encounters of the strange kind with Castro’s Military in Cuba, a largely hostile press, and hordes of rage and hate filled Cuban Americans in Miami who love the rich hero Alejandro Pintado and anyone who stands in the way of the murderer of the man’s son getting a needle in her arm. The 10-year-old Brian Pintado, allegedly Jack’s biological son, is central to the homicide case, but like the soldier who was reportedly the murder victim’s best friend, the Defense Team is kept away from the former and the latter is unable to be located to serve a subpoena to appear at the trial.

The enigmatic defendant Lindsey Hart keeps Swytek vacillating between her innocence or guilt, and her casual relationship with the truth keeps Jack frustrated and infuriated. HEAR NO EVIL is a terrific whodunit and the legal battles in the courtroom consume the latter half of the novel. The reader gets to see Theo Knight at intervals which is always a treat. Some readers may feel that the parallel story lines lend a convoluted feel to the book, but fans of the series should view it more as an original legal thriller with sex, lies, and politics, coupled with the unraveling of the truth about Jack’s mother Ana, the after shocks resounding decades after her untimely death to deliver karmic justice.

[Jasmin Jahic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was trying to establish my reading pattern through some of the Grisham's works (Such as ''The Recketeer'') and Tom Clancy's (Teeth of the Tiger), but then something new came along the way and that was the James Grippando's fourth novel ''Hear No Evil''. At first i was pleasantly surprised by it's simple title and it seemed to be more of a horror-thriller story to me. Nevertheless, i decided to pick it up and check Grippando's writing style. Did not regret it at any costs. Fabulous story, great twisted plots and drama that's keep going on and on, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Very tight, smartly constructly mystery which turned into anxious expentancy till the very end. Yes, Hear No Evil is an intricate, fast-paced, and captivating thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. Story starts by involving the Miami attorney, Jack Swyteck in the most explosive criminal trial of his career - a case that starts with a murder on a military base and concludes with a shocking surprise that will change Jack's life forever. A beautiful woman called Lindsey Heart comes and begs him to represent her in the court, as she was about to be arrested for the murder of her husband, Oscar Pintado, an officer stationed at Guantanamo Bay. Having no expertise in military law and sensing that the woman isn't telling him the entire truth, Jack turns her down. Then she drops a bombshell: She claims she's the adoptive mother of Jack's biological son - a child he's never met. Either Jack must represent her or he'll never see the boy. So Jack agrees, but with great foreboding. He has an unreliable client -- a blackmailer who just might be a murderer - and he has to travel to Gitmo and on to Havana to tussle with people who clearly have a lot to hide. This is a case with as many twists and turns as it has unanswered questions, and the personal toll on Jack won't end until he's forced to confront the ultimate surprise witness in a trial that rocks the city of Miami. Very entertaining. Courtroom dramas, however were the most intriguing part. And of course, the part that changed the Jack's life forever as he constantly seeks the truth about his childbirth and family roots. Fortunately, as a main protagonist he has given best companion, Theo Night to help him balance out the crappy things that happen to him. As a mystery behind the Oscar's Pintado death has grown, the political drama was growing even more. Jack's opponents kept trying to sabotage him in every single manner. First, they hired someone to burn his Mustang and destroy it at pieces. They even left the sprayed message saying : ''Castro's admirer''. So the party started, as Theo Night explained it in his own way at that moment. There was no doubt at all that behind the death of the Guantamo's Bay officer, Oscar Pintado was whole of a political drama. And James Grippando marked the twists very cleverly at some stages but it only keeps you turning the pages, as it gives you some kind of a new resonance. The story moved at very fast clip, but i must admit that some parts were covered with fuzzy mystery that made me go back at some points, to be sure that i didn't miss something important. Lindsey Heart played a lot of games with Jack Swyteck, but she had a good reason, as it turned out in the end. Didn't like her character at first. Didn't like her at all. She was giving impression of a cold, selfish and irrational person, hiding and keeping her secrets as a toy plot for a Jack Swyteck. But her secrets were revealed too late unfortunately, as an trial outcome was against her and she was sentenced a life imprisonment. Very strong and impressive characterisation Mr. Grippando! - didn't see many of these kind through the books i've had read. Lindsey Heart could simply be anyone, but Grippando pulled the connection between her and Jack by introducing us to his biological son, Bryan, so he just had to accept her offer. He stands as a alone, main protagonist, but the triangle was created in the very beginning so the story got even family drama involved. As the story tells us, he was traveling to the main city of Cuba, Havana, but his mind goes to the place where his mother was born, Bejukal, as he was half-Cuban at his own. There he discovers what actually happened with his mother faith, as she died at his childbirth. The more he was seeking the truth - the more the truth revealed for him. (piece-by-piece). The main prosecutor, Hernando Tores, his father's best friend was also involved in his destiny somehow as he was in love with his mother while the Cuban Revolution (Revolución Cubana) was taking it's place. Tores saved his life, but destroyed his mother life - so to tell!, as he new a very important fact that doctor told him - after her first child lose she shouldn't have any more kids, as her sickness was technically described as a preeclampsia, which is an complication of a pregnancy, that leads to the multiple organ failure, but only cure actually is a delivery of the child. So that's the way Jack Swyteck came to this world, but while one was borned the other one (his mother) ''had'' to be dead. Really sad story behind this main protagonist and his grandma (''abuella'') wasn't ready yet enough to tell him the whole truth, so he had to seek on his own. That's how Grippando cleverly made this novel unique fusion of a courtroom, family and political thriller-drama! Giving this a five star, even though it deserves more - and definitely will be reading more of a Grippando works!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Good Jack Story

Another good book in the Jack Swyteck series. Kept you guessing the whole time and even when you thought you finally figured it out they changed it. Look forward to the next book.

[Donna Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hear no evil!

Once again James kept you on the edge of your seat wondering who done it? Who was the murderer, who was the father of the young boy and how Jack would solve it all. Fantastic read. On to number 5.

[W.D. Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grippando kept me gripped to the pages of this novel. A couple of hiccups toward the end of the book kept it from 5 stars for me, but I read the book in about five days. That tells me that it kept me engaged and wanting to read more!

[John Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library Audible (To remind myself of the story) This book is really intiguing with contrasts. Army / prosecution and others cover up and do not investigate. Some investigation only a little and totally inadequate if actually done then the evidence may well fo provided the beyond reasonable doubt pointing to the best friend and then highlighting the wife's complicity (As difficult as the suation she should of left rather that the murder thing). Then in the story the prosecution charge the wife for the murder.

Jack Swyteck, the Miami defense lawyer is in unfamiliar territory when the woman asks him to defend her against the charge of murdering her husband, Jack is initially reluctant: the victim is a U.S. naval officer; the crime took place at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay; and Jack has almost no experience with military courtroom procedures. But the woman has a very persuasive reason for Jack to take the case (all right, it's a little far-fetched, but it works), and soon Jack finds himself fighting for his client's life in an arena that is brand new to him. She pitches the idea her adopted, deaf son is Jack's from a previous wife. The wife misleads and lies constantly. The only reliable witness is the Cuban soldier on watch duty thus considered Castro's plant. Yet his testimony is corroborated when the coast guard seen having sex with the sife turns out true. So
evidencially by near the end of the book there are three only possible condidates for the murder. The wife, the coastguard or the son. It comes out that the husband was not a nice man and forced his wife to have sex with his best friend * He was having trouble getting it up ), first time he drugged her. She eventually enjoys it and continues a relationship with the husband's bestfriend coastguard. All odd stuff. The jury convicts her from an emotional level rather than the evidence. She finally confesses the truth to Jack that she conspired with the costguard guy who actually shot the husband. Most of the details turned out true just presented slightly re arranged. The coastguard is found murdered later so the loose ends of the story (fiction ) are tidied up. But nonetheless the true parts to real life is army cover up, poor investiggation. Everyones prejudice against the wife. Even though some was true and conspired without evidence was uncalled for. The father's automatic acceptance initially that the sun shone out of his son. Normal response but parents should learn to look for evidence and keep an open mind. It is all there including the cuban connection.
Jack failed to turn the jury around as well. This is realistic as people emotionally charged can not (And even without the emotion) see reason. a clever book alround.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the Jack Swyteck series. In this book, Jack Swyteck is involved in a case that starts with a murder on a military base and concludes with a shocking surprise that will change Jack's life forever. Grippando has a great writing style, and a knack for character development. I feel books need to be read in series order as you need to remember Jack’s prior history from the preceding books.
Lindsey Hart comes to see Jack and begs him to represent her. She says she's about to be arrested for the murder of her husband, an officer stationed at Guantanamo Bay. Having no expertise in military law and sensing that the woman isn't telling him the entire truth, Jack turns her down. She tells Jack that he is the biological father of her 10-year-old adopted son Brian. There were so many twists to this book and just when I thought I had it figured out the author threw some new information at you that made you second guess your own conclusions. A new character was introduced in this book, Sofia Suarez. Theo Knight returns as Jack's assistant. I enjoyed the many details of Jack's past that were revealed in this book. You get a lot of back story on his Mother, with another surprise.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has been a joy to read from the first book, and if you love courtroom drama as I do, this will not disappoint.

Lindsey Hart needs the best criminal lawyer in Miami, but Jack Swyteck isn’t sure he wants the case. The military says she murdered her husband while the two lived at Guantanamo Bay. Jack isn’t as familiar as he’d like to be with military judicial procedures, and he vacillates between believing in her guilt and innocence. She finally convinces him that the 10-year-old deaf boy she and her husband adopted is Jack’s biological son. He should defend her, she argued, for that reason if for no other. He ultimately takes the case.

This gets twisty and tense as you read. the prosecutor is a friend of Jack’s dad, one of Florida’s former governors. I promise you’ll draw into this as witness after witness reveals twisty information explosions one after another. Even if you predict how this ends, you’ll enjoy all that courtroom drama.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has so many twisst and turns you could never figure it out. So do not read to the end of my review. Lindsey is accused of killing her husband and Jack took her case. She has lied to him about everything. But Jack took it because of her son Brian whom she said was Jack's son. Her husband was the son of a wealthy miami citizen who had a side business of rescuing refugees. He was getting intel from her husbands best friend who worked in the coast guard. SPOILER STOP HERE!!!! It turns out that her husband lent her body out to the best friend who was giving intel. But the best friend was also giving intel to the drug cartel and when the husband found out he had to be killed. But by then Lindsey started to like the rapist and they planned the murder together and was gong to pin it on Brian her son.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading Jack Swyteck stories. I found James Grippando by accident and so glad I did!
This one got a 5 star rating because I loved everything about it. I use the audio book version and listen while working around the house or the garden and I couldn't put it down. His client was kind of annoying, but I found myself wanting to believe in her for the same reasons that Jack did.
Reading the books in order, for me, is part of the fun. I started with book #14, the last one of the series, because it was available and I needed something to read. But that hasn't spoiled anything for me. Starting from the beginning, and reading in order, I am thoroughly enjoying watching the mystery of his life unfold while enjoying the mysteries his new clients bring.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 25th ma 2025 good read three stars i liked it no less no more kindle library loaner third from grippando for me jack swyteck #4 and all from this series not reading them in any order and have another open and ready to go. seems like too few reviews or ratings for a good story. and that's the way it is. jack is a lawyer and is called to defend a woman accused of killing her husband on guantanomo. entertaining story...seems like more than a few twists and turns that are somewhat unique and i thought the same reading the other grippando stories...that he managed to throw in some details in the stories that are a joy to read, refreshing maybe. onward and upward.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Jack. He starts this book with no wife, an absent/part-time girlfriend, and a new client who seems to lie to him every chance she gets. The client is accused of killing her US Marine husband, and much of the story includes political information about the relationship between the US and Cuba.
Jack is still hung up on learning about his late mother, who died giving birth to him, and this book adds another piece of information to his collection. An interesting story, not quite as exciting as books 1 and 3, but still worth reading.

[Catrinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find Grippando's Jack Swyteck series to be fast, sort of mindless reads (I don't mean this in a negative way--at times, that's what I'm looking for in a book). Some books in the series are better than others, though, and some result in a higher number of eye rolls from me.

While this book kept my interest, there were so many convoluted and improbable directions in the storyline that it became a bit ridiculous IMO.