Need You Now

by James Grippando

In a new stand alone from New York Times bestselling author James Grippando, a young Wall Street advisor and his girlfriend uncover a financial scheme that reaches into the halls of government.


New York Times Bestselling Author

The New York Times bestselling author returns with a gripping new stand-alone novel ripped from the headlines, in which a young financial adviser and his girlfriend uncover a conspiracy that reaches from Wall Street deep into the halls of government

"Grippando grips from the first page."-Harlan Coben


Abe Cushman, the evil genius behind a sixty-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme, has killed himself and taken his secrets to the grave.

For Patrick Lloyd, a young Wall Street advisor at the world's largest Swiss bank, Cushman's fall has unexpected-and deadly-repercussions. His girlfriend, Lilly, is directly tied to billions of dollars in losses suffered by Cushman's most dangerous "victims," a group of powerful investors whose identities and dirty finances are shrouded in secrecy. What Lilly knows can get her-and Patrick-killed, and now the pair are in a run for their lives that leads to the heart of secret operation, and to a cabal of powerful government officials determined to keep their agenda secret from the public.

With no place to turn and no one to trust, Patrick and Lilly must uncover the truth before they become collateral damage in a "financial war" where casualties are no longer measured in dollars and cents.

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

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 2012

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

[Jaidee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 "taut, well thought out, but only middling writing" stars !!

Mr. Grippando has written many thrillers of the popular fiction kind. This is my first read of his work and I have to say the book grew on me. This is a financial thriller involving a huge ponzi scheme ( a la Bernie Madoff ), the mafia, terrorists, the FBI, the CIA and a few everyday joes and janes caught in the middle.

The start was slow, a bit dull with writing that was at best, middling and at worst made me cringe with cliches and cheezy attempts at humor.

I am very glad I stuck with it as at about the one third mark, the story got very interesting, exciting and I wanted to read on despite some of the issues I had with the writing and humor and later on some of the violence and torture ( a bit graphic and icky ).

What I most admired about this book, though, is that Mr. Grippando has laid out the plot very carefully and logically planned so that in the end everything is clear and makes complete sense as opposed to many thrillers that have convenient and often implausible explanations.

The characters were fairly interesting and the story was very much so. If Mr. Grippando could simply drop some of the adolescent cheesy humor and go a little lighter on cliche he would easily be able to write four star thrillers.

I will likely try another of his novels at some point as in the end I was largely entertained !

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catching up…

After discovering that I had read “Money to Burn,” by this author, review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., I decided to also order this book from my library.

The question for me, after reading “Money to Burn” was simply…

Is this an author I wanted to continue following?

But…

Before I answer that question, let me ask you one…

Do any of you watch the series, “Law and Order?” What comes to mind, when I think of this series, is their continuing statement to describe their show…

“Ripped from the headlines.”

And…

It seems every time we watch an episode, we are comparing it to some recent story that was making the news, and wondering how they were going to twist or turn it to fit their own weekly series plot line.

So…

Was this what this author was attempting to do with this book?

Or…

Was the author generating plot for plot’s sake, and whatever was happening to the characters just didn’t feel compelling enough?

Especially…

When we start the story with the financial mastermind named Abe (Bernie Madoff reincarnated on the page?) committing suicide after his billions of dollars financial scheme has been exposed. (Note: This isn’t a spoiler, it is very clearly shared from the beginning that this would happen.)

And…

Then readers are flip flopped all around when there is murder, mayhem and confusion about who did what and suspicion is the order of the day.

So…

What happened to the money?

And…

Are we running out of breath with main characters, Patrick and Lilly, young financial analysts who have been kidnapped, let go, and then attempting to escape from psychopaths and mobsters and the FBI?

What secrets do they have to hide?

Let’s just say, that this was a less-than-thrilling thriller, with cliché characters and a plot that too easily left readers out-of-breath and confused.

Disappointed comes to mind.

So...

Will I read this author again? I think you can figure out the answer, right?

2.5 stars grudgingly rounded up.

[Alex Cantone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three years after Wall Street trader Abe Cushman takes his own life at being exposed for running a Ponsi scheme for two decades, Patrick Lloyd, a financial advisor with one of the world's largest Swiss Banks, is recalled from the Singapore office where he has been keeping tabs on Lilly, his on-off girlfriend. But few characters in this book are who they seem, with Lloyd and his sister Connie under the witness protection program, when their mobster father confesses to the murder of Miami financial fixer, Gerry Collins, who used the fraud for his own purposes.

After reading the exceptional novella "The Penny Jumper" I was looking forward one of Grippando's novels, and perhaps this, his 19th was the wrong one. FBI Special Agent Andie Henning (a recurrent Grippando character) drifts in and out, with a band of villains including a shady Treasury figure, someone in the NSA and a killer who is a former SEAL and CIA agent.

To me the standout was Evan Hunt, the mathematical whiz and quantitative analyst who unravels the Ponsi-type scheme from his tiny room above a restaurant in Chinatown. I enjoyed the New York vistas described in Lloyd's walkabouts or from the back of a vehicle, and the sordid atmosphere of Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, bordering Brazil and Argentina. But 66 chapters in 350+ pages left a disjoint, and I quickly lost track of days and events, which were not necessarily sequential.

[Susan (aka Just My Op) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those Ponzi schemes sure are hard to sniff out, especially the ones that last for only two decades and involve a measly $60 billion.

I very much enjoyed the only other Grippando book I've read, Money to Burn, and expected this one to live up to my expectations. While I did enjoy it, I felt a little let down by it. I like that Grippando knows whereof he speaks, that he is very familiar with the Ponzi schemes and their collapses, taking billions of dollars from innocent (and, especially in this story, not so innocent) investors. The story started out strong and pulled me in. My main gripe is that in explaining the ins and outs of the story, there was too much dialogue and not enough action, especially toward the end of the book. The story was convoluted, and I like that, but only if it doesn't have to be explained so much in dialogue. The characters could have been fleshed out more deeply. The one who appealed to me the most was Connie, with her love of snow monkeys. And while I would have liked a little more action, there was too much of it for me in one torture scene. I had to skim through that part, just too graphic for me. Still, given the shortcomings for my readings tastes, I did like this thriller.

I received a complimentary uncorrected proof of this book from the publisher. The quote may have changed in the published edition.

[David Marshall · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is very disappointing from an author who has been on the New York Bestsellers list. The characters are cardboard and the plot full of semi-incomprehensible cliches.

http://opionator.wordpress.com/2012/0...

[Cheryl Karkoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

THis book had good parts but it was confusing. It dealt with a ponzi scheme and government corruption. When it ended I was left wondering what happened. I just didn't get it.

[Aaron Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe this book picks up but for right now I just can't get into the story. Also, I had no idea how much the song from Lady Antebellum which has the same name as the title of this book would be referenced. Maybe it actually, somehow plays a role in the storyline later but it feels like the author just really liked the song (like, more than any song he'd ever liked before) and he wanted to not only name a book after it but also mention the song every 2 or 3 pages. Since there is definitely some degree of storytelling going on, and there was at least a little bit of research into the economic collapse, I'll give this one 2 out of 5 stars.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those books that everything gets more and more complicated and then is quickly wrapped up in the end. Rather over dramatic with a Ponzi scheme, the mob, CIA, president, etc etc...wasn't impressed.

[Vickie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was half through before I realized that I was not the least bit interested in the characters or the subject. So I quit.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to keep track of who was coercing who

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

messy with some interchangeable, forgettable, faceless characters devolving into uninteresting mishmash--just stuck with it to finish it.

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was promising at the beginning, but, about half way through, it become a chore to finish.

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too convoluted to really enjoy.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

the plot got too complicated. Good story that mired down with unnecessary complications

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need You Now
Author James Grippando
Reviewed By Fran Lewis

One man decided to take matters into his own hands and end his life. This same man pulled off a Ponzi scheme right in front of everyone’s eyes and thought he would never get caught. Rather than face the music, pay the penalty or even divulge where the money was hidden, Abe Cushman took a leap out of a window and buried his secrets and money along with him. But, there is much more to this story as another young man, Gerry Collins who thinks he can escape the wrath of those that were swindled. After all he was what you made say or call Abe’s point man who helped get these unsuspecting investors to hand over their money thinking he was investing it when he really want not.

Patrick Lloyd is a young Wall Street guy who finds himself embroiled and caught in this web of deceit and lies. Working with the Bank Of Switzerland, thinking he was included in a special meeting for assistant Financial Advisors, what happens to him is right out of today’s headlines. As Patrick learns the real reason the Director of the bank and what information they think he has to help find what Cushman stole from so many investors summoned him to a meeting. But, there is much more as Patrick as seeing a young girl named Lilly who they think knows more than she’s admitting and was fired from her position in the Singapore branch of the bank and whom they think Patrick has linked up with. Patrick blindsided by this meeting promises to help, is not fired and then kidnapped by those who would rather have him dead asking for the same information but definitely in stronger way letting him know his life depended on his next move. Reenter Lilly who turns up out of no where hoping to connect with him taking the reader inside the mind of those who feel they can fleece the public, banks and allude the FBI’s wide net. But, Patrick’s troubles have only just begun as not only does this secret group want a piece of him, the bank and suddenly the FBI. Explaining her position with the bank, her part in the money transfers you begin to wonder why Lilly fell for this scheme. Claiming she knew nothing about the Cushman money the Treasury had a memo identifying her as the point person for all of the activities. She claimed she was feeding money into Cushman’s Fund and not taking it out. But, Times Square Tour Guide is out 2 billion dollars and will do anything to make sure they get it back. Threats both physical and worse hang over her head and Patrick’s as she promised she would find and return the funds within one week.

Enter one of my favorite characters FBI agents Andie Henning who knows what Patrick is up to and who he is secretly working for in order to investigate Lilly and fund out where the funds might be. Unfortunately, for him, the bank found out information about him he did not want divulged and they are digging into his past, his life and hope to find out just who Patrick Lloyd is and hope he does not wind up like Gerry Collins. While talking with Andie she chastises him for his indiscretions, does not answer all of his questions and tries to dissuade him from going any further into finding out why a man considered part of the mob, named Tony Martin, is in prison for a crime he might not have committed. This is just the tip of a very slippery iceberg as author James Grippando brings the reader inside the minds of those who think they can defraud the government, create these huge Ponzi schemes, watch as the SEC sits back and lets it happen and hope that the bank will have someone on the inside that will reveal what is really happening outside of its bank vault of walls. When questioning the events that led to Gerry Collins being murdered and Tony Martin’s confession, Patrick begins to realize he just might have come to one dead end but he is definitely not going to stop there. Added in is the fact he cannot go to the police. Why? That I cannot tell you or I would blow the entire case for Andie and endanger Patrick and Lilly. So, a deal is made between them and the end result remains to be seen as Patrick wants his attacker identified and protection for himself and Lilly. Blackmail, not really. Insurance that he will be protected and Andie and the FBI will have him stay on to find out what really happened to the money and where is might be. Someone wrote that treasury memo. The FBI is in the dark about it. What happens will definitely not be what the reader expects. Andie Henning was someone not to be fooled with but Patrick realized the target was Lilly Scanlon at BOS/Singapore. Now, he would have to be transferred there since he worked in New York. Let’s define his role: mole for the FBI. Not a great position to be in. Just who Patrick really is still remains to be revealed. Lilly is thought to be the agent who transferred the two billion dollars between Cushman and Gerry Collins GC Investments in Florida, one of the feeder funds as they are called.

Leaving Lilly in his apartment would set off a chain of events more deadly than he would ever expect. Returning to find her gone, clues left in several places and checking the net he learns where he thinks she might be but what he encounters along the way would cost one person her life, reveal his true identity and enlighten him the what might be behind his attacks. Reverend Manu Robledo is the rector of what he claims is the Church of Peace and Prosperity but seems like a front for something else. But upon closer reflection we learn he is an Argentine connected to South America’s Tri=Border region filled with guns, drugs and terrorists.

Contacting Andie again he relates the events that led to Lilly’s disappearance, discusses their next move and refuses the protection he needed as he finds himself on the end of another attack similar to that of Gerry Collins, winds up in the ER and needs to be rescued before things get even more out of hand.

Finding out his real name and who might be behind the attacks brings Lilly into action as she enlists the help of the only person who might bail out Patrick his sister Connie. As the truth behind their names comes out, what happened to their mother revealed and whom their father is told, both are in danger of being killed by the people their father snitched on. But, are they really behind this or does it have to do with Cushman?

As Patrick and Connie discuss their options many questions come to light, fears arise and decisions have to be made. Involving Andie Henning is next and reflecting his true feelings about Collin’s death with both Andie and Connie bring other family issues present. Just how was his family tied to Cushman and who killed his mother and why?
Replaying the incident that led to her meeting Robledo we learn the truth about who opened account 507.625RR. The author brings to light the truth behind Lilly’s involvement with this man, the threats against her and Patrick and her real involvement in this entire situation. Then the author allows the reader to find out more about Robledo and his real role in all of this and what he hopes to get from Lilly and the smoking gun he is holding against her head. She is tossed in the middle of many situations and where she winds up still remains to be seen. Learning that the SEC knew about this and was made aware we meet a computer nerd or Quant analyst named Evan who explains the rationale behind this Ponzi scheme to Patrick. The explanation and what he learns will definitely make you question whether to trust a financial advisor, what the role of the SEC really is and if you should even put your money in a bank. This novel brings to light many issues that are front and center in the news everyday.
There are many people who are not really what they appear to be. When the truth behind the conspiracy is revealed you will not believe who the players are, who is really behind what is happening to both Patrick and Lilly and the reasons behind it. What part the mob played, who is pulling everyone’s strings and just how in the dark the government is pretending to be.
Patrick and Lilly each have the other one’s records and are set up for a huge fall. What happens that reveals it all you won’t believe and the end result will send chills down your spine. Deceptions lies one man named Mongoose who seems to have all the pieces in place but not where you would want them to fall, as he pays a visit to one Tony Mandretti.
One retired FBI agent would enlighten Andie and the truth behind operation BAQ and who knew what about the fraud and cover up goes way up high and just where you just might believe when you really think about all the twists, turns and threats given to both Lilly and Patrick. The end result is another person’s life and Patrick and Lilly just might be back at square one.
From Miami, to Ciudad del Este to Singapore author James Grippando takes the reader deep inside the corruption of many different agencies where things were happening in plain sight, crimes overlooked and lives taken because money is the most powerful tool sometimes and powerful players will do anything to come out ahead.
When the conspiracy is revealed and you learn what Operation BAQ really means you still won’t believe who was behind it and what the final outcome will be. Lies, deceits, betrayals, government cover ups, high level conspiracies and one man caught in the middle as two young people used as pawns. When the players learn their fate will Andie come out on top or will she be one of the casualties? Who can be trusted? Need you Now: Lilly needed Patrick who needed Andie who needed so many others but this is one novel where everyone’s needs well you decide if they get met or what they deserve. One outstanding novel. One diabolical plot and FIVE MORE STARS FOR THE AUTHOR.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. James Grippando is known for his series featuring Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck. This book, however, is a stand alone thriller. Patrick Lloyd is a junior financial analyst for the International Bank of Switzerland, BOS. He has just come back home to New York after working at BOS Singapore. Three years earlier the biggest Ponzi scheme in history unraveled when the scamming financier Abe Cushman was caught and jumped from his high rise to his death. One of the principal players in the scheme is murdered in Miami. The FBI, Treasury, CIA, and bad guys are trying to find 2 billion dollars of the scheme that was funneled through BOS Singapore. The trace has lead them to Lily Scanlon, Patrick’s former girlfriend and financial analyst in Singapore. Patrick was tapped by the FBI to look into Lily to see if she knew what she was doing was wrong, or if she was just an analyst doing her job. But that is only the beginning of this complicated story. There are shadowy bad guys threatening Patrick and Lily. There are corrupt BOS officials, corrupt CIA and FBI, and maybe the mob, maybe terrorists, who knows? A surprising back story about Patrick adds another layer of intrigue. Told through Patrick’s eyes, we feel his confusion, his fright, but also his own cunning, as he navigates the maze to figure out his next move. The plot is way to complicated for me to explain. So, suffice it to say it was a cloak and dagger story that I enjoyed.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

James Grippando is back with his latest book Need You Now, releasing January 3, 2012.

Need You Now seems to take inspiration from recent headlines - the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme in particular.

Patrick Lloyd is a young advisor at a Wall Street firm. He has returned to the US from the Singapore office after breaking up with his girlfriend Lilly, who also worked for the firm. An unnamed group thinks that Lloyd might now where their missing two billion dollars are as Lilly was the one who processed the transactions. With their lives being threatened, they race to try and find answers. But it's not as straight forward as that. Both Patrick and Lilly have secrets - nothing is quite as it seems.

The plot becomes quite convoluted as Grippando adds twists and turns galore. I don't want to print spoilers, so I won't go into detail. But, perhaps there are a few too many twists - it seemed too busy and a bit over the top. I found myself losing track at times of who, what ,where. I never really connected with the two main protagonists or became emotionally invested in their predicament. They simply moved the story along.

Need You Now is an entertaining financial thriller, but not a stand out for this reader.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book held my interest even though it is not my typical read interest. It is the story of a financial Ponzi scheme in which very powerful people lost their money. The book tells of their attempts to trace their money and opens up major investigations involving the CIA, FBI, Wall Street, and high government officials. I found myself not being able to put the book down at times. It became difficult, at times, to keep all the characters identified, but overall I recommend this book for reading.

[Roger Scherping · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has an overly complicated plot that relies on too many accidental events to be believable. For the first 100 pages you knew that both of the main characters were lying without knowing why, and because of that I just couldn't get interested in either of them. All of the characters are thinly developed and stereotypical. And the story moves along at a very rapid pace that never slows for any details or background to add color, with the exception of precise details about New York City streets and sights. I just couldn't finish it.

[Ray Palen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read my review this week on bookreporter.com

[Ginny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not get into this novel. There were too many shadowy characters. Not even sure who to root for. Quite a bit of violence.

[Mercury · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unnecessarily complicated storyline with too many characters and subplots. Not gripping. Not really linked to Wall Street as well.

[Jon Jacobson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing...too many characters/twists.

[David Baer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the pace appropriate; seemed a bit slow sometimes, but the pace allowed for both character and plot development.

There were several times where I knew exactly what was coming next. One time was when our mc’s “tech guy” called mc on his Blackberry (ah, nostalgia) and stated, in the clear, “I cracked the encryption”. Big mistake, I thought. Sure enough. Bullet in the head. Because we wouldn’t shoot you just while you were trying to crack it. We had to wait until you actually did so.

I Am Living In A Simulation: what are the odds that I pick up this book, just on a whim of seeking some undemanding fiction to accompany my painting-of-the-upstairs-hall task – and find that the major plot point pairs perfectly with the book I just finished, Money: The Unauthorized BiographyMoney? The fact that the novel’s plot revolves around a Bernie Madoff look-alike is just too apropos.

[Adarsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Need you now" is my first James Grippando novel, and it's a mixed bag. Involving financial crimes, secretive Swiss banks, mafia, secret agents and other motley devices, Grippando entertains at times. The protagonists are not the usual, and their unreliability adds to the mystery. Personally, the accurate depiction of New York is an added perk. However, I felt some of the plot points were amateurish and long winded. Strange, mysterious characters make threats that they don't carry out, and the plot ambles along. The description of encryption codes is laughable. The actions of many characters do not seem to have logical motivations. On the other hand, many other actions seem realistic, and there is an emotional core to the protagonist that kept me invested. I will come back to another Grippando when I need a light book.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started and stopped this book a couple of times - I just couldn't get my arms around it as it seemed to bounce around from idea to idea. I've done my share of deals back in the day in NYC for private and public equity and debt raises, and while I really wanted to like this one (the story outline seemed to be right up my alley).

It was difficult to form a connection with the characters, weaving the plot together, and there are way too many scenes that you can predict in advance - good guy that was framed, bad guy who seems to be getting away with things, federal agents that seem shady, and everyone is trying to get their two pounds of flesh blackmailing the other.

I reluctantly kept reading this one, hoping it would get better - I found this one just kind of "there."

[Hudson Trenholm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would actually be 3.5 stars if I could enter that. I found the basic idea of the book good. I enjoyed trying to figure out why certain lies were being told and if some characters really were trustworthy. Like my last review on here, I found the sheer number of characters and incidents very messy (though probably closer to the many loose ends in real life) and that made the book a little bit of a trudge. Definitely was not as strong as his book Money to Burn. Audiobook reader was enjoyable. Again, sometimes the readers get mixed up with the accents and voices when the number of characters is so large but he did alright (not perfect, but he was satisfying). Best character was Evan, by far.

[Michael Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book seems loosely based on the hell that Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme rained down on people's lives. In this novel, the specter of the Mob intertwines with a government assisted plot to BAQ. I will leave this acronym up for a reader to decipher. There were some brutal murders. There was a romance begun under the guise of shadowing someone's movements. There was still some $$$ that supposedly could have been recovered. I still don't know what happened to that. It was a good read with a slightly far fetched plot.

[Mark B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. This started out sooo good but unfortunately disintegrated into a way too complicated, convoluted mess with far too many coincidences to hold the plot together. I call it conspiracy bloat where the author tries to top himself by making the cabal more and more far reaching and bombastic. I listened to the audiobook and the reader didn’t help either with a voice as effective as a bottle of Ambien , punctuated by the occasional shrieks that made my ears bleed.