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Jack Swyteck #10
Blood Money
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.
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.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2013
365 people are currently reading
1027 people want to read
About the author
James Grippando
50 books1,185 followers 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
Series:
* Jack Swyteck
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
November 7, 2019
Just wrote review and then it disappeared. Will do a quick version. Okay mystery not great. Good characters. A take on the Casey Anthony story with a twist.
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March 30, 2019
Audiobook - 11:26 Hours - Narrator: Jonathan Davis
Listened to via iPhone and sourced from Libby-Overdrive
4.0 of 5.0 Stars
A great legal-procedural novel that combines several court cases, several judges, several prosecutors, an occasional goodie, an array of baddies including an a***hole of the month and an insufferable use of social media, which are all battling against our legal-eagle protagonist, Jack Swyteck. This highly paced novel deserves a few of the standard clichés: "hard-to-put-down", "breath-taking-suspense", and the like, because it was definitely a gripping story and a well written addition to the "Jack Swyteck" series by James Grippando.
Of particular pleasure for me was the excellent narration by Jonathan Davis. His differing interpretations and vocal characterisations of the wide cast of individuals in "Blood Money" were a delight to listen to and contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this novel.
Needless to say, all was not perfect and several times the number of characters and the different stories they participated in became confusing, requiring a number of iPhone 'rewinds' to work out who was doing what to whom and who was 'paying the rent', particularly in the earlier stages of the book. The ending was far from lame, but despite the inevitable and indiscernible (to me) 'twist', fairly predictable. These issues in themselves were not serious negatives, but contributed to the reasons why I awarded 4 Stars as a final rating, despite thinking a number of times during my listening that a 5.0 Stars rating was definitely a possibility.
Listened to via iPhone and sourced from Libby-Overdrive
4.0 of 5.0 Stars
A great legal-procedural novel that combines several court cases, several judges, several prosecutors, an occasional goodie, an array of baddies including an a***hole of the month and an insufferable use of social media, which are all battling against our legal-eagle protagonist, Jack Swyteck. This highly paced novel deserves a few of the standard clichés: "hard-to-put-down", "breath-taking-suspense", and the like, because it was definitely a gripping story and a well written addition to the "Jack Swyteck" series by James Grippando.
Of particular pleasure for me was the excellent narration by Jonathan Davis. His differing interpretations and vocal characterisations of the wide cast of individuals in "Blood Money" were a delight to listen to and contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this novel.
Needless to say, all was not perfect and several times the number of characters and the different stories they participated in became confusing, requiring a number of iPhone 'rewinds' to work out who was doing what to whom and who was 'paying the rent', particularly in the earlier stages of the book. The ending was far from lame, but despite the inevitable and indiscernible (to me) 'twist', fairly predictable. These issues in themselves were not serious negatives, but contributed to the reasons why I awarded 4 Stars as a final rating, despite thinking a number of times during my listening that a 5.0 Stars rating was definitely a possibility.
April 7, 2016
PROTAGONIST: James Swyteck, defense attorney
SETTING: Florida
SERIES: #10 of 10
RATING: 3.75
Back in 2008, a case that captured the headlines in the US news media for weeks was reported. Casey Anthony, party girl, was accused of first degree murder after not reporting the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter. The story was sordid, involving an allegation of sexual abuse against Casey’s father and the discovery of Caylee’s body near the family home. Ultimately, Anthony was declared not guilty and had to go into hiding to escape from threats to her life.
The plot of BLOOD MONEY, the tenth book in the series featuring criminal defense attorney, Jack Swyteck, is heavily influenced by the Anthony case. Sydney Bennett, referred to in the media as “Shot Mom”, is a nightclub waitress who is accused of drowning her 2-year-old daughter, Emma, in the family pool. It’s clear that Sydney prefers partying over being a responsible adult. Assigned to defend Sydney, Jack has to deal with a hostile public and an overheated media. The worst offender is Faith Corso, a TV journalist for the Breaking News Network who fans the flames. Despite the trial by media, Sydney is declared innocent; and the offers for her story come pouring in—seven-figure movie and book deals, or “blood money”. She fully intends to make the most that she can out of the situation.
Jack has plans to spirit Sydney out of the prison when she is released; but before he can do so, a Sydney lookalike is spotted outside the jail and attacked, leaving her in a coma. The news insinuates that Jack planted this woman to protect Sydney. Jack is hired by the victim’s parents to see if this was more than a random act of violence. The girl, Celeste Laramore, may spend years in medical care, if she does live. And the family does not have insurance.
Sydney Bennett could be Casey Anthony’s twin sister; in addition to being thoroughly unlikeable, she is almost universally despised by the public because of her lack of concern for her daughter and for trying to profit from her death. To protect herself against the threats being made against her, Sydney goes into hiding. Jack immediately starts receiving threats against his loved ones if he does not produce her for an anonymous caller, a character who I found to be disappointingly over the top, a wealthy serial killer and nut case. Jack’s most immediate concern is for his fiancée, Andie Henning, who is a government undercover agent. Their relationship undergoes quite a bit of turmoil, as being involved with Jack in this situation may expose Andie and cause her to lose all that she has worked for building a hidden identity.
Grippando perfectly captures the inflammatory rhetoric of the media and its almost total lack of interest in actually presenting the truth. I was really involved in the story until the point when what actually happened to Emma was revealed, which felt very contrived. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the book. It was quite fast paced, and the blatantly untrue accusations made against Jack by the media and their lawyers were very emotionally involving.
SETTING: Florida
SERIES: #10 of 10
RATING: 3.75
Back in 2008, a case that captured the headlines in the US news media for weeks was reported. Casey Anthony, party girl, was accused of first degree murder after not reporting the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter. The story was sordid, involving an allegation of sexual abuse against Casey’s father and the discovery of Caylee’s body near the family home. Ultimately, Anthony was declared not guilty and had to go into hiding to escape from threats to her life.
The plot of BLOOD MONEY, the tenth book in the series featuring criminal defense attorney, Jack Swyteck, is heavily influenced by the Anthony case. Sydney Bennett, referred to in the media as “Shot Mom”, is a nightclub waitress who is accused of drowning her 2-year-old daughter, Emma, in the family pool. It’s clear that Sydney prefers partying over being a responsible adult. Assigned to defend Sydney, Jack has to deal with a hostile public and an overheated media. The worst offender is Faith Corso, a TV journalist for the Breaking News Network who fans the flames. Despite the trial by media, Sydney is declared innocent; and the offers for her story come pouring in—seven-figure movie and book deals, or “blood money”. She fully intends to make the most that she can out of the situation.
Jack has plans to spirit Sydney out of the prison when she is released; but before he can do so, a Sydney lookalike is spotted outside the jail and attacked, leaving her in a coma. The news insinuates that Jack planted this woman to protect Sydney. Jack is hired by the victim’s parents to see if this was more than a random act of violence. The girl, Celeste Laramore, may spend years in medical care, if she does live. And the family does not have insurance.
Sydney Bennett could be Casey Anthony’s twin sister; in addition to being thoroughly unlikeable, she is almost universally despised by the public because of her lack of concern for her daughter and for trying to profit from her death. To protect herself against the threats being made against her, Sydney goes into hiding. Jack immediately starts receiving threats against his loved ones if he does not produce her for an anonymous caller, a character who I found to be disappointingly over the top, a wealthy serial killer and nut case. Jack’s most immediate concern is for his fiancée, Andie Henning, who is a government undercover agent. Their relationship undergoes quite a bit of turmoil, as being involved with Jack in this situation may expose Andie and cause her to lose all that she has worked for building a hidden identity.
Grippando perfectly captures the inflammatory rhetoric of the media and its almost total lack of interest in actually presenting the truth. I was really involved in the story until the point when what actually happened to Emma was revealed, which felt very contrived. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the book. It was quite fast paced, and the blatantly untrue accusations made against Jack by the media and their lawyers were very emotionally involving.
January 9, 2013
Blood Money – James Grippando
Take the horror of the Casey Anthony trial and acquittal, mix in a good dose of the O.J. Simpson trial then toss in some outrageous social media and a huge dose of sensationalistic TV and you have the basis for this astonishing book.
Mr. Grippando has written 20 books to date and this is the first one I have ever read. It will not be my last one. The author has written this book as part of a series, but I guarantee you that you will not have had to read any of the other ones to follow this story. It has been written as if it were a stand-alone and it gives you just enough back story for many of the characters so that you will immediately feel like you have grown up with them.
A brief summary of this book -- Jack Swyteck has defended one of the most seemingly despicable women that this country has seen in a while and he expects that her release from prison is not going to go well. However, nobody could have predicted just what exactly did happen that morning.
Celeste Laramore who has a striking resemblance to Sydney Bennett (also known as Shot Mom) shows up at the jailhouse on the morning of Sydney’s release. The crowd has be driven to a frenzy by a certain TV reporter (who bears a startling resemblance to one of my least favorite TV personality/Attorney) from the BNN network – Breaking News Network. While this crowd is essentially, rioting, someone is trying to strangle the Sydney look-alike. To make a long story short, because of illegal technical maneuvering/tampering by BNN, crucial medical information does not get to the ambulance in time and Celeste slips into a coma.
Not only all of that is going on, but also at the same time there is a murderer loose that is threatening all of the people that Jack loves…a real brilliant nut-job is doing his best to get to Sydney. Initially you think it is to exact some sort of retribution for her acquittal, but you would be wrong.
Can Jack find a way to prosecute an entire TV station? Did Sydney really kill and hide the body of her own daughter? Was there extenuating circumstances to this murder? Is ANYTHING as it seems?
This novel is filled with wonderfully tight writing. There is nothing extraneous in this novel. Nothing that will make you roll your eyes in frustration, because we all know that truth is stranger than fiction. The characters are interesting, dislikable, sympathetic, hateful, loveable and interesting. I could go on but I will not bore you with the characters attributes. The plot was so believable, that at times I had a difficult time separating fact from fiction.
This is a fast-paced book and one that I could not out down until I finished it.
Many thanks go out to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. I had a fantastic time with it and rest assured I will be buying this authors back-list.
Take the horror of the Casey Anthony trial and acquittal, mix in a good dose of the O.J. Simpson trial then toss in some outrageous social media and a huge dose of sensationalistic TV and you have the basis for this astonishing book.
Mr. Grippando has written 20 books to date and this is the first one I have ever read. It will not be my last one. The author has written this book as part of a series, but I guarantee you that you will not have had to read any of the other ones to follow this story. It has been written as if it were a stand-alone and it gives you just enough back story for many of the characters so that you will immediately feel like you have grown up with them.
A brief summary of this book -- Jack Swyteck has defended one of the most seemingly despicable women that this country has seen in a while and he expects that her release from prison is not going to go well. However, nobody could have predicted just what exactly did happen that morning.
Celeste Laramore who has a striking resemblance to Sydney Bennett (also known as Shot Mom) shows up at the jailhouse on the morning of Sydney’s release. The crowd has be driven to a frenzy by a certain TV reporter (who bears a startling resemblance to one of my least favorite TV personality/Attorney) from the BNN network – Breaking News Network. While this crowd is essentially, rioting, someone is trying to strangle the Sydney look-alike. To make a long story short, because of illegal technical maneuvering/tampering by BNN, crucial medical information does not get to the ambulance in time and Celeste slips into a coma.
Not only all of that is going on, but also at the same time there is a murderer loose that is threatening all of the people that Jack loves…a real brilliant nut-job is doing his best to get to Sydney. Initially you think it is to exact some sort of retribution for her acquittal, but you would be wrong.
Can Jack find a way to prosecute an entire TV station? Did Sydney really kill and hide the body of her own daughter? Was there extenuating circumstances to this murder? Is ANYTHING as it seems?
This novel is filled with wonderfully tight writing. There is nothing extraneous in this novel. Nothing that will make you roll your eyes in frustration, because we all know that truth is stranger than fiction. The characters are interesting, dislikable, sympathetic, hateful, loveable and interesting. I could go on but I will not bore you with the characters attributes. The plot was so believable, that at times I had a difficult time separating fact from fiction.
This is a fast-paced book and one that I could not out down until I finished it.
Many thanks go out to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. I had a fantastic time with it and rest assured I will be buying this authors back-list.
February 28, 2013
Blood Money
James Grippando
Take a young woman in Florida who tells her straight-laced parents that she is working in a financial job.
In reality, she is a “Shot Girl” at an area nightclub.
The young woman’s daughter disappears and is found dead months later. A sensational trial, well-followed by a television network ensues. With the mother as a defendant.
If this sounds familiar, it’s obvious that Grippando is riffing off an infamous Florida case. But this installment in the author’s Jack Swyteck series is about to take on a life of its own.
Let’s see: there is a medical mystery, a look-alike who gets bludgeoned (why?) Swyteck’s fiancée getting in trouble at work because of Jack’s defense of the accused, a former lover of Jack’s involved in the case, and other sub-plot mayhem.
Blood Money is an engrossing read. Yes, it is part of a series, but you don’t have to read all the other books to enjoy this one.
James Grippando
Take a young woman in Florida who tells her straight-laced parents that she is working in a financial job.
In reality, she is a “Shot Girl” at an area nightclub.
The young woman’s daughter disappears and is found dead months later. A sensational trial, well-followed by a television network ensues. With the mother as a defendant.
If this sounds familiar, it’s obvious that Grippando is riffing off an infamous Florida case. But this installment in the author’s Jack Swyteck series is about to take on a life of its own.
Let’s see: there is a medical mystery, a look-alike who gets bludgeoned (why?) Swyteck’s fiancée getting in trouble at work because of Jack’s defense of the accused, a former lover of Jack’s involved in the case, and other sub-plot mayhem.
Blood Money is an engrossing read. Yes, it is part of a series, but you don’t have to read all the other books to enjoy this one.
January 20, 2017
Attorney Jack Swytek inherited the trial of Sydney Bennett, accused of murdering her two year old daughter, when her previous lawyer died. Thanks to BNN, public opinion raged against not only Sydney but her lawyer as well. This story gives you an idea, if you don't already have one, of how journalists, TV, the social media and media fed rumors can stir people into hysteria. Searching for the truth puts Jack, his client and his fiance and family in danger and enough twists and turns occur that keep you guessing all the way to the end.
February 5, 2017
This is the first Jack Swyteck mystery I have read. He is an engaging character who, as an attorney, meets many interesting characters. The mystery surrounds the murder of a young child whose mother is subsequently convicted of the crime. As the book begins, the mother is released from prison and a media frenzy ensues. The story follows both the mother, the voracious public who is enthralled with the media coverage, and a strange man who is at the center of the original crime.
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.
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.
March 22, 2014
I love character Jack Swyteck. I am not a fan of authors using (copying) a current/recent news story and fictionalizing/sensationalizing it. And the Casey Anthony trial was a news story I abhorred - the truth never came out; I found Anthony, at best, to be a shallow, narcissistic individual who obviously wanted nothing to do with her daughter. The main character in Grippando's book closely mirrors Anthony, though Grippando leaves us with solid family background that can explain his character's behavior.
November 3, 2016
Attorney Jack Swyteck is defending a client he has inherited from a justice foundation after the first attorney dies. A young woman is accused of killing her two year old daughter, a media network with an agenda tries to crucify him and his client, and a murder is on the loose threatening those Jack loves. A young woman whole resembles Jack's client is injured during a mob demonstration. A thrilling story based on the manipulation of news by the media.
January 29, 2013
This is a weird book. I'm a big fan of JG. That said this book underwhelmed me. Long portions of it feel wooden and formulaic only to take flight in others providing a glimpse of what the book could have been.
May 28, 2023
Other reviewers says this book mirrors the Casey Anthony case. I didn’t watch the news back then and had to look up the Anthony case. Oh well.
Another page turner Swyteck case. I like the lawyer AND murder mystery parts of Grippando novels and plan to read more. Stumbled on this author a few years ago looking for a road trip audio book.
Another page turner Swyteck case. I like the lawyer AND murder mystery parts of Grippando novels and plan to read more. Stumbled on this author a few years ago looking for a road trip audio book.
July 30, 2023
Another fast paced thriller/mystery with Jack Swyteck as the main character. The author always has lots of twists and turns.
August 8, 2024
Good story, seemed to be a “cut from the headline” type of story. Loved the chasing of the killer plot but thought the ending could have been tightened up a bit. 📚🩷
March 5, 2023
Excellent reading!! Suspenseful, page turner and action packed. Lots of twists that left you intrigued and thought you had it figured out until you didn’t.
January 21, 2022
love it
James Grippando is an excellent author of “Blood Money” and the many Jack Swyteck books. A definite must read thriller!
James Grippando is an excellent author of “Blood Money” and the many Jack Swyteck books. A definite must read thriller!
February 23, 2013
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.
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.
April 9, 2013
This story seems pulled from the newspaper headlines. There is a highly publicized murder trial of a nightclub waitress accused of killing her two-year-old daughter in Florida. The reason is that the child was disrupting the mother's lifestyle.
Jack Swyteck knew it would be a difficult case and was expecting a 'guilty' verdict but is surprised when 'not guilty' is the court's decision.
After the decision is announced, there is bedlam and outrage. When the mother, Sydney Bennett, is scheduled for release, there is a frenzy spurred on by the TV show from BNN. In this near riot, a woman dressed like Bennett is injured and goes to the hospital in a coma.
There are many twists in the story as when the young woman goes to the hospital, her father asks Jack to sue the TV show for inciting the riot that caused his daughter's injury.
We also learn of a darker side where a serial killer is at work and manipulating many of the events.
I enjoyed reading about Swyteck and how he takes on difficult cases. I also appreciate the message about families without health insurance and their fear of hospital costs. In addition, I agree that the news media often goes too far and should be held responsible for actions they cause.
Jack Swyteck knew it would be a difficult case and was expecting a 'guilty' verdict but is surprised when 'not guilty' is the court's decision.
After the decision is announced, there is bedlam and outrage. When the mother, Sydney Bennett, is scheduled for release, there is a frenzy spurred on by the TV show from BNN. In this near riot, a woman dressed like Bennett is injured and goes to the hospital in a coma.
There are many twists in the story as when the young woman goes to the hospital, her father asks Jack to sue the TV show for inciting the riot that caused his daughter's injury.
We also learn of a darker side where a serial killer is at work and manipulating many of the events.
I enjoyed reading about Swyteck and how he takes on difficult cases. I also appreciate the message about families without health insurance and their fear of hospital costs. In addition, I agree that the news media often goes too far and should be held responsible for actions they cause.
July 2, 2013
James Grippando has authored 20 novels, 10 of them featuring lawyer Jack Swytek. I had read one and liked it so when I saw this I decided to give it a try. Very glad I did. This is a fast-paced hard-hitting legal/mystery thriller featuring Swytek and his financee, FBI agent Andi Henning. Actually she plays only a minor but crucial role in this novel.
Against all odds the jury returns a verdict of "Not Guilty" in the sensational murder trial of sexy goodtime girl Sydney Bennett who is accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter. The media has been obsessed with this trial. The verdict comes as a complete shock. The crowd gathered outside the jail at the time of Bennett's release is frothing for blood. An innocent young woman Celeste who bears a striking resemblance to Bennett is attacked and ends up in a coma. Bennett takes off with a young man purporting to be an agent who can get her a fabulous book and movie deal. He abducts her, she escapes and the rest of the novel has Swytek racing to protect her and to sue BNN, a television network with an eerie resemblance to Fox News, on behalf of Celeste at her parents' request. To reveal anymore would spoil the story. And a fascinating story it is. I'm looking forward to reading the previous novels in the Swytek series.
Against all odds the jury returns a verdict of "Not Guilty" in the sensational murder trial of sexy goodtime girl Sydney Bennett who is accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter. The media has been obsessed with this trial. The verdict comes as a complete shock. The crowd gathered outside the jail at the time of Bennett's release is frothing for blood. An innocent young woman Celeste who bears a striking resemblance to Bennett is attacked and ends up in a coma. Bennett takes off with a young man purporting to be an agent who can get her a fabulous book and movie deal. He abducts her, she escapes and the rest of the novel has Swytek racing to protect her and to sue BNN, a television network with an eerie resemblance to Fox News, on behalf of Celeste at her parents' request. To reveal anymore would spoil the story. And a fascinating story it is. I'm looking forward to reading the previous novels in the Swytek series.
July 3, 2016
This is only the second in the Jack Swyteck series I have read, but I do like the character and will probably read another. This particular story is patterned after the Florida case in the news years back, where a mother is on trial for killing her baby girl. There is a news character much like Nancy Grace....so some stuff seems predictable, but there are enough twists and sub-plots to make for an interesting read.
February 24, 2014
The novel starts with a scenario that is similar to the Casey Anthony trial. The focus shifts to the protagonist Jack Swytech and his challenges with the media coverage of the trial. The suspenseful plot held my interest and was well written, however I felt impatient with the pacing.
May 18, 2014
For those who want a "easy to read in one day at the beach or on a plane but has little substance" book, this is probably perfect. But that's about all this is, with most of the characters and plot twists a bit too exaggerated for my personal liking.
January 7, 2017
Very entertaining novel about a lawyer and his young, immature client. 20th novel in the series by the author so I look forward to going backwards and starting at the beginning. Of course, there's a dog to make the story really appealing too!
October 1, 2014
Perfectly adequate airport-delay book.
August 6, 2024
I’ve been reading and thoroughly enjoying the series for several years now, and this book finally came up in the list. I’ve sheltered and coddled it on the books hard drive since the summer of 2013, so it’s more than past time to read and delete. I’m glad I preserved it all these years because now seems like the perfect time to be reading it.
If you still remember the 2008 trial and publicity that surrounded the death of little Caylee Anthony in Florida, this book will feel familiar. The court argued that Caylee died at the hand of her party-girl mother, Casey.
Sydney Bennett is South Florida’s celebrity good-time girl. She’s a mom during the day to two-year-old Emma. At night, she’s the slut babe of the South Florida night scene. Emma disappears one day, and four years or so later, they find her body. That’s when the cops tap Sydney for the murder. She insists on her innocence, and famed fictional Attorney Jack Swyteck takes her case. He proves to the jury that the evidence the state has is circumstantial at best, and there are just too many holes in the state’s case to make a jury comfortable with a death-row conviction.
The jury says, “not guilty,” and legal officials sneak Sydney out of the jail complex into the arms of an entertainment agent and a charter plane to who knows where.
Celeste Laramore didn’t have it so lucky. She looks amazingly like Sydney Bennett, and the enraged mob outside the jail is sure Celeste is really Sydney. With Celeste in a coma, Swyteck must defend himself against charges he hired Celeste to pose as a Sydney look-alike so he could safely spirit the real Sydney away.
Someone nearly strangles Jack one night a day or two later, and he tells him to do exactly as he says or someone he loves will die. He’s thinking the target will be his fiancé, Andi Henning. Instead, the murderer kills a doctor with whom Swyteck had had a relationship years earlier.
The author does a nice reveal on the ending here. I didn’t expect it, and it was a highly satisfying experience. His writing style is excellent, and because of that, I was able to rip through this in what felt like no time.
If you still remember the 2008 trial and publicity that surrounded the death of little Caylee Anthony in Florida, this book will feel familiar. The court argued that Caylee died at the hand of her party-girl mother, Casey.
Sydney Bennett is South Florida’s celebrity good-time girl. She’s a mom during the day to two-year-old Emma. At night, she’s the slut babe of the South Florida night scene. Emma disappears one day, and four years or so later, they find her body. That’s when the cops tap Sydney for the murder. She insists on her innocence, and famed fictional Attorney Jack Swyteck takes her case. He proves to the jury that the evidence the state has is circumstantial at best, and there are just too many holes in the state’s case to make a jury comfortable with a death-row conviction.
The jury says, “not guilty,” and legal officials sneak Sydney out of the jail complex into the arms of an entertainment agent and a charter plane to who knows where.
Celeste Laramore didn’t have it so lucky. She looks amazingly like Sydney Bennett, and the enraged mob outside the jail is sure Celeste is really Sydney. With Celeste in a coma, Swyteck must defend himself against charges he hired Celeste to pose as a Sydney look-alike so he could safely spirit the real Sydney away.
Someone nearly strangles Jack one night a day or two later, and he tells him to do exactly as he says or someone he loves will die. He’s thinking the target will be his fiancé, Andi Henning. Instead, the murderer kills a doctor with whom Swyteck had had a relationship years earlier.
The author does a nice reveal on the ending here. I didn’t expect it, and it was a highly satisfying experience. His writing style is excellent, and because of that, I was able to rip through this in what felt like no time.
January 3, 2022
Another solidly entertaining Jack Swyteck legal thriller, this one written in 2013. Swyteck winds up as the defense lawyer for a young woman accused of drowning her toddler child, and that's only starting the many twists and turns in this tale of Big Media greed for getting and flogging a sensational story. There's a rapacious, unscrupulous head of a big TV network, his ambitious star expose show presenter, as well as hand-wringing mothers, belligerent fathers, and, oh yeah, a sociopathic serial killer. Grippando pulls it all together.
Jack's trusty aide, Theo, makes occasional appearances, and Jack's junior attorney, Hannah, acquits herself sturdily - I'd like to see more of her (and maybe she does get more prominence in other Swyteck tales - I'm not reading this series in strict order). Current and former love interests play crucial roles, and humid, restless Miami is a star, too. Strong story from beginning to end.
Jack's trusty aide, Theo, makes occasional appearances, and Jack's junior attorney, Hannah, acquits herself sturdily - I'd like to see more of her (and maybe she does get more prominence in other Swyteck tales - I'm not reading this series in strict order). Current and former love interests play crucial roles, and humid, restless Miami is a star, too. Strong story from beginning to end.
February 24, 2024
When I started to read this my mind said, this reminds me of the Casey Anthony case. Jack Swyteck wins an acquittal for his client, Sydney Bennett, a nightclub waitress accused of murdering her two-year old daughter. The verdict provokes an assault on another woman, Celeste Laramore, fresh from a Sydney Bennett look alike contest at a South Beach bar. Celeste and her friend are outside the women’s detention center where Celeste ends up in a coma because the crowd thought it was Sydney.
Celeste’s parents persuade Jack Swyteck to sue cable news company BNN. Meanwhile, someone is targeting those close to Swyteck as a way of getting him to back off looking for the truth. This book could actually be read as a standalone, as there isn't much character development as in the rest of the series.
Celeste’s parents persuade Jack Swyteck to sue cable news company BNN. Meanwhile, someone is targeting those close to Swyteck as a way of getting him to back off looking for the truth. This book could actually be read as a standalone, as there isn't much character development as in the rest of the series.
March 26, 2020
The plot of this book revolves around the trial of Sidney Bennett who is accused of murdering her two year old child. It also brings strongly to mind the Casey Antony case in Florida. But with some extra details that help it make its own story. The parents of Bennett are decidedly not helpful in Jack Swyteck trying to prove her innocent and when a look-alike of Sidney is almost killed things really get jammed up. A TV program the BNN keeps the general public riled up and accuses Jack of unethical procedures. I really like the character of Jack's grandmother, his friend Theo but his girl friend an FBI agent is a little too cool about everything for me. The reveal of who did what makes for a smashing ending to the book.
March 30, 2019
this was more courtroom drama than investigation.
relevant to what's happening in today's news w/the 24/365 coverage of cases that hit the media & become sensationalized.
it was sexually graphic. and that was disturbing b/c several of the chapters have the POV of the bad guy & were hard to listen to.
it was like seeing a roadside car accident & not being able to look away. I had to keep listening & find out what happens next.
again, surprising twists towards the end.
relevant to what's happening in today's news w/the 24/365 coverage of cases that hit the media & become sensationalized.
it was sexually graphic. and that was disturbing b/c several of the chapters have the POV of the bad guy & were hard to listen to.
it was like seeing a roadside car accident & not being able to look away. I had to keep listening & find out what happens next.
again, surprising twists towards the end.
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