Last Call

Jack Swyteck #7

by James Grippando

Many years ago, Jack Swyteck saved Theo Knight's life.

Theo grew up on the streets of Miami's roughest neighborhood and lost his mother to a violent crime. Although his uncle Cy tried his best to raise him right, by the time he was a teenager, Theo was on death row for a murder he didn't commit. Jack was the lawyer who proved him innocent.

Now a successful bar owner, Theo has turned things around. But he needs Jack's help again, this time more than ever.

An escaped convict from the old neighborhood shows up at Theo's back door, asking for help. In return, he'll finger the man who murdered Theo's mother. But the answers aren't so simple, and soon Theo's own life is in danger.

Jack and Theo must piece together a twenty-year-old conspiracy of greed and corruption that leads to the very top of Miami's elite, while revisiting a past that Theo has tried hard to forget. But Theo also has the opportunity to seek the revenge that has fueled him since the day he found his mother dead in the street on a hot Miami night.

Last Call

is a brilliant and bullet-fast thriller, complete with revelations that no reader will ever forget.

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

326 pages, Hardcover

First published December 18, 2007

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

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As expected—another great thriller.

[Jill Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Last Call" brings back Miami defense attorney Jack Swyteck and his best friend, Theo Knight, who finds himself in legal trouble and personal danger when an old gang member acquaintance escapes from prison and fingers point to Theo as an accomplice. Jack once saved Theo from death row for a murder he didn't commit and now attempts to prove Theo had nothing to do with Isaac Reems' escape. Grippando delves into the ugly world of gang violence and drug trafficking and how it's possible to rise from poverty and the influence of powerful gangs to become a successful businessman. "Last Call" is well-written and a compelling read. I stayed up late finishing it because I simply could not the book down.

[Diana Donnelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read a couple other of his books that I enjoyed and decided to try this one. It had plenty of action with the twists and turns that I so enjoy. He apparently has other books out there with the same characters. Once I get acquainted with characters I enjoy reading about them again. These characters are especially interesting as one is a lawyer and the other was saved from death row. You wouldn't think these two would have much in common, but read the book, they did have.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. Jack Swytek is a criminal defense attorney in Florida. His best friend is Theo Knight, the man Jack saved from Death Row at the 11th hour. Theo had been innocent of murder. Theo grew up on mean streets with violent gangs. Today he is the owner of a bar, but his past has come calling. A gang member escapes from prison and wants Theo’s help. He tells Theo that in return he will tell him who murdered his prostitute mother. Jack helps Theo look back to his mother’s murder and even further back to when she was just a teenager. What they uncover involves more than the gang violence that Theo grew up around. It involves some rich and powerful people as well who don’t want secrets from the past to come to light. Theo has an uncle who also knows some painful secrets. This is a fast paced story with memorable characters.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this series. I liked that this one featured Theo and Cy a little more. It was great background info . I felt I understood them more as well as their importance to the MC.

So 4 stars.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment of Grippando’s Jack Swytek series focuses on Jack’s best friend Theo Knight, a man Jack saved from death row. Theo owns his own bar and is on the verge of expanding his business when Isaac Reems, former gang member and an escaped convict, shows up asking for help. Theo isn’t so inclined but Reems’s bargaining chip is that he can reveal the identity of the person who killed Theo’s mother 20 years earlier. The FBI, hot on the trail of Reems, suspects Theo is helping the convict, and when Reems is murdered, their focus is on Theo. Jack and Theo suspect all is tied to his mother’s death but that road leads to danger.

This addition to the series is middle-of-the-road, better than some, not as good as others. Grippando brings back FBI agent Andie Henning, and although chemistry is hinted at between Andie and Jack, it’s just not there. Swytek seems off his game and Theo’s constant emotion is anger, although there is good cause. More is learned of Theo’s Uncle Cy, an interesting character.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Theo, a young man who was saved from death row by his lawyer, Jack Swyteck. They immediately became best friends. Years have passed and Theo still does not know who killed his mother, a street-walker who died when he was a teenager. The story takes place as Theo is opening a new jazz bar in Miami when suddenly he finds himself being pulled into the world of criminals from his past.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo Knight, an ex-con, is running a bar in Miami, and has turned his life around. Trouble starts anew over the murder of his mother, even though she was killed 20 years ago. Jack Swyteck is Theo's lawyer and his best friend. Together they scramble to stay alive and solve the mystery of what happened in the past and why it is now a danger to Theo and his Uncle Cy. The book is fast paced and full of tension.

[Patricia Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this book. Theo is in need for lawyer help again. once convicted of a crime that landed him in jail, now needs to solve the mystery of his mother's murder which happened many years before the book starts. Also the reader is re-introduced to the FBI investigator who is an old love interest to the Jack, lawyer on eternal call. great book to add to your collection to take to the beach..each read

[Cecelia/Ceil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Jack Zwyteck book. Set in Miami. Jack is a lawyer who becomes entangled in a mess with his best friend Theo, who he saved from death row previously. This also goes into Theo's life and the death of his Mother who was an addict and a hooker.

I always really like James Grippando's books. This one is good, too, with some intense scenes.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Theo's old buddies from the "hood" shows up on his doorstep after 20 years. Isaac has escaped from jail and Theo is asked to help. Isaac claims that he knows who killed Theo's mother years ago. Then Isaac is killed. Theo is implicated in the shooting and asks for help from his best friend and lawyer, Jack, who had gotten him off of death row for a killing he didn't do.

[Holly Morey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the dynamics of friends Jack Swyteck and Theo. This story begins when Theo was younger and headed for trouble. His past comes back to haunt him when he is forced to become involved with an old friend, who escapes from prison. The story is fast paced and brings Jack's ex-girlfriend into the picture. I love the action and inter-action of the characters.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This time it was a story that focused on Theo instead of Jack. That was a nice change of pace.
And poor Jack, his romances don’t go as smoothly as he’d like.

The story centered around Theo’s mom.
It slowly built up the tension to a high crescendo of suspense in the last 1/3 of the book.



FYI: Some graphic sex & violence descriptions.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic, but good novel. 7 of 10 stars.

[Pisces51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

LAST CALL [2008] By James Grippando
My Review Five Stars*****

I read this early work from the author’s popular Jack Swytek Book Series during the first week of January this year. It was released 15 years ago [2008] and the installment is Number 7 in an impressive 17 book collection. Grippando has been a favorite author of mine for longer than I can remember. I started reading the series in order of publication a couple of years ago, and it’s mind-numbing to think there are ten more novels now. It’s my plan to read Books 8 and 9 during this year.

So, okay then. First, I love Grippando’s writing style. His books (including the standalones) are never a disappointment. I enjoy legal thrillers quite a bit, and I also enjoy Lescroart and Margolin. I would admit that I procrastinate when it is time to download a book installment of Lescroart’s Dismas Hardy series, and his novels are invariably long and character-driven. Most of the time I am happy that I indulged in reading his works but they are often marathons. Margolin, well. His books are like a love and hate relationship. The last one I read was (hands-down five stars) but a few have been colossal disappointments. Among the three authors, Grippando is the last man standing, invariably entertaining, with scintillating dialogue, perfect pacing, excellent character development and intriguing story lines. I love the characters of Jack and his best friend Theo. All of the family and peripheral characters are familiar to me since I took the time to start at the beginning to follow the genesis and character arcs.

Last Call [2008] was a “new” book for me and not one I previously listened to on tape. I love the character of Theo Night and especially the friendship dynamics between the two men. This book relates the complete backstory of Theo Knight beginning with anecdotal background history from when he was a 13-year-old boy tagging along with his big brother Tatum, a full-fledged member of one of the meanest street gangs in Miami. Grippando featured Theo’s brother Tatum in another standout installment from the earlier novels.

“Last Call” is not a “Legal Thriller.” It does contain a hell of a lot of “arguing” but none inside a courthouse. Jack is a brilliant Defense Attorney, but an even more outstanding friend to Theo. The book starts strong and never lags with a complex plot that manages to deep dive into Miami and international street gangs, organized crime, and the prison justice system. The novel also manages poignant interactions between Jack and his family, Theo and Uncle Cy, and naturally relationship dilemmas involving Jack’s love life. He is still involved with the altruistic millionaire physician beauty who flies in to see him now and again, but gets confused when the attractive smart Andi from the FBI re-enters his orbit. Theo has his figured out already, and is still enthralled with the one-of-a-kind knockout from the last installment. The thread about Theo getting her a “Roach Broach” for her birthday and her make up request for him to get her a Prince Albert is hysterical.

We also have a 20-year-old conspiracy that reaches some high places and answers the question of who murdered Theo’s mother two decades ago and why. There is a prison escape, a suspected contract killer who can put a bullet between a man’s eyes at 20 feet and in a dark alley. There is a lot to unpack in this epic adventure and it is not my intent to sketch out a synopsis. This is an action-packed thriller that pretty much has it all in spades. It has a multi-faceted, multi-layered plot that translates into a page turner and it features laughs, great dialog between characters, fascinating glimpses of life inside prison, inner city gangs and their structure nationally, poignant scenes that inspire a moist eye, and a chilling, breathtaking finale.

This may very well be the best I have read to date. This one is spectacular because it fleshes out the character of Theo from the bottom up to investing in a new jazz club. I would hope that the next two in the series I plan to read this year are just half as great as this installment.

AN EASY FIVE STARS AND WILL BE HARD TO BEAT GOING FORWARD IN THE SERIES

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “LAWYER SAVES MAN FROM DEATH ROW, THEY BECOME BEST FRIENDS, TRY TO SOLVE 30 YEAR OLD CRIME… BUT FORGET THE JUVENILE FBI ROMANCE!”
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The story starts off with a “flashback” to 1986 when 13 year old Theo Knight is joy riding with two older punks that are part of the “Grove Lord” gang. This was to be the night young Theo earned his initiation into the gang. The initiation requirement that was demanded of Theo was to knife a randomly chosen innocent victim. Driving the car that fateful night was Isaac Reems, who would become a central figure in this mystery story many years later. As this fateful night played itself out the gang came upon a crowd on a street. Lying on the ground dead, with her throat slit, was a panty-less, drug addicted prostitute… Theo’s mother.

Somewhere between the original “flashback” joy ride and the present-time storytelling, “Theo dropped out of high school, stuck his hand in the wrong cash register, and got tagged with the brutal murder of a convenience store clerk. At age 15 he was the youngest inmate on Florida’s death row.” Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck miraculously saves Theo from death row and they become best friends. In the present time Theo now owns a little bar that he converted from a gas station and named it “SPARKY’S” – “a double-barreled flip of the bird to Florida’s old electric chair, nicknamed “Old Sparky”. At about this time the old “Grove Lord” gang kingpin Isaac Reems breaks out of prison and contacts Theo. Theo wants nothing to do with his past until the “on the lam” Isaac leaves Theo a phone message that he knows who murdered his mother. A crime that has gone 30 years without being solved. Without giving away vital information to prospective readers, the writing is at its best when Theo goes back to prison undercover. Describing how Theo has to prove immediately to the inmates on his return that he isn’t a “wussy” and knows how to survive in prison is when the author is at his best. Conversely the writing is at its weakest when the writer constantly throughout the story describes a “what could have been romance” between lawyer Jack Swyteck and FBI agent Andie Henning. They dated 2 or 3 times in the past and it didn’t work, yet it is played out like two infantile teenagers in high school passing notes in class. No matter what scene is taking place, regardless of the characters involved: Theo, Uncle Cy, Jack’s grandmother, Jack’s Father, ad nauseam, “give her another chance Jack.” Believe me the story would have flowed much smoother without that little imagined harlequin romance!

Without giving away too much to the prospective reader, a perfect outline of the script would be to quote an exasperated FBI agent Henning: “I was appointed to head up a task force that is looking into the reasons why Isaac Reems was able to escape from jail. From there, l started looking at who killed Isaac. Then it became a question of who tried to kill Theo. The focus then was who killed Theo’s mother. Now I’m trying to find out who raped Theo’s mother over thirty years ago. I’m out of my jurisdiction here, not to mention way beyond the scope of my original assignment.” That about says it all, but too bad you and Jack couldn’t have been boyfriend and girlfriend.

[Bob Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even read out of order and even accepting several obvious flaws, “Last Call” is a great read - so what if it was published in 2008?

The core of the story is Theo Knight’s past comes roaring back with a vengeance and sends him on a mission to kill. Lawyer Jack Swyteck, who saved Theo from execution, remains his pal and the two men share a strong bond and hilarious conversation.

Flaw #1: Theo volunteers to go back to jail in order to find how a childhood gang friend got out of jail. It seems unnecessary, and I cannot believe anyone who had been in jail would do that even if authorities approved the idea.

Flaw #2: Jack and Andie (FBI agent) strike up a hot relationship and they overlook Theo’s guns and plan to kill.

Flaw #3: Theo magically shoots a man during a gunfight in a horse barn shortly after a horse knocks the gun from his hand and into an occupied horse stall.

Still, there’s plenty of action and great characters (Jack and Theo, sure, but also Andie, Uncle Cy and Trina, who asks Theo for a sexual present that will bring laughter).

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the books in this series have been excellent, and this one upholds that tradition. Jack Swyteck is the son of a former Florida governor. He practices law and often solves mysteries.

As the book opens, a Miami gangbanger has escaped from a local jail. Earlier in the series, Jack Swyteck saves Theo Knight from an unsavory end on Death Row. With the money Theo got from the state once Jack cleared him of the crime he didn’t commit, he opened a bar, and he’s about to open another one as this book opens.

But the newly escaped gangbanger has information Theo could use, and the street thug is sure Theo will pay whatever he must to get the information.

This is a well-paced interesting book that kept me reading and enjoying the experience throughout. It’s probably best if you read the entire series, but it’s worth the time you spend sussing out the clues, mysteries, and relationships. For example, the sexually tense association between Swyteck and FBI Special Agent Andie Henning is fascinating indeed.

[Dick Ulmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very involved thriller about the murder of Theo's mother, a prostitute, 20 years ago. Jack Swyteck, the brilliant Miami lawyer, Theo Knight the Jazz Bar owner, Jack's girlfriend, Andie Henning, an FBI agent, are all deeply tied into finding the truth and punishing the guilty. Of course Theo and Jack are in imminent danger most of the time. A great story.

The time I was reading through this series, I skipped this book because it wasn't available as an audiobook on Hoopla with the others. So I noticed that it became available on Libby and read it. This answered a number of questions about Jack's relationship with Andie for me.

[Jlnpeacock Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been married to a criminal defense attorney I was interested to see the various aspects of the life in prison presented as well as the trials many are subjected to in the judicial system. Much of what was written in this book were things I'd often heard about from my husband. I would wish for the book to have more people of character and integrity, but I think this is an accurate portrayal of the world now.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent Swyteck novel which mainly focuses on his good friend Theo. When a man from Theo’s past escapes jail it throws a whole series of events about the death of Theo’s mother years before into the limelight. Hunted by people who want to keep their secret, Theo and Jack seek to bring them to Justice.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack Swyteck and Theo Knight are at it again — getting into trouble, this time, in order to find out who killed Theo's mother twenty years ago. A former gang leader escapes from prison, contacts Theo, and the chase is on. Add to the mix Jack's current “squeeze,” Rene, and Andie, an FBI agent whom he had previously dated, and the reader is in for a good time.

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seriously love this series! I seriously love these characters! There was no courtroom drama in this book (which is always a disappointment to me) but it is still worth the read. Last Call focused on gangs, and delved into some of Theo's background. There definitely was not a lack of action in this one!

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the continuation of Theo's story, but found it ridiculous that he'd go undercover in jail. The other two things that I didn't like about this book is 1. Andie/FBI wouldn't turn a blind eye to Theo running around with a gun, shooting at people. 2. There was no mention of Mia and Rene is back? so where was Rene while he was dating Mia, whom he supposedly loved?

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. In this genre, you always need to accept some disbelief, but I felt the plot was so over the top that I was rolling my eyes. There were also just a few too many cheesy one-liners. As I look back to my reviews in this series it’s been a little unpredictable - the prior book in the series was a 5 star read for me so I was really looking forward to this one.

[Chuck Engelhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up in a grab bag from our local library’s book sale and I must admit that I wasn’t very excited about listening to this book ( I listen to book on my commute). However, I did end up being drawn into the story and found myself becoming attach to and consequently rooting for various characters. It’s much different than my typical fare, but not bad at all.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story centered around Theo. I like the way the characters interact and how the story moves back and forward in a way that hints at secrets. The relationship between Theo and Cy is tender and realistic. Jack and Theo continue to maintain a tight bond and I am DELIGHTED to see Andie back in the mix.

[Margaret Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through the lens of protagonist Jack Swyteck, Miami criminal defense lawyer, Grippando employs incisive dialogue between persons of differing points of view to pull apart and set aside antagonists' false logic and absurd rationalizations for a defendant's actions. The guy on the hot seat in this story is Theo, Jack's best friend. Another great read in this wonderful series!!!

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fast paced book about Jack Swyteck and Theo Knight. Both of these two guys were the dominant characters in this book.

I especially enjoyed the ending because it was so touching between Uncle Cy and Theo.

I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read the next one.

[Bill_earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the Jack Swyteck books that I've read to date have been a fun read. These are the kind of light Florida mysteries that make for great Summer reading. They aren't as bizarre as Hiassen nor as complex as Elmore Leonard but if you are looking for a good read...try them out.