Twenty

Jack Swyteck #17

by James Grippando

Jack Swyteck and his family are caught in the crossfire after a deadly school shooting claims twenty casualties—Florida’s fifth mass shooting in as many years—in this provocative and timely thriller from Harper Lee Prize–winner James Grippando that touches on some of the most contentious issues roiling America today.

It is the message every parent of a school-age child “Active Shooter on Campus.”  Jack Swyteck is at his office when he receives the emergency text from Riverside Day School. Both his daughter, Righley, and his wife, FBI agent Andie Henning, are in danger. Andie is in the school’s rec center when she hears the fire alarms, then loud popping noises and screams coming from the hallway. A trained law-enforcement officer, Andie knows she’s supposed to stay locked down inside the room. But Righley is in her kindergarten classroom and Andie must get her to safety. The tragedy prompts mass hysteria—and dangerous speculation. The police haven’t identified the shooter, but they find a handgun on the school grounds registered to a parent, a Muslim man named Amir Khoury. News of the gun and its owner leaks and quickly goes viral. Within minutes Al Qaeda claims responsibility. Andie is shocked—Amir is married to her friend, Lilly, a WASP whose bloodline goes back to the American Revolution.  When Xavier, Amir and Lilly’s oldest child and an eighteen-year-old senior at Riverside confesses to the crime, the local community’s anti-Muslim fervor explodes to levels unseen since 9/11. Terrified for her son’s life, Lilly asks Jack to step in. A seasoned defense attorney with a passion to see justice done, he’s taken on plenty of complicated cases. Xavier’s, however, is not one he’s inclined to take—until an old friend who lost his daughter in the shooting tells him that he must.   With the public calling for blood and prosecutors confident their case is air tight, Jack must unearth the Khourys’ family secrets in order to expose the shocking truth and save his client from certain death. But he may not be able to save everyone—including himself.

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

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2021

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

[Joey R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.0 stars— I’ve never read any book by James Grippando before, but this one looked interesting so I decided to give it a try. “Twenty” tells the story of a mass shooting at an elite private school which kills 14 students and teachers. The main characters, Jack, a defense attorney, and his wife, Andie, a FBI agent, had a child who was at the school the day of the shooting. Andie was on campus during the shooting and did her best to get to and protect her daughter during the event — despite being off duty and unarmed at the time. So who better to be involved in the criminal investigation as an agent (Andie) and to act as attorney for the suspect arrested for multiple counts of capital murder (Jack) than these two 🙄. Gimme a break —this would never happen in a million years. The remainder of the book is somewhat interesting but defies common sense from start to finish. The ending is so ridiculous and contrived in order to get a particular result, I can’t even describe it without laughing. A separate civil case that the author attempts to use to ratchet up the drama is so bad it would be laughed out of court. There were so many problems with the book only its fast pace and the interesting details the author unearths about the suspects keep the book from receiving the dreaded 1 star review

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Historical fiction at its' finest. The author has used the 911 events, in particular, flight 93 - in an outstanding way. Superb plotting and characters. Especially using the ways USA courts, police and FBI work - for a spectacular story.
Unputdownable

[Arthur Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, Grippando is back!

I thought he was completely off the rails in "The Big Lie." He foolishly alienated half his audience with political opinions (in my opinion - lol).

This book gets us back to the Jack Swytek franchise the author has long and successfully built.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Twenty by James Grippando is a riveting legal thriller with a socially relevant storyline. Although this latest release is the seventeenth mystery in the Jack Swytek series, it can be read as a standalone.

Before attorney Jack Swytek drops wife Andie Henning and their daughter, Righley, there is nothing different about their day. He walks to work while Andie accompanies Righley to her classroom. Andie then decides to join the other parents for a cup of coffee in the rec room where she chats with her friend Lilly. However, shots soon ring out and while everyone else follows protocol and exits the building, Andie runs to Righley's classroom. Jack receives an active shooter text and he rushes back to the school. Frantically searching for his wife and daughter, he is relieved to find them unharmed. However, other parents are not as lucky including Jack's friend Nate Abrams.

Lilly is relieved none of her children are injured but the gun used in the shooting is registered to her husband Amir Khoury. She is shocked when her oldest son Xavier confesses to the horrific crime and he is soon arrested. Jack has no plans to represent the shooter, but he cannot resist Lilly's pleas for him to become Xavier's defense attorney. With plenty of evidence, Chief Prosecutor Abe Beckham plans to ask for the death penalty.  Determined to keep Xavier off death row becomes Jack's main objective but with anti-Muslim sentiment running high, can he convince Beckham to take a deal?

With Xavier refusing to talk to him, Jack turns to his best friend and investigator Theo Knight to help him look into the events leading up the school shooting. They unearth some intriguing information that leads Jack to believe his client might be innocent.  But when his chief witness disappears, Jack becomes more determined than ever to uncover the truth about who besides Xavier might have been the shooter.

Twenty is a captivating mystery with a clever plot and interesting characters.  Not only is Jack fighting for his client's life, things are tense between him and Andie.  When his case goes in an unexpected direction, Jack is more determined than ever to unearth the truth about the school shooting. With stunning plot twists, James Grippando brings this suspenseful legal thriller to a tension-filled conclusion. Old and new fans of the Jack Swytek series are sure to enjoy this  newest addition to this outstanding series.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense and fast-paced read about a school shooting and the Muslim family that is caught in the crosshairs. Righley, Jack and Andie’s little girl, attends an exclusive school in Miami and both doting parents drop her off each morning. On the morning of the shooting, Andie spends extra time with the other parents in the gym, so she is present when there is the unmistakable sound of gunfire. Most parents headed to the exit, but Andie ran to Righley’s classroom to try to protect her daughter. Thus, when all of the shooting is done, FBI agent Andie faces repercussions. Jack Swytek, already known for his criminal defense of death penalty cases, is assigned to the case of Xavier Khoury, the senior from the school who confesses his guilt and then refuses to speak at all. It is up to Jack and Andie to unravel the truth about the shooting and the plot gets very complicated and intriguing. I enjoyed trying to guess what would happen next, but that was almost impossible because there were so many new characters added to the mix constantly. I enjoyed the book, especially finding out the meaning of the title and what it had to do with the shooting. Jack is classic Jack, with the added pressure to find out the truth since Andie has an ultimate stake in the outcome. Andie was a mom determined to fight for her daughter if she had to, but also scared senseless by an active shooter when she had no weapon handy. This is my favorite series from Grippando, and he did a masterful job of dealing with a difficult topic. I hated what happened to Xavier, and my favorite character was his girlfriend Maritza, a courageous young woman who stands for what is right, no matter the personal cost. She , to me, was the heroine of the story.Fans of the series will not want to miss this one, but I would like to warn readers that the topic of a school shooting and innocent young victims was hard to read.

I checked out a copy of this book from my local library using the Overdrive App. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An audiobook selection about a school shooting (in case this is a disturbing scenario for an unfortunate group). Jack, criminal defense attorney, and Andy, FBI agent, become involved initially as parents of an elementary age daughter where the shooter killed multiple students. The question central in both their minds is who was the shooter? The story involves a mixed race couple and their eldest son. Could Xavier have committed this heinous crime?

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific read - a real page turner with the right amount of characters, plot, and finale. I've read quite a few of the Jack Swyteck thrillers and this one is the best. The book's title has a few meanings which I will not ruin. Just read it.

[Kathy kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes awhile to get the significance of the title. Private school attended by Jack and Ande's daughter is the scene of the latest school shoot out. The obvious shooter is a young Muslim student at the school. Plot twists galore. good read. A bit different than the usual, but a good read.

[Kimba Tichenor · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT




SPOILER ALERT


In this book, Jack Swyteck and his wife, an undercover FBI agent, get caught up in a terrorist plot when their young daughter's school becomes the target of a school shooting. As to be expected, this thriller raises some tough questions about US past and present actions on terrorism. However, what I found more disturbing were the questions the book raised about our legal system, which the author may or may not have intended to raise. Specifically, whose interests should the defense lawyer represent in a high profile case in which traumatized children would be forced to testify? Should said lawyer focus on providing his/her client with the best possible defense, even if that might lead to further trauma for the victims? Does it undermine the system, if, as in this case, the lawyer only takes the case, at the request of the father of one of the victims, for the purposes of keeping the alleged shooter off death row so that the families will not have to endure years of court challenges?

Jack Swyteck from the moment that he takes the case largely assumes the guilt of his client and immediately begins to try to convince the prosecutor that it would be in the best interest of the victims, if his client were allowed to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole. Yet, it turns out his client is not the shooter. So what if the state's attorney had accepted the plea bargain? Then, Jack Swyteck would have condemned his client to life in prison for a crime he did not commit. Yet even once Swyteck knows his client is not the shooter, he never pauses to reflect on the potential consequences of his approach to "defending" his client. In fact, the author seemingly sidesteps these questions by having the resolution of the plot occur outside the courtroom, rather than inside it.

The author's decision to bypass these questions, as well as multiple less than believable moments in the plot (e.g. the FBI allowing his wife to be part of the hostage negotiating team) are why I gave this book a 3 rating, despite its fast pace and several nail-biting moments

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 2 out of 5]

Are James Grippando and David Rosenfelt one and the same? If not they are both following the same outline!

I don’t want this case
I’ll take the case under duress
A dog
Terrorists/conspiracy
Vital time frame
Not guilty

Sound familiar?

I also felt is was exploiting the Parkland shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. I made it to page 284 and then skipped to the epilogue, it was just dragging on and on.

[Pamela Micheli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was excellent. I couldn't put it down. It starts with a horrific mass shooting at an exclusive school for children K - Seniors. The shooter allegedly is one of the students who Jack reluctantly represents. It's one of his best to date, and I read most of his books.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of reading serial novels like these, ones that follow a detective or, in this case, a lawyer. However, the subject matter was terrifying and therefore intriguing enough for me to pick it up. The writing was easy although featuring a few grammatical errors, making this a very quick read. There was a continuity issue regarding Agent Carter. It was also a but disappointing to see the novel start off as wanting to break down Muslim and terrorist stereotypes only to then reinforce every single one. The debate on the death penalty could have been longer. Looking at how the family of the alleged shooter and the family of the lawyer handled the media pressure could have been more detailed. The twist included a revelation about a character and his demise at the hands of ISIS and his therefore hatred of the US. I wish this was further discussed too. However, this novel was engaging, easy to read despite not being familiar with the character, and included a twist that will forever pull at the heart strings of every American alive before 2001. It also opens the dialogue about many issues!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not long ago, I read Dave Cullen’s fabulous Parkland and it reinforced not only my horror about school shootings but my complete lack of understanding about the shooters. And although on one level I know they are not all the same, in my brain they all seem to coalesce into a group of people who are all mentally ill in one way or another.
So I wasn’t sure how well I might enjoy a fictional exploration of a school shooting. In the past, I had read and enjoyed both Jodi Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes and Laurie King’s Lockdown, but those were familiar authors whose books I had liked in general, and I couldn’t recall reading any of James Grippando’s books. And reading about this title, Jack Swyteck wasn’t a guy I felt like I knew (despite this being #17 in Grippando’s Jack Swyteck series). Thanks to Harper and NetGalley, I received a copy of Grippando’s Twenty in return for this honest review, so I jumped in when I read the synopsis.
Jack Swyteck, the protagonist, lives in Florida with his FBI Agent wife Andie Henning and their daughter Righley, who is a student in the kindergarten class at the posh Riverside Day School. Andie has just walked Righley to her classroom and moved on to the rec room on campus when she hears fire alarms followed by loud “popping” noises and screams. Andie knows she is SUPPOSED to stay locked down inside the rec center, but her concern for Righley takes over, and she can’t overcome her desire to get them both to safety. The story of the actual shooting is brief, and the question as to who did the shooting and why takes the focus of the book.
A handgun is found on campus and when the news goes viral that it is registered to a Muslim man named Amir Khoury, things sort of unwind in various ways. First, Al Qaeda takes credit for the shooting, then Andie is blamed for not taking action to stop the shooter (FBI agent, yes but by law prohibited from carrying her gun on campus), then all kinds of anti-Muslim fervor breaks out. A senior class member named Xavier Khoury confesses to the shooting, and his mother Lilly is Andie’s friend (one of the few parents at the ritzy school who had welcomed Andie). With her son facing charges of multiple murders, Lilly turns to Andie’s husband Jack Swyteck for help -- and he just happens to be a criminal defense attorney.
Although it might seem a bit too convenient that all these pieces fit so neatly, it really works. Issues of bigotry (both race and class), friendship, marital relationships, and political implications are explored as Jack digs into the Khoury family’s secrets.
Well done. Four stars. And I will look at more Mr. Grippando’s books, starting with one or more in the Jack Swyteck series.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Jack Swyteck series and grab each book as they come out. I started listening to the audiobooks two books ago and love them. They are well produced and the narrator, Jonathan Davis is the voice of Jack that I love. This book starts off with a bang, literally. There is a school shooting and Jack's wife, off duty FBI agent Andie Henning, is at the school where their daughter is in kindergarten. It is every parent's nightmare. When the son of a Muslim man is arrested for the shooting it becomes a racial situation. The boy's mother is also Atlee's friend, so she asks Jack to defend him. This puts their family in danger as over 13 people were killed and he is defending this killer.

This story deals with radicalization of youth, race and prejudice in society, legal rights of everyone accused of a crime and how a shooting like this affects a community. It is a legal thriller that is very timely. As the story unfolds, Jack is sure that his client Xavier did not commit this crime and his goal is to find who did. He uses his efficient manner to get answers. Leo is there to help out as well as the lawyers in the Freedom Institute. This is a a clever mystery and legal thriller with a well-developed plot and interesting characters. I was engrossed in this story from the beginning to the satisfying ending. I recommend this one to those who enjoy a good legal thriller with some timely social issues as well. Although this is the 17th book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

[Cortney Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Grippando was a new author to me. He had never even been on my radar, until a publisher reached out asking if I would consider this book. I had doubts. As a mama of 4 babies, and a librarian at their school, school shootings has become a real life topic. Knowing it was a fiction, and already loved Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, I had to give it a try. Twenty did not disappoint at all.

Jack, a defense lawyer, and Andie, a FBI agent, just drop off their little girl at a prestigious school. Shortly after shots are fired, and their lives are totally upended. Andie's best friend Molly's son, Xavier, confesses to the shooting. A Muslim boy, and instantly they are all throwing into the mess of things.

Twenty, is a book, that noone should miss. You will cry, you will be angry, you will feel the powerless. James did such an amazing job of taking so many issues, and wrapping it up nicely. Racism, terrorism, abuse, prostitution, legal systems, political persecution. A great legal thriller with great characters and a plot that you do not want to miss!

[Mrs. Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’d never come across James Grippando before and had no idea that Twenty was part of a series, so it was neither Grippando nor Swyteck who attracted me, but rather the school shooting theme (like a dog who continues to check a certain driveway years after having seen a cat there, since Kevin and Dave Cullen’s Columbine I am incurably hopeful). Those who know/enjoy Grippando’s books don’t need my opinion; for those who’ve never tried one I’ll provide a brief sample: "... her cop instincts kicked in, and she detected a change in the air - something afoot."
If that’s your sort of writing then he’s your sort of writer. Based on the ratings, you’re part of the majority.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another ok Swyteck book. Unfortunately like the last 4 or 5 in the series this involves very little courtroom action. Their is a shooting at Swyteck's daughter's elite prep school and Jack is engage to help defend the accused shooter one of his wives friends sons. It quickly develops into a much more complicated case that gets the whole family involved.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of the James Grippando thriller TWENTY has been published by Mystery Scene magazine as an online exclusive. You can check it out HERE - https://www.mysteryscenemag.com/compo...

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The aftermath of a deadly shooting at Righley’s school puts lawyer Jack Swyteck and his wife, FBI Agent Andie Henning in the midst of mass hysteria. Andie, on the school campus when the shooting occurred, was off-duty and unarmed. But she was determined to get to her daughter in the kindergarten classroom and managed to do so.

The confession of the shooter, an eighteen-year-old student at the exclusive private school, causes his mother, Molly, to ask Jack to save her son’s life. But Jack is not inclined to accept Xavier’s case until a friend who lost his daughter in the shooting tells him that he must.

Despite cries for justice and the prosecutor’s confidence in his case, there is much more at play here than anyone knows and Jack finds that he may not be able to save his client . . . or himself.

“Twenty,” the seventeenth book in the Jack Swyteck series, works well as a standalone for readers new to the series. Opening with a frightening scene, the unfolding story continually builds suspense into the telling of the tale as it addresses several prejudices and contemporary themes: Muslim terrorism, radicalization, prejudice, the power of national law enforcement agencies, mass shootings, and active shooters on school campuses.

A strong sense of place anchors the story; the story puts characters and readers alike on an emotional roller coaster and keeps the pages turning at a frantic pace. The combination of the legal backdrop, the easily-recognized and timely social issues, the impact of family dynamics, and the machinations behind terrorism create a complex, compelling tale with enough unexpected twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the final surprising revelation. It’s a not-to-be-missed story that should top every reader’s must-read list.

Highly recommended.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A defense attorney and an FBI agent met and fell in love. Not only do they get married, but they have a child.... the punch line is defense attorney and FBI agent.

Jack Swyteck and his wife Andy are at it again. This time they are in the center of their child's school when there is an active shooter incident. Andy, mom, and FBI agent respond just like you think... find my child and save my child and other children, but Twenty die. The issue is that Jack is asked to defend the suspected shooter who is Muslim and the son of Andy's friend, Lilly.

Things just get worse as Jack works to clear or at least attempt to defend his client who is not talking to anybody, and the media moves in. The public is up in arms about the shooting but something is going on behind the scenes with the shooter's family.

Really great plot and is worth the read.

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific Jack Swyteck page-turner seemingly ripped from the headlines...I've had a number of novels, recently, that can have that label applied to them...Some of the earlier Swyteck novels reference the natural tension in the marriage of an FBI agent and a defense attorney, but imagine how that's ramped up if your daughter's school is shot up while your FBI wife is unarmed and present at the school...Tough stuff, and when the son of a Muslim school parent is arrested for the shooting it becomes even tougher...The system basically has Jack railroaded into representing the alleged shooter...Clever twists, well-developed characters and legal thrills make this a great read!!!

[Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss it! Don’t even be late! Because this book is great. Living in Florida, it holds special attraction. Being an American in my 70’s, it recalls semi-recent and recent history. Jack and Lauren make for a beautiful copy. Adventure, mystery and history combine for a fantastic read (or in my case listen).

[Jami · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been awhile since I read a book by this author and I forgot how much I enjoy them. This was action packed from the start and it was fast paced. I won’t give away the reason for the book’s title, which you learn near the end. Very good addition to the Jack Swyteck series but is also a good stand alone.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat predictable, but with enough suspense to keep my interest high. Jack is ordered by a judge to defend a school mass shooting suspect and the teenaged client won't speak a word to Jack or anyone.

[Pam Garwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sad, wonderful story! Keep me guessing....

[Karen Szakaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and Andie...great team! Great book..

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I basically had it figured out about a quarter of the way through, but it was still a very good read.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fast paced lawyer novel fighting for the truth of a school shooting. Read in 3 days. I will read more of his books.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Another good story from Grippando in the Jack Swyteck series.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook - Enjoyed this book! I haven’t read any of the other books in this series but this books stands alone very well!