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For readers who jump into the middle of a mystery series, a book can often be disappointing for all the knowledge the reader doesn't have available. This latest installment of the Jack Swyteck series, however, happily reads as a spellbinding stand-alone mystery, although fans of the series are sure to love it as well. The story begins with a young Gitmo detainee who requires a pro-bono lawyer, and Miami defense lawyer Jack Swyteck finally decides to take the case (despite the pleadings of his FBI girlfriend to the contrary). The young man is also accused of murdering his Miami girlfriend and blinding Sergeant Vince Paulo, who attempted to save the young girl, the daughter of a close friend. The case against the accused terrorist begins to fall apart when he claims he was detained at a black site in Eastern Europe at the time of the murder. There's perhaps most compelling testimony against him, however. As she lay dying, the young girl accused the young man of murder. Things only get more complicated from there. There are three groups that propel this story forward: Somali terrorists, those seeking to cover up any belief in the existence of the detention site, and the father of the young girl who was murdered, a high-tech pioneer who is involved in a secret government project. The author brilliantly intertwines these stories, but the novel is dark, and readers will soon find themselves questioning the type of future that lays ahead (particularly when it comes to technology). The story races from Miami to London for its final segment, perhaps weakening the story a tiny bit. As the main evil character becomes more apparent to readers, the story (some would say appropriately so) takes on a sickening quality. By that time, there are plenty of bodies piled up, and the story has heightened to an intense state regarding both Jack and his FBI girlfriend. The brainwashing techniques employed by the evil-doer may put readers on the fence when it comes to credibility, but overall, author James Grippando has given a solid enough story and fascinating topics for thought beyond the mystery itself. This is a book that is hard to put down, and nearly impossible to forget. § Christine Zibas is a freelance writer and former director of publications for a Chicago nonprofit.
Reviewed by Christine Zibas, February 2011
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