Book Review- Jackie K Cooper
GONE AGAIN by James Grippando
James Grippando has the talent to be one of the top fiction writers practicing his craft today. He is certainly adept at creating interesting characters; he knows his way around a steady plot; and he can throw in twists and turns in his stories that make sense in the long run. Still his last few novels have left me feeling lukewarm about his efforts. That is why I was surprised and pleased when he released his latest novel GONE AGAIN and it is a throwback to the scene of his earlier stories which really showcased his talents.
GONE AGAIN is the twelfth in the Jack Swyteck series of books, and in this one he returns to his root efforts of defending death row inmates. In truth Jack is only renting space at the Freedom Institute in order to help them pay their bills. He is maintaining his own client roster, but then Debra Burgette shows up on his doorstep asking that he take the case of Dylan Reeves, a man sentenced to death by the Florida Penal System. He has been convicted of raping and murdering Sashi Burgette, Debra's seventeen year old adopted daughter.
Jack agrees to file a writ of habeas corpus on Dylan's behalf since Debra insists her daughter is alive. This sets off a chain of events that take Jack through a myriad of possibilities as to what actually happened to Sashi. There are a ton of personalities involved in this investigation and no one is above suspicion at any given time.
The Burgette family is in the crosshairs of the investigation. Debra's ex-husband Gavin acts suspiciously as does their other daughter Aquinnah. Then there are a variety of seedy types who got involved in the Burgettes' lives when Sashi was acting out. She got involved with strangers on the Internet and also ran away form home several times.
Grippando is at his best when he is writing about the mystery of Sashi's disappearance and the moments he is in front of a judge arguing his case. These scenes are taut and tense. When he is writing about Jack's relationship with his wife Andie he is at his weakest. Andie is an FBI agent and is still on the job. She is pregnant with her and Jack's child and has suffered miscarriages in the past. Why she would want to jeopardize the pregnancy by continuing to work is never satisfactorily explained.
Overall this is one of Grippando's best novels in ages. It fulfills all of the promises made by his earlier works and leaves the reader entertained and satisfied. To say Grippando is gripping is too clever by half but you can say GONE AGAIN engrossing plot restores him to the top class of writers of legal thrillers.
GONE AGAIN is published by Harper. It contains 390 pages and sells for $26.99.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com