Grippando, James 1958–

(James M. Grippando)

PERSONAL:

Born January 27, 1958, in Waukegon, IL; married; wife's name Tiffany. Education: University of Florida, B.A. (with high honors), J.D. (with honors). Hobbies and other interests: Cycling, in-line skating, golf, sailing.

CAREER:

Admitted to the Florida Bar; law clerk to Honorable Thomas Clark, U.S. Court of Appeals, 1983; worked as a trial attorney in Miami, FL, 1984-96.

MEMBER:

Mystery Writers of America, Phi Beta Kappa.

AWARDS, HONORS:

University of Florida Outstanding Leadership Award, University of Florida; named an "Emerging Leader under 40," Florida Trend; Best Novels of 1998 citation, Bookman News, for The Advocate.

WRITINGS:

"SWYTECK" SERIES

The Pardon, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.

Beyond Suspicion, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2002.

Last to Die, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

Hear No Evil, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2004.

Got the Look, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.

When Darkness Falls, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.

OTHER

The Informant, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.

The Abduction, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

Found Money, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.

Under Cover of Darkness, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

A King's Ransom, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.

Contributor to textbooks, journals and to periodicals, including Mystery Scene.

ADAPTATIONS:

Books adapted for audio include Under Cover of Darkness (ten cassettes), read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2000; A King's Ransom (four cassettes), read by John Bedford Lloyd, Harper, 2001; Beyond Suspicion (unabridged; seven cassettes), read by L.J. Ganser, Recorded Books, 2002; Last to Die (ten CDs), read by Nick Sullivan, BBC Audiobooks America, 2003; Hear No Evil (CDs), read by Nick Sullivan, BBC Audio Books America, 2004; and Got the Look (ten CDs), read by Nick Sullivan, BBC Audiobooks America, 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Crime and suspense author James Grippando was a trial lawyer and partner at one of Florida's leading law firms before bringing his knowledge of crime to writing mystery novels.

Grippando's novel The Informant involves a series of seemingly unrelated and gruesome killings across the United States. An informant has begun to leak clues to a reporter at a Miami paper, but the anonymous caller demands cash for the information, which the FBI agrees to provide. The informant claims to think exactly like the killer and to be able to predict the killer's next move. In the meantime the reporter and one FBI agent, Victoria Santos, cross paths. Unlike many on the case, Santos is convinced that the informant and the killer are separate individuals. A Publishers Weekly contributor described it as possessing "an unusually cerebral and low-key beginning to a thriller, emphasizing procedures, forensics, and professional ethics rather than shock or even suspense." After the question regarding the identity of informant and killer is resolved, the Publishers Weekly contributor continued, Grippando moves the story into the more familiar territory of the thriller genre. In what Stasio called "a nice flair for the grotesque," Grippando picks up the pace and features additional murders by sharks and pythons. The final climax takes place on a cruise ship and brings all of the main characters together.

Grippando writes about the manipulative and manylayered world of politics in The Abduction. It is the year 2000, and Allison Leahy is the first female in the United States to run for president. Opposing her is an African-American candidate named Lincoln Howe. Howe's granddaughter, Kristen, has just been mysteriously abducted, and Leahy experienced a similar tragedy years ago when her newly-adopted baby girl was abducted and never returned. Leahy is torn as to whether to become involved in the investigation of Kristen's disappearance, and she wonders whether the recent abduction is a manipulative plot by her political opponents. Others wonder whether Leahy's supporters orchestrated the abduction. Leahy ends up working with Kristen's mother to investigate the abduction, and the actions of both women cause repercussions in the political arena.

Grippando's Found Money offers a "cautionary tale of greed, family secrets, and the dangers of getting what you wish for," according to a Publishers Weekly critic. Main character Ryan learns that his recently deceased father had two million dollars hidden in the attic, the money obtained through blackmail. Ryan decides to do nothing about the money until he can learn more about its origin, which leads to a flurry of investigations by the FBI and other officials. In the meantime, after Amy Parkins receives a 200,000 dollar cash gift that she traces back to Ryan's deceased father, Ryan and Amy work together to uncover a conspiracy involving corporations and high-level political figures.

A serial killer is pursued by rookie FBI agent Andie Henning in Under Cover of Darkness. The story begins with Beth, wife of Seattle attorney Gus Wheatley, disappearing without a trace, and without taking anything with her, after which other young women turn up dead. A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote: "The most successful component of this story is Gus Wheatley's growing awareness of his emotional separation from his family."

A King's Ransom finds Florida lawyer Nick Rey dealing with a ransom demand after his father, Matthew, a fisherman involved in a Nicaraguan seafood business, is kidnapped while in Colombia. As the facts surface, it appears that Matthew was under suspicion for dealing drugs and also had an insurance policy for exactly the amount of the ransom demand. A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote: "Grippando's experience as a trial lawyer shows in his depiction of Nick's frantic legal moves to clear his family's name."

In 1994 Grippando began a mystery series featuring the character of Miami attorney Jack Swyteck. In Beyond Suspicion, the second book in the series, Jack discovers that his former girlfriend, Jessie Merrill, and her doctor, faked a medical condition that condemned her to death in the very near future. Jessie then sold a three million dollar insurance policy for half that amount. She retains Jack, who wins the case when Viatical Solutions, owned by the Russian mob, sues to recover their loss. It is after the case is decided that Jack learns that both he and the Russians have been had. When Jessie is killed, there are a number of suspects, including Jack, now in a shaky marriage to Cindy.

Jack's jazz musician buddy Theo Knight asks Jack to defend his brother, Tatum, formerly a hit man, in Last to Die. Tatum was once contacted by Sally Fenning, who wanted to hire him to kill her, and now she has been found dead. Her will stipulates that her fortune is to go to the last survivor of the six people she names, none of whom she ever really liked. In order to clear Tatum, Jack must uncover the facts surrounding Sally's death, as well as that of her daughter, who at the age of four was drowned by an intruder. In Hear No Evil, Jack defends a naval officer who has been accused of murdering her husband at Guantanamo Bay. David Pitt commented in a Booklist review that this story is "a tight, smartly constructed mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats."

Jack is in a relationship with Mia Salazar in Got the Look, but discovers that she is married when her husband declines to pay a ransom after Mia is kidnapped. Mia is in a terrifying situation, and Jack works to free her with Andie Henning, whose personal life is now falling apart. In a Booklist review, Joanne Wilkinson commented on Grippando' "great feel for pacing," adding that he "writes highly effective, gripping action scenes that will leave readers in suspense until the final page."

Grippando told CA: "I love to write. That's why I do it. I spent four years writing a novel that was never published, and I have never once looked back on it as a waste of time. I enjoyed the process, and that's the one piece of advice I give all aspiring writers—keep it fun."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, August, 1996, Wes Lukowsky, review of The Informant, p. 1854; February 15, 1998, Mary Carroll, review of The Abduction, p. 998; May 1, 2000, David Pitt, review of Under Cover of Darkness, p. 1617; March 15, 2001, David Pitt, review of A King's Ransom, p. 1332; July, 2002, David Pitt, review of Beyond Suspicion, p. 1796; May 1, 2003, David Pitt, review of Last to Die, p. 1544; May 1, 2004, David Pitt, review of Hear No Evil, p. 1508; November 1, 2005, Joanne Wilkinson, review of Got the Look, p. 4.

Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2002, review of Beyond Suspicion, p. 903; May 15, 2003, review of Last to Die, p. 701; July 15, 2004, review of Hear No Evil, p. 648; November 15, 2005, review of Got the Look, p. 1205.

Library Journal, April 1, 1997, p. 145; March 15, 1998, Susan A. Zappia, review of The Abduction, p. 93; January, 1999, Susan A. Zappia, review of Found Money, p. 150; June 1, 2000, Susan A. Zappia, review of Under Cover of Darkness, p. 196; April 15, 2001, Craig Shufelt, review of A King's Ransom, p. 131; September 1, 2002, Joel W. Tscherne, review of Beyond Suspicion, p. 212; June 15, 2003, Joel W. Tscherne, review of Last to Die, p. 100; December 1, 2005, Jeff Ayers, review of Got the Look, p. 112.

Publishers Weekly, July 22, 1996, review of The Informant, p. 227; February 9, 1998, review of The Abduction, pp. 71-72; January 11, 1999, review of Found Money, p. 57; June 5, 2000, review of Under Cover of Darkness, p. 70; April 16, 2001, review of A King's Ransom, p. 44; July 29, 2002, review of Beyond Suspicion, p. 50; May 19, 2003, review of Last to Die, p. 49; August 2, 2004, review of Hear No Evil, p. 52; November 7, 2005, review of Got the Look, p. 51.

ONLINE

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (June 1, 2001), interview; (December 27, 2006), Ann Bruns, review of A King's Ransom; Joe Hartlaub, reviews of Beyond Suspicion, Hear No Evil, Got the Look; Judy Gigstad, review of Last to Die.

James Grippando Home Page,http://www.jamesgrippando.com (December 15, 2006).