Blood Money - (Jack Swyteck) Large Print by James Grippando (Paperback)

About the Book

A nation is obsessed with a hot nightclub waitress accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter. The shocking verdict creates an immediate uproar. But when an innocent, young woman ends up dead in a riot, there may be something bigger at work.

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author James Grippando delivers a powerful, nonstop thrill ride ripped from the headlines. Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck is back in his most frightening case yet, and this time the price of victory is measured in blood.

It is the most sensational murder trial since O. J. Simpson's. The nation is obsessed with Sydney Bennett, a sexy nightclub waitress and good-time girl accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter for cramping her party life. When he had agreed to defend Sydney, Jack Swyteck knew he'd be taking on the toughest and most controversial case of his career.

Millions of "TV jurors" have convicted Sydney in the court of public opinion.

When the shocking verdict of not guilty is announced, citizens across the country are outraged, and Jack is bombarded by the fallout: angry, profanity-laced phone calls and even outright threats. Media-fed rumors of "blood money"--purported seven-figure book and movie deals--ratchet up the hysteria, putting Jack's client and everyone around her at risk.

On the night of Sydney's release, an angry mob outside the jail has gathered to serve its own justice. In the frenzy, an innocent young woman bearing a striking resemblance to the reviled Sydney Bennett ends up in a coma. While the media blame Jack and his defense team, the victim's parents reach out to him, requesting his help. They don't believe the attack was the tragic result of random mob violence.

Searching for the truth about what happened that night, Jack makes a frightening discovery. Larger and much more powerful forces are working in the shadows, and what happened outside the jail is a symptom of an evil that infected the show-stopping trial and media-spun phenomenon of Sydney Bennett.

From the Back Cover

The nation is obsessed with Sydney Bennett, a sexy nightclub waitress and good-time girl accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter. It is the most sensational murder trial since O. J. Simpson, and the shocking "not guilty" verdict creates an immediate uproar.

On the night of Sydney's release, an angry mob gathers outside the jail and in the frenzy, an innocent young woman bearing a striking resemblance to the reviled Sydney Bennett ends up in a coma. While the media blame her lawyer Jack Swyteck and his defense team, the victim's parents reach out requesting his help. They don't believe the attack was a tragic accident.

Searching for the truth, Jack makes a frightening discovery. Larger and much more powerful forces are at work, and what happened outside the jail is a symptom of an evil that infected the show-stopping trial and media-spun phenomenon of Sydney Bennett.

Review Quotes

"The courtroom verdict is only the beginning of the fireworks." - Kirkus Reviews
"A timely and very well executed story.... full of twists and turns and, not incidentally, some well-aimed criticisms of the way high-profile trials are covered by the news media." - Booklist
"Winning....A steady supply of action...will leave readers wondering if the author has come up with a solution to the real-life Madoff mysteries that still remain." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Need You Now
"Superb...Current events have proved that financial thrillers set against the background of Wall Street, banking and investments can be as exciting as any espionage drama, and Grippando makes the most of this backdrop in Need You Now while delivering a character-rich plot." - Miami Herald on Need You Now
"Grippando has been at the top of the legal-thriller ladder for some time, and 'Blood Money' will enhance his reputation and readership." - U.S. News & World Report
"James Grippando continues to deliver great legal suspense in his latest legal thriller, 'Blood Money'" - Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers
"Great....Grippando's examination of corporate media and the power of the court of public opinion elevate "Blood Money." - Huffington Post
"A good and engaging book. And no, I never even guessed the ending. I doubt you will either." - New Bern Sun Journal
"A timely and solid plot-driven read....Another Grippando gripper." - Booklist on Need You Now
"A complex and dizzying shell game...entertaining. Grippando's novel adds up the collateral damage when billions belonging to the wrong kind of people go missing." - Kirkus Reviews on Need You Now
"Exciting [and] meticulously plotted. Blood Money offers an intriguing look at the media, vengeance seeking crusaders and our perception of criminal defendants and their attorneys." - Miami Herald
"A powerful, nonstop thrill ride ripped from the headlines." - Bookreporter.com
"A solid, well-crafted thriller by a talented author [with] twists and turns to keep you flipping the pages." - New York Journal of Books
"Readers who enjoy a good thriller with a constantly twisting plot will appreciate this timely novel." - Library Journal on Need You Now
"Readers looking for a great thriller will see a master at the top of his game in Need You Now." - Associated Press on Need You Now
"Grippando's use of current events adds realism to his novels, and this ripped-from-the-headlines approach brings a sense of urgency to Need You Now. The action is nonstop but Grippando also brings the same sense of realism to his characters." - Sun-Sentinel (South Florida) on Need You Now
"Grippando is a very intense and ingenious storyteller." - Nelson DeMille