This time, Jack Swyteck and his dad, Harry, are in real deep trouble. Because Harry’s about to become vice president of the United States, and it’s possible, just possible, that the previous VP was murdered. BORN TO RUN is James Grippando’s eighth novel in the Swyteck series, and it has all the character charm and wild plotting of any of the others.
When the vice president dies on a hunting trip, Swyteck is asked by the president to take his place. In the week leading up to the confirmation hearing, Jack gets a phone message about how his father could be the president. Thinking this to be an assassination threat, he gets the FBI and his girlfriend, Agent Andie Henning, involved. Turns out others have received similar messages, and there is definitely something more to the story here than just a crackpot dishing out random threats.
I think the world of Grippando and his Swyteck series. Engaging, amusing, well-written with catchy stories, it’s one of the top contemporary series being written today. And it looks like he’s shortening the length of his tales, too, which is a welcome respite from the 500-page-plus wristbusters most mystery authors seem intent on creating.
Another item of note is his three-page paean to editor Carolyn Marino at Harper, notable also for her prominent mention in Gordon Campbell’s MISSING WITNESS. A good developmental editor is one who has impeccable taste, can pick the right authors and books to publish, and who can refine the book to make it the best it can possibly be. An editor, especially in today’s slapdash publishing world, can mean the difference between an average “eh, that was okay” book and a “wow, that was great” book. Marino and Harper are creating a list full of the latter types of mysteries. Check them out. —Mark Rose
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• BEYOND SUSPICION by James Grippando
• GOT THE LOOK by James Grippando
• HEAR NO EVIL by James Grippando
• LAST CALL by James Grippando
• LAST TO DIE by James Grippando
• LYING WITH STRANGERS by James Grippando
• THE PARDON by James Grippando
• WHEN DARKNESS FALLS by James Grippando
Related posts:
- Last Call
- Lying with Strangers
- Got the Look
- The Pardon / Beyond Suspicion / Last to Die / Hear No Evil
- When Darkness Falls
