Product Description

A kid from Miami's meanest streets, Theo Knight lost his mother to a violent crime. He was on Death Row for a murder he didn't commit when lawyer Jack Swyteck proved him innocent. Now they are best friends. Theo is a semi-respectable and successful bar owner, but the past, with its risks and its terrors, has come knocking on his back door. An escaped convict from the old neighborhood wants sanctuary, and in return he is offering information: the identity of the killer who left Theo's mom lying dead in the street on a hot South Florida evening.

Theo wants justice, but the answers are not simple. He and Jack must now piece together a twenty-year-old conspiracy of greed and corruption that's pointing toward the city's most elite and powerful. And digging through a history that Theo has struggled his whole life to forget could awaken some very desperate, very deadly sleeping dogs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74098 in Books
• Published on: 2008-12-01
• Released on: 2008-11-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 368 pages

About the Author

James Grippando is the bestselling author of the Jack Swyteck series. His fifteen previous novels include Born to Run, Last Call, Lying with Strangers, When Darkness Falls, and Got the Look. He lives in Florida, where he was a trial lawyer for twelve years.

From AudioFile
Narrator Jonathan Davis rescues the listener from an otherwise mediocre murder mystery. Once again, Davis portrays lawyer Jack Swyteck and his pal, Theo Knight, a reformed gang banger Swyteck once saved from execution. This time Theo is more the principal player in the story. He goes to prison to find the connection between the killing of an escaped prisoner and the unsolved murder of his own mother more than twenty years earlier. Davis's clear voice and vigorous style enhance the sometimes stilted dialogue, and his characterizations are true to life. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

Not up to Grippando's usual par, I'm afraid
I'll start by saying that I've really enjoyed Grippando's series featuring Jack Swyteck, wise-cracking defense attorney in Miami. Usually, the stories rocket right along; a lot of wit, humor and action; colorful characters in dire straits; a great feel for mood and setting.

I won't go into a plot synopsis, other than to include this quote from the product review:

"An escaped convict from the old neighborhood shows up at Theo's back door, asking for help. In return, he'll finger the man who murdered Theo's mother. But the answers aren't so simple, and soon Theo's own life is in danger. Jack and Theo must piece together a twenty-year-old conspiracy of greed and corruption that leads to the very top of Miami's elite, while revisiting a past that Theo has tried hard to forget."

That kind of highlights the problem with this book for me: the central character this time around is Swytek's buddy Theo. Swytek himself is in a secondary role, and frankly, Theo's not nearly as interesting a character as Swytek. The funny lines, quips, and skewed outlook normally associated with this series are all tied to Swytek.... not Theo. Theo's actually a pretty dour guy, and not that interesting; great sidekick material as a foil for Swytek. Not a leading man; not quite ready for prime time.

Further, Theo's Uncle Cy also takes next-to-center stage, and frankly, I found him to be rather boring and pretty much a lame loser. When the scenes centered on codger Cy, I could hardly wait for them to end.

So, bottom line, it wasn't terrible; it was okay. But I certainly hope we're not going to have another Theo-centric book in the future. Crais could pull it off with his Joe Pike character, and Burke with his Clete Purcell, but both are more complex, rounded and -- frankly -- interesting characters than Theo.

excellent South Florida mystery
Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck still worries about his former client bar owner Theo Knight as he knows his best friend has lingering resentment, rightfully so. When Theo was a teen raised by kind Uncle Cy (after his mom was killed) in the roughest hood, he was arrested and convicted for murder. He became the youngest person on death row and was only saved when Jack proved he could not have committed the homicide; even then he still almost was executed.

Jack learns that someone tried to kill Theo in his old hood. Apparently, convict Isaac Reems promised to provide Theo with the name of his mom's killer in exchange to helping him elude the law. Instead the escaped con leaves evidence that Theo abetted his escape while setting Theo up for the failed shooting. Theo has always wanted to avenge his mother's murder, but the case went cold for the cops and him as the trail was outside the hood. While Jack joins Theo on his investigation, he hopes to keep his buddy from committing a homicide, but that may not matter when Isaac is found dead with proof that Theo killed him. Meanwhile an affluent unknown adversary wants the son as dead as the mother so that a two decade old murder stays unsolved.

LAST CALL is an excellent South Florida mystery as the key players bring the Greater Miami area to life in a fast-paced tale. Isaac and whoever hired him cleverly use the past that haunts Theo to get at him while Jack is there for him. A touch of two romances and a bit of humor adds depth to a great cat and mouse thriller.

Harriet Klausner

A mediocre Grippando
Having proved the innocence of a best friend who had been falsely accused of murder, criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck is once again called upon to help his friend when the latter is offered the identity of his mother's killer in exchange for helping an escaped convict. BT.
This is the first Novel by James Grippando that I've listened to. I've actually read his others. Maybe this had an affect on the whole story overall, but I thought this to be just an average effort. The narrator did a wonderful job with clarity and voices but I still didn't feel myself getting pulled in to the plot.
I liked this audio, but intend on reading his next.