4.5 Stars

What a page turner, highly recommend if you like legal thriller books. I'm a new fan of the series, only read three so far and they are all really good. ( )

I always enjoy the Swyteck books - some mystery and some excellent legal maneuverings. This one didn't disappoint. The unreliable narrator, main character, victim or killer, was excellent. I went from rooting for her to rooting against her to trying to figure out if she really was the victim she professed or was the mastermind behind everything. So very well done to keep me guessing through most of the book!

One of the things Grippando does well is write 'almost' stand alone books. You don't have to read these in order.....he summarizes previous notable events very succinctly so that new readers get the gist of the history without a long-time reader getting bored by rereading info they already know. Or if, like me, you have a long break between books and are a little fuzzy on some of the old events, with just a couple sentences he's brought you right up to speed. It's a definite talent!

Recommended for a twisty, thoroughly satisfying story. ( )

4.5 stars.

Most Dangerous Place by James Grippando is a gripping legal mystery about a woman arrested for murdering the man who sexually assaulted her. This latest release is the thirteenth installment in the Jack Swyteck series, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

Jack Swyteck is waiting at the Miami airport to pick up his old high school friend Keith Ingraham, his wife Isabelle "Isa" Bornelli and their 5 year old daughter, Melany, when their reunion ends before it even begins. No one is more stunned than Isa when the Miami Dade police immediately arrest her for the twelve year old murder of Gabriel Sosa, the man who raped her when she was a college student. Her ex-boyfriend, David Kaval, has scored himself a sweetheart deal that essentially lets him off the hook for the murder since he is willing to testify that Isa convinced him and his friend to kill Gabriel for her. Isa's long estranged father, former Venezuelan counsel officer Felipe Bornelli, immediately tries to intimidate Jack into giving up his daughter's case. When Jack refuses to co-operate with Felipe, slippery lawyer Manuel Espinosa somehow ends up working on Isa's case as Jack's co-counsel. He and Manuel have very different ideas about Isa's defense but Jack's greatest concern is whether or not Isa's being entirely truthful with him about what happened twelve years ago.

Despite Jack's reservations, he is fully committed to preparing Isa the best defense possible. David is obviously not the most trustworthy source of information since he has a vested interest in testifying against Isa, so Jack enlists his good friend, Theo Knight, to help him with his investigation. At the same time, Jack and Manuel are still arguing over defense strategy and Jack is quite unhappy when he discovers Isa is still not telling him everything. When the prosecutor makes a shocking arrest, Keith and Isa's marriage becomes strained. It is not until Isa's case goes to trial that Jack uncovers the information he needs to prove her innocence, but will he convince a new witness to testify on Isa's behalf?

Most Dangerous Place by James Grippando is an absolutely spellbinding mystery that readers of legal thrillers do not want to miss. The plot is full of unexpected twists and turns that make it impossible to predict whether or not Jack will find the evidence he needs to exonerate his client. The novel comes to an pulse-pounding conclusion and the final revelations are quite shocking. A fast-paced and compelling addition to the Jack Swyteck series that old and new fans are going to love. ( )

This book is the 13th installment in the Jack Swyteck series but can be read as a stand alone novel. Each book in the series has the same core characters, but is an independent story. I had a late night reading this as I started it in the afternoon and just kept reading until I finished. It was that good.

Jack, his wife Andie and his daughter Riley go to the airport to pick up his old friend, Keith, and his family. They are coming to Miami for surgery on their young daughter Melany. She needs to have a repair and resurgery for a cochlear implant. They have been living in Hong Kong for several years and this is their first return to Miami. As they are arriving to meet with the Swyteck family, Keith's wife, Isabelle (Isa), is arrested and taken away in handcuffs. Jack is quickly hired as as Isa's lawyer. She is being charged with conspiracy to murder the man that raped her in college. It becomes evident right away that Isa is now and has been keeping secrets. When another lawyer, Manny Espinoza is able to get her out on bail, they become a defense team, or do they? This story is full of twists and turns and I was never sure who was telling the truth, I don't think Jack was either. Through the digging that Jack needs to do, we learn a lot about the character of Isa and what has transpired in her life to bring her to this spot. As he finds out more and more and learns all that Isa has kept hidden, he becomes more and more frustrated, almost to the point where he wants to quit this case.

I really enjoy the Swyteck stories and this one did not disappoint. He was a wonderful plot and the pacing kept me from wanting to put this book down. The suspense was great and you never knew what would come next. I loved the ending and solution to who was actually responsible for the murder so many years ago. Everything came together in a satisfactory way by the end. I would recommend this book to mystery fans as well as those who enjoy a well developed legal thriller. I am already looking forward to Grippando's next book. ( )

The most dangerous place for a woman is in a relationship. Jack Swyteck is on hand to pick up an old friend and his wife and child coming from Hong Kong. The child is due for a surgery. The wife is arrested at the airport for the murder of a former boyfriend several years earlier. Swyteck must work out the mystery and keep her from being sent to prison for the rest of her life.