Customer Reviews

When Darkness Falls

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I won't write a synopsis as it has been done quite well by the previous reviewer. I have read all of Mr. Grippando's books and find they get better and better with each new book. This new story of Jack Swyteck and Theo is indeed a book you will not put down - I didn't until 6:00 a.m. the next morning. The tension is there along with the bits of humor that Mr. Grippando does so well. I'm not sure why he's not on the best seller list, but I can assure you that once you starting reading his books, you will not want to miss any of them. It is my understanding, like many of today's terrific authors, he is also writing books for young adults. Even though that does not describe me, I'm going to pick them up as well. Give yourself a treat and pick up this book.

When Darkness Falls" does not disappoint. Love the friendship between Theo and Jack. And it is 11:21 PM central time just couldn't put the book down. The complex weave of nationalities, history, the sighted vs. the blind and other colorful threads entwined make for the story to be told most pleasurable and a "hold your breath" novel. Grippando, is an author, who writes for the pure joy of telling a rich story rather than churning out nonsense books for making a buck: what a delightful gift for the reader.

Attorney Jack Swyteck agrees to represent Falcon, a homeless man who stops traffic for hours when he stands on a bridge and threatens to jump--his only demand, to speak to the Mayor's daughter, police officer Alicia Mendoza. Falcon comes to an agreement with hostage negotiator Vincent Paulo, but is soon captured. Jack's less than grateful client manages to make bail and is on the run after a dead woman is found in the trunk of a car he calls home. Jack soon finds himself in the middle of a hostile situation where Falcon has taken his best friend, Theo, and a woman hostage. Jack, with the help of Paulo, Alicia, and several law enforcement agencies jockeying for jurisdictional command, must race to meet the demands of an unstable man to save his friend. What's revealed are dark secrets that stretch from Argentina, the Bahamas, to Miami's political elite.

Miami's rich setting is a character of its own with diverse culture, rich cuisine and changing weather that sets the tone and raises the stakes in this adrenaline-charged thriller. The characters and scenes are made even more vivid through the experiences of a blind man, Sergeant Vincent Paulo, not because of the strength of his other senses, but because of his insight and skill as an experienced hostage negotiator. Even Falcon proves to be not your typical monster. He's likable despite his absurd demands and acerbic wit. There is also enough humor weaved throughout to ease the tension on the volatile situation.

This is one high-powered thrill ride. The more pages I turned, the more I craved. Grippando knows how to grab your attention and keep it. Be prepared to devour this in one sitting because once you turn the cover, Grippando has you! Excellent!

I can judge how good a book is for me by how much other work I can get done while reading the book. And while reading this newest Grippando thriller, I didn't sleep, rarely ate and put other projects aside. I had to finish this before attending to "real life" stuff.

It's a quick read if you have the time to spend reading it without putting it down. It's exciting, the characters are fun and well developed. And the plot is exciting---the hostage situation really keeps you on the edge of your seat (or bed).

And I loved the character of Falcon----he even had a conscience at the end. Who would have thought?

This is a fun, great "ride" and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Now back to working and making a salary again.

I came late to James Grippando's novels. My first was Got The Look and since then, I've been devouring his earlier works.

Jack Swyteck is a Miami, Florida attorney who is hired to defend a homeless man who calls himself Falcon. Falcon lives in his car, doesn't seem to have a job, yet he has enough cash on hand to bail himself out of jail. And there seems to be more where that came from.

Straddled on top of the William Powell Bridge, Falcon is threatening to jump unless he can talk to his obsession, Alicia Mendoza, the Miami mayor's daughter. Crisis negotiator, Sergeant Vincent Paulo, who is blind, attempts to talk Falcon down. Thus begins the strange and intriguing journey of When Darkness Falls.

A short time after Falcon is released from jail (the police don't like jumpers) a woman's body is found in the trunk of Falcon's car. Falcon takes Jack Swyteck's best friend, Theo, and others, hostage in a motel room. He wants his money (he thinks Jack has it) and to speak to Mendoza. Falcon's behavior is erratic (to say the least) but there are good reasons for everything he does.

Jack and the negotiator, Paulo, must work together to free the hostages and learn Falcon's agenda. If they aren't successful, a lot of people are going to die.

I enjoy Jack Swyteck and the rollercoaster rides Grippando takes his readers on with each novel. He writes page-turners that grab the reader at the first page and keep us up late at night.

The rich mixture of the Anglo and Latin cultures is an extra that one finds in Grippando's novels. The addition of Argentina's dirty war and the thousands of 'disappeared' in When Darkness Falls adds a dark and sinister element to the plot.

Armchair Interviews says: You'll love When Darkness Falls and then you'll be shopping for all of Grippando's other novels.

This was my first exposure to Grippando, and hooked I am. This novel, in the sub-genre of police/hostage thrillers, grabs your attention and never lets go. I particularly enjoy contemporary thrillers with a solid historical hook, and this one does not disappoint -- it gives us a whiff of something long fallen below our collective radar, the "dirty war" in Argentina a few decades ago. The main characters are well-depicted and the plot moves briskly along with a satisfying denouement. A great read.

Miami Police Sergeant Vincent Paulo has been a crisis negotiator for seven years, but this incident with Falcon on the Powell Bridge over Biscayne Bay is his first since he went blind. Vince has talked Falcon out of soaring in the past, but he was sighted then. Falcon insists on speaking with the mayor's daughter, police officer Alicia Mendoza, in fifteen minutes or else. As Vince, SWAT leader Juan Chavez and the Chief discuss what to do, Alicia arrives at the scene. Hearing her voice stuns Vince, who when he lost his sight informed her they must stop seeing each other.

When Paulo persuades Falcon to come down from the bridge, three SWAT cops grab him and arrest him. Freedom Institute boss Neil Goodrich refers the case to criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck, who meets with his new client to find out if Falcon lucid. He insists he can pay his bond and his lawyer. Not long afterward, Falcon changes his modus operendi of threatening to leap off bridges when he wants to talk with city officials by holding several hostages including Jack's friend, Theo Knight. Jack works with Vince trying to prevent the tragedy of innocent people killed because of incidents going back over two decades ago to Argentina's Dirty War.

The key characters are terrific and make this thriller a winner in spite of a seemingly improbable over the top but exhilarating plot. Vince provides insightful observations on how the sighted treat a blind person is classifying them into those who assume blind means pathetic and those who deem it means psychic. Jack and Falcon are a wonderful pairing as their lawyer-client discussions are priceless. The rest of the cast adds to the understanding of these three men or push forward this exciting story line that grips its audience from the moment Falcon perches on the bridge and never lets readers go until the final leap.

Harriet Klausner

This was my first time to read Grippando, and I was quite impressed with it. The characters were colorful as well as likable. The plot twist from present day Miami to an era of one of Argentina's dirty secrets, decades back, is done well. In the future I look forward to reading more from Grippando.

My first Grippando book, and I think it was great. The story keep moving with many twists and surprises, all the way to the last page. Honestly, don't miss this book!

WHEN DARKNESS FALLS answers the question, "When is a courtroom thriller not a courtroom thriller?" James Grippando, best known for his books featuring Miami criminal attorney Jack Swyteck, has utilized his greatest strength --- strong, memorable characterization --- to craft a novel involving a defense lawyer who, interestingly enough, never steps inside the courtroom. This does not mean that Swyteck morphs into a tough guy of the Spenser or Mike Hammer mold. Though present throughout the proceedings, he is hardly the focus of the action. The result is an original work with elements just familiar enough to be comforting to longtime fans of the series.

The novel begins with Swyteck being retained to defend an extremely unusual client. The defendant, known only as "Falcon," is under arrest for threatening to jump off a Miami bridge. Falcon has no visible means of support yet is able to pay his $10,000 bail in cash. There's more where that came from, secreted away in an offshore bank. This naturally raises the question of why Falcon lives as he does, sleeping in an abandoned car and dumpster diving.

More important, however, is the reason why Falcon is obsessed with Alicia Mendoza, the beautiful daughter of the mayor of Miami. Theo, one of Swyteck's first clients and perhaps his best friend, is along to help as always. But Theo finds himself in the midst of a hostage situation when Falcon, in the grip of a schizophrenic episode, believes that Swyteck has stolen his money and attempts to retrieve it.

When the dust settles and the smoke clears, Falcon is holding Theo and an interesting cast of additional players at gunpoint in a seedy motel room surrounded by police. Falcon's demands are at once enigmatic and difficult: he wants Swyteck to return his money --- which Swyteck does not have --- and he'd like to speak to Mendoza. Ironically, the one man standing between Falcon and a SWAT team is Vincent Paulo, a hostage negotiator with a unique, if tragic, history, as well as some emotional involvement with Mendoza. Falcon's behavior is erratic and unpredictable, yet there are reasons behind all that he does --- ones that are slowly but surely revealed to some, but that are already known to others.

Grippando's characterizations are first rate here. Even as Swyteck is gently pushed into the background, there is a revolving and evolving cast of characters that readily fills the void. This is a tale of deceit and treachery that is revealed not by courtroom or police work, but rather by the inevitable shifting of the sands of time and conscience. While the hostage crisis winds to a violent and inevitable conclusion, it begins a chain reaction that has its origins far from Miami but will reach high into the halls of the government.

Grippando has a penchant for taking chances with his storytelling, and it once again pays off in WHEN DARKNESS FALLS. Unforgettable characters and the immediacy of his storyline combine to make the book a winner.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub