Thank you to critic Oline Cogdill for her review of James Grippando’s The Right to Remain. Cogdill’s review first appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. You can order a copy of the book through The Poisoned Pen’s Webstore, https://tinyurl.com/3v7prx8r
Book review: James Grippando’s ‘Right To Remain’ is 20th Jack Swyteck novel — and it’s a nail-biter
‘The Right To Remain’ by James Grippando; Harper; 352 pages; $30
James Grippando’s novels about Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck offer a compelling meld of Florida’s legal system and contemporary issues, with domestic drama and the value of friendship added.
Grippando’s 20th Swyteck novel, “The Right To Remain” upholds his high standards, with a look at an issue many people may not be aware of — companies hired by police agencies to dispose of firearms. It is a nail-biting, suspenseful legal thriller.
Jack’s latest client, Elliott Stafford, is not what he was expecting, nor is the case as simple as it first appears. Elliott is accused of murdering retired FBI agent Owen Pollard, who was a partner in VanPoll firearms disposal. Owen’s death initially was ruled a suicide; his body was found in his kitchen by his wife, Helena. But Elliott, a member of VanPoll’s finance team, becomes a suspect after he is subpoenaed by a grand jury. The case begins with murky motives. Owen had a volatile marriage, as he and Helena often argued over the rearing of their 6-year-old son. Owen also didn’t get along with business partner C.J. Vandermeer, who is eccentric with a violent streak.
Defending Elliott becomes a challenge. He goes on a “speech strike,” refusing to talk to Jack or assist in any way with his defense. Elliott’s past and his link with the Pollards add to the labyrinth plot.
“The Right To Remain” moves at a brisk pace, as Grippando delves into the ethics of weapons disposal, gin trafficking, scams targeting couples desperate to adopt a child, and family relationships and identity. Jack and his wife, Andie, are a strong couple but wrestle with raising a bright daughter and maneuvering their big careers. Jack’s work as a criminal defense lawyer and Andie’s position as an FBI agent mandate they keep secrets from each other so as not to compromise their cases.
As usual, Grippando uses Miami as more than a background, showing readers the heat, history and demands of life in South Florida. Grippando, who lives in Coral Gables and himself is a lawyer, takes readers by the hand, leading them into the courtroom to show how the legal system works, or sometimes doesn’t, and the rivalry among lawyers.
Grippando keeps the plot of “The Right To Remain” as fresh as when he began this series with “The Pardon” in 1994.
Patrick Millikin welcomed Mike Lawson back to The Poisoned Pen to discuss his latest Joe DeMarco thriller, The Asset. You can order a signed copy of the 19th in the series through the Webstore, https://shorturl.at/rz28z
Here’s the description of The Asset.
Backchannel intel points Joe DeMarco in the direction of a possible double agent in the latest pulse-pounding thriller from Edgar and Barry Award finalist Mike Lawson starring his beloved Washington DC troubleshooter.
In the middle of the night, on a winding road in a suburb outside of Washington D.C., a homeless veteran is killed in a hit-and-run—a tragedy that barely catches the attention of the media and police.
Days later, John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House, is confronted by Diane Lake, an ex-CIA agent turned political researcher with a knack for digging up unsavory intelligence on some of D.C.’s biggest players. Diane is there with a gift for Mahoney: the news that Lydia Chang, the wife of one of his biggest rivals, might be working undercover as a Chinese agent.
Knowing it’s too early to get the FBI involved, Mahoney does the only thing left to do. He calls in Joe DeMarco.
DeMarco might not have the title of political researcher, but he’s no stranger to digging up dirt either. As DeMarco starts his investigation, he soon learns there’s a lot more going on than Mahoney suspected, and instead of answers, all he finds are more questions. Who’s the mysterious man Lydia Chang has been meeting in the park? Does Diane Lake have an ulterior motive? And why does everything point back to a random hit-and-run?
Mike Lawson is a former senior civilian executive for the US Navy. He is the Edgar Award-nominated author of more than fifteen novels starring Joe DeMarco and three novels with his protagonist Kay Hamilton.
Once again, thanks to Deb Lewis from The Poisoned Pen for her February book suggestions. If a direct link doesn’t work for you, check out the Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Game warden Joe Pickett fights for his life as his daughters try to uncover who shot him and left him for dead in this riveting new novel from #1 New York Times bestseller C. J. Box.
Some cities feed on secrets. Naples is ravenous. A peaceful evening mass at the historic Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo is shattered when a young au pair is killed in one of the cathedral’s quiet chapels. The daughter of the US Ambassador sees it happen—but she’ll speak only to one person: Nikki Serafino.
The exhilaratingly twisty story of a sex worker turned political assassin on the run, Murder Bimbo is anunputdownable and wholly fresh take on truth, murder, and optics in our national moment.
From Danielle Girard, the USA TODAY bestselling author who “effortlessly ratchets up the tension” (J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author), comes a pulse-pounding thriller about a young woman whose surrogate disappears just days before the baby’s due date, leading to a frantic search that uncovers dark truths and the power of a mother’s love.
From “one of today’s most interesting thriller writers” (Lee Child) comes an immersive, propulsive novel in which a detective and a crime writer conduct parallel investigations, six years apart, into a series of puzzling murders.
When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.
A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl.
Tender at the Bone meets Finlay Donovan is Killing It in this hilarious, fast-paced mystery about a feisty food critic in 1970s NY who finds her chef friend murdered and realizes she might be the only one to find the killer.
Dianne Freeman was the author-host for a Mini-Historicon at The Poisoned Pen, hosting Rob Osler and Jennifer Ashley. Osler’s latest book in the Harriet Morrow series is The Case of the Murdered Muckraker. Jennifer Ashley’s latest Below Stairs mystery is A Silence in Belgrave Square.Freeman’s latest historical mystery is A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder. There are signed copies of all the books available in the Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Check out the description of Osler’s The Case of the Murdered Muckraker.
Harriet Morrow, a spunky, bike-riding, independent, lesbian P.I. in turn-of-the-20th century Chicago, is back on the case in this brilliant historical mystery inspired by a real-life Windy City detective – from the acclaimed author of the Anthony, Agatha, Macavity, and Lefty Award-nominated Devil’s Chew Toy. For fans of Lev AC Rosen, Ashley Weaver, and Stephen Spotswood.
Chicago, 1898.In the midst of the Progressive Era, twenty-one-year-old junior detective Harriet Morrow is determined to prove she’s more than a lucky hire as the Prescott Agency’s first woman operative. But her latest challenge—a murder case steeped in scandal—could become a deadly setback . . .
As the Windy City thaws from a harsh winter, Harriet Morrow finds herself doubting her investigative skills when she’s assigned to solve a high-stakes murder case well above her pay grade. And there’s also a catch. Harriet must somehow blend in as an “unremarkable” young woman—one who feels confident in skirts, not men’s clothing—on a quest to infiltrate the immigrant community at the center of the grisly crime . . .
The mystery has more twists and turns than her morning bike commute, with a muckraker found murdered in a southside tenement building after obtaining evidence of a powerful politician’s corruption. While Harriet gains the trust of the tenement’s women residents to gather clues, the undercover mission reveals an innocent mother might have been framed for the crime—and exposes ties to another violent death . . .
Harriet soon realizes she has few allies as new dangers explode around her. Enlisting the help of Matthew McCabe, her only true confidante at the agency, and growing more protective of her budding relationship with the lovely Barbara Wozniak, Harriet will need to survive rising threats to assert her place in a world that’s quick to dismiss her—and out a killer who’s always one step ahead . . .
Rob Osler writes mysteries with LGBTQ+ main characters. Rob’s debut novel, Devil’s Chew Toy, was a finalist for the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, and Macavity Awards. His first publication, “Analogue,” won the Robert L. Fish Award at the Mystery Writers of America Annual Edgar Awards, and he is an Edgar–Award finalist for his short story Miss Direction. He has a philosophy degree from the University of Puget Sound and an MBA from the University of Washington, and previously worked as a brand marketing executive for global agencies and corporations. After living in Chicago and Seattle, Rob resides in California with his long-time partner and a tall grey cat. Visit him at RobOsler.com.
Here’s the description of Jennifer Ashley’s A Silence in Belgrave Square.
Valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must uncover the secrets of Victorian London’s most elite noblemen to save the man she loves, from the New York Times bestselling author of Speculations in Sin.
Kat Holloway knows that her beau and confidante Daniel McAdam has a talent for dangerous work as a Scotland Yard agent. At long last though, Daniel’s coldhearted boss has promised that after a final mission, his debt will be repaid, and he’ll finally be free. However, Daniel must risk his life one last time, masquerading as a secretary to an elderly viscount who could be the mastermind behind the recent plots against the Queen and her government.
Using her contacts throughout London, Kat discovers several of her friends and colleagues have been victims of vicious blackmail. They’ll do anything to protect their scandalous secrets, even conform to the blackmailer’s political agenda. If Kat and Daniel wish to save each other and the Crown, they must prove the blackmailer’s identity and evade those who will stop at nothing to eliminate them.
Jennifer Ashley is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Below Stairs Mysteries, the Shifters Unbound paranormal romances, and the Mackenzies historical romances. She also writes as USA Today bestselling mystery author Ashley Gardner.
A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder is the latest in Dianne Freeman’s Countess of Harleigh mystery series.
In the latest USA Today bestselling, Victorian Era-set Countess of Harleigh Mystery from multi-award winning author Dianne Freeman, Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, uncover the secrets of backstage Paris to find out who’s acting the role of a killer to chilling perfection…
Frances and George are enjoying some well-deserved leisure time in Paris when an old acquaintance from London, Alicia Stoke-Whitney, seeks Frances’s help to investigate a personal matter. Alicia’s daughter is being courted by Carlson Deaver, a wealthy American shadowed by a very suspicious tragedy.
Less than a year ago, Carlson’s wife, a former actress, was murdered, her body discovered in one of the more dubious quartiers in Paris. Though authorities guess it was a robbery gone wrong, no one was ever brought to justice. Until Daniel Cadieux, Inspector for the Sûreté, follows a startling new lead. None other Sarah Bernhardt, legendary icon of the Paris stage, receives a piece of jewelry stolen from the victim, along with an incriminating note: I know what you did. It opens a new door for the Hazeltons’ investigation, as well. But not a soul believes that the Divine Sarah would become entangled in something so disreputable as murder—even if she and the late Mrs. Deaver did have a history of theatrical clashes. Amid questions of revenge, blackmail, scandals, and secrets, more poisoned pen letters follow, and suspects abound. Now it’s up to Francis and George to infiltrate the most elite social circles of Paris, and find a culprit before another victim faces their final act.
Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Agatha and Lefty Award winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries, a two time finalist for the Macavity’s Sue Feder Memorial Award, and a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. Visit her at DiFreeman.com.
Olivia Fierro recently welcomed Marina Evans to The Poisoned Pen to discuss her debut thriller, The Cheerleader. There are signed copies of the debut in the Webstore, https://tinyurl.com/3zx54kuc
Here’s the description of The Cheerleader.
Everyone wants to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader, but fame can have a deadly price…
The Dallas Lonestars Cheerleaders are untouchable. They are the epitome of glitz and glamour, reeking of hairspray and perfection. But everything changes when America’s Angel and cheerleading captain Jentry Rae Randall is found murdered in the squad’s locker room.
Filmmaker Nikki Keegan has the opportunity of a lifetime. Brought in to document the Lonestars’ potential comeback after four disastrous seasons, Nikki is now perfectly placed to investigate the murder of the team’s iconic frontwoman.
Nikki turns to cheerleader Shaunette Simmons, the deceased’s best friend, for help. As Nikki becomes closer to Shaunette, the more she suspects that Shaunette is hiding something.
But when Shaunette is run off the road and left to die, it’s clear that nobody on this cheer squad is safe. Because some people would kill to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader…
Marina Evans, a former NFL cheerleader herself, takes readers “behind the gloss” of this iconic American subculture in this high octane debut that is filled with twists, turns, and high kicks. Weaving between sisterhood and ambition, survival and scandal, The Cheerleader will keep you riveted until the final page.
Marina Evans is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader who graduated from Southern Methodist University with degrees in English Literature and Creative Writing. During her time with the Cowboys, she cheered under her maiden name/nickname, Rena Morelli. She now lives in Arizona but thinks about her days in short-shorts often. The Cheerleader is her debut thriller.
Joseph Finder recently acted as guest host when Matthew Quirk appeared for The Poisoned Pen. Signed copies of Quirk’s latest thriller, The Method, are available in the Webstore. https://tinyurl.com/bdkreaaa
Here’s the description of The Method.
From the author of The Night Agent—the #1 global Netflix sensation—comes an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a young actress who must go undercover in a deadly world of espionage to save her best friend…and herself.
A silent war.
An unlikely spy.
She’s done playing by their rules.
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless—on screen, at least. She tends to play doomed brunettes with a badass streak, and has put in countless hours training for parts and learning how to fight, shoot, and drive like a pro.
She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera she leads a far quieter life: trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she’s learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life—going undercover. She will follow in her friend’s footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
No camera. No script. Just instinct.
Matthew Quirk is the New York Times bestselling author of Inside Threat, Red Warning, Hour of the Assassin, The Night Agent, Dead Man Switch, Cold Barrel Zero, The Directive, and The 500. He spent five years at The Atlantic reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego, California.
Enjoy the conversation with Matthew Quirk and Joseph Finder.
John Charles recently welcomed Allison Brennan back to The Poisoned Pen to discuss her latest book, Make It Out Alive. And, Brennan said she was celebrating because she started publishing twenty years ago this month. You can celebrate, too. There are just a few signed copies of Make It Out Alive left in the Webstore. https://tinyurl.com/c45uajmc
Here’s the description of Make It Out Alive.
Allison Brennan returns to her bestselling series with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that thrusts Quinn and Costa into the crosshairs of a sadistic serial killer.
Three newlywed couples have disappeared from an exclusive resort in Florida, only to turn up dead soon after. With the location and the similarities between the female victims as their only leads, it’s up to the FBI Mobile Response Team to catch a serial killer before anyone else ends up dead. And they have the perfect bait—Detective Kara Quinn, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the targeted women.
Undercover as newlyweds pretending to enjoy their honeymoon, Kara and FBI Agent Matt Costa set a flawless trap. When their plan works and they arrest the predator, Matt sends the rest of the team home so he and Kara can have the weekend for some much-needed R&R. But on Monday morning, the couple doesn’t show up to work, and the MRT learns they never checked out of their hotel.
As their team tries to find them, Matt and Kara learn the truth—the killer wasn’t acting alone. He had a partner who succeeded where he failed. Kidnapped and forced into a twisted escape room, they need to find a way out, because if they don’t escape, they’ll die.
ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty novels. She has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers and the Daphne du Maurier Award. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, Allison lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids and assorted pets.
Patrick Millikin recently welcomed debut author Malcolm Kempt. The Poisoned Pen celebrated the release of Kempt’s debut, A Gift Before Dying. There are signed copies of A Gift Before Dying available through the Webstore. https://tinyurl.com/s3nbd3yw
Here’s the description of A Gift Before Dying.
“Hypnotically good—instantly immersive, intense, and ultimately inspiring.”—Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series
“If you only read one mystery this year, this should be it.”—Booklist, starred review
In a hauntingly atmospheric novel set against the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, a disgraced police investigator discovers that his path to redemption is paved with ice—and blood.
After a botched high-profile murder investigation, Corporal Elderick Cole is exiled to the remote, rugged landscape of Nunavut, a vast territory in the Arctic Circle known for its untamed beauty, frigid temperatures, and endless winter nights. With his family having severed all ties, Cole waits out the result of a civil lawsuit alone—the wrong verdict could end what’s left of his flailing career.
His bleak existence takes a sinister turn when he discovers the hanging body of Pitseolala, a troubled Inuit girl whom he had sworn to protect. Her death dredges up demons he thought he’d buried along with the scars of a fractured marriage and the aching divide between him and his estranged daughter.
As Cole’s life unravels—and with it, the fragile thread of his investigation, he turns to Pitseolala’s younger brother, Maliktu, a fellow outsider. It’s then that Cole uncovers what binds them—a singular mission to find her killer.
Against fierce backlash, Cole’s overriding desire to redeem just one aspect of his otherwise failed life becomes an obsession—and he’s willing to break every rule in his unyielding pursuit of justice and the smallest shred of redemption.
Malcolm Kempt worked as a criminal lawyer in the remote Arctic for seventeen years before leaving to write full-time. He now lives on the island of Newfoundland.
Enjoy the discussion of the Arctic and Kempt’s debut novel.
Critic Oline Cogdill recently reviewed Con Lehane’s The Red Scare Murders. Cogdill’s review originally appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. You can order a copy of The Red Scare Murders through the Webstore. https://tinyurl.com/yc7325m2 Thank you, Oline, for sharing the review.
Book review: Private detective mystery meets relevant history lesson in ‘The Red Scare Murders’
‘The Red Scare Murders’ by Con Lehane; Soho Crime; 400 pages; $29.95
Award-winning author Con Lehane melds a solid private detective novel with a satisfying historical look at the communist witch hunt during the McCarthy era of the early 1950s in “The Red Scare Murders.”
In this launch of a new series, Lehane tackles conspiracy theories, racism, power-mad politicians and how families and careers were ruined through blacklisting, while also depicting the intricacies of New York City during this time.
“The Red Scare Murders” introduces Mick Mulligan, a World War II veteran who has reinvented himself as a private detective in New York City. Not long ago, Mick had a successful career as an animator working for a Hollywood studio, with a good salary and a loving family. But he lost his job, family and security when he was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee for refusing to name colleagues in the entertainment business who might be communists.
Now scraping by with small, simple jobs, Mick is offered a more lucrative but complicated case by labor leader Duke Rogowski, “a lunch-box sort of guy.” Mick worries he lacks the skills to tackle the high stakes involved. He has 15 days to prove the innocence of Harold Williams, a Black cab driver — and member of the Communist party — who is scheduled to be executed for the murder of his wealthy white boss, the owner of the taxi company. Mick is overwhelmed that a man’s life depends on him. Given the times’ racial attitudes and view of communists, Harold still could be executed even if Mick proves him innocent.
And there is a chance Harold is guilty. Mick finds Harold has many friends who believe him innocent but are afraid to speak up, and just as many people who are fixated on Harold’s race and membership in the Communist party.
The timeworn plot device of trying to prove a convicted person innocent gets an energetic approach by grounding the story in politics and history. Lehane adds racial prejudice, politics, the labor movement and the fear of a cab driver strike. Lehane taps into the paranoia of the 1950s with aplomb, with meticulous research into the McCarthy era. He infuses “The Red Scare Murders” with real people, but these occasional references don’t distract from the plot — they put the story in context.
New York City becomes a character in its own right, as Lehane takes the reader by the hand through neighborhood walks. Lehane shows buildings that are now part of the landscape being built, empty lots ready for plans.
Mick is a sturdy character, well-suited for this launch of a new series. Mick is coming to terms with what he has lost and how his moral code won’t allow him to turn in communists to save his career. He knows the authorities don’t care if the people are members of the Communist party, or not, just as long as they have names. It’s a pleasure watching Mick hone his investigative skills and grow confidence. He considers a private detective to be “the finder of lost souls.”
This marks the start of Lehane’s third series, following his previous collections featuring New York City bartender Brian McNulty and the 42nd Street Library.
“The Red Scare Murders” soars as a solid historical novel with relevance to today’s current events.
Guest host and author Karen Odden welcomed Jenna Blum for a virtual discussion at The Poisoned Pen. Blum’s new book in Murder Your Darlings, a departure from the historical fiction she’s written in the past. You can order a signed copy of Murder Your Darlings through the Webstore. https://tinyurl.com/yu3tt72k
Here’s the summary of Murder Your Darlings.
“Authors and book tours, stalkers and deadlines, horrid men and ice cold revenge . . . Murder Your Darlings will have you cracking up while you’re checking under your bed.”—Karin Slaughter, New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author
For every woman who’s ever fallen for a bad man comes a hilarious and eviscerating tale of love, loss, and deadlines from New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum.
Known for such brilliant historical novels as Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family, A Mighty Blaze co-founder and New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum now offers a contemporary, suspenseful novel about love, loss, and revenge in the world of books.
Simone “Sam” Vetiver is a mid-career novelist finishing a lukewarm publicity tour while facing a deadline for a new book on which she’s totally blocked. Recently divorced, Sam is worrying where her life is going when she receives glowing fan mail from stratospherically successful author William Corwyn, renowned for his female-centric novels. When William and Sam meet and his literary sympathy is as intense as their chemistry, both writers think they’ve found The One.
But as in their own novels, things between Sam and William are not what they seem. William has multiple stalkers, including a scarily persistent one named The Rabbit. He lives on a remote Maine island, where his writer life resembles The Shining. And when writers turn up dead, including from The Darlings support group William runs, Sam has to ask: Is it The Rabbit—William’s #1 Stalker? Another woman scorned? Can William be everything he seems?
Narrated by Sam, William, and The Rabbit, Murder Your Darlings is a wickedly witty look at today’s literary landscape and down-the-rabbit-hole tale of how far people will go for love.
Jenna Blum is the New York Times and # 1 internationally bestselling author of novels Those Who Save Us, The Stormchasers, and The Lost Family; memoir Woodrow on the Bench; audiocourse “The Author at Work: The Art of Writing Fiction” and original podcast The Key of Love. Jenna is CEO and Co-Founder of online author interview platform A Mighty Blaze and one of Oprah.com readers’ Top 30 Women Writers. Jenna earned her MA in Creative Writing at Boston University and has taught workshops for Boston University, Grub Street Writers, A Mighty Blaze, and numerous other institutions for over 25 years. She interviewed Holocaust survivors for Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation and is a professional public speaker, traveling nationally and internationally to speak about her work. Jenna is based in Boston. For more about Jenna, please visit www.jennablum.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack.
