"A good legal thriller"
Jessie Merrill asks her former lover Jack Swyteck to
represent her in court as the Viatical Solutions is suing
her for the 1.5 million they gave her. Jessie insists she
sold her life insurance to Viatical Solutions in exchange
for the cash when Dr. Marsh stated she probably has Lou
Gehrig's disease. After conferring with his wife Cindy,
Jack takes Jessie on as a client. Jack easily wins the case, but has second thoughts when he
observes Jessie and Marsh holding hands. When someone
murders Jessie in his bathroom, the police make Jack and
his pal Theo Knight the prime suspects in a lover scam that
turned ugly and became a "murder for hire". Jack digs deep
to prove he did not commit a homicide and that he was an
innocent dupe in Jessie's con. However, to his shock and
chagrin, the evidence piles up starting to confirm he had
to be part of the original scam. The first three-quarters of BEYOND SUSPICION is the legal
thriller of the year. However, the climax, though a
reasonable twist, seems a bit too simplified. This leads
to
readers feeling partially satiated, but also pondering what
could have been if the murder was never solved and Jack
remained an unproved but prime suspect. James Grippando
cleverly builds up the case against Jack, but releases the
air from the balloon just as the plot clears the
stratosphere. Still, sub-genre fans will want to read this
solid novel. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted August 11, 2002
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