Rating: 
Summary: (4 1/2) Read This Review - Not The Book Jacket
Review: I was first introduced to the concept of "last to die" by a runaway bestseller titled THE TONTINE which was written by Thomas Costain published as a two volume set in 1955. I read that book at the age of thirteen, and it was a riveting introduction to the magnificent possibilities presented by historical fiction written by a first rate author. The tontine was a type of insurance policy written during the middle ages, and that book not only chronicled with amazing historical sweep the events of that period but convincing demonstrated the concept of "moral hazard" and the perverse incentives involved in such a scheme. (Of course, present day insurers attempt to minimize the moral hazard occasioned in their business, and I believe that tontines are in fact universally illegal.) Meanwhile, the concept has been widely used by mystery writers who slowly kill off their characters and challenge their readers to guess who will be LAST TO DIE.The scope and goals of the author of this book are much more modest than Costain's but the central premise of the book is the same. If a large enough financial reward is payable to the last surviving member of a group, unexplained and perhaps violent deaths of the group's members will begin to occur within a relatively short period of time. The following brief summary of the plot reveals less of the story than the book jacket, since my advance knowledge of a few of the details mentioned there actually detracted from my enjoyment of watching the plot unfold. In this novel, Sally Fenning, a gorgeous divorcee is shot in her Mercedes on the streets of Miami, and her multimillion dollar estate (the book jacket says $48M, the text says $46M) is left to the last survivor among six apparent strangers with unclear connections to her. One of the potential beneficiaries is Tatum Knight, the brother of the best friend of Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swytek and now Jack's newest client. Jack not only has to prepare for the legal maneuvering that is sure to ensue, but also try to maintain the secrecy of many details of Tatum's past life from the glare of the media publicity that is sure to evolve. This is a well written legal/mystery/action story with some surprising plot twists and interesting characters. Jack Swytek and his sidekick Theo Knight have an appealing relationship, but since this is the first book that I have read by this author I cannot comment on how his characters have developed over time. It is a very easy and fast read; I basically finished it on a long weekend without it monopolizing my time. I also enjoyed the occasional philosophical forays and asides and as well as the clever phraseology, e.g the chain link fence that had "razor wire running across the top like a man-eating Slinky". Despite my enjoyment, there are three reasons why I did not give it a five star rating. The first is minor, there are a few editing and proofreading oversights of the sort that I do not expect in a book from a major publisher. More significantly, after the first murder (or certainly the first two occurred), it seemed highly improbable that such intelligent people as the remaining beneficiaries appeared to be would not taken greater precautions to avoid the obvious danger in which they had been placed. Last, I found the ending rather abrupt and contrived and not up to the quality of the remainder of the book. It seemed as if the author decided that the script has achieved its desired length and the storyline had been plumbed sufficiently so that it was just time to tie up all the loose ends and go home. Unfortunately, it left me with a slight feeling of anti-climax. But I do want to emphasize that my rating reflects the fact that I enjoyed the book and recommend it enthusiastically. I just felt that the promise of the plot was not completely fulfilled. Tucker Andersen
Rating: 
Summary: First To Applaud
Review: In James Grippando's Last To Die, Miami defense attorney Jack Swyteck is an ethical, competent, and good-looking lawyer who finds himself smack dab in the middle of one of the best murder-mystery plots to come along in years. Sally Fenning, a twice-married ex-Hooters waitress, has been murdered. Her rich second husband forked up an eighteen million dollar divorce settlement beforehand, which has grown to a nifty forty-six million at the time of her death. And she has left an interesting will. There are six beneficiaries, all presumably her enemies, but they don't split the money. Only the last surviving beneficiary collects the full amount. Thus ensues a fast and furry contest between those vying for the big prize, including Sally's first husband and his lawyer, a prosecutor, a reporter, a small-time thug, and a shadowy figure known only as Alan Sirap. Strangely, Jack Swyteck is retained for probate and other legal advice by the thug, Tatum Knight. Tatum is the brother of Theo, a wrongly accused black man Jack had rescued from death row years earlier. Seems that Tatum, an ex-hitman who now only beats up people for money, was hired by Sally to kill ... Sally. She turns up dead. He's named in the will. He proclaims innocence--but needs Jack's help to prove it. A few more plot twists spice things up even more. Sally had narrowly survived a knife attack years earlier. Her five-year-old daughter was not so lucky. A mysterious stalker is the prime suspect, but he's never caught or identified. Sally's second husband dies of AIDS. Oddly, Sally has a beautiful sister living in Africa to whom she fails to leave a penny. Did Sally know her stalker? Why on earth would she set up her own death? Why are the beneficiaries her enemies? Is Tatum good at heart like his brother Theo? For Theo, is blood thicker than water? Which of the two babes in the story will Jack end up with? And who the heck is Alan Sirap? Last To Die has one of the best story setups I've ever read. The Grisham-like writing--with a bit more wit--immediately draws you in and flows right along. It has no fluff or boring, weak spots. The 384 pages zip by like a 200-page thriller. I don't know that the payoff in the end is as strong as the build-up promises, but it's still an excellent and well-written story. Highly recommended. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of BIG ICE
Rating:
Summary: Startling legal thriller.............
Review: James Grippando's tale starts off with a frightening death grip on your imagination and the story never really slows down it's wild journey!! When an unusual group of individuals, from hitmen to an ex-husband are called together for the reading of a will involving $48 million dollars, everyone is all smiles, until they realize that only one of them will inherit this money. The one to inherit the money will be the last one left alive.
This is a story of love and hate, hope and fear, rejection, acceptance and ultimately both revenge and friendship. This is a startling legal thriller that holds your attention long after the lights have gone out!!!
Rating:
Summary: who Killed Sally Fenning?
Review: LAST TO DIE by James Grippando A wealthy woman leaves her estate to six people she had reasons to hate, in LAST TO DIE, a legal thriller by author James Grippando. Flashbacks tell the tale of Sally Fenning, a woman who was attacked and whose daughter was viciously murdered by possibly someone they both knew. Sally's story does not end there, as she rises above the tragedy that was her life, to become a very wealthy woman, worth millions. When Sally is murdered on a public street, a murder that could have been planned by Sally herself, the rumors start flying. Sally had supposedly hired someone to kill her, but the question now was, " Who really killed Sally Fenning?" Enter Jack Swyteck, criminal defense lawyer and all around good guy. His best friend is Theo Knight, a man that was once his client and was accused falsely of murder when he was a young man. His near-death experience on death row bonded Theo and Jack for life, and Jack would do anything for Theo. When Theo asks Jack to represent his brother Tatum when Tatum is named one of the six heirs to Sally Fenning's estate, a man that used to be a contract killer but has turned over a new leaf, Jack hesitates but agrees. What are friends for? When Jack learns that Tatum had been hired by Sally to kill her, but turned the job down, it is up to Jack to find out who really did kill Sally Fenning. At the reading of the will, all but one of the six heirs shows up. What the other five heirs find out is that they were probably on Sally's most-hated list of people in this world, and her stipulation of this will dictates that only one will inherit it all. The one that is left alive wins. And with that announcement, the fun begins. One by one, each of the six heirs are murdered. As the surviving members realize what is happening to their competition, Jack and Theo race to find out who is behind these murders. Is it Theo? Is it Tatum? Or is it someone else? No one is safe until the murderer is caught. This reader found LAST TO DIE an enjoyable, fast-paced book, and will return to read more by James Grippando. Finding out who was the murderer was not obvious and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep this reader interested. The side trip to Africa felt a little out of place, although the entire section was valid to introduce a secondary character important to the case. Otherwise, LAST TO DIE is recommended reading for those who enjoy a good who-dunnit!
Rating:
Summary: who Killed Sally Fenning?
Review: LAST TO DIE by James Grippando A wealthy woman leaves her estate to six people she had reasons to hate, in LAST TO DIE, a legal thriller by author James Grippando. Flashbacks tell the tale of Sally Fenning, a woman who was attacked and whose daughter was viciously murdered by possibly someone they both knew. Sally's story does not end there, as she rises above the tragedy that was her life, to become a very wealthy woman, worth millions. When Sally is murdered on a public street, a murder that could have been planned by Sally herself, the rumors start flying. Sally had supposedly hired someone to kill her, but the question now was, " Who really killed Sally Fenning?" Enter Jack Swyteck, criminal defense lawyer and all around good guy. His best friend is Theo Knight, a man that was once his client and was accused falsely of murder when he was a young man. His near-death experience on death row bonded Theo and Jack for life, and Jack would do anything for Theo. When Theo asks Jack to represent his brother Tatum when Tatum is named one of the six heirs to Sally Fenning's estate, a man that used to be a contract killer but has turned over a new leaf, Jack hesitates but agrees. What are friends for? When Jack learns that Tatum had been hired by Sally to kill her, but turned the job down, it is up to Jack to find out who really did kill Sally Fenning. At the reading of the will, all but one of the six heirs shows up. What the other five heirs find out is that they were probably on Sally's most-hated list of people in this world, and her stipulation of this will dictates that only one will inherit it all. The one that is left alive wins. And with that announcement, the fun begins. One by one, each of the six heirs are murdered. As the surviving members realize what is happening to their competition, Jack and Theo race to find out who is behind these murders. Is it Theo? Is it Tatum? Or is it someone else? No one is safe until the murderer is caught. This reader found LAST TO DIE an enjoyable, fast-paced book, and will return to read more by James Grippando. Finding out who was the murderer was not obvious and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep this reader interested. The side trip to Africa felt a little out of place, although the entire section was valid to introduce a secondary character important to the case. Otherwise, LAST TO DIE is recommended reading for those who enjoy a good who-dunnit!
Rating:
Summary: A fun well paced thriller
Review: Miami criminal lawyer Jack Swytek agrees to represent his friend Theo's brother Tatum Knight. Tatum claims Sally Fenning tried to hire him to kill herself. He refused but she was killed anyway. He now finds himself among the six beneficiaries of her forty six million dollar estate. There is a catch, however. Only one person will inherit the estate after all the others have died or renounce their claim. This will obviously lead to violence. Perhaps it is Sally's way to get back at those who made her life a nightmare after the murder of her daughter. It doesn't take long for the dying to start.
This is the second legal thriller I have read by James Grippando and would now call myself a fan. The book is fun, well paced and at least the main characters sketched with great care. One gets a strong sense of the South Florida environs without all the preaching exhibited by some other authors from the state.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner for James Grippando.
Review: Miami defense lawyer Jack Swyteck has faced challenging clients before, but none like former contract killer Tatum Knight. Tatum seems to be in a real situation, he was approached by millionaire Sally Fenning with a job proposition...kill her for a very high price. Tatum refused, but Sally ended up dead anyway, and to make matters worse Sally left all her money to six of her enemies, Tatum being one of the beneficiaries, with one condition...the money is to go to the last person alive. The lawyers gear up for a tough legal battle, but before you know it the beneficiaries start dropping like flies, and all fingers point to Tatum. Jack teams up with his buddy Theo, who also happens to be Tatum's brother, to track down Tatum to see if he's behind all the killing. 'Last To Die' is another winner from best-selling author John Grippando. From the first page we are drawn into the plot with a murder, and for 350 more pages we are kept on the edge of our seat with plot twists, non-stop action, and shocking surprises all leading to a great climax. James Grippando delivers the goods with this thriller; his smooth writing style, and original storylines, once again, have combined to make an extremely entertaining read. Don't miss this! Nick Gonnella
Rating:
Summary: Revenge from the Other Side
Review: Money could not buy happiness while for Sally Fenning while she lived, so she dangles $46 million in front of six people and promises them the last one standing inherits it all. The common thread is each of the six is connected to the death of her daughter five years earlier. Her death is suspicious; each heir she despised. There is Fenning's ex-husband, his divorce attorney, the prosecutor who failed to bring charges against any suspect, the newspaper reporter who wrote about the case and a mystery man who can't be immediately located. Tatum Knight is the only one not connected to the little girl's murder. His connection to the deceased is unusual -- Fenning tried to hire him to kill her, but he denies taking the job. You will only regret the sleep you lose while reading this legal thriller. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down until you reach the surprising climax.
Rating:
Summary: Very Entertaining!
Review: Mr Grippando continues to thorougly entertain me with his novels featuring protagonist Jack Swyteck. Sally Fenning's story, while sad, was a very interesting, well written concept that had me guessing at every turn who was friend or foe. I highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: An Absorbing Mystery
Review: Sally Fenning has been murdered. Shot to death as she sat at a red light in her Mercedes. She leaves a will naming six beneficiaries to her estate which is valued at 46 million dollars. The six are a mixed bunch: an ex-husband, a shameless lawyer, a newspaper reporter, a hired killer, an assistant state attorney and a mystery person that no one can locate. There is no apparant reason that she would have left a dime to any of the people listed, much less 46 million dollars. But of course, there is a catch. She leaves the money to the one amoung those listed who is the last one left alive. After the reading of the will is when the fun begins and the blood starts to flow. Jack Swytech, a Miami criminal defense lawyer has been hired by one of the beneficiaries, Tatum Knight. Tatum is the brother of a man that Swytech has saved from death row by the use of DNA to prove that he did not commit the crime he was convicted of. Tatum's line of business is that of a hired killer, although he claims to have retired from that line of work for a few years. It turns out that a couple of weeks before Sally was murdered, she tried to hire Tatum to kill her. He claims he turned it down. Others are not so sure. Grippando has done a masterful job with the interaction bewteen the beneficiaries as the plotting and scheming go on to convince others to drop out of the running. And then people start dying. Who is behind the scheming and killing are not revealed until the very end of the book and the reader is kept very much in the dark until that time when all becomes clear. Last to Die is one of those books that you look forward to picking up and reading while you enjoy a master story teller at the top of his game.
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