Book Club Review of Death in Live Oaks

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Posted February 14, 2018 by Carole in Book Reviews / 24 Comments

A Death in Live Oak by James Grippando
Series: Jack Swyteck #14
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers – Harper
Publication Appointment: February 6, 2018
Appointment Read: February 13, 2018
Length: 384 pages
Source: Edelweiss
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

James Grippando delivers his nearly explosive and riveting suspense novel yet: a powerful and timely story of race, politics, injustice, and murder as shocking and incendiary every bit today's headlines, in which Jack Swyteck defends a white college student charged with a heinous racial crime—the first lynching in Florida in more than a half century

When the trunk of Jamal Cousin, president of the pre-eminent black fraternity at the Florida's flagship university, is discovered hogtied in the Stygian water swamps of the Suwanee River Valley, the death sets off a firestorm that threatens to rage out of control when a fellow student, Marker Towson, the president of a prominent white fraternity, is defendant of the law-breaking.

Contending with rising political tensions, racial unrest, and a sensational media, Townson'south defense attorney, Jack Swyteck, fears the worst. The evidence against his client—which includes a threatening text bulletin referencing "strange fruit" on the river—seems overwhelming. So Jack gets a suspension that could plow the case. Jamal's gruesome murder bears disturbing similarities to another lynching that occurred back in the Jim Crow days of 1944. Are the chilling parallels purely coincidental? With a customs in chaos and a young man's life in jeopardy, Jack volition use every resource to detect out.

As he navigates each twist and turn of the search, Jack becomes increasingly convinced that his client may himself exist the victim of a criminal plan more sinister than the instance presented by the state attorney. Risking his own reputation, this principled man who has devoted his life to the law plunges headfirst into the darkest recesses of the South'southward by . . . and its murky present to uncover answers.

For Jack, it's about the truth. Traversing fourth dimension, from the days of strict segregation to the present, he'll notice information technology—no matter what the cost—and bring much-needed justice to Suwanee County.

My Review

This really was a fantastic book. I have been a fan of James Grippando for a long time so I was really eager to get my hands on this newest installment in his long running Jack Swyteck series. This is the fourteenth book in the serial but each volume in the serial works well as a stand alone novel. I expect good things from both this writer and this series and that is exactly what I got with this book. I actually had a great time reading this wonderful story.

This book opens with a bang and I apace found myself both heartbroken and angry. There are a lot of things in this book that made me aroused and broke my eye considering the subject matter is merely really emotional. The mystery involves the credible lynching of a young blackness human being at a local university which sparks a lot of racial tension in the customs.

Jack becomes the lawyer for the young white man that has been accused of the murder. I idea that this was a really interesting perspective into the crime. There really doesn't announced to be a whole lot to tie the young man to the crime too a racist text the his customer denies sending. The example ends upward existence a whole lot more than complicated than anyone realizes.

I really liked how we get to come across each stage of the legal process in this book. Each phase is represented from initial questioning of the suspect, indictment, and bail hearing. We run into how difficult it can be for a lawyer to represent a client that doesn't always share what they should or accept the advice given. I felt the fearfulness of the his customer, Mark, every bit he goes to prison house and fears for his futurity.

I liked the characters in this volume. I remember that this series has been focusing less on Jack's personal life in later books. There is yet some scenes with Jack and his wife and daughter which I enjoyed. Theo makes an appearance just doesn't play a big role and I have to say that I missed Theo working alongside Jack. Andie, Jack'southward wife, does get some of her ain action in this one to continue things interesting. In that location were a few characters that were easy to hate such as the prosecutor who is more than focused on his re-election than justice.

I practise highly recommend this series to others. This was a book that really kept me thinking and glued to the pages. It really was a great story with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very finish. I tin can't wait to read more from this talented author.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from HarperCollins Publishers – Harper via Edelweiss.

Near the Author

Monica Hopkins photography

New York Times bestselling author James Grippando was a trial lawyer for twelve years before the publication of his offset novel, The Pardon, in 1994. A Expiry in Alive Oak is his 20-6th novel. He is a practicing attorney, teaches at the University of Miami Law schoolhouse, and lives in south Florida.