It has been awhile since I have read a legal mystery. I have been a fan of Grippando and read some of the early Swytek books so it was nice jumping back in. I enjoyed the storyline and disliked some of the characters. All in all, it was a quick read that was fun to get through.

This is the 18th in James Grippando's excellent mystery series starring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. Jack is married to FBI agent Andie Henning and they have a small daughter, Righley.

In this episode Jack's work for pop superstar Imani Nichols puts him at odds with Andie's FBI work, when Imani and her ex are both accused of a murder that she had uncovered 12 years before.

The plot thickens, involving a Russian oligarch, sex-trafficking, a 'Goodbye Girl' in London, a trial for murder, a busy sniper, piracy in the entertainment industry, and a serial killer targeting pirates. Jack has a very close shave.

3.5 stars I had the opportunity to read this legal thriller by James Grippando as an ARC from Netgalley. It was an entertaining read. I liked the premise a little more than the actual execution of the plot. Some parts of the book fell a little flat for me. The part where Theo goes to London just seemed unnecessary to me. I like how Jake and his wife have conflicting careers (he is a criminal defense attorney and she works for the FBI) and how they were forced to keep secrets from each other due to their conflicting roles in the law. It would probably make a good streaming TV show.

This was my first James Grippando novel. I was intrigued by the description and didn't realize it was part of a series when I first requested it. This book is #18 in a series that features Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck.

Jack Swyteck has been hired to defend a singer named Imani Nichols. Imani is a hugely popular award winning popstar. Unfortunately, when she was a teenager she signed a contract that made other people (namely her ex-husband) rich. Now she encourages people to “go pirate” and illegally download her music. This unfortunately lands Imani in court. After cheating allegations and implications and an unsolved murder from over a decade ago are added in, we soon see why Imani needs Jack’s help.

This was an interesting read. However, I think I may have enjoyed it more if I had read some of the previous books in the series. I’ve enjoyed many legal procedurals and usually enjoy courtroom drama but at times I found it a bit too drawn out and repetitive. All that being said, I still thought this was a decent read and I would definitely be interested in checking out more from this author.


I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I had never read this author before but I know how well his books sell so I gave him a try. I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked the historical link with a current ongoing problem. This linkage was quite creative. I found the protagonists very interesting and likeable. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes smart thrillers.

Another great edition to this series, Grippando keeps getting better. Thanks Netgalley and publisher.

The Goodbye Girl marks the 30th anniversary of James Grippando’s Jack Swyteck series. When a court battle over music piracy turns to murder, Jack gets in way over his head. His new client, pop superstar Imani, is being sued by her former husband for inciting her fans to steal her music in lieu of her music mogul ex getting any of the profits.
A twelve year old cold case involving the murder of one of Imani’s fans brings in the FBI, with Jack's wife Andie leading the charge.
Can you say "conflict of interest"?
As Jack and Andie's marriage founders, best friend Theo has his hands full in London trying to help a teen runaway while dodging a Russian assassin's bullets.
Everything is tied to Imani's case and a serial killer named The Judge is calling all the shots.
The Goodbye Girl is another terrific legal thriller from one of my favorite authors. Tied in neatly to the current music piracy trend, Grippando holds the reader captive, submerged and tied to a pillar as the tide creeps in.