Gone Again: A Jack Swyteck Novel

Bestseller Grippando addresses the challenges of adopting psychologically damaged children in his uneven 12th legal thriller featuring Florida attorney Jack Swyteck (after 2014's Black Horizon). Jack has honored a promise to the widow of his mentor, Neil Goderich, by moving his office to the building housing the legal clinic that Neil founded. When distraught mother Debra Burgette shows up looking for Neil, she says she needs help preventing the execution of Dylan Reeves, the man convicted of murdering her troubled adopted daughter, Sashi, when the girl was 17. Every year since Sashi disappeared three years earlier, Debra has received a silent phone call on Sashi's birthday that she's sure from Sashi. The compelling evidence against Reeves, who was defended by Neil, includes a videotaped confession and his DNA on Sashi's panties, which were retrieved days after her she went missing. Jack must also deal with formidable legal barriers to reopening the case. This promising setup unfortunately devolves into a run-of-the-mill race to save a man from execution. Agent: Richard Pine, Inkwell Management. (Mar.)