HarperCollins, Sep 2002, 25.95, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0066213444
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 to simplified. This leads to readers feeling partially satisfied, 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.
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Special suspect?
- investigator him/herself
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards family/friends
Legal Thriller
Yes
Legal Plotlets
- finding out whether someone is really guilty
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
