Intent to Kill A Jack Swyteck Novel By James Grippando Read by Jonathan Davis HarperAudio, Unabridged Edition (2009) ISBN: 978-0061768057 Genre: Mystery

Reviewed by Israel Drazin - June 2, 2010

Grippando tells the tale of an up-in-coming minor league baseball player, Ryan, who is assured that he will move into the major leagues, but quits playing and he falls apart when his wife is killed by a hit and run driver. On the third anniversary of her death, he finds a letter at her grave saying, "It was no accident." The assistant prosecutor who has been investigating the case also receives a letter, "I know who did it." Ryan, the prosecutor, and others now wonder whether Ryan's wife was murdered and, if so, why and who did it? Also what caused the letter writer to wait three years before sending the letters? Additionally, is the letter writer the murderer? And, how can the police investigate the matter three years after Ryan's wife's death.

Grippando fills his book with interesting characters and has an unexpected, exciting, and satisfying ending. He writes well but some readers might think that he gives too many unnecessary details. The details are clever, but they arguably slow down the drama and somewhat stifle the suspense. However, even those readers who have this feeling will enjoy the book.

Dr. Israel Drazin is the author of fifteen books, including a series of five volumes on the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible, which he co-authors with Rabbi Dr. Stanley M. Wagner, and a series of four books on the twelfth century philosopher Moses Maimonides, the latest being Maimonides: Reason Above All, published by Gefen Publishing House, www.gefenpublishing.com. The Orthodox Union (OU) publishes daily samples of the Targum books on www.ouradio.org.

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