Forty-six years later, Vice President Phillip Grayson dies alligator hunting in the Florida Everglades. But is his death really due to a heart attack - Mrs. Grayson thinks not, especially when the toxicology report reveals an abnormal amount of Viagra (the VP suffered from erectile dysfunction and heart disease). We also learn that Grayson was having an affair with one of the White House interns, Chloe Sparks, now working for a third rate newspaper on the "story of her life." Her informant, a Greek in a wheelchair, wants 250K to release more information. When a meet is arranged to discuss this further, Chloe is murdered. Her half-sister, Paulette, a very successful journalist, gains possession of Chloe's notes and she is also murdered.

Yes, the Greek is Demetri Pappas who survived the fall and is in possession of a secret of national security importance. Grippando dangles this secret for most of the book (you have to read almost the entire book to learn about it).  

Harry Swytek (Jack's father for those of you who have not read the seven previous novels in this series), the former two term governor of Florida, is chosen as a possible VP successor by President Keyes. Jack is asked to be his lawyer for the Congressional confirmation hearings only to be "fired" shortly thereafter when Jack expresses his concerns to his Dad about the death of VP Grayson.

Jack meets Sophia (Demetri's wife) back in Miami and the action moves to a page-turning frenzy with a televised hostage situation in a local newsroom that is most intriguing.  

James Grippando, a former trial lawyer himself, not only provides us with a political thriller but almost prophetically raises a legal question from today's headlines. There is not nearly enough of Theo Knight, the falsely convicted murderer whom Jack saved from death row and thus the banter which Jack and Theo usually engage in is also missing. And perhaps too much is made of Jack turning 40 and trying to deal with his mid-life crises like buying a Mustang and his personal relationship with an FBI agent. Even with those minor faults, the denouement of Born to Run will keep readers turning pages to its conclusion.

--Jerry Solot