Thursday, January 5, 2012

NEED YOU NOW: A REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED 
NEED YOU NOW
BY JAMES GRIPPANDO

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The New York Times bestselling author returns with a gripping, new stand-alone novel ripped from the headlines, in which a young financial advisor and his girlfriend uncover a conspiracy that reaches from Wall Street deep into the halls of government. 

Abe Cushman, the evil genius behind a $60 billion Ponzi scheme, has killed himself and taken his secrets to the grave. 

For Patrick Lloyd, a young Wall Street advisor at the world’s largest Swiss bank, Cushman’s fall has unexpected—and deadly—repercussions. Lloyd’s girlfriend, Lilly, is directly tied to billions of dollars in losses suffered by Cushman’s most dangerous victims, a group of powerful investors whose identities and dirty finances are well hidden. What Lilly knows can get her and Patrick killed, and now the pair are in a run for their lives that leads to the heart of a clandestine operation, and to a cabal of powerful officials determined to keep their agenda hidden from the public.

With nowhere to turn and no one to trust, Patrick and Lilly must uncover the truth before they become collateral damage in a “financial war” in which casualties are no longer measured in dollars and cents.

PRAISE FOR NEED YOU NOW:
“Grippando grips from the first page.” 
—Harlan Coben

“Winning....A steady supply of action...will leave readers wondering if the author has come up with a solution to the real-life Madoff mysteries that still remain.” 
Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Need You Now
 
“A complex and dizzying shell game…entertaining. Grippando’s novel adds up the collateral damage when billions belonging to the wrong kind of people go missing."Kirkus Reviews on Need You Now
“A timely and solid plot-driven read....Another Grippando gripper.Booklist on Need You Now
“Readers who enjoy a good thriller with a constantly twisting plot will appreciate this timely novel."Library Journal on Need You Now
“Rousing. . . . An exciting tale of revenge"--Publishers Weekly 
“Grippando has definitely reached a new level with this series entry. . . . One of his best.”
Booklist (starred review)
 
“Filled with twists and turns and edge-of-the-seat tension.”
Romantic Times
 
“Superb plotting, high suspense, compelling timely issues, and finely honed characters make this crime novel/international thriller a great read.”
Library Journal (starred review)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The first thing you need to know about James Grippando is that he is no longer clueless. This transformation occurred on June 14, 2005, when "A James Grippando Novel" was the clue to number 38 Across in the New York Times crossword puzzle. (The correct answer: Under Cover of Darkness.)

Here are some other interesting things about James, most of which happened while, sadly, he was still clueless…

James Grippando is the national bestselling author of sixteen novels that are enjoyed worldwide in twenty-six languages. His latest releases in the acclaimed series featuring Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck are Last Call (available now in paperback) and Born to Run (now in hardcover.) Intent to Kill, a stand-alone thriller, will be released in May 2009. James is also the author of Leapholes—a book written for young adults, which was a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin Award.

James’s first job out of law school plunged him headlong into death penalty cases. That experience was an inspiration for his debut novel, The Pardon, a legal thriller that critics heralded as a “bona fide blockbuster.” Before The Pardon, James was a successful trial lawyer in Miami, and he is now Counsel to the law firm of Boies, Schiller & Flexner, LLP.

As a lawyer, James was a frequent volunteer in the Miami-Dade County guardian ad litem program, where he represented neglected children in custody proceedings. As a writer, James lectures frequently to schoolchildren about his book Leapholes and about writing in general. He is an active participant in the “Kids Love a Mystery Program” sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America, and he was the 2005 recipient of the Distinguished Author Award from the University of Scranton. He serves on the Board of Trustees at St. Thomas Episcopal Parish Elementary School, where he takes aspiring young writers with him on research trips to fun places like crime labs. He is also coach of the soccer team.

James lives in south Florida, where he writes beneath a big shade umbrella on his deck, right next to the hot tub and swimming pool. He is married to Tiffany, who holds a degree in English Literature major. They have three children and three cats, and they are looking for a dog.

Read more about Author James Grippando at his website HERE.
 
MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
James Grippando is back to delight his fans with NEED YOU NOW, a page turning, stand-alone novel that is cleverly based on a Ponzi scheme.  Bernie Madoff-like character, Abe Cushman, is Grippando’s criminal who rather than get caught, kills himself early in the story after cheating people out of $60 billion.  Cushman, however, doesn’t confess to his crime and the biggest financial swindle dies with him, or does it? In this fictional tale of economic double-crossing, rather than object and take the legal route, the victims find their justice in killing and not in court.

Young Wall Street advisor, Patrick Lloyd, becomes involved in the mystery because his girlfriend, Lilly, is implicated due to ties to the lost money. Lilly’s connection is enough to get them both killed. Meanwhile, the FBI is trying to find a large amount of the stolen money and figure out how Cushman is connected to it.  Lloyd joins forces with the FBI and from corrupt government leaders to crime bosses, NEED YOU NOW will have you turning pages. The different characters and plot lines are well developed and what I especially liked was that it was all sadly plausible as well as making sense! In the end, they all came together to reveal just what was going on, thus, for a change, leaving a reader satisfied. Filled with conspiracy theories involving the government, NEED YOU NOW is an action packed novel with timely implications.
 
GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO DANIELLE AND MY GOOD
FRIENDS AT HARPER COLLINS, I HAVE
ONE COPY OF THIS THRILLER TO
GIVE AWAY TO A LUCKY READER
 
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IN CASE YOU WIN!
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HOW TO ENTER:


+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT NEED YOU NOW THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT JAMES GRIPPANDO ON THE "FUN STUFF" SECTION OF HARPER COLLINS WEBSITE ABOUT THE AUTHOR HERE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A CURRENT GIVEAWAY THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED ON MY BLOG. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY FOR EACH TO RECEIVE MORE ENTRIES
 
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, JANUARY 19
 GOOD LUCK!

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