A King's Ransom

James Grippando's novel shifts in and out of first person as it tells the story of Matthew Rey, a fisherman held for ransom by Colombian guerrillas, and son Nick, a lawyer battling the insurance company, the FBI, and his own firm to save his father. John Bedford Lloyd handles the transitions well, keeping listeners hooked with the emotions of the situation, while delivering the chills of the tense action scenes. This abridgment packs a lot into six hours, preserving family drama and background, as well as a complex kidnapping plot. Each side ends with a twist well chosen to make the listener come back for more. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

April 16, 2001
Attorney-turned-novelist Grippando's (Under Cover of Darkness; Found Money) sixth effort kicks off when Matthew Rey, a Florida fisherman with a partnership in a Nicaraguan seafood operation, is kidnapped while on business in Colombia by a group of Marxist guerrillas led by a sadistic soldier named Joaquín. Matthew is dragged off to the mountains and his son, Nick, a young Florida lawyer, receives a ransom demand and tries to get his father back through official channels. Bad move: it turns out Matthew and his partner, Guillermo Cruz, are under suspicion of running drugs. Nick also learns that Matthew had kidnap-and-ransom insurance for the precise amount demanded by Joaquín. To make matters worse, the insurance provider is a client of Nick's law firm, and refuses to pay the claim, accusing Nick and Matthew of conspiracy and fraud. Nick is legally outmaneuvered by his boss—scheming senior partner Duncan Fitz—and booted out of the firm. Broke, desperate and under suspicion of several felonies, he receives help from beautiful kidnapping negotiator Alex Cabrera and his ex-fiancée, Jenna, who's also a lawyer. Naturally, he finds himself torn between his lost love and his growing affection for the mysterious Alex. Meanwhile, Matthew is a helpless witness to scenes of gang rape, torture and murder perpetrated by Joaquín and his thugs. Outflanked and running out of time, Nick delves into his father's business dealings and slowly uncovers a massive conspiracy. Grippando's experience as a trial lawyer shows in his depiction of Nick's frantic legal moves to clear his family's name; his extensive research into the kidnapping industry currently thriving in Latin America adds a harrowing dose of realism to a taut, well-constructed page-turner that seems destined for the big screen. Agents, Richard and Artie Pine. National advertising; six-city author tour.

George Guidall is masterful in this compelling tale of high-stakes kidnapping and ransom, Latin-American style. When Guidall reads, the listener relaxes, knowing that the performance will be flawless. In RANSOM, the pacing is unhurried, but the action scenes vibrate with intensity. Nick Rey's na•veté is convincing, his ruminations thoughtful and considered. The tension between the two women helping Nick--Alex, a former member of a Colombian kidnapping organization, and Jenna, Nick's ex-fiancée--is maintained consistently throughout the novel. Protagonists and antagonists are developed with care and attention to inflection and personality so that no stereotyping occurs. Guidall speaks Spanish and English with equal grace, and transitions between speakers are smooth and clearly defined. He has infinite patience with every nuance of a writer's work, and this characteristic is the centerpiece of his skill and talent. M.D.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine