The Right to Remain: A Jack Swyteck Novel by James GrippandoSeries: Jack Swyteck #20
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
Pages: 352
Add on: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★½
Source: Edelweiss
Genre: Fiction / Crime
Publisher: Harper / HarperCollins
In this thrilling novel from bestselling author James Grippando—the twentieth in his revered series—legendary criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck takes on a twisty, difficult case that becomes one of the most complex in his illustrious career.
Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck must contend with a unique problem. His client, Elliott Stafford, indicted for murder, has gone silent. Not just silent in asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination—Elliott refuses to speak. He won’t talk to the judge, his girlfriend, or even the attorney fighting for his life. There seems to be no medical or psychological reason for his silence. He has, as Jack puts it, “chosen to become his own worst enemy.”
To some, it’s an act of protest against a broken criminal justice system—a “Fifth Strike.” Jack doesn’t buy it. Undeterred by the hoopla and calls to walk away, he keeps his client and tries his best to save Elliott from himself. As he digs for facts, Jack discovers a much more disturbing reason for Elliott’s silence. Virtually everything Elliott told Jack before the indictment is proving false, including Elliot’s criminal history, family turmoil, and secret past. As Jack plunges deeper, he comes to believe that Elliott isn’t trying to hide his own guilt. He may be protecting someone else—and the stakes could not be higher.
With plenty of courtroom action, scenes in which “Grippando’s years of experience shine brightest” (New York Times), The Right to Remain is one of the most thrilling entries yet in this hugely popular series that keeps going strong.
REVIEW
James Grippando’s twentieth Jack Swyteck thriller, The Right to Remain, doesn’t waste a moment pulling readers into Miami’s legal trenches. Defence attorney Jack Swyteck lands a nightmare of a case when his client, Elliott Stafford, is charged with murder, and then goes radio silent. Jack’s left fighting uphill, forced to build a defence without so much as a whisper from the only person who knows the truth. The result is a breathless legal maze, packed with ethical gray zones and the ever-ticking clock of a murder trial.
Swyteck’s sharp mind and stubborn sense of justice are front and center, but this time, silence itself is the enemy. The story digs deep into the right to remain silent, what it means for the accused, and how lawyers grapple with secrets and trust. Miami’s grit and chaos pulse behind every scene, giving the legal drama extra bite.
Grippando’s own history as a trial lawyer comes through in courtroom moments that snap with tension and realism. The pacing is brisk, the dialogue quick and believable, and the legal details feel lived-in rather than laboured. Even if you’ve never cracked a law book, you’ll find yourself swept up in the game.
Longtime fans and newcomers alike will like The Right to Remain for its tangled plot and relentless suspense. Grippando never hands out easy answers, instead inviting readers to wrestle with the sticky questions of guilt, innocence, and the cost of justice. If there’s a downside, it’s that the legal maneuvering can be dense for the uninitiated, but the story’s momentum never flags.
Bottom line: The Right to Remain is a gripping, character-driven legal thriller that balances real-world stakes with emotional punch. It’s one of the series’s strongest entries yet.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
