The problem is that bringing a Cuban solider into America - and more importantly, into Miami - to testify in a case involving Cuban immigrants is not just a hot-button issue. It is a proverbial powder keg, leading to protests on the scale of those regarding the return of Elian Gonzalez. At the same time he is being burned in effigy by members of the Cuban community, Jack is exploring some of his own Cuban roots, which makes for an interesting dichotomy.

Unlike many crime novels, the heart of Hear No Evil is the criminal trial rather than the investigation of the crime. Grippando - himself a trial lawyer for some twelve years - manages to skillfully develop the trial and the slow revelation of details, teasing the reader as he draws each new morsel from his pocket. Each little slice of information sends the reader's imagination in a different direction, but the ending is far from expected. Instead, Grippando builds the case into one which explores the multiplicity of human perversity and duplicity. Swyteck must unravel layer after layer of deceit and misdirection as he struggles to both defend his client and determine on a personal level whether he believes her.

I was very impressed with Grippando's writing. This was the first of his novels that I've read, and it was an exceptionally good courtroom drama. It is often an overused expression, but this was definitely one of those "can't put it down" type of books; it races along on a breakneck pace, sending the reader through a roller coaster of emotions and occasionally causing a bit of whiplash around one of the hairpin turns. He also manages to avoid building the case into some sort of over-the-top governmental conspiracy scenario. Instead, he focuses on people, relationships, and emotions: it is a case that could happen, involving people who could exist. With the precision of a marksman Grippando carefully establishes the contours of his plot, but he lets it unfold with the pace of a machine gun once he's ready. It doesn't happen all that often, but Grippando is worthy of a high compliment in my opinion: having now read Hear No Evil, I am inspired to go out and read his other books, because I really feel like I've been missing something.