In his latest “Jack Swyteck Novel,” “Goodbye Girl,” James Grippando uses his firsthand knowledge of the legal system to create a gripping novel that includes a look into the world of music, music piracy, and how new artists often are cheated out of their recording rights by unscrupulous record labels. New artists don’t have the clout to demand more. In this novel, Jack is asked to defend a recording star, Imani, when her ex-husband sues her. Imani feels cheated out of her royalties because of her early contract with her former husband’s recording company, and she is urging people to pirate her songs. While that means that Imani doesn’t get her tiny share of the royalties, she’s wealthy from other work and contracts, so she’d rather her husband’s company gets nothing.

But when information comes to light that ties Imani and her former husband to a 12-year-old murder, they are in more trouble than before. Jack has no idea the danger he is flirting with when he starts to investigate what connects that cold case murder to more recent killings. The words “Goodbye Girl” written on the bodies adds to the mystery. And why are the bodies left on pilings in water, chained there for three days before the media is notified.

There is also trouble in paradise because Jack’s marriage to Andie, an FBI agent and the first law enforcement on the scene of the long-ago murder, makes their life together very uncomfortable. They had agreed, when they married, that they would not discuss work because a defense lawyer who represents criminals cannot share anything with his law enforcement wife, and vice-versa. But because of the murders and Imani’s involvement, they are traveling and dealing with things that they can’t discuss with each other. It’s stressful.

Theo, Jack’s best friend, is also dragged in when he agrees to help and travels to London. Between a Russian billionaire who makes buckets of money from piracy websites and those who will go to any lengths to oppose the piracy and its theft of money from recording studios, the action is head-spinning as we try to keep track of which bad guy is connected to whom. Even Taylor Swift makes an appearance as we are reminded of why she went into the studio to rerecord all her early songs so that she, not that record company, profits from them. (Note: Imani said that Swift was able to do it because of COVID and the pause in live performances. An interesting note.)

As with all of Grippando’s novels, the action moves quickly, Jack and his wife Andie and his friend Theo are likable people, and we become invested in hoping that they make it through the danger unscathed. No worries. The bad guys are punished—or at least most of them are. You’ll be hooked from the start and quite satisfied at the end. I can’t wait to see what the next novel brings to Jack and Andie.

Please note: This review is based on the advance reader’s copy provided by Harper, the publisher, for review purposes.