JAMES GRIPPANDO is a New York Times bestselling author of suspense. The Penny Jumper is his twenty-fifth novel. A trial lawyer for twelve years before the publication of his first novel, The Pardon, in 1994, he now serves a counsel at Boise Schiller & Flexner LLP. James lives in South Florida with his wife, three children, two cats, and a golden retriever named Max who has no idea he's a dog.