James Grippando, Living with Strangers

Living with Strangers

James Grippando

HarperCollins, May 2007, $24.95

ISBN: 006113838X

The head pediatric physician at Boston's Children's Hospital Dr. Peyton Shields and her lawyer husband Kevin Stokes appear to live the American dream to the fullest as they love their respective work and each other. However, underneath their seemingly perfect life together, neither trusts the other to remain faithful as he believes she has quite a choice of medical personnel and she thinks likewise re the legal profession. Both assume the other cheats. On top of that, Kevin resents the move to New England to foster her career and the time she spends at the hospital.

On a drive home during a snowstorm, Peyton is in a near fatal accident that everyone blames on the weather except her; she believes the other driver tried to kill her by forcing her vehicle into icy Jamaica Pond. Kevin especially scorns what he insists is her delusions before turning to a former lover; but soon after they begin their tryst, she is killed. BPD arrests the married couple who are on trial while in the background waits a stalker who believes he receives messages to kill from sexy professionals like Peyton.

Although some of the twists seem implausible, the author lives up to the first syllable of his surname as LIVING WITH STRANGERS grips readers from the moment Rudy the stalker surfaces and never slows down until the final life and death altercation. The fast-paced storyline is fun to follow as the soap opera quartet (the married couple, the other woman and the stalker) merge into a fun thriller. Even without Jack Swyteck, readers know that Mr. Grippando writes a fine, stand-alone, family, drama, crime caper.

Harriet Klausner