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Judgment
**The Instant NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller**New York TimesÌýbestselling author Joseph Finder returns with an explosive new thrillerÌýabout a female judge and the one personal misstep that could lead to her—and her family's—downfall. It was nothing more than a one-night stand. Juliana Brody, a judge in the Superior Court of Massachusetts, is rumored to be in consideration for the federal circuit, maybe someday the highest court in the land. At a conference in a Chicago hotel, she meets a gentle, vulnerable man and has an unforgettable night with him—something she’d never done before. They part with an explicit understanding that this must never happen again. But back home in Boston, Juliana realizes that this was no random encounter. The man from Chicago proves to have an integral role in a case she's presiding over--a sex-discrimination case that's received national attention. Juliana discovers that she's been entrapped, her night of infidelity captured on video. Strings are being pulled in high places, a terrifying unfolding conspiracy that will turn her life upside down. ÌýBut soon it becomes clear that personal humiliation, even the possible destruction of her career, are the least of her concerns, as her own life and the lives of her family are put in mortal jeopardy. In the end, turning the tables on her adversaries will require her to be as ruthless as they are.
399 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2019
1,559 people are currently reading
5,314 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Finder
59Ìýbooks2,507ÌýfollowersJoseph Finder is the author of the forthcoming novel JUDGMENT and fourteen other novels, many of them New York Times bestsellers, published in 35 countries around the world. His book HIGH CRIMES was adapted into a movie starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd; PARANOIA was made into the Harrison Ford/Gary Oldman film.
He was born in Chicago, lived in the Philippines, Afghanistan, Washington State, and upstate New York. His novels have won numerous awards, including the Strand Critics award, the Barry Award, and the International Thriller Writers� Thriller Award for best novel. His first novel, THE MOSCOW CLUB, was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 best spy novels of all time.
He lives with his wife in Boston and Cape Cod, where he roots for the Red Sox and mourns his Golden Retriever rescue dog, Mia. He’s currently trying to convince his wife to get another dog.
He was born in Chicago, lived in the Philippines, Afghanistan, Washington State, and upstate New York. His novels have won numerous awards, including the Strand Critics award, the Barry Award, and the International Thriller Writers� Thriller Award for best novel. His first novel, THE MOSCOW CLUB, was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 best spy novels of all time.
He lives with his wife in Boston and Cape Cod, where he roots for the Red Sox and mourns his Golden Retriever rescue dog, Mia. He’s currently trying to convince his wife to get another dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 699 reviews
March 2, 2019
In his latest legal thriller, Joseph Finder takes readers into the world of a well-meaning judge whose selection to hear a case may have paved the way for countless troubles, both legal and personal. Judge Juliana Brody is a respectable member of the Massachusetts bench, so much so that she has been asked to speak at a conference in Chicago. When she lets down her guard and becomes involved with a man at her hotel, she can only presume that the dalliance will be a secret she can keep. However, upon returning to Boston to begin hearing a sexual harassment case, things take a definite turn for the worse. During a routine motion, one of the defence counsel turns out to be the man Brody thought she would never see again. Adding to the panic, she is blackmailed to dismiss the case, or face the possibly that a tape of her activities will leak and ruin her career. Taking a strong-arm approach, Judge Brody refuses to bow to the pressure ands begins looking deeper into the case to see if she can determine what’s going on. A start-up ride-share app seems to be targeting its in-house counsel, with the CEO seeking sexual favours from his new hire. Could this be the impetus behind trying to force her to rule a specific way? As the story progresses, Juliana Brody is pulled into the middle of her teenage son’s own issues, as well as facing her husband and admitting her affair before it becomes public. However, the pressure her her to dismiss the case gets stronger and those around her begin to turn up injured or dead. Facing the ultimate consequences, Brody must decide if her life is worth sacrificing for this case, and just who is pulling the strings in this legal matter. Dodging people in the shadows while also trying to protect her family, Brody begins to wonder if justice is worth losing it all. Finder crafts an interesting story that will pull thriller fans into the middle of the complex web. Recommended for those who love a good story that will not let up as the twists and turns intensify.
I have long enjoyed many of the novels Joseph Finder has published, keeping legal issues in the Boston area fresh and exciting. This was a new spin, using a judge as his protagonist, pushing through the depths of a legal quagmire whose path is anything but straightforward. Juliana Brody finds herself living with the guilt of an affair, only to discover that it might be part of a larger plot to strong-arm her decision on a seemingly unknown case. With a family to support and reputation to uphold, her dalliance will soon be the least of her concerns. Peeling back the onion of this case, Brody learns that she is a key part of a larger conspiracy, however unintended. Her decisions from the bench will have larger and more lucrative impacts in the months to come and all she need do is push the case into the legal refuse bin. However, she is stubborn and wants justice over the easy way out. Finder pushes her to the limits as she seeks to see what is before her, as well as all the hidden traps that await. Surrounded by a cast of interesting characters, Brody’s decisions will be complex and all-encompassing. Others prove to be interesting insertions into the plot that is evolving from the outset, keeping the reader wondering what lurks in the shadows and whether there could be some larger purpose for bullying a sitting judge. With some interesting legal discussions and thrills that do not stop until the final pages, Finder has crafted an interesting story that cannot be put down, even if its ending might push the limits for some readers. Not to be missed and a wonderful quick read for those who are dedicated to the cause.
Kudos, Mr. Finder, for a great read and interesting set of ideas. I hope others will take the time to find this book and see that it is worth the hype it has received.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: /group/show/...
I have long enjoyed many of the novels Joseph Finder has published, keeping legal issues in the Boston area fresh and exciting. This was a new spin, using a judge as his protagonist, pushing through the depths of a legal quagmire whose path is anything but straightforward. Juliana Brody finds herself living with the guilt of an affair, only to discover that it might be part of a larger plot to strong-arm her decision on a seemingly unknown case. With a family to support and reputation to uphold, her dalliance will soon be the least of her concerns. Peeling back the onion of this case, Brody learns that she is a key part of a larger conspiracy, however unintended. Her decisions from the bench will have larger and more lucrative impacts in the months to come and all she need do is push the case into the legal refuse bin. However, she is stubborn and wants justice over the easy way out. Finder pushes her to the limits as she seeks to see what is before her, as well as all the hidden traps that await. Surrounded by a cast of interesting characters, Brody’s decisions will be complex and all-encompassing. Others prove to be interesting insertions into the plot that is evolving from the outset, keeping the reader wondering what lurks in the shadows and whether there could be some larger purpose for bullying a sitting judge. With some interesting legal discussions and thrills that do not stop until the final pages, Finder has crafted an interesting story that cannot be put down, even if its ending might push the limits for some readers. Not to be missed and a wonderful quick read for those who are dedicated to the cause.
Kudos, Mr. Finder, for a great read and interesting set of ideas. I hope others will take the time to find this book and see that it is worth the hype it has received.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: /group/show/...
March 12, 2019
The longer this story droned on, the more I wanted it to end. This kind of soft and whiny thriller grates rather than excites. 3 of 10 stars
November 11, 2018
3.5 Stars* (rounded down)
A Complex, Intense Thriller!
Juliana is a married Superior Court Judge. While at a Conference she meets a handsome man and for the first time in her life, Juliana cheats on her husband. Little does she know, it’s a set up. Juliana is presiding over a sexual harassment case - and some powerful people would like for her to rule in a very specific way and will do whatever it takes to get her to rule in their favor. That includes, blackmail and even murder. If Juliana doesn’t comply, she can kiss her career and possibly her life, goodbye.
What starts out as a game of cat and mouse, quickly becomes a game of conspiracy so complex my head was spinning. The storyline started out strong and quickly became so complicated, which I felt became the novel’s downfall. “Judgment� was however, a quick, easy read with relatable characters. The initial storyline of a legal battle was quite interesting and will have me going back to read other Joseph Finder’s other novels.
This was another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group - Dutton and Joseph Finder for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss and Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ on 11.11.18.
A Complex, Intense Thriller!
Juliana is a married Superior Court Judge. While at a Conference she meets a handsome man and for the first time in her life, Juliana cheats on her husband. Little does she know, it’s a set up. Juliana is presiding over a sexual harassment case - and some powerful people would like for her to rule in a very specific way and will do whatever it takes to get her to rule in their favor. That includes, blackmail and even murder. If Juliana doesn’t comply, she can kiss her career and possibly her life, goodbye.
What starts out as a game of cat and mouse, quickly becomes a game of conspiracy so complex my head was spinning. The storyline started out strong and quickly became so complicated, which I felt became the novel’s downfall. “Judgment� was however, a quick, easy read with relatable characters. The initial storyline of a legal battle was quite interesting and will have me going back to read other Joseph Finder’s other novels.
This was another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group - Dutton and Joseph Finder for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss and Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ on 11.11.18.
December 13, 2018
Judgment has an interesting premise: an up-and-coming judge based in Boston has a one night stand while at a conference in Chicago. A marital risk? Yes, but Judge Juliana Brody decides that since it's very clear it's a onetime moment, it's a minimal risk.
Obviously, her judgment is flawed on that. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)
Juliana is immediately blackmailed over the one night stand regarding an ongoing case she's presiding over and suddenly she's in a dangerous place where not just her career but her life and the life of her family is in danger.
The villians are menacing, with a reach so long it's a wonder that they even needed to go after Juliana at all. Of course, if that hadn't happened there'd be no book. So overlook that thought!
The chapters are short, the pace is quick, and the writing...well, Judgment opens with the weather. Which, okay, sets the scene but it feels forced--like a "start with the weather and then move on to the Big Moment" kind of thing. It's clunky.
Judgment is fast, and it throws a lot of stuff at you, but you know exactly what's going to happen and characters are so predictable that some are 90-99% clothing descriptions, as if giving them even a semblance of personality would take too much time. The whole thing reads as if everything in between 'The Next Moment in Plot' is a waste of time, as if every character is like the weather. Mention, and move on.
And that--non-stop action as plot, characters, everything--it isn't enough for me. Fast pace? Awesome. But not when, as with Judgment, that's all there is to be had. I need more.
One star because I did read the whole thing.
And case dismissed!
(I know, I'm shaking my head at me too.)
Obviously, her judgment is flawed on that. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)
Juliana is immediately blackmailed over the one night stand regarding an ongoing case she's presiding over and suddenly she's in a dangerous place where not just her career but her life and the life of her family is in danger.
The villians are menacing, with a reach so long it's a wonder that they even needed to go after Juliana at all. Of course, if that hadn't happened there'd be no book. So overlook that thought!
The chapters are short, the pace is quick, and the writing...well, Judgment opens with the weather. Which, okay, sets the scene but it feels forced--like a "start with the weather and then move on to the Big Moment" kind of thing. It's clunky.
Judgment is fast, and it throws a lot of stuff at you, but you know exactly what's going to happen and characters are so predictable that some are 90-99% clothing descriptions, as if giving them even a semblance of personality would take too much time. The whole thing reads as if everything in between 'The Next Moment in Plot' is a waste of time, as if every character is like the weather. Mention, and move on.
And that--non-stop action as plot, characters, everything--it isn't enough for me. Fast pace? Awesome. But not when, as with Judgment, that's all there is to be had. I need more.
One star because I did read the whole thing.
And case dismissed!
(I know, I'm shaking my head at me too.)
January 13, 2022
Joseph Finder is thrilling page turner meet Julina Brody mother and judge who is trying to protect her family. On a business trip in Chicago she meets MatÃas Sanchez the action picks up body counts and international conspiracy unfolds. This one of my favorites by him, he's really awesome author at keeping on your toes!!
October 17, 2018
Finder’s Judgment explores how even the most sacred institutions could become susceptible to blackmail and how doing the wrong thing is like drowning in quicksand that you keep falling deeper and deeper into. The story features a career-minded Massachusetts Judge who hopped into the wrong bed while at a conference and suddenly finds her marriage and career dangling from a thin thread as her misdeed is used to bend her will and her rulings in a sex discrimination case. From there, it’s a cat and mouse game with a seemingly all-powerful conspiracy. Part legal thriller and part action thriller, it’s a fast paced read that is sure to have wide appeal.
That being said, there are many such thrillers available on the bookshelves and this one rarely seemed realistic, believable, or down to earth enough.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
That being said, there are many such thrillers available on the bookshelves and this one rarely seemed realistic, believable, or down to earth enough.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
February 17, 2019
Best-selling author Joseph Finder has packed his latest thriller with lots of action. It all starts with Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Juliana Brody presiding over the case of Rachel Meyers versus Wheelz. Meyers is claiming that the management of Wheelz created a hostile work environment due to sexual harassment. So Juliana is one surprised judge when Matias Sanchez is added to the defense team right after she spent a night with him at a Chicago conference. It isn’t hard to deduce that the defense had decided to hedge their bets by entrapping—and then blackmailing Juliana.
Juliana tries to maintain control of the situation, but she merely places herself in more jeopardy with some seriously dangerous people. She chooses to investigate on her own with help from Martha Connolly, a friend and mentor, and a private investigator. [He, at least, is the one stalwart character in this story that one can admire.] There proves to be links from this case to all sorts of unsavory people involved in criminal activity. Yes, there IS a body count and even involvement with Russian oligarchs. Enjoy.
Juliana tries to maintain control of the situation, but she merely places herself in more jeopardy with some seriously dangerous people. She chooses to investigate on her own with help from Martha Connolly, a friend and mentor, and a private investigator. [He, at least, is the one stalwart character in this story that one can admire.] There proves to be links from this case to all sorts of unsavory people involved in criminal activity. Yes, there IS a body count and even involvement with Russian oligarchs. Enjoy.
January 22, 2019
Joe Finder's standalones are always good, but this one made me so tense in places I actually had to set it down and walk away for a minute or two, while I remembered it was only fiction. Juliana is an extremely believable character, and it's always fun to see how he gets the little details right. (Full disclosure: I'm Joe's researcher.)
June 14, 2019
Wonderful, terrific, cat and mouse, great characters, excellent legal twists and turns, plain language medical explanations and technical surveillance countermeasures and Joseph Finder's tension building writing. Unputdownable.
December 3, 2018
I have been a fan of Joseph Finder for quite some time now so when I was approved for a review of Judgment I broke into the requisite approved dance and got to reading ASAP. Like other reads by this author, the suspense does not letup and before long, the last page is turned, and the last sentence is read. I always look back like what the hell? I wasn't ready for it to end.
Judgment introduces us to the honorable Judge Juliana Brody who usually plays it safe until one night, against her better judgment, she has a one-night stand. Determined to move on and get back to walking the straight and narrow path, Juliana is blind-sided when she sees the man she had the one-night stand with in her courtroom as counsel for the defendants. Because the case she is presiding over is a high profile Enter the requisite blackmail notice and readers might suspect Judgment will be unoriginal... but everyone makes mistakes. It's OK. That's why we have judges to make it right.
Juliana Brody proves her self to be a formidable adversary for the extremely bad powers that be. Knowing that any move she makes could lead to either death or humiliation, she charges forward with her plans to tilt the scales of justice in her favor.
What Finder makes work here in Judgment is that he provides a heroine that you can't help rooting for. Plus, the bad guys are really shitty bad guys that will hesitate at nothing to get what they want. In order for Judgment to work as well as it does is to have a protagonist that has the right connections. Once the antagonist is discovered, it's hard seeing how an every-man has a chance.
Although I objected to finally coming off this roller coaster with Joseph Finder and Judge Brody, I am excited to tell other fans of his work that Judgment is a great, fast-paced thriller, that I have come to expect from Finder. I find in favor of Finder's fans.
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
Judgment introduces us to the honorable Judge Juliana Brody who usually plays it safe until one night, against her better judgment, she has a one-night stand. Determined to move on and get back to walking the straight and narrow path, Juliana is blind-sided when she sees the man she had the one-night stand with in her courtroom as counsel for the defendants. Because the case she is presiding over is a high profile Enter the requisite blackmail notice and readers might suspect Judgment will be unoriginal... but everyone makes mistakes. It's OK. That's why we have judges to make it right.
Juliana Brody proves her self to be a formidable adversary for the extremely bad powers that be. Knowing that any move she makes could lead to either death or humiliation, she charges forward with her plans to tilt the scales of justice in her favor.
What Finder makes work here in Judgment is that he provides a heroine that you can't help rooting for. Plus, the bad guys are really shitty bad guys that will hesitate at nothing to get what they want. In order for Judgment to work as well as it does is to have a protagonist that has the right connections. Once the antagonist is discovered, it's hard seeing how an every-man has a chance.
Although I objected to finally coming off this roller coaster with Joseph Finder and Judge Brody, I am excited to tell other fans of his work that Judgment is a great, fast-paced thriller, that I have come to expect from Finder. I find in favor of Finder's fans.
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
March 26, 2023
Excellent. Finder creates a winning, strong protagonist who pays for a misstep. Constant suspense and action. Plus, he gets the "parents-of-a-teenage-boy" scenes (and worries about an out-of-sight daughter), emotion, and anxiety exactly right. Great character development around the protagonist's family.
Something I always like about Finder's books is that he describes and plays out the suspense and conflict in familiar, but complex settings--in this case a Massachusetts court case becomes a global thriller. He's also superb at putting his protag into "no way out" situations: the reader waits breathlessly to learn IF the protag will find her way out.
And, as always, good use of technology.
Highly recommended.
Something I always like about Finder's books is that he describes and plays out the suspense and conflict in familiar, but complex settings--in this case a Massachusetts court case becomes a global thriller. He's also superb at putting his protag into "no way out" situations: the reader waits breathlessly to learn IF the protag will find her way out.
And, as always, good use of technology.
Highly recommended.
January 22, 2019
“Judgmentâ€� by Joseph Finder poses the question “How much will a mother, wife, judge, do to protect her family?â€� It is a story rich in complexity and moral challenges. Judge Juliana Brody is Chicago on a business trip when she meets MatÃas Sanchez. It was just one night, but a night that will change everything about her life forever.
Juliana’s husband, Duncan, is a professor at New England Law. There were a few problems in their marriage, if she were being honest, that were bigger than that one incident, three years previously. Daughter Ashley, eighteen, is working in Africa during a “break year� between high school and college. Jake, sixteen, is in remission from childhood leukemia, but like a shark’s fin in the water, the possibility of a relapse always lurks around. He is in academic trouble at school and is using marijuana via a vape pen. Very soon, none of these problems will matter.
Judge Brody is handling several cases, but one, “Rachel Meyers v. Wheelz,â€� is complex, troubling, and taking too long. A young woman is suing a hot new ride‑hailing start‑up for sex discrimination. In the midst of the proceedings, a new member of the defense team is introduced, MatÃas Sanchez. She slowly understands that she has been used, seduced, set up. Then, someone is dead.
The plot revealed as Juliana Brody sees the world. Readers learn about her, her family, and her work. Little details make the characters come alive, what they wear, what they eat, and what they like to do. Finder creates tension that permeates even everyday activities; fear and danger hang on every page, over every mundane event, in every conversation, and around every corner. Readers connect with Brody, become part of the process, make discoveries, weigh choices, and fear the outcome. The body count rises as layer after layer of deception is peeled away to find the rotten evil core. Readers keep turning pages searching for clues, and looking for options and solutions. Then, there is a plan.
Finder has created a complicated web of double cross, espionage, financial impropriety, and international conspiracy at the highest levels. “Judgement� is a compelling story of corporate misdeeds, corruption, and just plain dirty work of the utmost nastiness. Readers should plan time wisely because once one starts reading, it is impossible to put down. I received a review copy of “Judgement� from Joseph Finder, Dutton, and Penguin Publishing Group.
Juliana’s husband, Duncan, is a professor at New England Law. There were a few problems in their marriage, if she were being honest, that were bigger than that one incident, three years previously. Daughter Ashley, eighteen, is working in Africa during a “break year� between high school and college. Jake, sixteen, is in remission from childhood leukemia, but like a shark’s fin in the water, the possibility of a relapse always lurks around. He is in academic trouble at school and is using marijuana via a vape pen. Very soon, none of these problems will matter.
Judge Brody is handling several cases, but one, “Rachel Meyers v. Wheelz,â€� is complex, troubling, and taking too long. A young woman is suing a hot new ride‑hailing start‑up for sex discrimination. In the midst of the proceedings, a new member of the defense team is introduced, MatÃas Sanchez. She slowly understands that she has been used, seduced, set up. Then, someone is dead.
The plot revealed as Juliana Brody sees the world. Readers learn about her, her family, and her work. Little details make the characters come alive, what they wear, what they eat, and what they like to do. Finder creates tension that permeates even everyday activities; fear and danger hang on every page, over every mundane event, in every conversation, and around every corner. Readers connect with Brody, become part of the process, make discoveries, weigh choices, and fear the outcome. The body count rises as layer after layer of deception is peeled away to find the rotten evil core. Readers keep turning pages searching for clues, and looking for options and solutions. Then, there is a plan.
Finder has created a complicated web of double cross, espionage, financial impropriety, and international conspiracy at the highest levels. “Judgement� is a compelling story of corporate misdeeds, corruption, and just plain dirty work of the utmost nastiness. Readers should plan time wisely because once one starts reading, it is impossible to put down. I received a review copy of “Judgement� from Joseph Finder, Dutton, and Penguin Publishing Group.
March 13, 2019
This was not one of Joseph Finder's best books. I like books about strong & feisty women, which in many ways Judge Brody is, but in other ways she was portrayed as being really dumb. The book was unbelievable & in the end, everything was neatly tied up with a red ribbon. The funniest part was the dog's chew toy, portrayed as Trump. Finder's earlier books were much better, as is the case with so many other authors.
February 2, 2019
I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read with suspense that built over the entirety of the story, mostly of the psychological type, but with some dead bodies thrown in occasionally. I was always eager to find out what was going to happen next.
January 30, 2019
I’ve read that there are no new, original plots, only new ways to tell an existing plot. This book takes the dumbest, most boring, told a gazillion times plot and does nothing even remotely original or even interesting with it.
You just want to slap the lead character silly for being so stupid in how she handles the situation.
Finder is one of my three favorite authors. I adore his writing. It was tedious but I kept reading because I hoped Finder would redeem himself and turn this completely loser plot into something interesting, but he didn’t.
You just want to slap the lead character silly for being so stupid in how she handles the situation.
Finder is one of my three favorite authors. I adore his writing. It was tedious but I kept reading because I hoped Finder would redeem himself and turn this completely loser plot into something interesting, but he didn’t.
March 24, 2019
I have read all of Joseph Finder's novels and have always enjoyed them, and this one was no exception. A nice break from the string of psychological suspense books I've been reading. Judgment was a compelling legal thriller, with some espionage thrown in, and although the ending may have been somewhat implausible, I found it hard to put down. Another great read from one of my favorite authors!
February 17, 2019
Smart and so intriguing! Loved it! The attention to detail was fantastic. This was my first book by Joseph Finder and I can see now why he’s my husband’s favorite author. A female judge who’s being blackmailed? The author hooked from the start! Suspenseful, intelligent and very witty, ‘Judgment� was a fantastic crime thriller. Highly recommend.
February 3, 2019
The Judgement was fast paced and difficult to put down. A great thriller involving a female judge trapped in situation that could ruin her career and family. The characters are good, my favorite - the private investigator.
March 13, 2020
Sorry- but the end of the books was so unrealistic -it ruined the book for me!
December 10, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book! I finished it in two days! I was in such a reading slump finally I picked this book and I completely devoured it! The Judgment by Joseph Finder was a complete thrill ride, Juliana Brody is a Superior Court Judge in Boston. While attending a legal conference she decides to have a few drinks at the hotel bar. This is not a normal act by her she usually stops at one and leads a pretty scheduled life and she prides herself on that. She meets the handsome man Matias he’s a stranger and she commits an indiscretion. This wouldn’t be a problem except she’s married and a mother of two. The next day she heads home and decides this was a mistake and she puts the incident behind her. The next day she heads into court on a huge sexual harassment case against a large corporation. The handsome stranger ends up being a lawyer for the large corporation that’s being sued and she’s the judge! Soon she’s being threatened to out her affair that was video taped, threats against her life and her families unless she rules a certain way on the case. Juliana soon realizes she can’t trust anyone and whose behind the threats and can anyone in her life be trusted or do they all have a motive. This book had it all for me, murder , mystery thriller and I highly recommend it! Four stars!
August 13, 2019
I love Joseph Finder’s thrillers they are some of the most addictive out there, always with hugely engaging characters and unpredictably clever storylines.
This one was excellent- a one night stand and Judge Juliana Brody is in all sorts of hot water with seemingly no way out. Turns out though that the bad guys messed with the wrong woman..
I rated the fact that our main protagonist was a normal human being who just happened to have a clever head on her shoulders, who refused to give up even when the odds were stacked against her. Flawed yet steady, scared yet unbowed.
It is a page turner of a read where nothing is guaranteed and the author works in the little twists and turns with pitch perfect, well, Judgement�
Overall a fantastic read that I devoured in one sitting.
Recommended.
May 26, 2022
JUDGMENT is a bit of a stretch. I will admit that judges can be bought and blackmailed--but this story seems beyond the pale. If a judge is going to be foolish enough to have a one-night stand--why, pray tell, does she not have it in her own room.
The conspiracies nestled within conspiracies like Russian nesting dolls are more annoying than intriguing. I wish I cared more for Juliana Brody or her husband or her son. They are characters in search of a sympathetic reader.
The conspiracies nestled within conspiracies like Russian nesting dolls are more annoying than intriguing. I wish I cared more for Juliana Brody or her husband or her son. They are characters in search of a sympathetic reader.
February 7, 2019
Although I like the writing style of the author, I gave this book one star because the outcome of the storyline is completely unbelievable, not realistic. No one who battles the forces of evil, such as those described in this book, comes out unscathed. It’s just not possible.
April 8, 2020
The longer the story went on, the more bored I became. It just seemed to drone on and on and on..off to the cemetery of unfinished books
January 1, 2020
The book started off OK, but became entrenched in complex corruption schemes. It was hard to follow. I started skimming non-essential parts in effort to be done.
February 22, 2019
I looked back at my comments on the last Finder I read, and I'd say the same this time: this might be better read--at a very fast pace--than listened to. Then there's less sighing and eye-rolling when stupid decisions are made. The book has an interesting premise: a well-respected judge on her way, possibly, to the Supreme Court makes a bad decision one night at a conference--and then she's blackmailed with evil guys wanting her to make a very bad decision in the case she's hearing, one involving sexual harassment. She doesn't want to play...and just when you decide it's time for the Russia connection to raise it's head, there it is! The judge becomes something of a superwoman who devises a plan to trap the bad Russian after neither FBI, Congress, nor CIA will help her. She carries out her scheme, practically on her own. Read it for the thrills and twists, savor the black and white characters, applaud the resolution, but don't spend a lot of time thinking about how it all plays out.
July 22, 2019
JUDGMENT exploded at the start with intense suspense with the promise of a spectacular fireworks display of thrills and chills. Regrettably, it fizzled and imploded, resulting in a dud.
The characters are flat, one dimensional duds. They are not developed and this reader feels no connection with any of them. There is a great deal of telling, but not showing.
The storyline begins with an intriguing complex plot. Too many details (including unimportant ones not germane to the story) bog down the plot, adversely affecting the pacing. Additionally, the intriguing plot becomes a quagmire of complicated details to the point of becoming convoluted and ridiculously far-fetched. Suspension of disbelief can only be effective if it is in the realm of plausibility. The end game in JUDGMENT precludes any sense of reality, thus the denouement is most disappointing.
Background of the judicial system is very interesting and enlightening and is the saving grace for Judgment.
The characters are flat, one dimensional duds. They are not developed and this reader feels no connection with any of them. There is a great deal of telling, but not showing.
The storyline begins with an intriguing complex plot. Too many details (including unimportant ones not germane to the story) bog down the plot, adversely affecting the pacing. Additionally, the intriguing plot becomes a quagmire of complicated details to the point of becoming convoluted and ridiculously far-fetched. Suspension of disbelief can only be effective if it is in the realm of plausibility. The end game in JUDGMENT precludes any sense of reality, thus the denouement is most disappointing.
Background of the judicial system is very interesting and enlightening and is the saving grace for Judgment.
February 5, 2019
Great premise. Unbelievable development. Could never be. A judge becomes superwoman all within days. A spy. A lecturer. A defender of family.
Two stars becuz I fought my way through the end.
Two stars becuz I fought my way through the end.
April 16, 2019
Mildly entertaining, implausible in some cases and playing into the modern Russian politics and financial scandals plaguing the world economy.
September 3, 2020
I really enjoyed this, my second Joseph Finder book. There was more action and although still far-fetched, not as much so as . Once again, our protagonist is someone who makes a decision to do something stupid that has repercussions that ripple far beyond the initial act, but this time it is a female, who happens to be a judge. I found it well-written, engaging, and the pages turned quickly. I wasn't so interested in the Russia angle, although that certainly brought this novel currency, especially with the Putin references. Too bad he has become so much an unwelcome part of our US politics for real!
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