Judgment

This is an exquisite game of cat and mouse. Finder is fully in his groove here. The guy never disappoints. Judgment rocks.

I finished Joseph Finder’s Judgment after six hours of high-adrenaline reading. What a great premise: A judge’s one-night fling a thousand miles from home becomes the basis for an attempt to blackmail her in an important case. And that is merely the first surprise. Judgment is smart, swift and well-informed. I loved it!

Joseph Finder has long been one of my very favorite thriller writers. Judgment is a stunning and utterly compelling page-turner by an author at the top of his game. I cannot remember when I last read a book so gripping and so satisfying.

Finder’s books, like those of Simon Lelic, are always easy to read and engaging but difficult for me to review afterwards, because when I stop to think about the plot I realize how many times I had to suspend disbelief just to keep reading. This leads me to the concomitant realization that, while they are engaging and generally quick reads, they have a lot more holes in the final analysis than one notices whilst in the midst of the reading… That isn’t to say the read itself isn’t an enjoyable one. They usually are, and this one was no exception. But there are so many times that these characters pull off amazing feats that would be utterly beyond believability if someone were to try to explain them outside of the pages of the story, that they become more difficult to defend once one tries to explain them to others…

Judge Juliana makes one epic mistake. The rest of the book is about the aftermath, which of course is much more convoluted than it first seemed. I can accept that, we all make mistakes all the time and life has a habit of throwing curveballs. What I can’t quite wrap my mind around is the way she ultimately extricates herself so seamlessly with very few lasting consequences, after pulling off Herculean Feats and mind-bending acts of deception that it seems like the people she was up against would have seen through every step of the way. I rolled my eyes quite a bit, even while continuing to turn pages to see what magic rabbit she’d pull out of her hat next.

Ultimately, I suppose it boils down to the fact that I did continue to turn the pages and I did want to see what would happen next. I would not consider this one of my favorites by Finder though. It felt a little more forced and formulaic then, for example, The Switch, which I more thoroughly enjoyed even though it too had some eye rolling moments. Still, I suppose the “average Joe wins the day” trope is a trope for a reason – there is an undeniable bit of glee to be found when a regular person defeats The Machine in whatever form it appears, and that’s likely what keeps readers coming back for more – even if that more is starting to lose some of its shine for me…

Thanks to the Penguin First to Read program for my review copy.

“Judgment” by Joseph Finder poses the question “How much will a mother, wife, judge, do to protect her family?” It is a story rich in complexity and moral challenges. Judge Juliana Brody is Chicago on a business trip when she meets Matías 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,” 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, Matías 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.

A Superior Court Judge who has a one-night stand. What else could possibly go wrong? For Judge Juliana Brody, everything. It turns out that her fling while visiting Chicago for a conference was not a random encounter.

She was set up by powerful forces in order to pressure her into ruling in favour of a defendant who was accused of sexual harassment. The ultimatum was simple: Dismiss the case or else they’ll release video footage of her sexual encounter, destroy her career and her marriage. When odds such as these are stacked against an individual, it’s easy to be drawn into this story, as the reader will be curious to know how Juliana could possibly get out of this mess.

There were intricate subplots, several questions raised with well-written chapters with cliffhanger endings that made this a suspenseful and enjoyable real page-turner.

Whenever I read a Joseph Finder novel, not only do I know that I will be entertained, there is always something new for me to learn which will help me grow as a thriller author.

I only wish that I had access to the numerous contacts such as police officers, lawyers, judges, government operatives, and other professionals that he does who can help me with my research. Perhaps someday. Kudos to Joseph Finder for doing extensive research in order to write such a realistic novel.

A terrific book – heck of a predicament! Don’t even think of cheating, not even for a one-night stand! But if you are caught, on film, what do you do? Great read.

Couldn’t put it down!

I think Joseph Finder is an amazing writer. His prose is taut, the action is fluid and believable and the suspense is top notch. This is a really clever story from an author at the top of his game. Read it in just 2 sittings, which is unusual for me these days. Very highly recommended.

Juliana is trying to figure out how she can get herself out of the scandal of a century when she comes face to face with her worse judgment ever. Can she figure out a way to save her family and her career? Always suspenseful, always relevant, Joseph Finder pins a tale that has the pages flying and the readers hooked.