27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Judge & Jury Will Pull You In And Never Let You Go, November 17, 2006
One of the things I love about James Patterson's books is his prose. It's a no-nonsense, no frills, "I am what I am" voice that doesn't try to entice you into the story with a lot of flowery language. In Judge & Jury, the story is written from a first-person perspective: that of FBI Senior Agent Nick Pellisante. For years, Nick has been on the trail of a powerful Mafia don, named Dominic Cavello, and his efforts are about to pay off. Nick trails Cavello to the wedding of his favorite niece and successfully captures him.
The story picks up the pace after Andie is introduced as one of the jurors selected for the court case against Cavello. Andie is a single mom and an out-of-work actress who is trying to make ends meet with low-paying acting jobs that her agent can get for her. The suspense heats up when Cavello's people hires a world-renown assassin to help him get out of jail. The assassin is successful and what follows is a devastating tragedy that forever changes the lives of those involved. Cavello's ruthlessness, however, puts him squarely in the path of an enraged mother who will stop at nothing to get her revenge.
Judge & Jury is an easy read but also very entertaining. You'll not be disappointed.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
I'm Puzzled. This Mystery is a Disappointment Yet, MR. Patterson can do better., May 29, 2007
I'm not sure what has happened to Mr. Patterson's writing skills, but it seems to me that a majority of his novels that he has co-wrote with someone have been real duds. I just finished reading his latest release, "The 6th Target and that was another real dud. All I can say to Mr. Patterson: "I have enjoyed many of your earlier novels, would you get serious and start creating well-written stories that you certainly have the talent to conceive."
There are numerous reviews that give a detailed account of the story, so I'll be brief. In the story "Judge and Jury", I almost got excited and began to read pages non-stop, but then the story started to fall apart again. At this point I was reading the scene where the mob leader is on trial for murder. Does he care? No. He just solves the problem by hiring an assassin to destroy the bus that the jury panel is riding on. Murder an entire jury? I just shook my head, wondering who was next: the judge, the DA?. I know this is fiction but the scenes should have some resemblance to the real world. Then we have Nick Pellisante, the FBI agent in hot pursuit of the mobster all over the world with a bank account that seems to have no bottom to it.
I was disappointed with the novel. It's not a terrible read, but I do feel that it is not a super mystery read. If you are a die hard fan of Mr. Patterson, you may find it an enjoyable read.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Snack... But Still not a Full Course Meal, August 1, 2006
James Patterson takes us on another exhilirating ride. Is it a fun ride? Why sure it is. Full of twists, turns and unexpected happenings. Yet, once again, as with a lot of recent books, Judge and Jury is the same as all his other books. Fans and readers of Patterson know exactly what to expect from this novel. Another fun ride, but again, Patterson doesn't go above and beyond to where he's capable of going. The pinnacle he reached with his earlier works is almost lost.
Dominic Cavello, known as "The Electrician" is a mob boss that FBI agent Nick Pellisante has been after for years. Nick Pellisante finally catches his man. The evidence against Dominic Cavello is more than enough to convict him. Ironclad. There's sure to be a conviction. When it's time for the Jury to come to a sentence, Cavello makes a move no one could predict. He hires a hitman who makes sure the jury is never able to come to a sentence. One of the jurors, Andie DeGrasse, wants to make sure that Dominic Cavello gets just what he deserves... and so she decides to help Nick Pellisante get to the bottom of what's going on, and make sure that justice is served. It's full of lots of plot twists and turns, and is an exhilirating ride, but once again, when you get down to the nitty gritty it's just another run of the mill thriller.
The book suffers from the usual Patterson folly: an implausible plot and unbelievable characters. In Judge and Jury it's much more noticeable than in his past books. Does it all come together in the end? Yes, but again, its a little on the unbelievable side. Even for James Patterson Judge and Jury borders on being a little too implausible at times.
The characters suffer more than the plot does itself. There's nothing that really makes you feel or care for these characters at all. It seems as if Patterson was really just digging to find the twist that makes your jaw drop. As usual he's able to do it, but when you get to it... you really don't care. The characters don't bring this thrill ride to life. A lot of them are lifeless and flat. For Patterson, the characters are more flat than usual. Nothing makes us care for these characters.
Patterson still maintains his good style at least. Short snappy chapters and a fast read. You'll be through 100 pages before you know it. The book does move at an alarming pace. Sometimes it moves too fast, though. This may be why some of the plot itself doesn't always fall into place, or why his characters are not developed well enough. Patterson's novels are not very long books, despite being more than 400 pages. They are easy novels to read and you should finish this one in a sitting or two.
Judge and Jury is a great thrill ride, but it is marred by the same things Patterson is always marred on. Lackluster characters, implausible plot and moving at a pace so fast even a track star wouldn't be able to keep up. Is the thrill ride worth it? Certainly it is. However, if you want a little meat on those bones... character development, steady pace, logical happenings and findings, you won't find it and Judge and Jury. So you might as well take it for it's worth... a fun ride.
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