Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Fabulous story by Joseph Finder who is one of my favourite authors!! Love everything he writes, and this one is no exception!

Absolutely brilliant thriller as usual from Joseph Finder. The plot was really interesting following Judge Brody as she takes on a case about sex descrimination and finds herself in the cross hairs.

I loved the characters and in particular enjoyed reading about Judge Brody, she was an amazingly strong female character yet flawed

Highly recommend

Joesph Finder is one of the nicest guys writing today. Sends Christmas cards to his fans every year. His latest book, Judgement is and exciting thrill ride. Always a go to author you can’t miss on to keep you up at night. Highly recommend

This is the first book I have read by Joseph Finder although I do own others. In this book the question is how far would a mother, wife and judge do to protect her family? There are a few moral challenges in the storyline.

Judge Juliana Brody goes on a business trip to Chicago where she meets Mathias Sanchez. It was one night, but it’s a night that will change everything about her life for good.

Duncan, Juliana’s husband is a professor at New England Law. There have been troubles within the marriage which were far bigger than her one night stand three years previously. Their eighteen year old daughter Ashley is taking a gap year between high school and college. She is working in Africa. Sixteen year old Jake is in remission from childhood leukaemia, but with a click of the fingers he could relapse any time.
Jake is struggling academically at school and is smoking marijuana via a vape pen. But will these things matter?

Judge Brody is handling a few cases but one of them is quite complex, Rachel Meyers v. Wheels it’s case that is troubling and is taking too long. It involves a young woman Rachel Meyers suing a hot new ride-hailing start up company for sex discrimination. In the middle of proceedings a new member of the defence team is introduced Mathias Sanchez. Judge Brody realises she has been used, seduced and set up. But then someone is dead but who?

The reader gets to know more about Judge Brody, her family and her work. Bringing her to life.

Joseph Finder adds lots of little details such To his characters, what they eat, and what they do for recreation along with many other characteristics this brings them to life and more relatable in some cases. The tension builds up as you turn the pages. There is corruption, misdeeds, a complicated web of espionage, double cross, financial impropriety and international conspiracy at the highest level.

This is a well thought out and written plot, driven by the characters. I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.

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.

Gritty, engaging, and a must-read for legal thriller readers, JUDGMENT by Joseph Finder has plenty of drama and subterfuge to sink your teeth into.

Superior Court judge, Juliana Brody, takes her family life with her husband and children, and her career very seriously and never strays from the honest and proper path. Until one night at a conference in Chicago, where she connects with a stranger and has a one-night-stand. Exhilarating in unexpected ways, Juliana is happy to put this episode behind her. After all, it is not like she will ever see him again. That is until he walks into her courtroom as she presides over a sexual discrimination case that is gaining traction. And it soon hits her that their encounter wasn't random at all. She was targeted and unless she gets this case thrown out, her indiscretion, along with her career and her marriage, will be destroyed. But Juliana isn't easily cowed and she wonders why this case is so important that it would warrant such pressure? But as she digs deeper and deeper into the truth, she will unlock deeper and darker secrets than she could ever imagine. Secrets that they will kill to remain hidden.

I haven't read too many books in this genre so am by no means an expert, but I certainly enjoyed the layers and tension that jumps off the page in JUDGMENT. The characters are compelling and while Juliana is not exactly likeable, you cannot help but admire her determination to not give in and uncover the truth.

​JUDGMENT by Joseph Finder is not an action-packed thriller but a slower-paced, unfurling of lies, power, and murder all set against a legal background which makes it excellent to read.

Oooh, this is superb!  Attention grabbing from the beginning unfolding into a riveting read!

Juliana Brody is quite a woman. As a judge, she upholds the law to the fullest letter; as a person, she holds herself to the same high principles - until one day, she lets her moral judgement slip and despite her marriage, she sleeps with another man. Agreeing with him that they never contact each other again, she is utterly horrified when one week later he walks into her courtroom - but that is only the beginning . . .

This is a totally different scenario to any other I've come across in a novel; the moral dilemma is in competition with everything else which is going on and it totally dominated my thoughts whilst I was reading it. I really wasn't sure where it was going - but, wow, what a story! Very cleverly structured, beautifully written in an easy flowing style which is so easy to read, I could hardly drag my focus away from it. With so many different ways this tale could go, I had no idea which direction it would take and the choices completely took me over. The final scenes are worth waiting for and left me with such a feeling of satisfaction at a wonderful novel, completely enjoyed. A stunningly great read, and one I totally recommend to every thriller lover and one which has earned every one of the full five stars I'm delighted to give it.

My thanks to publisher Head of Zeus for my copy and to Victoria Joss for including me in this Blog Tour. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.

Judge Juliana Brody has everything. She is highly regarded by her peers, has a happy marriage and two children, one of whom is in remission from cancer and she sits on the Massachusetts Superior Court. On a trip to Chicago to speak at a legal conference she makes an error of judgement that will jeopardise everything she holds dear.

I do love a legal thriller; there’s something about the complexities of the law that makes for a fascinating read and I love those cases where it is one individual pitched against a mighty corporation.

That’s the case here, where Judge Brody is presiding over the case of Rachel Meyers versus Wheelz. Meyers is claiming that the management of Wheelz created a hostile work environment where sexual harassment was rife. You wouldn’t think that would be worth killing over would you? And yet, someone is determined that Judge Brody needs to bring this trial to a speedy conclusion – in the defendant’s favour and they are prepared to do anything to make sure that happens.

Compromised, with her marriage damaged, Juliana has to decide whether to give up everything she stands for or to find a way to fight back. Along the way she will find a series of Government agencies that have been more than prepared to let the enemy in through the front door and to offer them a seat at the table.

Juliana tries hard to get out in front of the situation; these are seriously dangerous people unused and unprepared to be crossed. Eliciting help from a private investigator and her old friend Martha Connolly, Juliana must prepare for the fight of her life if she is to survive

Part legal thriller, part espionage story we’re back in cold war territory, except for the welcoming in the Russians with open arms, bit. The plot feels very contemporary, and although the basic premise is well –worn, Finder is able to bring some new twists to it.

The reader will, of course, have to suspend their disbelief in order to get the most out of this cat and mouse action thriller where things fall together in a way that does not mimic real life.

The chapters are short and sharp and there’s enough action and suspense in the story to keep you reading. But the plot is a bit of a leap; the middle is quite well padded and the characterisation lacks depth.

Nonetheless, this is exactly the sort of book I might take on a summer holiday. Entertaining, fast paced and you don’t have to think too hard about it.

Verdict: Summer reading for lovers of legal and espionage thrillers.

t’s no wonder Joseph Finder’s thrillers have been praised by luminaries of the genre. In his latest novel, Judgement, Joseph Finder has written a nerve-twisting, heart-pounding and deftly plotted chiller sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats desperate to find out what happens next.

Judge Juliana Brody is a woman who prides herself on being honest, ethical and principled. She adheres to the rules and is conscientious, meticulous and thorough in her work. Juliana is not a woman who loses control easily. She never drinks and is happily married and is not a woman who is given to impulse or spontaneity, but all her rules and resolves end up shattered when she meets a handsome stranger at a law convention and proceeds to have a one-night stand with him. Juliana’s actions that fateful night are completely out of character. She is a happily married woman and has never sought the thrill of casual sex with strangers. So what on earth possessed her to give into temptation and sleep with Matias? Juliana hopes to consign her moment of insanity to the past and to try her best to forget about it. Until a week later when Matias walks into her courtroom…

Juliana stands to lose everything if her one night stand with Matias ever comes to light. Her actions have not only jeopardised her marriage to a partner whom she loves, but she could also lose the career which means the world to her. Juliana has worked too hard and sacrificed far too much to let one mistake ruin her life. However, it looks like all of Juliana’s skeletons will come tumbling out of the closet with her latest case: a high profile sex discrimination case that ends up putting not just Juliana, but the people she loves most in the world, in mortal danger.

As dangerous obsessions, scandalous secrets and twisted desires come to shocking light, Juliana’s personal and professional lives begin to spiral out of control. With her life falling apart, will Juliana end up losing everything she has worked so hard for? With risk and jeopardy edging ever closer to her and time running out, can Juliana vanquish the enemies that are intent on destroying her and get her life back on track? Or is it simply too late?

A masterclass in suspense writing that is simply begging for a big screen adaptation, Judgment is one hell of a rollercoaster ride that will leave readers breathless. Brilliantly written, jaw-droppingly good and absolutely mesmerizing, Judgment is packed with shocks, thrills, chills and action galore and once readers start reading this outstanding thriller, putting it down will simply not be an option.

Joseph Finder is an ace storyteller who has penned a first rate read which will keep readers up burning the midnight oil until the early hours of the morning. Taut, tense and terrific, Judgment is a captivating tale that will go down a treat with fans of A.J. Finn, Clare Mackintosh and Gillian Flynn.

Juliana Brody is a Superior Court Judge who takes her profession very seriously and holds herself to a higher standing because of it, however, one night, after having drank one too many she has what she thinks is a harmless one night stand. She soon discovers that it was all a set up and the stakes are very high. I thought this was a good, suspenseful read that's a whee bit far fetched yet highly entertaining.

I'm a Joseph Finder fan. I've read and enjoyed most of his books. But this one gets a resounding "meh."

There's nobody in this book to root for -- not one person that I cared what happened to them. And the plot and how Juliana got involved in it? So improbable I kept going back to make sure I hadn't missed something somewhere. The resolution is trying desperately to be a Tom-Cruise-in-The-Firm sort of thing, but it misses. Bad.

Annoying things I couldn't get past: Juliana's husband's name is Duncan, and she calls him Dunc. Who goes by Dunc?! Far more bothersome is Finder's insistence on calling Juliana's office a lobby. Say what? I'm assuming this is some judge thing, and maybe it's unique to Massachusetts or something -- I don't know. I do know that calling the judge's chambers her lobby was so distracting that it took me out of the story every time it happened. At one point Juliana even corrects someone who calls it her chambers. Um, okay. Is it really that important? And do judges really refer to their "lobbies"? I know normal people don't. It's a novel -- let this detail go, Mr. Finder.

I'll probably still read Joseph Finder's next book. But this one is not his best effort.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Judgment
by Joseph Finder

Kindle Edition, 400 pages
Published January 29th 2019 by Dutton



Goodreads synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Joseph Finder returns with an explosive new thriller about a female judge and the one personal misstep that could lead to her--and her family's--undoing.

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 in a moment of weakness has an unforgettable night with him. They part with an explicit understanding that this must never happen again.

But back home in Boston, it becomes clear 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.  But 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


***

5 Stars

One of the last books I read by Joe Finder was Paranoia. And if you haven’t read it… go read it. It is wonderfully gripping and it really does have you looking over your own shoulder. I was working in a similar environment at the time and frankly, the book just freaked me out. I love Finder’s writing but going back into such a setting took me awhile. I have read other Finder books but none shook me as much as that one.

On to this title… this was is comparable to Paranoia in freak you out action and suspense. There isn’t just one big buildup in this book. It just keeps happening over and over.

This book is set in the justice system in Boston. Juliana Brody is randomly given a case that on the surface seems to be a sexual harassment/ unlawful firing suit. But it is so much more than that. When the judge’s first ever one night stand shows up in court, you know that things are about to explode. And the tension just keeps building from there. People die, people are horribly beaten and you wonder what in the heck is really going on here.

I couldn’t put this book down. I had to know why it all was happening. And if our justice system is really this f-ed up, Lord help us all. I marveled at how easily Finder moved from knowing about the justice system to spies, espionage, etc. The man has done his homework. Either that or he used to be a spy in another life.

This book floored me and I recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers. Highly recommended.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I haven't read all books of Joseph Finder, but my favorite is still Paranoia. I hoped Judgment to be as interesting and exiting as this title, but sadly I'm a little disappointed.
Judgment is a good read when you like thrillers that are rather predictable. The main character Juliana having just one glass too many and therefore a little tipsy, falling for this handsome man when she is away from home.
The handsome man turning out to be not so handsome on the inside. The trail that leads to big money, big money leading to Russian bad guys.
The family trouble... a teenage son who vapes mariuhana, which Juliana's husband thinks is ok as long as he doesn't smoke... the husband himself having had an affair in the not so distant past.
As for the writing, I always have a bit of trouble with stories where you meet new characters in every chapter, that you do not encounter later. Especially because you do not know beforehand whether those characters are going to play an important role or not. So I tend to forget all those names and have to read back later when someone turns up for a second time. And sometimes I thought: why didn't Juliana call him or her before?

Anyway, it is not a bad book, not for me at least. It's just not as good as I hoped it would be but I'm still happy to have read it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book for this honest review.

Juliana Brody is a successful Massachusetts Superior Court judge with a promising future who quickly is put in a difficult position while presiding over a sexual harassment case. While away at a conference, she makes a big mistake in having a one-night affair after deciding to have a second drink that she never has. That mistake becomes even bigger when the man she had the affair with becomes part of the defendant’s legal team. He lets Juliana know that he has a tape of their sexual encounter that he plans to release if she doesn’t rule on the case in their favor. Juliana wants to be a fair and honest judge and not give in to just protect her own interests. She hires a private detective to work with her so that she knows who she’s dealing with and how best to defend herself. She eventually decides to come clean with her husband and that puts even more pressure on her.

This is an interesting thriller that kept my interest all the way through. At times, it was a bit slower as Juliana works to learn more and delay the key decisions in the case. In this thriller, the reader often must not think too hard about why Juliana would take the risks she takes. This is typical of most thrillers I’ve read, and the best ones are so good at it you never even think about it and in the worst ones, you want to throw the book across the room in frustration and disbelief. This book is a good one that keeps the book moving along.

Hallelujah! What a pleasure to come across a smart intelligent female lead in this brilliantly crafted legal thriller. You imagine Type A women like Juliana lead perfect lives. Of course they do – mostly. But when things unravel they do so big time. This is a compelling pacy drama which revolves around a legal case perfectly put together for the post #MeToo era. I devoured it in 24 hours. It’s one I would recommend to all of my girlfriends.

Judgement is the latest thriller from Joseph Finder. Excellent story that at times has the reader on the edge of their seat waiting to see what comes next. Judgement feels so real and true to life that at times while reading I forgot it was make believe. I was given a copy to review.

This is a fast paced thriller about a judge who makes one mistake, albeit a huge one and pays for it. She is blackmailed by some unknown criminals who want her to rule a particular way in one of her cases.
I enjoyed the way that Juliana refuses to give in, hoping to save herself and protect her family. She is a strong female protagonist and it seems the blackmailers have picked on the wrong person.
The plot is compelling and as the novel progresses Juliana starts to investigate who her enemies are with some help from a private detective recommended by her friend and mentor Martie. The two bond as he pulls out all stops to help her.
Juliana’s personal life also plays a major role- she is having marital issues and her son is taking drugs and failing in school. She has to deal with all this as well as sort out her own problems.
This is a quick and enjoyable read which took me a few days to complete. I have not read any of this author’s books before but I shall certainly look out for them in the future.
If you like legal thrillers with a lot of intrigue this is the book for you.
A solid four stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book, for the first two thirds, was riveting. Then it just got too wordy, too ridiculous. Between the Russians and the CIA and the FBI and more Russians, I was literally reeling from all the names, all the prose. Disappointing that I had to just skim the fina, third of the book. So goes life.