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Joseph Antonelli #3
The Judgment
No one had a more brilliant legal mind than Judge Calvin Jeffries. And no one cared less about the law and more about power. That is, until Jeffries is found murdered in a courthouse parking lot. The crime shocks the community, but justice is swift. Jeffries's killer is caught, confesses, and then unexpectedly commits suicide in his jail cell. The case is closed.
Soon a second judge is stabbed to death under identical circumstances. This time the suspect is a homeless derelict who doesn't even know his wn name. Like the Jeffries murder, the killing appears to be an open-and-shut case, and a copycat crime as well.
Soon a second judge is stabbed to death under identical circumstances. This time the suspect is a homeless derelict who doesn't even know his wn name. Like the Jeffries murder, the killing appears to be an open-and-shut case, and a copycat crime as well.
Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2009
4 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
D.W. Buffa
34 books68 followersD.W. Buffa (full name: Dudley W. Buffa) was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. After graduation from Michigan State University, he studied under Leo Strauss, Joseph Cropsey and Hans J. Morgenthau at the University of Chicago where he earned both an M.A. and a Ph. D. in political science. He received his J.D. degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Buffa was a criminal defense attorney for 10 years and his seven Joseph Antonelli novels strive to reflect, from his own experience, what a courtroom lawyer does, the way he (or she) thinks, and the way he feels about what he does.
Buffa had been writing for pleasure for many years when Henry Holt and Co. decided to publish his first novel, The Defense, in 1997. The week it was published, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, the literary critic of the New York Times, called The Defense ‘an accomplished first novel" which ‘leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning and read it over again."
The Defense was followed by The Prosecution and then The Judgment, which was one of the five books nominated in 2002 for the Edgar Award as best novel of the year. While the first three novels are set in Portland, the author's fourth novel, The Legacy, takes place in San Francisco and is as much a political thriller as it is legal thriller. Star Witness tells the story of Stanley Roth, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who is charged with murder of his famous movie star wife.
Breach of Trust, published in 2004, was considered by one critic as "one of the few books that fifty years from now will really matter." It offers readers a scintillating look at Washington politics. Buffa's seventh Joseph Antonelli novel, Trial by Fire, was released in 2005; in this latest Antonelli book, the focus is on the media and the role that television "Talking heads" increasingly play in very high profile criminal cases. Publishers Weekly says of Trial by Fire, "In this intelligent, gripping legal thriller... fast moving dialogue and fine sense of characterization keep the reader hanging on for the ride."
The author's last several novels reflect a subtle shift in storyline from D.W. Buffa's original 'judicial' arena into the the broader one of politics. Buffa has built a new series around protagonist Senator Bobby Hart, an Antonelli-type everyday hero of strong moral fiber who is willing to take on "The Establishment" for the betterment of his constituents...
D.W. Buffa lives in Northern California.
Buffa had been writing for pleasure for many years when Henry Holt and Co. decided to publish his first novel, The Defense, in 1997. The week it was published, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, the literary critic of the New York Times, called The Defense ‘an accomplished first novel" which ‘leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning and read it over again."
The Defense was followed by The Prosecution and then The Judgment, which was one of the five books nominated in 2002 for the Edgar Award as best novel of the year. While the first three novels are set in Portland, the author's fourth novel, The Legacy, takes place in San Francisco and is as much a political thriller as it is legal thriller. Star Witness tells the story of Stanley Roth, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who is charged with murder of his famous movie star wife.
Breach of Trust, published in 2004, was considered by one critic as "one of the few books that fifty years from now will really matter." It offers readers a scintillating look at Washington politics. Buffa's seventh Joseph Antonelli novel, Trial by Fire, was released in 2005; in this latest Antonelli book, the focus is on the media and the role that television "Talking heads" increasingly play in very high profile criminal cases. Publishers Weekly says of Trial by Fire, "In this intelligent, gripping legal thriller... fast moving dialogue and fine sense of characterization keep the reader hanging on for the ride."
The author's last several novels reflect a subtle shift in storyline from D.W. Buffa's original 'judicial' arena into the the broader one of politics. Buffa has built a new series around protagonist Senator Bobby Hart, an Antonelli-type everyday hero of strong moral fiber who is willing to take on "The Establishment" for the betterment of his constituents...
D.W. Buffa lives in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 11, 2019
D.W. Buffa returns with another novel in the Joseph Antonelli legal series that will keep readers on the edge of their seat as the case slowly reveals itself. In a story layered in nuances and subplots that are as interesting as the central case itself, the reader will have to focus all their attention to catch every aspect and piece the case together effectively. Judge Calvin Jeffries is dead after having his throat slit. Jeffries’ murder remains a mystery as many gather to remember his life, including Joseph Antonelli. It is at the reception that many recount the time that Antonelli and Jeffries clashed, an event Portland’s premier defence attorney would like to forget. However, Antonelli knows that there is more to the story, which includes the plight of Elliott Winston, an up-and-coming lawyer that Antonelli tried to guide and who struck up an odd friendship with the judge. Winston is now locked away in an institution for the criminally insane and expresses little distress when Antonelli shares the news. After some quick police work, a suspect is arrested for the murder and a press conference is called. Antonelli tries to get himself appointed as defence counsel to the homeless man, but the suspect commits suicide in his cell after offering a full confession. Case closed, or so it would seem. When another judge is found murdered in the same manner a few months later, another homeless man is arrested, but he’s chosen to stay mute. Antonelli takes up the case and brings it to trial, though there is something that does not make sense with the case. Might all this have some tangential connection to Elliott Winston? Antonelli cannot shake the possibility, but will have to put all his efforts into defending his latest client. If that were not enough, his high school sweetheart has resurfaced, leaving Antonelli to process feelings he thought were long buried. An excellent legal thriller that slowly reveals itself, leaving the dedicated reader to patiently peel back all the layers to get to the truth. Recommended to series fans and those who want a deeper and darker legal tale to keep them enthralled.
Let me first say that the time it took me to read this book—a week—should not be indicative of my feelings about it. Life happens and I wish I had been able to dedicate more time, over a shorter period, to getting through it. I have read and enjoyed a handful of novels by D.W. Buffa, both political and legal thrillers, each one as powerful as the last. Joseph Antonelli’s backstory is again pulled into the forefront of this novel, both a more recent past—covering Judge Jeffries and Elliott Winston—and that of decades ago. Both these narratives fill in some of the gaps that series fans may have discovered with the protagonist, though it is the current-day developments that enrich the character even more. With a sharp legal mind and the determination to get his clients the justice they deserve, Antonelli dazzles readers while leaving the prosecution cursing themselves. A handful of supporting characters serve to keep the story moving forward, all of whom are new to the series. This permits the reader to see Antonelli react in new and surprising ways. The story itself was great, though it will take much attention and some mental gymnastics to keep the storylines straight, somewhat important in the overall novel. Buffa never makes it easy, but the narrative flows well and the reader will be rewarded by being patient and staying the course. The legal arguments are intriguing and presented in a captivating manner, which only adds to the allure of the novel. I am committed to the series and cannot wait to forge ahead to see what else Buffa has in store for Antonelli, while providing interesting approaches to criminal defence. Not a courtroom thriller series to be dismissed, though I warn readers who want something light, this may not be for you.
Kudos, Mr. Buffa, for keeping me entertained throughout. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for us in the series and what antics Antonelli will undertake.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Let me first say that the time it took me to read this book—a week—should not be indicative of my feelings about it. Life happens and I wish I had been able to dedicate more time, over a shorter period, to getting through it. I have read and enjoyed a handful of novels by D.W. Buffa, both political and legal thrillers, each one as powerful as the last. Joseph Antonelli’s backstory is again pulled into the forefront of this novel, both a more recent past—covering Judge Jeffries and Elliott Winston—and that of decades ago. Both these narratives fill in some of the gaps that series fans may have discovered with the protagonist, though it is the current-day developments that enrich the character even more. With a sharp legal mind and the determination to get his clients the justice they deserve, Antonelli dazzles readers while leaving the prosecution cursing themselves. A handful of supporting characters serve to keep the story moving forward, all of whom are new to the series. This permits the reader to see Antonelli react in new and surprising ways. The story itself was great, though it will take much attention and some mental gymnastics to keep the storylines straight, somewhat important in the overall novel. Buffa never makes it easy, but the narrative flows well and the reader will be rewarded by being patient and staying the course. The legal arguments are intriguing and presented in a captivating manner, which only adds to the allure of the novel. I am committed to the series and cannot wait to forge ahead to see what else Buffa has in store for Antonelli, while providing interesting approaches to criminal defence. Not a courtroom thriller series to be dismissed, though I warn readers who want something light, this may not be for you.
Kudos, Mr. Buffa, for keeping me entertained throughout. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for us in the series and what antics Antonelli will undertake.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
June 2, 2017
Great story. Deeper than many "legal thrillers", pretty dark, and rather depressing. I really like the main character, Joe Antonelli, and his sleazy colleagues. I knew the old girlfriend was going to be a pain as soon as she arrived, and I wasn't wrong. Interesting portrayals of mental health institutions and patients, as well as trials, although I'm not sure how realistic they all were. Still, it made for a good story. Through the whole book, it was obvious that everything that could go wrong would, but that didn't keep you from holding out hope that maybe some things would come right in the end. Fortunately, not every character's ending was bad. I'll definitely read more of his books!
January 5, 2024
My 1st Buffa novel. The 3rd in the Joseph Antonelli series. I will be back for more. Court room drama at its best. Memorable characters. A plot which keeps you involved. Descriptions and phrasing which excel at allowing the reader to see and feel what the characters are experiencing.
January 18, 2018
Il finale più triste per l'avvocato Antonelli.
Questa volta la storia è più incentrata sulla vita privata dell'avvocato Antonelli, ma l'analisi dei meccanismi legali che portano a determinati giudizi è sempre molto accurata e spiegata egregiamente. La prosa di Buffa non è mai pesante e non si perde mai in cavilli macchinosi.
Il caso in questione è sempre sviscerato con profonda umanità e comprensione per le persone: al centro della storia non c'è mai solo un processo o un meccanismo legale, ma la persona, colpevole o innocente, in quanto tale.
E, quando arrivi al finale e pensi che ormai stavolta non ci saranno colpi di scena dell'ultim'ora, Buffa arriva a sorprenderti nell'ultimissima pagina. Grande!!!
Questa volta la storia è più incentrata sulla vita privata dell'avvocato Antonelli, ma l'analisi dei meccanismi legali che portano a determinati giudizi è sempre molto accurata e spiegata egregiamente. La prosa di Buffa non è mai pesante e non si perde mai in cavilli macchinosi.
Il caso in questione è sempre sviscerato con profonda umanità e comprensione per le persone: al centro della storia non c'è mai solo un processo o un meccanismo legale, ma la persona, colpevole o innocente, in quanto tale.
E, quando arrivi al finale e pensi che ormai stavolta non ci saranno colpi di scena dell'ultim'ora, Buffa arriva a sorprenderti nell'ultimissima pagina. Grande!!!
June 29, 2019
This was my first D.W. Buffa book and I was not disappointed really liked the battle in the start ( antonelli has with judge jeffries) About half way thru i had kind of figured who was behind the murders but it was good to see how it came about. Would definitely recommend you willnot be disappointed
March 25, 2020
Me encantó el libro y el protagonista, ame la forma tan adecuada de describir su personalidad y me gusta mucho que es consecuente con lo que dice y hace. Tarde casi tres meses en leerlo y todavía no sé por qué si es un libro muy bueno. Lo único que no me gustó fue la historia de amor, me parce que está de relleno, aunque tuvo mucho sentido y peso al final.
November 12, 2024
I enjoy reading books which focus on the court room. I am tired about reading about serial killers and how they are caught at the end of the book. As readers, we know this is not true. Mr. Buffa has done a superb in writing this book. The plot is not simplistic but rather complexed. The characters are flawed but what person isn't. Enjoy your read,
September 3, 2025
el libro es realmente malo. Pese a llamarse "El Juicio" pasa casi 70% del libro antes de que, en realidad, haya un juicio. Es tanto el tiempo que se dedica a la vida amorosa del protagonista que pensé que al final eso tendría algún impacto en el desenlace del libro... pero no, era simple relleno. Ya había leido al autor un par de veces y me habia gustado, pero este no tiene nada rescatable
May 9, 2017
A good read although the ending is somewhat farcical - and predictable.
November 5, 2017
Too much filler, stuff doesn't tie together and stuff left unfinished
February 28, 2018
I forgot how much I love the writing of Buffa. This is great writing! Recommended.
June 12, 2018
Slow beginning, strong finish.
October 5, 2019
Wow! These just keep getting better. Can’t wait to pick up the next one.
June 28, 2020
I love legal thrillers the courtroom drama, jury and judges...
October 9, 2023
The trial action in this novel was pretty good, but the build up was too long. The personal stuff was not interesting. And the actual plot was very weird.
October 7, 2024
I have just re-read "The Judgment" by D W. Buffa. The author was a defense attorney for ten years, and it shows in all his books. An excellent thriller.
November 26, 2007
Downloaded from Audible.com
Narrator: Dennis Predovic
Publisher: Hachette Audio, 2001
Length: 15 hours
Publisher's Summary
No one had a more brilliant legal career than Judge Calvin Jeffries. And no one cared less about the law and more about power. That is, until Jeffries is found murdered in a courthouse parking lot. The crime shocks the community, but justice is swift. Jeffries's killer is caught, confesses, and then unexpectedly commits suicide in his jail cell. The case is closed.
Soon a second judge is stabbed to death under identical circumstances. And like the Jeffries murder, the killing appears to be an open-and-shut case, and a copycat crime as well.
Yet there's one attorney who knows both sides of Judge Calvin Jeffries too well to believe the murders were simply random acts of violence. Attorney Joseph Antonelli agrees to defend the accused. What he discovers challenges everything he knows about crime and punishment...and himself. He uncovers a twisted trail of retribution and obsession that leads to the real killer - and a plan even more chillingly flawless than the mythical "perfect crime."
Narrator: Dennis Predovic
Publisher: Hachette Audio, 2001
Length: 15 hours
Publisher's Summary
No one had a more brilliant legal career than Judge Calvin Jeffries. And no one cared less about the law and more about power. That is, until Jeffries is found murdered in a courthouse parking lot. The crime shocks the community, but justice is swift. Jeffries's killer is caught, confesses, and then unexpectedly commits suicide in his jail cell. The case is closed.
Soon a second judge is stabbed to death under identical circumstances. And like the Jeffries murder, the killing appears to be an open-and-shut case, and a copycat crime as well.
Yet there's one attorney who knows both sides of Judge Calvin Jeffries too well to believe the murders were simply random acts of violence. Attorney Joseph Antonelli agrees to defend the accused. What he discovers challenges everything he knows about crime and punishment...and himself. He uncovers a twisted trail of retribution and obsession that leads to the real killer - and a plan even more chillingly flawless than the mythical "perfect crime."
June 27, 2008
A decent book as far as legal thrillers goes, although not my favorite by any means. At times it seems to get a bit slow and while it's not really difficult to follow, it does tend to leave me scratching my head from time to time about what kind of liberties were taken with the legal system. However most of these kinds of books do that to me anyway.
All in all though, it is a fun read, and while I had figured out who had been the real culprit of the story less than halfway through, I was still curious enough to see where it would end up that I continued on. The ending however seemed somewhat flat and anticlimactic to me.
A descent book, but not one that I would read more than once.
Favorite quotes/passages
"It's always good to outlive your enemies."
"Having nothing left to lose is kind of a liberation, isn't it?"
"Does anyone really know when they first begin to go mad?"
"But then, when I sat down and started to write, it all disappeared-everything-and all that I could remember was that I lost something I had thought was unforgettable."
All in all though, it is a fun read, and while I had figured out who had been the real culprit of the story less than halfway through, I was still curious enough to see where it would end up that I continued on. The ending however seemed somewhat flat and anticlimactic to me.
A descent book, but not one that I would read more than once.
Favorite quotes/passages
"It's always good to outlive your enemies."
"Having nothing left to lose is kind of a liberation, isn't it?"
"Does anyone really know when they first begin to go mad?"
"But then, when I sat down and started to write, it all disappeared-everything-and all that I could remember was that I lost something I had thought was unforgettable."
September 7, 2009
This is a fictional murder mystery. I was becoming discouraged wit the first 200 pages. The beginning introduced Jonathan Anottelli. Story dragged on. By the time the story took hold it was over. The long introduction to Anotelli's personal life defined the character's life, emotions and behaviors. Got it, know who he is. The last 150 pages which actually told the story was good. Too bad it took 200 pages of character definition. By the time you get to the actual story you were ready for it to be over.
September 7, 2016
Another excellent mystery, especially if you like following a legal dilemma. Reading about corruption in the legal system is indeed scary. Being a psych nurse, I was prepared for the final outcome, almost. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. The main character, Antonelli is good at his profession, but socially a bit of a loner. HIs aide,Howard Flynn, a recovering alcoholic, is a lawyer by education, but lost his license because of his drinking. He truly is a fantastic side-kick for Antonelli.
I was surprised by the ending.
I was surprised by the ending.
January 19, 2010
The story line was very good and the courtroom scenes were very descriptive. Buffa did a nice job of explaining the law as a part of the narration of the characters in the story and that made everything more interesting.
Oddy, I found this audio tape in Tuesday Mornings on the shelf while waiting for my wife shopping. We both listened to it while traveling and this encouraged me to go to the local library for more of Buffa.
Oddy, I found this audio tape in Tuesday Mornings on the shelf while waiting for my wife shopping. We both listened to it while traveling and this encouraged me to go to the local library for more of Buffa.
August 21, 2012
Published in 2001, I must have read this sometime between then & now & didnt remember it until well in to the storyline and then kept chugging along, knowing "whodunit" but not remembering the filler.If only I'd read the review first...(Self, take note.)
The dialog ranges from high reasoning to that with required (for me) large chunks of "suspension of disbelief." Not quite 4 stars, maybe somewhere in between.
The dialog ranges from high reasoning to that with required (for me) large chunks of "suspension of disbelief." Not quite 4 stars, maybe somewhere in between.
January 13, 2015
It was a page turner and there was much about it that I enjoyed. However, I do wish that the author was as well-versed in mental health as he is in the law . . . at least I am assuming he is well versed in the law. There was a major disappointment/bewilderment in the end which might have been fixed with a one or two sentence explanation.
October 11, 2014
The book starts off slow- with probably a lot of unnecessary character sketches and love interests, but the last half is what makes the book most interesting. Definitely want to try out some other book by this author.
July 31, 2015
A remarkable thing about this book. Like a lot of fiction I have read, I don't remember the plot of the book even after reading the Goodreads synopsis. The thing is, why is the word judgement misspelled?
June 10, 2009
This is a great book! First I've read by this author so I'm going to head to the library and grab another... keep your fingers crossed!
July 4, 2010
Great start.. Really gripping. Rest not so great.
Read
March 24, 2012interesting read. unique slant looking inside the mind of someone criminally insane. Worth the read.
September 19, 2012
This could make a very good film - minus the side love story.
March 9, 2013
Interesting book. Liked the writing style and character development and would like to read more by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews