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Judy
455 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 23, 2026
This was a great read! When Devildam runs aground in the estuarine lagoon of the Pamlico Sound after a storm, there doesn’t seem to be any immediate danger. They’re stuck fast but no one panics and Mick ‘Cap’ Barton seems to have everything under control. Soon, though, that changes and they’re all fighting for their lives.
There was such an interesting contrast between the waters of the Sound in North Carolina where Judy, great white shark and hunter, roams and the 39 foot charter fishing boat, Devildam, which contains the passengers, her prey.
The waters and the boat make the characters very reflective – they all have their problems and, right from the start, they’re contemplating their lives.
The descriptions of the Sound, the sharks and life on board the boat are vivid and the atmosphere was intense and unnerving. I also enjoyed the way that we saw things from Judy’s point of view.
Throughout the novel, there’s tension and a sense of menace and I was just waiting for something bad to happen and then … something even worse!
Overall, this was a fascinating read and I was immersed in the story and really enjoyed the nautical terms and the behaviour of the apex marine predators.
There was such an interesting contrast between the waters of the Sound in North Carolina where Judy, great white shark and hunter, roams and the 39 foot charter fishing boat, Devildam, which contains the passengers, her prey.
The waters and the boat make the characters very reflective – they all have their problems and, right from the start, they’re contemplating their lives.
The descriptions of the Sound, the sharks and life on board the boat are vivid and the atmosphere was intense and unnerving. I also enjoyed the way that we saw things from Judy’s point of view.
Throughout the novel, there’s tension and a sense of menace and I was just waiting for something bad to happen and then … something even worse!
Overall, this was a fascinating read and I was immersed in the story and really enjoyed the nautical terms and the behaviour of the apex marine predators.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2026
I devoured (sorry😂) this book I love a good shark story and this one had it all, the terror and suspense but not just that I loved the insight it gave into the sharks actions. Judy had her own POV which was a bit different and something I’d of never thought of, it was fascinating.
July 25, 2026
Maps can’t possibly tell a reader everything there is to know about a place.
The first few chapters got off to a thoughtful start as all of the characters were introduced and some of the problems they were currently struggling with in life were explored. I enjoyed the slower pacing in the beginning and thought it set up the middle and end beautifully. It also reminded me of how tides slowly move in and out on beaches and are often best enjoyed with a little patience to begin with. This was one of several subtle nautical references I took note of, and each one built on the ones that came before it to further strengthen my impression of just how much behind-the-scenes work and thought went into crafting this piece. Bravo!
While this was a plot-focused novel, I still would have liked to see a little more character development, particularly for Ava, Jack, and Danny. This family was the center of attention for most scenes, and Ava was the protagonist in most chapters as well. Had I been able to get to know them better, the last hundred pages or so would have been even more emotionally impactful as I waited to see who, if anyone, would actually survive the shark’s attacks. It was the only thing holding me back from selecting a full five-star review.
One of the unique things about the storyline was how plausible all of it was. There were no supernatural elements working behind the scenes to increase the danger of being stranded on a shoal as the tide came in. Everything that happened was completely realistic, including some cases of human error and the failure of key equipment, which only made it all that much scarier. This isn’t something I see enough of in this genre, and it has given me yet another reason to check out more of the author’s work in the future.
Judy was a spine-tingling work of horror that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first sentence to the last one.
The first few chapters got off to a thoughtful start as all of the characters were introduced and some of the problems they were currently struggling with in life were explored. I enjoyed the slower pacing in the beginning and thought it set up the middle and end beautifully. It also reminded me of how tides slowly move in and out on beaches and are often best enjoyed with a little patience to begin with. This was one of several subtle nautical references I took note of, and each one built on the ones that came before it to further strengthen my impression of just how much behind-the-scenes work and thought went into crafting this piece. Bravo!
While this was a plot-focused novel, I still would have liked to see a little more character development, particularly for Ava, Jack, and Danny. This family was the center of attention for most scenes, and Ava was the protagonist in most chapters as well. Had I been able to get to know them better, the last hundred pages or so would have been even more emotionally impactful as I waited to see who, if anyone, would actually survive the shark’s attacks. It was the only thing holding me back from selecting a full five-star review.
One of the unique things about the storyline was how plausible all of it was. There were no supernatural elements working behind the scenes to increase the danger of being stranded on a shoal as the tide came in. Everything that happened was completely realistic, including some cases of human error and the failure of key equipment, which only made it all that much scarier. This isn’t something I see enough of in this genre, and it has given me yet another reason to check out more of the author’s work in the future.
Judy was a spine-tingling work of horror that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first sentence to the last one.
July 7, 2026
I received this book courtesy of Booksprout for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Overview: Kealy's Crab Shack is celebrating a great quarter with a fishing charter. On the charter are: Larry and Caroline Kealy--the founders of Kealy's Crab Shack--, Shel, and a small family--Danny, Ava, and Jack--that is heading for a split. When the crew of the Devildam, Cap and Kid, tell them that the weather one the ocean is too dangerous, they agree to stay in the Sound. There's just one problem. A popular twenty-one foot great white, named Judy by the researchers, is hunting in the Sound. Who will survive this fishing trip? Let's find out.
Dislikes: Usually, a creature-feature won't develop the characters much, with the exception of the protagonists, or the human antagonists. This book, however, developed everyone on the boat, and did it well. Needless to say, this makes it so that the violent deaths seem more like overkill, and cruel. There are deaths that take over five pages to end the victim's suffering.
Likes: Danny was a good man. He wanted his family, and was willing to fight for it.
Caroline seemed like a wise woman, and quite willing to offer what advice that she could.
Conclusion: This book started out strong, but it didn't work for me in the end. If you like creature-features, then this book might be for you. Enjoy the read.
Overview: Kealy's Crab Shack is celebrating a great quarter with a fishing charter. On the charter are: Larry and Caroline Kealy--the founders of Kealy's Crab Shack--, Shel, and a small family--Danny, Ava, and Jack--that is heading for a split. When the crew of the Devildam, Cap and Kid, tell them that the weather one the ocean is too dangerous, they agree to stay in the Sound. There's just one problem. A popular twenty-one foot great white, named Judy by the researchers, is hunting in the Sound. Who will survive this fishing trip? Let's find out.
Dislikes: Usually, a creature-feature won't develop the characters much, with the exception of the protagonists, or the human antagonists. This book, however, developed everyone on the boat, and did it well. Needless to say, this makes it so that the violent deaths seem more like overkill, and cruel. There are deaths that take over five pages to end the victim's suffering.
Likes: Danny was a good man. He wanted his family, and was willing to fight for it.
Caroline seemed like a wise woman, and quite willing to offer what advice that she could.
Conclusion: This book started out strong, but it didn't work for me in the end. If you like creature-features, then this book might be for you. Enjoy the read.
June 23, 2026
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
"You don't fight nature. You endure it."
Judy is an incredibly original novel about family, humanity, and nature. I'm a lover of great white sharks and I'm also a lover of shark movies. This is my first shark read, and it did not disappoint!
I think the aspect of this book that drew me in the most was the chapters from Judy's perspective. The author does an incredible job of showing Judy, not as a monster, but as an animal acting on instinct to survive. It shines a light on sharks in a way that a lot of shark content does not.
The book didn't get the full five stars for me because the characters were a little flat. I think there is so much going on, the writing is a bit poetic, and Judy is such a star of this book, that I lost a little connection with them in some spots.
The story itself was fast-paced and I found myself flipping through the book. I appreciated the author putting a brief note at the beginning with terminology. As someone who's never been on a deep-sea fishing boat, I would have potentially been lost trying to decipher those terms throughout.
Overall, this was an excellent read. I enjoyed it and hope to read more by M.E. Davidson!
"You don't fight nature. You endure it."
Judy is an incredibly original novel about family, humanity, and nature. I'm a lover of great white sharks and I'm also a lover of shark movies. This is my first shark read, and it did not disappoint!
I think the aspect of this book that drew me in the most was the chapters from Judy's perspective. The author does an incredible job of showing Judy, not as a monster, but as an animal acting on instinct to survive. It shines a light on sharks in a way that a lot of shark content does not.
The book didn't get the full five stars for me because the characters were a little flat. I think there is so much going on, the writing is a bit poetic, and Judy is such a star of this book, that I lost a little connection with them in some spots.
The story itself was fast-paced and I found myself flipping through the book. I appreciated the author putting a brief note at the beginning with terminology. As someone who's never been on a deep-sea fishing boat, I would have potentially been lost trying to decipher those terms throughout.
Overall, this was an excellent read. I enjoyed it and hope to read more by M.E. Davidson!
Review of advance copy
It’s of course impossible to look at any Shark story without comparing it to Jaws, but Judy holds her own. The plot is fast-paced, easily entertaining, and keeps a solid balance between Judy’s story, the people above and their confrontation.
One of the novel’s most original features is the way Davidson occasionally shifts into the perspective of Judy herself. Rather than portraying the shark as a mindless monster, these passages present her as a creature following her instincts in an environment transformed by the storm. The result is a more nuanced and surprisingly compelling antagonist, and some of the most memorable scenes in the book come from these glimpses into Judy’s world.
I enjoyed it very much, it’s a quick read, perfect for a sunny afternoon by the Sea ;)
Turns out after all these years there is indeed space for another sharp-toothed, giant deep see hunter and she‘s the Queen!
One of the novel’s most original features is the way Davidson occasionally shifts into the perspective of Judy herself. Rather than portraying the shark as a mindless monster, these passages present her as a creature following her instincts in an environment transformed by the storm. The result is a more nuanced and surprisingly compelling antagonist, and some of the most memorable scenes in the book come from these glimpses into Judy’s world.
I enjoyed it very much, it’s a quick read, perfect for a sunny afternoon by the Sea ;)
Turns out after all these years there is indeed space for another sharp-toothed, giant deep see hunter and she‘s the Queen!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I'm an absolute sucker for a shark story and Judy is a book with serious bite (I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself, prepare for further dad jokes!).
After a small fishing charter runs aground on a shoal, it strands its passengers in open water with the boat out of reach.
For a young family who get separated as the tide rises, a massive great white shark (Judy) moves beneath it, the family are forced into a fight for survival.
I absolutely devoured this book. Davidson is so original in a sea of shark books, as we get snippets from Judy’s point of view. Judy isn’t a demon; she has no agenda other than her own instincts and survival. Whilst this can be catastrophic, it isn’t personal, and she is simply exploring a world altered by a hurricane. This really does provide a much deeper aspect to the story, which I wasn’t expecting. Some of the most memorable scenes for me are the ones from Judy’s PoV.
Another thing that I wasn’t expecting with this book were the deeper underlying messages. The importance of family and human connection. Also, that in nature (particularly the sea), we are all levelled out. There is no bias, no prejudice and no schedule. Nature will just take its course, and you are along for the ride.
This is a fantastic debut from Davidson. He is a poet of a story teller and you will be hooked from the first chapter.
A fantastic summer read, I highly recommend.
After a small fishing charter runs aground on a shoal, it strands its passengers in open water with the boat out of reach.
For a young family who get separated as the tide rises, a massive great white shark (Judy) moves beneath it, the family are forced into a fight for survival.
I absolutely devoured this book. Davidson is so original in a sea of shark books, as we get snippets from Judy’s point of view. Judy isn’t a demon; she has no agenda other than her own instincts and survival. Whilst this can be catastrophic, it isn’t personal, and she is simply exploring a world altered by a hurricane. This really does provide a much deeper aspect to the story, which I wasn’t expecting. Some of the most memorable scenes for me are the ones from Judy’s PoV.
Another thing that I wasn’t expecting with this book were the deeper underlying messages. The importance of family and human connection. Also, that in nature (particularly the sea), we are all levelled out. There is no bias, no prejudice and no schedule. Nature will just take its course, and you are along for the ride.
This is a fantastic debut from Davidson. He is a poet of a story teller and you will be hooked from the first chapter.
A fantastic summer read, I highly recommend.
June 23, 2026
This is the first time I have read a book where the main character is a Shark!, and to be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect as it’s not my usual genre to read. I am so pleased I went out of my comfort zone as I absolutely loved Judy, the style of writing from the author was interesting and well paced, and such an original idea to hear the pov from Judy, it was clever and fascinating and gave real depth to the underlying thread of nature, the raw power of the creatures that live within the oceans, and humanity being the ultimate threat to centuries to the survival of marine life.The individual characters were believable and the threads of their lives joining up worked well, for me Judy shone brightly giving a great insight on how possible it could be that all creatures have a mind and soul. Absolutely refreshing of the author to write this novel based on POV from a shark. And the Oscar goes to Judy!…
Review of advance copy received from Author
I can't remember a more immersive experience than the one I had while reading JUDY. I swear I can still smell the ocean! The intricate details and descriptors made the land lubber in me completely comfortable with this tale of the ocean. Well drawn characters who develop nicely gave me the opportunity to change my mind about them. I love that! Judy herself, well...she really complicates your feelings about the ocean and the humans place in its exploration. She's just Judy being....Judy, driven with (deliciously written) instincts and thousands of years of development. The back and forth between Judy's perspective and those of her human antagonists were well thought out and brilliantly delivered on the page. I appreciated the chance to have an ARC copy and look forward to getting a hard copy when this fine book is published. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
We are not going to need a bigger boat, because this is not Jaws rebooted. JUDY is an incredible story of survival, family, conflict, and danger that is told quite surprisingly through the shark's own point of view throughout. Even as we are experiencing the challenges of a broken family trying to piece itself back together, we also get the thrills and chills of a powerful shark attack, and the insights of the shark herself, operating from her own instinct, evolution, and need to survive. The end result is a magnetic, immersive, original "shark" story that goes far beyond the tropes. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review: swim over Jaws, make way for Judy!
Judy explores the world of the great white shark while also touching on the importance of family (blood and chosen). No matter where we come from, the ocean (and all that comes with it) treats us all the same. You will feel the sun’s heat and the cool water, smell and taste the salt, and feel the hair raising dread that comes when the one of the greatest predators looms near and more as you fly through the pages quicker than you can tell “shark!”
Judy explores the world of the great white shark while also touching on the importance of family (blood and chosen). No matter where we come from, the ocean (and all that comes with it) treats us all the same. You will feel the sun’s heat and the cool water, smell and taste the salt, and feel the hair raising dread that comes when the one of the greatest predators looms near and more as you fly through the pages quicker than you can tell “shark!”
Review of advance copy received from Author
I can NOT put this down! This book explores family ties, above and below sea level. Judy is also just BEAUTIFULLY written - I am hanging on every word!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews