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Jury Town
Even the most incorruptible juror can be unwittingly influenced by others’ opinions in the digital age, but more sinister forces are at jury tampering has reached all-time highs. Unexpected verdicts are coming down more and more often, indicating that shadowy groups may be blackmailing jurors―and leaving the American justice system in shambles. Is impartiality even possible anymore? Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, thinks it is―and she has a plan to fix the broken system. Her home state is about to select two hundred citizens to become full-time jurors. Those chosen will live in a refurbished prison for two years, where they’ll be completely isolated from society and protected from all outside influences. But someone always finds a way to cheat the system. And when a deadly political conspiracy reveals corruption that poisons even the highest echelons of government, everything Victoria has created stands on the brink of destruction. Can she protect the jurors, the justice system―or even herself?
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2015
123 people are currently reading
656 people want to read
About the author
Stephen W. Frey
28 books281 followersFor the last 15 years I’ve been lucky enough to be a novelist. Until recently the books were set in the worlds of Wall Street and Washington. In addition to writing, I’ve also had a career in finance with specialties including merger & acquisition advisory and private equity at firms like J.P. Morgan in New York City and Winston Partners just outside D.C. in northern Virginia.
So, it seemed natural to write about those two worlds and, fortunately, the publishing industry agreed. My first book was published in 1995, The Takeover; about a secret group of men who were trying to destroy the U.S. monetary system by engineering a massive corporate takeover. I have followed The Takeover with 13 more novels all set in high-level finance and national politics.
Recently, I decided to alter the theme. The novels will still have a financial focus, but Wall Street won’t be the backdrop. We’ll get out into the world more. And there will be a man versus nature element for the hero in every novel. Hell’s Gate, available August 2009, is set in Montana and involves forest fires and why many of them start.
I live in southwest Florida with my wife, Diana, and we have since 2004 after moving down here from northern Virginia. Given the new direction of my books, it seems like a hurricane ought to make an appearance in a novel sometime soon.
So, it seemed natural to write about those two worlds and, fortunately, the publishing industry agreed. My first book was published in 1995, The Takeover; about a secret group of men who were trying to destroy the U.S. monetary system by engineering a massive corporate takeover. I have followed The Takeover with 13 more novels all set in high-level finance and national politics.
Recently, I decided to alter the theme. The novels will still have a financial focus, but Wall Street won’t be the backdrop. We’ll get out into the world more. And there will be a man versus nature element for the hero in every novel. Hell’s Gate, available August 2009, is set in Montana and involves forest fires and why many of them start.
I live in southwest Florida with my wife, Diana, and we have since 2004 after moving down here from northern Virginia. Given the new direction of my books, it seems like a hurricane ought to make an appearance in a novel sometime soon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 20, 2015
3.5 Absolute Power Still Corrupts Stars * * * 1/2
During my Search on NetGalley, I came across Jury Town by Stephen Frey. Our Jury System has been the Hallmark of how we as a country were set up to be as fair as could be...To be judged by a Jury of our Peers...But with times changing and outside factors playing such a big role in society, I was curious how this author was going to spin his tale.
The basics are actual very simple; across the country, high profile cases have been having suspect decisions by juries. There has been absolute evidence to convict these cases of miss deeds and yet juries have been deciding in opposite ways. It seems some how a shadow group has been able to manipulate individual jurors by blackmailing them with their past or present actions they wish to hide. By doing this, the system has been corrupted.
A very straight forward premise... figure out who is doing it - end of story....
Yet, not exactly. We have a woman hell bent on working to make this stop. She has a personal reason; her father was convicted by a dirty judge. She never forgets this and uses it to spur her on.
Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, has watched these convictions and decisions. With the backing of the Federal Government and the Supreme Court of Virginia, she has implemented a groundbreaking idea. It will be an experiment in Justice for All. It will be a concept of making the jurors for upcoming trials free from harassment, free from the public access and free from being held hostage from any threat.
These jurors will be housed in the newly redesigned former prison. They will have all the amenities they need with gourmet food, gyms, movies and the like. They will be paid very, very handsomely. They will have all the comforts of home...except for one thing....
They will be locked up in this glorified holding center for Two Years.
No contact with the outside world.
No calls to their loved ones.
Would you do it...Would $4,000,000 dollars for the two years lure you?
And what about the players in this cause. The story is like Robert Altman's movie Nashville...with intersecting characters all playing a part to keep you interested.
We have:
Those who are fixing the judgements; movers and shakers high in the Federal Government.
We have those who are running for office; one a long time incumbent with his perfect political wife by his side egging him on to the White House. The other is a newcomer with a strong business and community background. This race is an important one and all eyes are on it.
We have the multiple links in the corruption chain each with their own agenda and reasons
And then there are the jurors themselves.
What secrets are they hiding...
Who will be the first to fall victim and how will the brave, former governor make this work with her being in the cross-hair of these power brokers.
The story was engaging and there were a few twists. Mostly, we all knew what was up but it still read fast and my attention was held.
If you are in the mood for politically flavored reads... then this would work.
A gifted copy was provided by Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
During my Search on NetGalley, I came across Jury Town by Stephen Frey. Our Jury System has been the Hallmark of how we as a country were set up to be as fair as could be...To be judged by a Jury of our Peers...But with times changing and outside factors playing such a big role in society, I was curious how this author was going to spin his tale.
The basics are actual very simple; across the country, high profile cases have been having suspect decisions by juries. There has been absolute evidence to convict these cases of miss deeds and yet juries have been deciding in opposite ways. It seems some how a shadow group has been able to manipulate individual jurors by blackmailing them with their past or present actions they wish to hide. By doing this, the system has been corrupted.
A very straight forward premise... figure out who is doing it - end of story....
Yet, not exactly. We have a woman hell bent on working to make this stop. She has a personal reason; her father was convicted by a dirty judge. She never forgets this and uses it to spur her on.
Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, has watched these convictions and decisions. With the backing of the Federal Government and the Supreme Court of Virginia, she has implemented a groundbreaking idea. It will be an experiment in Justice for All. It will be a concept of making the jurors for upcoming trials free from harassment, free from the public access and free from being held hostage from any threat.
These jurors will be housed in the newly redesigned former prison. They will have all the amenities they need with gourmet food, gyms, movies and the like. They will be paid very, very handsomely. They will have all the comforts of home...except for one thing....
They will be locked up in this glorified holding center for Two Years.
No contact with the outside world.
No calls to their loved ones.
Would you do it...Would $4,000,000 dollars for the two years lure you?
And what about the players in this cause. The story is like Robert Altman's movie Nashville...with intersecting characters all playing a part to keep you interested.
We have:
Those who are fixing the judgements; movers and shakers high in the Federal Government.
We have those who are running for office; one a long time incumbent with his perfect political wife by his side egging him on to the White House. The other is a newcomer with a strong business and community background. This race is an important one and all eyes are on it.
We have the multiple links in the corruption chain each with their own agenda and reasons
And then there are the jurors themselves.
What secrets are they hiding...
Who will be the first to fall victim and how will the brave, former governor make this work with her being in the cross-hair of these power brokers.
The story was engaging and there were a few twists. Mostly, we all knew what was up but it still read fast and my attention was held.
If you are in the mood for politically flavored reads... then this would work.
A gifted copy was provided by Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
September 22, 2015
Rule No. 1: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
I'm not sure who said it first - quick research led me to author Joseph Heller in Catch-22 - but it popped into my head within the first few chapters of this book and hung around for the duration. Even the ending, in which all the loose ends are tied up, reinforced the say-it-ain't-so notion that everybody's got an agenda.
Many characters come and go throughout - virtually all of them carrying secrets they'd rather not share with the world - which means good guys and gals can turn into baddies at the turn of a chapter. That's a good thing; those twists held my attention from beginning to end - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for granting me the opportunity to read and review the book.
Given my not-too-infrequent tendency to walk to the kitchen only to forget why I'm standing there, an overload of characters usually is a bit frustrating; so, too, is the shift in chapters from various perspectives and settings. But here, the author utilizes the latter technique well; each chapter adds stepping stones that build to the conclusion as well as enough background to help my aging mind keep everyone straight.
The concept certainly is intriguing: Creation of a "Jury Town" in which 200 citizens will be sequestered for two years, thus (in theory, at least) avoiding the threat of jury tampering that appears to be running rampant in the outside world. This community of jurors will hear cases from inside a secured, refurbished prison, paid handsomely for their 24-month disconnect from anyone and anything that isn't related to the trials to which they're assigned. The effort is led by Victoria Lewis, former Virginia governor, backed by a couple of powerful behind-the-scenes partners. Burned by her own father's years-ago wrongful conviction at the hands of a tainted jury, Victoria is intent on doing whatever it takes to make the project a model for the rest of the country.
Enter Rule No. 2: There's many a slip 'tween the cup and the lip. Almost before the first trial begins, possible corruption inside the walls rears its ugly head, threatening to pull the rug from under the entire project and threatening a few lives as well. But who can Victoria trust? For an answer that won't reveal spoilers, see Rule No. 1 above; just know that for Victoria, it's touch-and-go, trial-and-error (pun intended) all the way to the end.
If I have a nit to pick, it's that the wrap-up chapters seem a tad too rushed; action-packed is to be expected (and desired), but it almost felt like this little corner of the Old Dominion state got blasted by a tsunami. Of course, that also means I didn't have to wait as long to learn the outcome, but given that I was enjoying the book, I'd like to have savored it a little bit longer.
I'm not sure who said it first - quick research led me to author Joseph Heller in Catch-22 - but it popped into my head within the first few chapters of this book and hung around for the duration. Even the ending, in which all the loose ends are tied up, reinforced the say-it-ain't-so notion that everybody's got an agenda.
Many characters come and go throughout - virtually all of them carrying secrets they'd rather not share with the world - which means good guys and gals can turn into baddies at the turn of a chapter. That's a good thing; those twists held my attention from beginning to end - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for granting me the opportunity to read and review the book.
Given my not-too-infrequent tendency to walk to the kitchen only to forget why I'm standing there, an overload of characters usually is a bit frustrating; so, too, is the shift in chapters from various perspectives and settings. But here, the author utilizes the latter technique well; each chapter adds stepping stones that build to the conclusion as well as enough background to help my aging mind keep everyone straight.
The concept certainly is intriguing: Creation of a "Jury Town" in which 200 citizens will be sequestered for two years, thus (in theory, at least) avoiding the threat of jury tampering that appears to be running rampant in the outside world. This community of jurors will hear cases from inside a secured, refurbished prison, paid handsomely for their 24-month disconnect from anyone and anything that isn't related to the trials to which they're assigned. The effort is led by Victoria Lewis, former Virginia governor, backed by a couple of powerful behind-the-scenes partners. Burned by her own father's years-ago wrongful conviction at the hands of a tainted jury, Victoria is intent on doing whatever it takes to make the project a model for the rest of the country.
Enter Rule No. 2: There's many a slip 'tween the cup and the lip. Almost before the first trial begins, possible corruption inside the walls rears its ugly head, threatening to pull the rug from under the entire project and threatening a few lives as well. But who can Victoria trust? For an answer that won't reveal spoilers, see Rule No. 1 above; just know that for Victoria, it's touch-and-go, trial-and-error (pun intended) all the way to the end.
If I have a nit to pick, it's that the wrap-up chapters seem a tad too rushed; action-packed is to be expected (and desired), but it almost felt like this little corner of the Old Dominion state got blasted by a tsunami. Of course, that also means I didn't have to wait as long to learn the outcome, but given that I was enjoying the book, I'd like to have savored it a little bit longer.
September 29, 2015
A special thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
JURY TOWN by Stephen Frey is a complex riveting legal suspense thriller, of corruption, conspiracy, and greed— will an elaborate plan to clean up the judicial system succeed, or will manipulation and jury tampering continue to filtrate, even with Jury Town?
"Concentration of power is a recipe for evil."
As the book opens, it is 1992 in Charlottesville, VA-- Victoria Lewis and her mom are visiting Archer Prison. Her dad has been in prison the last five years, since she was nine. He is being charged for stealing money while he was county treasurer. He was framed and Judge Hopkins fixed the jury. Earlier she had not understood what these words meant, but after studying the judicial system in school—she learned more.
What she did not understand was how a jury could find her father guilty, if he was innocent? He did not steal fifty thousand dollars from the county. Judge John Hopkins got a snitch to tell the jurors on his trial if they did not vote his way, they would have trouble. Victoria vowed to her dad, she would correct the unfair system. She will help her dad and do everything she can to right the wrong for him and others.
We fast forward to the present day, Northern Virginia (Fairfax), and Los Angeles, Ca. We meet a variety of people, finding themselves in difficult compromising situations. Someone knows their secrets, lies, and past; this information will be used to blackmail them. If they do not comply, their past will be revealed which could ruin their lives. The demand: As a juror, they will find the respective parties, "Innocent", even though they are "Guilty." Big companies have to protect their misdeeds and illegal behavior. Leaving victims no choice but to lie. Good versus evil.
After Victoria’s graduation from the University of Virginia, and before her inauguration speech as governor, she always tapped the microphone three times for good luck, as a tribute to her dad, now deceased. Five years previously, she had been elected governor of Virginia at the age of thirty-two. She will fix the broken system, no matter what comes her way. She will not allow this injsutice to continue.
Presently, Victoria will oversee Project Archer —she will steer the ship, and Judge Eldridge will keep things calm. Two hundred Virginia citizens are about to become full-time jurors. They will sit in judgment of Virginia’s most important criminal and civil trials. She has the full and unanimous support of the Supreme Court as she leads Project Archer. The old prison will be refurbished, with cutting edge technology and security.
An endeavor to keep jurors from being influenced by others, as well as social media, and outside influences of bribery; particularly in high profile cases. It has been almost impossible for lawyers to identify and agree on twelve objective citizens to hear high-profile cases.
Professional jurors will be more efficient in their execution of justice, decisions will come faster, at the same time be more accurate and defensible. Verdicts will be far less vulnerable to reversal on appeal, and in most cases not subject to appeal at all. Project Archer will be a win-win for everyone but the criminals. However, Project Archer, will now be called Jury Town (as the memories are too difficult to remember; the prison as it once was when her father was a resident)--and the drug habit she has to keep them at bay.
These two hundred individuals will live full-time at a facility—they will hear cases remotely from the facility –they will exist in a bubble, and will have no contact whatsoever with the outside world. Over seven thousand people were screened. They will serve two years at the tune of $2 Million a year for a total of $4 Million. However, there are strict stipulations and rules. Chief Justice Eldridge and the other six justices on the Supreme Court have complete control over the process.
While they are preparing for the jurors to move into the high security facility, they have to keep things under wrap, to keep from snitches, or the leaking of information. However, there is conspiracy, corruption, and politics…. Someone is out to put a hole in the newfound plan. Victoria’s life is on the line and she has to protect the jurors, the justice system, and her plan.
From snipers to greed—there are those who do not want Lewis’ plan to succeed—they cannot allow other states to follow. Someone is out to stop Project Archer. They had a Deep Throat inside the Virginia Supreme Court. The big energy companies always have secrets and people to protect. In addition, their are jurors with their own secrets.
Then there is Angela Gaynor— the state senator from Virginia Beach, VA. She is a rising star, and works tirelessly for her constituents. She has had a tough life and fought her way up the ladder, and a successful Gaynor Construction Company. With childhood friend Trent Tucker, former NBA champion, they make a great team. They both have seen poverty, the ghettos, and the hoods. She has a past and now she is running for US Senate and taking on Chuck Lehman. She cannot believe she may be going to Washington. However, there are some which will stop at nothing to keep her from winning. Now her life and her reputation are on the line.
From Jury Town, to those on the inside, outside, politics, a cliff, a predator, a killer--from accidents, suspects, bribes, a sniper, monsters, threats, to murder. How high up will the conspiracy go and to how many agencies? Victoria has her own demons which haunt her, as well as a computer business man, with his own enemies— now at Jury Town, which may be able to use his technical abilities to redeem himself. Will the famous Gaynor, be Jury Town’s first verdict?
A complex multi-layered legal suspense thriller. My first book by Frey, and look forward to reading more! Some creative twists and turns—enjoyed the usage of two strong powerful women characters, with tough backgrounds and their ferocious tenacity to overcome many obstacles. For fans of legal and crime thrillers alike, who enjoy a twist of politics, mystery, and suspense.
JDCMustReadBooks
JURY TOWN by Stephen Frey is a complex riveting legal suspense thriller, of corruption, conspiracy, and greed— will an elaborate plan to clean up the judicial system succeed, or will manipulation and jury tampering continue to filtrate, even with Jury Town?
"Concentration of power is a recipe for evil."
As the book opens, it is 1992 in Charlottesville, VA-- Victoria Lewis and her mom are visiting Archer Prison. Her dad has been in prison the last five years, since she was nine. He is being charged for stealing money while he was county treasurer. He was framed and Judge Hopkins fixed the jury. Earlier she had not understood what these words meant, but after studying the judicial system in school—she learned more.
What she did not understand was how a jury could find her father guilty, if he was innocent? He did not steal fifty thousand dollars from the county. Judge John Hopkins got a snitch to tell the jurors on his trial if they did not vote his way, they would have trouble. Victoria vowed to her dad, she would correct the unfair system. She will help her dad and do everything she can to right the wrong for him and others.
We fast forward to the present day, Northern Virginia (Fairfax), and Los Angeles, Ca. We meet a variety of people, finding themselves in difficult compromising situations. Someone knows their secrets, lies, and past; this information will be used to blackmail them. If they do not comply, their past will be revealed which could ruin their lives. The demand: As a juror, they will find the respective parties, "Innocent", even though they are "Guilty." Big companies have to protect their misdeeds and illegal behavior. Leaving victims no choice but to lie. Good versus evil.
After Victoria’s graduation from the University of Virginia, and before her inauguration speech as governor, she always tapped the microphone three times for good luck, as a tribute to her dad, now deceased. Five years previously, she had been elected governor of Virginia at the age of thirty-two. She will fix the broken system, no matter what comes her way. She will not allow this injsutice to continue.
Presently, Victoria will oversee Project Archer —she will steer the ship, and Judge Eldridge will keep things calm. Two hundred Virginia citizens are about to become full-time jurors. They will sit in judgment of Virginia’s most important criminal and civil trials. She has the full and unanimous support of the Supreme Court as she leads Project Archer. The old prison will be refurbished, with cutting edge technology and security.
An endeavor to keep jurors from being influenced by others, as well as social media, and outside influences of bribery; particularly in high profile cases. It has been almost impossible for lawyers to identify and agree on twelve objective citizens to hear high-profile cases.
Professional jurors will be more efficient in their execution of justice, decisions will come faster, at the same time be more accurate and defensible. Verdicts will be far less vulnerable to reversal on appeal, and in most cases not subject to appeal at all. Project Archer will be a win-win for everyone but the criminals. However, Project Archer, will now be called Jury Town (as the memories are too difficult to remember; the prison as it once was when her father was a resident)--and the drug habit she has to keep them at bay.
These two hundred individuals will live full-time at a facility—they will hear cases remotely from the facility –they will exist in a bubble, and will have no contact whatsoever with the outside world. Over seven thousand people were screened. They will serve two years at the tune of $2 Million a year for a total of $4 Million. However, there are strict stipulations and rules. Chief Justice Eldridge and the other six justices on the Supreme Court have complete control over the process.
While they are preparing for the jurors to move into the high security facility, they have to keep things under wrap, to keep from snitches, or the leaking of information. However, there is conspiracy, corruption, and politics…. Someone is out to put a hole in the newfound plan. Victoria’s life is on the line and she has to protect the jurors, the justice system, and her plan.
From snipers to greed—there are those who do not want Lewis’ plan to succeed—they cannot allow other states to follow. Someone is out to stop Project Archer. They had a Deep Throat inside the Virginia Supreme Court. The big energy companies always have secrets and people to protect. In addition, their are jurors with their own secrets.
Then there is Angela Gaynor— the state senator from Virginia Beach, VA. She is a rising star, and works tirelessly for her constituents. She has had a tough life and fought her way up the ladder, and a successful Gaynor Construction Company. With childhood friend Trent Tucker, former NBA champion, they make a great team. They both have seen poverty, the ghettos, and the hoods. She has a past and now she is running for US Senate and taking on Chuck Lehman. She cannot believe she may be going to Washington. However, there are some which will stop at nothing to keep her from winning. Now her life and her reputation are on the line.
From Jury Town, to those on the inside, outside, politics, a cliff, a predator, a killer--from accidents, suspects, bribes, a sniper, monsters, threats, to murder. How high up will the conspiracy go and to how many agencies? Victoria has her own demons which haunt her, as well as a computer business man, with his own enemies— now at Jury Town, which may be able to use his technical abilities to redeem himself. Will the famous Gaynor, be Jury Town’s first verdict?
A complex multi-layered legal suspense thriller. My first book by Frey, and look forward to reading more! Some creative twists and turns—enjoyed the usage of two strong powerful women characters, with tough backgrounds and their ferocious tenacity to overcome many obstacles. For fans of legal and crime thrillers alike, who enjoy a twist of politics, mystery, and suspense.
JDCMustReadBooks
September 6, 2015
4 stars!
I really liked this book. A group of people have decided that they can influence the way big trials are judged and they are determined to do so. No matter what it takes, even if it includes murder. So a lot of jury tampering is taking place all over America in a lot of the bigger trials.
Because of that the Attorney General has decided to try a new way to conduct trials. There will be 200 people housed in a building that used to be a prison. They will not be allowed to leave or have any communication with the outside world. The group still tries to tamper with these people.
It's amazing what this group will do and what people will do for money or power. Of course, this takes place in Washington, actually Virginia. I found it to be a very interesting and entertaining book. There were some pretty tense moments and some rather sad moments when some of the characters you really liked were killed. Although I have several Stephen Frey books on my shelves, this is actually the first one I've read by him. I knew I bought those other books for a reason. He writes good books. HA! I totally recommend this book.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book. A group of people have decided that they can influence the way big trials are judged and they are determined to do so. No matter what it takes, even if it includes murder. So a lot of jury tampering is taking place all over America in a lot of the bigger trials.
Because of that the Attorney General has decided to try a new way to conduct trials. There will be 200 people housed in a building that used to be a prison. They will not be allowed to leave or have any communication with the outside world. The group still tries to tamper with these people.
It's amazing what this group will do and what people will do for money or power. Of course, this takes place in Washington, actually Virginia. I found it to be a very interesting and entertaining book. There were some pretty tense moments and some rather sad moments when some of the characters you really liked were killed. Although I have several Stephen Frey books on my shelves, this is actually the first one I've read by him. I knew I bought those other books for a reason. He writes good books. HA! I totally recommend this book.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2019
It was just okay, the last 8 pages were the best part.
September 29, 2015
"Concentration of power is a recipe for evil."
What would you do for 4 million buckeroonies? 200 people agree to be totally sequestered away in a remodeled closed-down prison to become full-time jurors, getting paid $2 million per year for two years of service. No contact with the outside world including their families is a huge part of the deal.
Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, leads the initiative to form PROJECT ARCHER (with the support of the Supreme Court), getting these full-time jurors in place, away from outside influences to try to stop the overwhelming negative effects of jury tampering, to sit in judgment over Virginia's biggest criminal and civil trials.
The only problem is that there's always outside influences and ways to get to people. And this story highlights the corruption behind the scenes of some of these big trials, with some bloodbaths along the way.
I'm not usually a fan of political thrillers (or politics in general) but author Frey did a good job of keeping this book exciting and thought-provoking. There were enough twists and turns scattered throughout the book for plenty of aha moments.
NOTE: I received this book from Thomas & Mercer through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
What would you do for 4 million buckeroonies? 200 people agree to be totally sequestered away in a remodeled closed-down prison to become full-time jurors, getting paid $2 million per year for two years of service. No contact with the outside world including their families is a huge part of the deal.
Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, leads the initiative to form PROJECT ARCHER (with the support of the Supreme Court), getting these full-time jurors in place, away from outside influences to try to stop the overwhelming negative effects of jury tampering, to sit in judgment over Virginia's biggest criminal and civil trials.
The only problem is that there's always outside influences and ways to get to people. And this story highlights the corruption behind the scenes of some of these big trials, with some bloodbaths along the way.
I'm not usually a fan of political thrillers (or politics in general) but author Frey did a good job of keeping this book exciting and thought-provoking. There were enough twists and turns scattered throughout the book for plenty of aha moments.
NOTE: I received this book from Thomas & Mercer through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
October 2, 2015
I received this arc from Netgalley.
If you are looking for a great read from start to finish then look no further. This was a really well put together book. No dragging and no unnecessary details. A page turner that will hold your attention throughout. Thoroughly enjoyed.
If you are looking for a great read from start to finish then look no further. This was a really well put together book. No dragging and no unnecessary details. A page turner that will hold your attention throughout. Thoroughly enjoyed.
October 12, 2015
Great suspense.
Professional jurors that can't be corrupted, live away in refurbished prison for two years. What a great idea. "Concentration of power is a recipe for evil". Two very strong female characters, and one that will do anything to get what she wanted. All the books written by Stephen King will keep you at the edge of your seat, won't be able to put your Kindle down.
Professional jurors that can't be corrupted, live away in refurbished prison for two years. What a great idea. "Concentration of power is a recipe for evil". Two very strong female characters, and one that will do anything to get what she wanted. All the books written by Stephen King will keep you at the edge of your seat, won't be able to put your Kindle down.
November 12, 2015
I really liked the story in this book but it has a lot of different characters and jumped around a bunch so it was hard to follow which character you were reading about sometimes. I also think that the entire story of Angela Gaynor could have been left out along with Victoria's cocain usage.
December 3, 2015
Action and Politics
Started out a bit slow with a lot of backstory, but picked up in the second half and lots of action and political intrigue in the last few chapters.
Have read some of his other books and Mr Frey is a skilled author who delivers the goods.
Started out a bit slow with a lot of backstory, but picked up in the second half and lots of action and political intrigue in the last few chapters.
Have read some of his other books and Mr Frey is a skilled author who delivers the goods.
March 18, 2018
I read and enjoyed several books by Stephen Frey in his early writing career, so I was happy to come across this book.
Would you agree to serve on a jury, without any contact with your friends or family, for two years in exchange for four million dollars? That is the main premise behind Jury Town and that makes the story unbelievable. Could you imagine your state paying 200 people $4 million each to serve on a jury? Me either.
I wanted to like this book so much and it was good enough for me to keep turning the pages, especially in the second half. Besides the the plot being unbelievable, I also thought it was overly complicated. There were way too many characters and I often found myself having to turn pages backwards to help me remember who was who.
In the end, while this book isn't terrible, it isn't good either. Mr. Frey has written better.
Would you agree to serve on a jury, without any contact with your friends or family, for two years in exchange for four million dollars? That is the main premise behind Jury Town and that makes the story unbelievable. Could you imagine your state paying 200 people $4 million each to serve on a jury? Me either.
I wanted to like this book so much and it was good enough for me to keep turning the pages, especially in the second half. Besides the the plot being unbelievable, I also thought it was overly complicated. There were way too many characters and I often found myself having to turn pages backwards to help me remember who was who.
In the end, while this book isn't terrible, it isn't good either. Mr. Frey has written better.
August 5, 2019
Ludicrous story that was basically a series of murders and attempted murders to either affect trials or stop Jury Town. I would have found it way more interesting to focus on the setup and life inside Jury Town itself rather than crazy murder plots. I also found the conversation between the 2 black characters about slavery and poverty to be totally out of place and uncomfortable given the author's demographic. Most plot explanations were given through conversations between characters where it didn't really make sense for them to be explaining to each other why they did something after they did it. I remember liking this author's financial thrillers quite a bit but this one really didn't do it for me.
June 17, 2019
Fomer Virginia governor Victoria Lewis believes she has found the solution to the pervasive problem of jury tampering: Professional jurors who will live completely cut off from the outside world for a period of two years so they can't be subjected to any outside influence. A shady cabal of powerful people who specialize in jury tampering to further their ends wants to stop the project at all costs - including taking lives if necessary.
Very intriguing premise (although it and a couple of the plot twists require a certain amount of suspension of disbelief) and loads of suspense.
Very intriguing premise (although it and a couple of the plot twists require a certain amount of suspension of disbelief) and loads of suspense.
September 7, 2017
*I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review**
I enjoyed this book! It was exciting, fast-moving, and had lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. It did feel overly simplistic at times (like the villain in a movie taking the time to spell out exactly why he was doing what he was doing) and the relationships felt somewhat one-dimensional - probably could have been a bit more effective character development. But it was still a fun read!
I enjoyed this book! It was exciting, fast-moving, and had lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. It did feel overly simplistic at times (like the villain in a movie taking the time to spell out exactly why he was doing what he was doing) and the relationships felt somewhat one-dimensional - probably could have been a bit more effective character development. But it was still a fun read!
April 25, 2024
What would you do for $2,000,000.00/ year?
Would it better yet, could you cut off all ties with you family and loved one’s???
Jury Town by Stephen Frey was addictive, exhilarating, and cutthroat business.
When potential jurors were being paid off to throw verdicts, one Lady decided to take matters in her own hand and stop the jurors from being bullied, threatened, and paid off to throw certain court case verdicts.
Was an exceptional book and a great plot.
Would it better yet, could you cut off all ties with you family and loved one’s???
Jury Town by Stephen Frey was addictive, exhilarating, and cutthroat business.
When potential jurors were being paid off to throw verdicts, one Lady decided to take matters in her own hand and stop the jurors from being bullied, threatened, and paid off to throw certain court case verdicts.
Was an exceptional book and a great plot.
August 17, 2017
Great read!
It was a heartwarming story that's not only a mystery but also a tale of perseverance and achievement. I gave it four stars instead of five is because it was initially confusing and kind of slow but boy did it pick up the pace. All in all, I enjoyed it.
It was a heartwarming story that's not only a mystery but also a tale of perseverance and achievement. I gave it four stars instead of five is because it was initially confusing and kind of slow but boy did it pick up the pace. All in all, I enjoyed it.
September 17, 2021
Great story, intriguing characters, begs for more about President Lweis
The plot line is great,timely, believable. Corruption ungovernable t become more and more plausible each day.
Citizen readers are hoping for a solution, even if spawned in a work of fiction.
The plot line is great,timely, believable. Corruption ungovernable t become more and more plausible each day.
Citizen readers are hoping for a solution, even if spawned in a work of fiction.
February 26, 2018
Couldn't finish.
March 29, 2018
Great book!
Hard to put it down. Wish there was a sequel. Want to read more by this author. Suspenseful, riveting, and spellbinding.
Hard to put it down. Wish there was a sequel. Want to read more by this author. Suspenseful, riveting, and spellbinding.
January 2, 2019
A nice twist to the standard courtroom thriller genre.
June 4, 2019
Almost as much violence, lunacy and political corruption as our daily news in the US.
July 13, 2020
This book felt like it started out with way too many characters and jumping around constantly. It comes together if you stick with it but it takes about half of the book to get there.
September 27, 2021
A good read but not one I would recommend because the story dragged along and didn’t have that feeling of leaving you wanting more.
November 1, 2022
Hard to follow at times with the jumping around. Decent story line, ends rather quickly.
August 5, 2018
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Even the most incorruptible juror can be unwittingly influenced by others’ opinions in the digital age, but more sinister forces are at work: jury tampering has reached all-time highs. Unexpected verdicts are coming down more and more often, indicating that shadowy groups may be blackmailing jurors—and leaving the American justice system in shambles. Is impartiality even possible anymore?
Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, thinks it is—and she has a plan to fix the broken system. Her home state is about to select two hundred citizens to become full-time jurors. Those chosen will live in a refurbished prison for two years, where they’ll be completely isolated from society and protected from all outside influences.
But someone always finds a way to cheat the system. And when a deadly political conspiracy reveals corruption that poisons even the highest echelons of government, everything Victoria has created stands on the brink of destruction. Can she protect the jurors, the justice system—or even herself?
If you are going to read this book, I hope your ability to suspend disbelief is high - because you are going to need it...
I have given this three stars for the following reasons:
1 star: The author is quite capable of stringing words together to make sentences, and sentences into paragraphs. The writing style is crisp, clear and easy to follow. No problems there.
2 star: The action/thrills are exceptionally done. Some of the scenes just flew by. I think that was probably the highlight of this book - the ability to ratchet up the tension with great scenes and good writing.
3 star: I really do love good legal/courtroom thrillers but the market is saturated with the same old John Grisham-esque stories, that the genre had become a bit stale. Hats off to the author for at least trying to come up with a different scenario - and the attention to the details of that scenario have to be commended as well.
Why didn't it get more? Like I said, the plot is quite convoluted and by the time Victoria gets her plan off the ground, I was already thinking "No one is going to believe this..." If it had been set as a YA dystopian novel? Not a problem...but trying to pass it off as adult fiction, well, it was always going to struggle. The other reason is that there were just soooooo many characters and keeping them all in place in my head was difficult. A little streamlining of that aspect would have earned another star from me.
Overall, a good thriller novel, filled with some great action sequences. Just really hard to believe, is all...
Paul
ARH
Even the most incorruptible juror can be unwittingly influenced by others’ opinions in the digital age, but more sinister forces are at work: jury tampering has reached all-time highs. Unexpected verdicts are coming down more and more often, indicating that shadowy groups may be blackmailing jurors—and leaving the American justice system in shambles. Is impartiality even possible anymore?
Victoria Lewis, former governor of Virginia, thinks it is—and she has a plan to fix the broken system. Her home state is about to select two hundred citizens to become full-time jurors. Those chosen will live in a refurbished prison for two years, where they’ll be completely isolated from society and protected from all outside influences.
But someone always finds a way to cheat the system. And when a deadly political conspiracy reveals corruption that poisons even the highest echelons of government, everything Victoria has created stands on the brink of destruction. Can she protect the jurors, the justice system—or even herself?
If you are going to read this book, I hope your ability to suspend disbelief is high - because you are going to need it...
I have given this three stars for the following reasons:
1 star: The author is quite capable of stringing words together to make sentences, and sentences into paragraphs. The writing style is crisp, clear and easy to follow. No problems there.
2 star: The action/thrills are exceptionally done. Some of the scenes just flew by. I think that was probably the highlight of this book - the ability to ratchet up the tension with great scenes and good writing.
3 star: I really do love good legal/courtroom thrillers but the market is saturated with the same old John Grisham-esque stories, that the genre had become a bit stale. Hats off to the author for at least trying to come up with a different scenario - and the attention to the details of that scenario have to be commended as well.
Why didn't it get more? Like I said, the plot is quite convoluted and by the time Victoria gets her plan off the ground, I was already thinking "No one is going to believe this..." If it had been set as a YA dystopian novel? Not a problem...but trying to pass it off as adult fiction, well, it was always going to struggle. The other reason is that there were just soooooo many characters and keeping them all in place in my head was difficult. A little streamlining of that aspect would have earned another star from me.
Overall, a good thriller novel, filled with some great action sequences. Just really hard to believe, is all...
Paul
ARH
October 8, 2016
Professional jurors ... what to expect
This was a story about Virginia state employing professional jurors as a test and all the things that would have to be dealt with to set it up and keep it running. This includes protecting it from outside influences and corruption of any kind. A great book brilliantly done.
This was a story about Virginia state employing professional jurors as a test and all the things that would have to be dealt with to set it up and keep it running. This includes protecting it from outside influences and corruption of any kind. A great book brilliantly done.
September 29, 2015
Juries are being influenced. Jurors are being threatened or bribed to bring in the verdict desired by a corrupt criminal organization. Victoria Lewis, former Virginia governor, has been tasked to put in place a solution. A new system is being set up. Two hundred jurors will be secretly selected and housed in a former prison. They will serve for 2 years. During this time they will be completely isolated from the outside world. Their only contact will be the guards and staff. At the end of this time they will walk away with a huge pay check. If any of the jurors have lied about their pasts or are found to try to influence a jury they will be prosecuted. They are being very closely watched. Unfortunately money can buy anything, including information from people helping set up the new system. Also, Victoria is in their way and they want her eliminated. All sorts of manipulation and deceit will keep you wanting to find out how this book ends.
October 25, 2015
I won this book on Goodreads Giveaways.
This is one of the most exciting books I have read in a long time. Don't expect to be able to stop, once you start reading it. Jury tampering, corruption, mafia, and greed are very well portrayed. I was so surprised at some of the events, did not see them coming. This book would make an excellent movie. Victoria Lewis is a real heroine. This is a book where you can root for the good guys and hope to see all the bad guys get caught. You never know who is going to survive and what the final outcome will be. Hold on to your seat and dive right in! I definitely want to read the author's other books now.
This is one of the most exciting books I have read in a long time. Don't expect to be able to stop, once you start reading it. Jury tampering, corruption, mafia, and greed are very well portrayed. I was so surprised at some of the events, did not see them coming. This book would make an excellent movie. Victoria Lewis is a real heroine. This is a book where you can root for the good guys and hope to see all the bad guys get caught. You never know who is going to survive and what the final outcome will be. Hold on to your seat and dive right in! I definitely want to read the author's other books now.
November 7, 2015
Completed this book on a Saturday morning. It isn't what I would normally choose to read, but since I won it for free from the good reads giveaways, I decided to give it a go. The first few chapters were a little slow getting started, but about a quarter of the way in I was hooked. Just a heads up, there are many, many characters described in detail; at times it is difficult to keep them straight. However, if you are able to do so, the story flows fairly well. The only thing I found lacking, was that the novel doesn't give any information about how the initial 200 jurors adjusted back into their normal lives, after completing their 2-yr contracts within Jury Town.
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