The Judge

by Farin Powell

“Powell opens her novel with a bang, depicting the abduction almost as soon as the narrative begins. The story is impressive in the way it shifts readers’ sympathies … a gem of a legal thriller, full of plot twists and juicy secrets.” —Kirkus Reviews “Powell’s third novel, a legal thriller, reveals the complexities and tragedies of our criminal justice system. It shows how a series of unexpected events can force a law abiding individual to choose a criminal path. The story in this fast-paced novel will stay with the reader forever.” —Focus On Women Magazine From the courtroom to the kidnappers’ lair, Powell keeps the excitement in tune with a pitch-perfect delivery of realistically motivated characters and a nonstop series of powerfully tense situations. There is no lag in the book, from the opening pages depicting the kidnapping to the thrilling conclusion. ROSE GARRETT —Clarion Reviews As Judge Walter McNeil heads home from Washington, DC’s Superior Court, he is preoccupied with the triple-murder case assigned to him. But everything changes when a car pulls up next to him and a man asks for directions. Seconds later, McNeil is pushed into the backseat of the car, knocked unconscious, and whisked away into uncertainty. McNeil’s kidnappers are three ex-convicts whose lives have been ruined by the judge’s harsh sentences. Out for revenge, they feed the judge drugs, repeatedly threaten his life, and then imply they have his teenage daughter, Daphne, who disappeared four years earlier. After they tell him at gunpoint that he must rule favorably on a defense attorney’s motions in the triplemurder case, McNeil has no idea his ordeal is just beginning. Before it is over, the judge’s life will be turned upside down. Now it is up to criminal defense attorney Amanda Perkins and detective Aristo Manfredi to partner together in a race against time to unravel the clues and hopefully save the judge from a fate he never could have imagined. In this legal thriller, a judge is kidnapped and thrust into the midst of a twisted web that intertwines him with the lives of three ex-convicts and the mystery surrounding his missing daughter.

332 pages, Hardcover

Published August 19, 2016

About the author

Farin Powell practices law in Washington, DC. In addition to many legal publications, she has published short stories and poems in various literary magazines and poetry anthologies. She is the author of the book of poetry A Piece of Heaven and the novel Two Weddings.

Reviews

[Daniel Walford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found 'The Judge' to be an amazingly wonderful read. Mrs. Powell's novel is a fast paced story of revenge and abduction set in the modern day legal corridors of Washington DC. Senior Judge Walter McNeil is suddenly kidnapped after finishing work for the day and subsequently subjected to a brutal and harrowing ordeal, set to ruin his career and destroy his life. We see McNeil forced to face up to previous decisions about his life and work, with very surprising results. This is a brilliant legal thriller by an author who knows her subject and who weaves an very good story.

I shall not reveal any spoilers here as one of the beauties of the book lies in its fast paced and complex plot. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to a group of well developed and likable characters, both protagonist and antagonist. Not all have McNeil's interests at heart, however, and attorney Amanda Perkins is one lady with little care for the Judge, until she becomes involved in finding out just what's happened to him. With the help of Detective Aristo Manferedi, our two heroes delve into a murky past involving convicts, kidnappers and even McNeil's mysterious daughter...

As mentioned, the novel is complex yet pacey, however, one of the most intriguing aspects of this work is the title: The Judge... but it's more than a just title, it's also a task. For we are judging our characters through out the story, their motives, their actions, their feelings, their histories. We are judging the Judge throughout his ordeal. Clear lines become more blurred as we near the end and face a conclusion we were not necessarily expecting.

This is an excellent book and a fine addition to the many legal thrillers out there, and also of a high standard I've come to expect from our author. Can't wait for Mrs. Powell's next one.

[Edna Staples · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel that this author could have written two books instead of putting all of her thoughts into one book. I feel that this book is long winded. Her train of thoughts or her words I feel
were going all over the place in this book. There were parts of the book that I had a hard time with like when the Judges daughter ran away from home and for what reasons
would a young girl would run away from home for. But overall I just feel she should have made two books instead of putting all her writing into this one book. If a child runs away
from home there could be many reasons why maybe the girl was not happy because her dad was a judge or the passing of her mom could have caused her to run away from home.
But I would have to say I liked the middle of the book when the judges daughter was safe and sound and that she had given birth to a baby boy and that she was finally happy.