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Jessie Martin Series #1
The Midnight Call
WINNER OF THE 2020 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARD FOR SUSPENSE/THRILLER AND THE 2020 AMERICAN FICTION AWARD FOR LEGAL THRILLER.
Who would ever suspect that their mentor, teacher, and friend is a cold-blooded killer?
Attorney Jessie Martin didn't--at least not until she answers the midnight call.
Late one August night, Jessie's lifelong mentor and friend--and presently a popular, charismatic, and handsome high school teacher--Terrence Butterfield calls. He utters a startling admission: he's killed someone. He pleads for Jessie's help, so out of loyalty she rushes to his aid completely unaware that she's risking her relationship, her career, and her life--and that of her unborn child--to help Terrence.
Does Jessie's presence at Terrence's home implicate her in the gruesome murder of the teenage boy found in the basement? Why does Terrence betray Jessie when he has a chance to exonerate her of any charges? Has he been a monster in disguise for all these years?
To reclaim her life and prove her innocence, Jessie must untangle the web of lies and reveal the shocking truths behind the homicide. This quest turns out to be the fight of her life: to preserve everything and everyone she holds dear.
Who would ever suspect that their mentor, teacher, and friend is a cold-blooded killer?
Attorney Jessie Martin didn't--at least not until she answers the midnight call.
Late one August night, Jessie's lifelong mentor and friend--and presently a popular, charismatic, and handsome high school teacher--Terrence Butterfield calls. He utters a startling admission: he's killed someone. He pleads for Jessie's help, so out of loyalty she rushes to his aid completely unaware that she's risking her relationship, her career, and her life--and that of her unborn child--to help Terrence.
Does Jessie's presence at Terrence's home implicate her in the gruesome murder of the teenage boy found in the basement? Why does Terrence betray Jessie when he has a chance to exonerate her of any charges? Has he been a monster in disguise for all these years?
To reclaim her life and prove her innocence, Jessie must untangle the web of lies and reveal the shocking truths behind the homicide. This quest turns out to be the fight of her life: to preserve everything and everyone she holds dear.
460 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2019
26 people are currently reading
1342 people want to read
About the author
Jodé Millman
5 books738 followersJode is a life-long resident of the beautiful Hudson Valley in New York State. After many years of practicing law, she semi-retired her briefcase to write.
Her award-winning debut thriller, THE MIDNIGHT CALL (2019) was the recipient of the 2020 BRONZE IPPY AWARD, 2020 AMERICAN Fiction Award for Legal Thriller, 2021 Independent Press Award, Finalist - 2021 Book Excellence Award, Finalist - 2020 Write Touch Readers Choice Awards, Finalist - 2020 National Readers Choice Award, Shortlist - 2019 CLUE AWARD. In 2014, THE MIDNIGHT CALL was designated as the "Best Police Procedural" by Chantireviews.com and was short-listed for the Clue Award.
Her second thriller, HOOKER AVENUE, was released in April 2022, and is a Finalist for the RWA/KOD Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. It won the 2022 Independent Press Award, was a Finalist for the American Fiction Award and is a First Place in the Clue Awards.
Her third novel, THE EMPTY KAYAK is a First Place Winner of the 2023 Clue Award, and a Finalist for the Independent Press and Best Thriller Award.
These three mysteries compose THE QUEEN CITY CRIMES series, which received the First Place Award in the 2023 Clue Book Series Awards.
In addition to writing crime fiction, Jode loves reading a good mystery. She holds a Masters In English Literature, and has taught undergraduate and law school, where her classes combined her interests in Law and Literature.
She is a book reviewer for Booktrib.com and New York Journal of Books, a podcaster and creator of THE WRITERS LAW SCHOOL.
Her award-winning debut thriller, THE MIDNIGHT CALL (2019) was the recipient of the 2020 BRONZE IPPY AWARD, 2020 AMERICAN Fiction Award for Legal Thriller, 2021 Independent Press Award, Finalist - 2021 Book Excellence Award, Finalist - 2020 Write Touch Readers Choice Awards, Finalist - 2020 National Readers Choice Award, Shortlist - 2019 CLUE AWARD. In 2014, THE MIDNIGHT CALL was designated as the "Best Police Procedural" by Chantireviews.com and was short-listed for the Clue Award.
Her second thriller, HOOKER AVENUE, was released in April 2022, and is a Finalist for the RWA/KOD Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. It won the 2022 Independent Press Award, was a Finalist for the American Fiction Award and is a First Place in the Clue Awards.
Her third novel, THE EMPTY KAYAK is a First Place Winner of the 2023 Clue Award, and a Finalist for the Independent Press and Best Thriller Award.
These three mysteries compose THE QUEEN CITY CRIMES series, which received the First Place Award in the 2023 Clue Book Series Awards.
In addition to writing crime fiction, Jode loves reading a good mystery. She holds a Masters In English Literature, and has taught undergraduate and law school, where her classes combined her interests in Law and Literature.
She is a book reviewer for Booktrib.com and New York Journal of Books, a podcaster and creator of THE WRITERS LAW SCHOOL.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 18, 2022
After being handed the newest novel by Jodé Millamn, I thought it best to start at the beginning of this series. Millman develops a decent story for most readers, tapping into some emotional and high-intensity stuff from the outset. While it was not the most captivating legal thriller I have read, it was decent enough to pass the time.
Jessie Martin is a decent lawyer whose education helped pave the way to a successful career. Then, late one night. she got a call she was hardly expecting or prepared for, with chilling news. Jessie’s friend and long-tome mentor, Terrence Butterfield, seeks her help after admitting that he killed someone.
Sending Jessie into a spiral, she tries to compose herself while trying to come to terms with Terrence’s admission. Now she has a decision to make; should she help the man or stay a fair distance away? Jessie cannot turn her back on the man who made her who she is today, but doing so will certainly bring out a great deal of risk to all parts of her life.
As Jessie goes to help Terrence, she is pulled into something even more sinister when a body is discovered in his home. Might Terrence have been playing on Jessie’s emotions from the get-go, trying to get her to help him, while remaining a horrible monster all along? Jessie will have to trust her gut and legal instincts to get her out of this mess before too long. Millman does well with this series debut to paint quite a picture for the reader!
Many who know my reading likes would expect me to fawn over this book, particularly because of all the twists it appears to present. Jadé Millman offers readers something to contemplate throughout this piece, with some strong plot ideas and a decent delivery. I would not call it stunning, but it did keep me thinking and pondering what I might expect as the series continues.
Millman offers a decent narrative throughout the piece, keeping the reader in the middle of things as the story unfolds. There is a decent amount of character development and some plot twists that are sure to keep the reader wondering well into the night. While a legal thriller on the one hand and a crime thriller on the other, Millman is able to mix the two fairly well, without knocking me over with either. I am eager to see what is to come with this series and whether Jessie Martin will make more of an impact on me in the follow-up story, for which I have an ARC ready to read.
Kudos, Jodé Millman, for a decent debut. Let’s we where things go in the next novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Jessie Martin is a decent lawyer whose education helped pave the way to a successful career. Then, late one night. she got a call she was hardly expecting or prepared for, with chilling news. Jessie’s friend and long-tome mentor, Terrence Butterfield, seeks her help after admitting that he killed someone.
Sending Jessie into a spiral, she tries to compose herself while trying to come to terms with Terrence’s admission. Now she has a decision to make; should she help the man or stay a fair distance away? Jessie cannot turn her back on the man who made her who she is today, but doing so will certainly bring out a great deal of risk to all parts of her life.
As Jessie goes to help Terrence, she is pulled into something even more sinister when a body is discovered in his home. Might Terrence have been playing on Jessie’s emotions from the get-go, trying to get her to help him, while remaining a horrible monster all along? Jessie will have to trust her gut and legal instincts to get her out of this mess before too long. Millman does well with this series debut to paint quite a picture for the reader!
Many who know my reading likes would expect me to fawn over this book, particularly because of all the twists it appears to present. Jadé Millman offers readers something to contemplate throughout this piece, with some strong plot ideas and a decent delivery. I would not call it stunning, but it did keep me thinking and pondering what I might expect as the series continues.
Millman offers a decent narrative throughout the piece, keeping the reader in the middle of things as the story unfolds. There is a decent amount of character development and some plot twists that are sure to keep the reader wondering well into the night. While a legal thriller on the one hand and a crime thriller on the other, Millman is able to mix the two fairly well, without knocking me over with either. I am eager to see what is to come with this series and whether Jessie Martin will make more of an impact on me in the follow-up story, for which I have an ARC ready to read.
Kudos, Jodé Millman, for a decent debut. Let’s we where things go in the next novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 6, 2019
Many thanks to Meryl Moss Media and Jode Millman for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.
For more exciting content and an author Q & A visit: https://www.pinkpurlandprose.com
I love legal thrillers. From movies like “Legal Eagles”, “The Runaway Jury” and “Primal Fear”, to any novels by John Grisham or Scott Turow, these are stories I have always loved. Not only me, “Law and Order” would not have been on for over 20 years and several spin-offs, if people who weren’t criminals were fascinated with what goes on behind the scenes. It is a safe way to peek behind the curtain, but from the safety of my couch, thank you very much. So I was fascinated where I found out that Jode Millman was a lawyer, because who better to write a legal thriller. That is the one strong suit this story has. You can feel how authentic and detailed the legal scenes are in the book. Jessie is seven months pregnant and still trying to prove herself as a lawyer. But when her mentor calls her in the middle of the night claiming he murdered someone, she is out of her league. So she enlists the help of former hot shot Jeremy Kaplan, who has fallen on hard times. Millman also gives us a glimpse of the DA’s office with Lauren Hollenbeck, an ambitious attractive woman who wants to make a name for herself with this case and Hal Samuels, her underling who just happens to be Jessie’s former love of her life.
The characters are very interconnected in this story. If you placed all the names of the characters and ran a string back and forth with who has a past with which character, well, you would have a board covered in string. This is one of the weaknesses I felt in the story. There were too many “medium” prominent characters, that all seemed to have had a relationship with each other that it became too convoluted, or maybe I should say diluted. It wasn’t that I didn’t know who was who, I was always very clear on who each character was. It was just that it took away from the main story of “did Terence kill the kid”. I would have liked to see fewer important characters, more fully developed. That would have made stronger connections to them, as the reader, and then I would have much more invested in their outcome. It wasn’t only the number of characters, but the amount of events for each character.
MILD SPOILER ALERT
For example, looking at the main character, Jessie, and what she had going on in this one story. She is seven months pregnant and there is lots of drama with the pregnancy. She is not married to the father Kyle, but also has Robbie, her ex-boyfriend and brother of dead kid and Hal, also ex-boyfriend, who is on the DA side of the trial. Each one of these relationships has lots of drama and I mean LOTS! There is also drama with the pregnancy, throughout the book – she bleeds, is she going to lose the baby, she cramps, she goes in the hospital and on and on. Again, the drama of a scare is diminished by the number of events. Also, I’m not convinced she want this baby, since she keeps putting it in jeopardy and really didn’t understand her relationship with Kyle, the father. There is also her career that she has worked very hard to get to a certain point. She is fired because of her association with the case – lots of career drama. Of course, the main drama is her relationship with Terence, her mentor and now would-be murderer. It was hard to feel the tension because there was just too much going on. If you can believe, there is even more with her, but I think you get the point.
All that to say that something tighter would have served the story better and really gotten behind the emotions and what drives each person. But that is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the read. It did read very smoothly and I could always follow what was happening with each person and each event. There is a twist at the end that most will enjoy. Lots of courtroom drama and you do get to see how each person’s motivations affect how the case is treated. A good solid thriller with the potential for sequels. So, if it’s midnight and the phone rings, what would you do? Would you answer the call?
For more exciting content and an author Q & A visit: https://www.pinkpurlandprose.com
I love legal thrillers. From movies like “Legal Eagles”, “The Runaway Jury” and “Primal Fear”, to any novels by John Grisham or Scott Turow, these are stories I have always loved. Not only me, “Law and Order” would not have been on for over 20 years and several spin-offs, if people who weren’t criminals were fascinated with what goes on behind the scenes. It is a safe way to peek behind the curtain, but from the safety of my couch, thank you very much. So I was fascinated where I found out that Jode Millman was a lawyer, because who better to write a legal thriller. That is the one strong suit this story has. You can feel how authentic and detailed the legal scenes are in the book. Jessie is seven months pregnant and still trying to prove herself as a lawyer. But when her mentor calls her in the middle of the night claiming he murdered someone, she is out of her league. So she enlists the help of former hot shot Jeremy Kaplan, who has fallen on hard times. Millman also gives us a glimpse of the DA’s office with Lauren Hollenbeck, an ambitious attractive woman who wants to make a name for herself with this case and Hal Samuels, her underling who just happens to be Jessie’s former love of her life.
The characters are very interconnected in this story. If you placed all the names of the characters and ran a string back and forth with who has a past with which character, well, you would have a board covered in string. This is one of the weaknesses I felt in the story. There were too many “medium” prominent characters, that all seemed to have had a relationship with each other that it became too convoluted, or maybe I should say diluted. It wasn’t that I didn’t know who was who, I was always very clear on who each character was. It was just that it took away from the main story of “did Terence kill the kid”. I would have liked to see fewer important characters, more fully developed. That would have made stronger connections to them, as the reader, and then I would have much more invested in their outcome. It wasn’t only the number of characters, but the amount of events for each character.
MILD SPOILER ALERT
For example, looking at the main character, Jessie, and what she had going on in this one story. She is seven months pregnant and there is lots of drama with the pregnancy. She is not married to the father Kyle, but also has Robbie, her ex-boyfriend and brother of dead kid and Hal, also ex-boyfriend, who is on the DA side of the trial. Each one of these relationships has lots of drama and I mean LOTS! There is also drama with the pregnancy, throughout the book – she bleeds, is she going to lose the baby, she cramps, she goes in the hospital and on and on. Again, the drama of a scare is diminished by the number of events. Also, I’m not convinced she want this baby, since she keeps putting it in jeopardy and really didn’t understand her relationship with Kyle, the father. There is also her career that she has worked very hard to get to a certain point. She is fired because of her association with the case – lots of career drama. Of course, the main drama is her relationship with Terence, her mentor and now would-be murderer. It was hard to feel the tension because there was just too much going on. If you can believe, there is even more with her, but I think you get the point.
All that to say that something tighter would have served the story better and really gotten behind the emotions and what drives each person. But that is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the read. It did read very smoothly and I could always follow what was happening with each person and each event. There is a twist at the end that most will enjoy. Lots of courtroom drama and you do get to see how each person’s motivations affect how the case is treated. A good solid thriller with the potential for sequels. So, if it’s midnight and the phone rings, what would you do? Would you answer the call?
May 14, 2019
Should have gone with gut instinct that (quite accurately) said no, you don’t like legal thrillers and the cover looks cheap, don’t do it. But no…this one had praise from legit sources and promised a twist ending, so I went for it. So yeah, this is very much a legal thriller about a young female attorney, Jessie, whose mentor (a well respected local teacher) is accused of a brutal murder. There aren’t any murder mystery suspense elements these types of books often feature, there isn’t really any suspense at all or moral ambiguity or any sort of is he or isn’t he. It’s all a fairly straight forward story, with all the complexity resting in the legal area. The author is a lawyer, so that aspect is done with all the professionalism you’d expect, but the rest of the plot leaves a lot to be desired. The characters aren’t especially likeable or interesting and the love triangle the very heavily pregnant Jessie finds herself in is kind of…weird. Why is Jessie suddenly in a chiklit…whey is she completely irresistible to all or mostly all the wrong men. And the twist ending never twists. The writing is decent, nothing special. Nothing special in general here. Overall effect is underwhelming. And yet the characters are coming back for a completely unnecessary sequel none of them really merit. Presumably fans of legal thrillers would enjoy this one. Otherwise…well, it’s a quick read. Just remember…Jessie regretted picking up the midnight call. The caution is built in. Thanks Netgalley.
July 10, 2019
The Midnight Call grabbed my attention when I read the description. "Who would ever suspect that their mentor, teacher, and friend is a cold-blooded killer?". If I'm being honest, I struggled with this book, there were many times I was very close to giving up, but somehow trudged on.
Late one August night, Jessie’s lifelong mentor and friend—and presently a popular, charismatic, and handsome high school teacher—Terrence Butterfield calls. He utters a startling admission: he’s killed, someone. He pleads for Jessie’s help, so out of loyalty she rushes to his aid completely unaware that she’s risking her relationship, her career, and her life—and that of her unborn child—to help Terrence. Does Jessie’s presence at Terrence’s home implicate her in the gruesome murder of the teenage boy found in the basement? Why does Terrence betray Jessie when he has a chance to exonerate her of any charges? Has he been a monster in disguise for all these years? To reclaim her life and prove her innocence, Jessie must untangle the web of lies and reveal the shocking truths behind the homicide.
I found the book to be very verbose, it went on and on. I don't mind a legal suspense, but this went too much in detail and I lost interest after a couple of chapters. The plot was good, I'll give it that. But it should have gotten over much earlier than it did. Also, I was left with questions regarding Butterfield - why did he do it? what was it like for him to keep his psychosis suppressed? Unfortunately, this book lacked the psychological content I look for; instead it presented with many legal points and matter that other readers preferring this sub-genre might like. I liked the characters - most of them were drawn out well.
Thank you, NetGalley, Immortal Works & Jode Millman for an arc!
Late one August night, Jessie’s lifelong mentor and friend—and presently a popular, charismatic, and handsome high school teacher—Terrence Butterfield calls. He utters a startling admission: he’s killed, someone. He pleads for Jessie’s help, so out of loyalty she rushes to his aid completely unaware that she’s risking her relationship, her career, and her life—and that of her unborn child—to help Terrence. Does Jessie’s presence at Terrence’s home implicate her in the gruesome murder of the teenage boy found in the basement? Why does Terrence betray Jessie when he has a chance to exonerate her of any charges? Has he been a monster in disguise for all these years? To reclaim her life and prove her innocence, Jessie must untangle the web of lies and reveal the shocking truths behind the homicide.
I found the book to be very verbose, it went on and on. I don't mind a legal suspense, but this went too much in detail and I lost interest after a couple of chapters. The plot was good, I'll give it that. But it should have gotten over much earlier than it did. Also, I was left with questions regarding Butterfield - why did he do it? what was it like for him to keep his psychosis suppressed? Unfortunately, this book lacked the psychological content I look for; instead it presented with many legal points and matter that other readers preferring this sub-genre might like. I liked the characters - most of them were drawn out well.
Thank you, NetGalley, Immortal Works & Jode Millman for an arc!
October 15, 2022
I am a sucker for a good psychological thriller – where you’re never entirely sure who to trust or if the narrator is reliable or how it’s going to turn out. The Midnight Call is one such book. I was intrigued from the start and my mind whirled with possibilities until the very end. That ending! It’s amazing how four words can make you suck in your breath and immediately begin stalking the interwebs for any hint of a third book. (Thank goodness for the author’s note where she assures us these characters will be back. It let me relax a little… but I’m not going to quit thinking about the implications in those last four words for a long while.)
All that said, The Midnight Call was almost nothing like I first expected it to be. And that’s not a bad thing. It added to that delicious psych-thriller feeling that you’re always a step or two behind the narrator, which kept my attention all the more engaged. I expected this to be Jessie’s story, and in many ways it is. But it’s also Jeremy Kaplan’s story. And Hal Samuel’s story. And Lily’s story. And … tying them all together, along with several other supporting characters whose stories are affected too, is Terrence Butterfield – Jessie’s former teacher and mentor who now stands accused of a horrific & inexplicable murder.
Bottom Line: In The Midnight Call, Millman crafts flawed characters that readers become invested in despite their foibles – or perhaps because of them. While I disagreed with some of their moral choices, I can’t deny that I was nonetheless intrigued by the ways their lives intersected, as well as the ripple effects of those intersections. The legal case is twisty and keeps you guessing, turning what you thought you knew upside down and every which way before those stunning last four words.
PS – Trying to figure out what order this book goes in the series is nearly as twisty as the plot. On Amazon it’s listed as book 2… but the book listed as book 1 (Hooker Avenue) comes after the events of The Midnight Call. Additionally, TMC appears to have been released several years ago as this author’s debut and is now being re-released. So… I’m confused about whether it’s book 1 or 2 in the series, but I enjoyed it on its face as a standalone for now.
Reviewer’s Note: Readers of my reviews may want to be aware that there is some mild cursing and innuendo in this book, but nothing more than you see on primetime TV.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
All that said, The Midnight Call was almost nothing like I first expected it to be. And that’s not a bad thing. It added to that delicious psych-thriller feeling that you’re always a step or two behind the narrator, which kept my attention all the more engaged. I expected this to be Jessie’s story, and in many ways it is. But it’s also Jeremy Kaplan’s story. And Hal Samuel’s story. And Lily’s story. And … tying them all together, along with several other supporting characters whose stories are affected too, is Terrence Butterfield – Jessie’s former teacher and mentor who now stands accused of a horrific & inexplicable murder.
Bottom Line: In The Midnight Call, Millman crafts flawed characters that readers become invested in despite their foibles – or perhaps because of them. While I disagreed with some of their moral choices, I can’t deny that I was nonetheless intrigued by the ways their lives intersected, as well as the ripple effects of those intersections. The legal case is twisty and keeps you guessing, turning what you thought you knew upside down and every which way before those stunning last four words.
PS – Trying to figure out what order this book goes in the series is nearly as twisty as the plot. On Amazon it’s listed as book 2… but the book listed as book 1 (Hooker Avenue) comes after the events of The Midnight Call. Additionally, TMC appears to have been released several years ago as this author’s debut and is now being re-released. So… I’m confused about whether it’s book 1 or 2 in the series, but I enjoyed it on its face as a standalone for now.
Reviewer’s Note: Readers of my reviews may want to be aware that there is some mild cursing and innuendo in this book, but nothing more than you see on primetime TV.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
November 13, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Jodé Millman and Partners In Crime Tours. I'm excited to be a part of this tour.
As I often do, I started this series with the second in the series “Hooker Avenue” and loved it so much I jumped at the chanced to be a part of this tour. Each book could be read as a standalone and I don’t feel like I missed out on anything by not reading them in order.
The Midnight tour introduces us to attorney Jesse Martin as she is contacted by her friend and mentor Terrence Butterfield. Terrence says he’s killed someone and pleads for Jesse’s help. Out of loyalty, she rushes to his aid unaware that she’s just put everything she loves most in jeopardy.
Instead of exonerating her, Terrence betrays her. To reclaim her life and prove her innocence, she must untangle the web of lies while accepting shocking truths.
I love legal dramas and was hooked from start to finish. I enjoy this author’s ability to create multilayered plots full of emotional conflict, mystery, and suspense. The characters are well written and relatable. I identify with Jesse’s internal conflict as she dives deeper and begins putting pieces together. Who would have thought Terrence was a murderer?!?!.. He is so well respected. I can see how someone could easily get swept up into a conflict like this.
Overall, this series is off to an interesting start, and I look forward to seeing how it evolves in future books!
As I often do, I started this series with the second in the series “Hooker Avenue” and loved it so much I jumped at the chanced to be a part of this tour. Each book could be read as a standalone and I don’t feel like I missed out on anything by not reading them in order.
The Midnight tour introduces us to attorney Jesse Martin as she is contacted by her friend and mentor Terrence Butterfield. Terrence says he’s killed someone and pleads for Jesse’s help. Out of loyalty, she rushes to his aid unaware that she’s just put everything she loves most in jeopardy.
Instead of exonerating her, Terrence betrays her. To reclaim her life and prove her innocence, she must untangle the web of lies while accepting shocking truths.
I love legal dramas and was hooked from start to finish. I enjoy this author’s ability to create multilayered plots full of emotional conflict, mystery, and suspense. The characters are well written and relatable. I identify with Jesse’s internal conflict as she dives deeper and begins putting pieces together. Who would have thought Terrence was a murderer?!?!.. He is so well respected. I can see how someone could easily get swept up into a conflict like this.
Overall, this series is off to an interesting start, and I look forward to seeing how it evolves in future books!
November 17, 2019
The midnight call
A legal thriller that pulls all the punches with a little romance. I'm from upstate New York where this story takes place so I loved that.This was sharp, well plotted and seriously compelling. I loved it.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Hudson Valley NY
A legal thriller that pulls all the punches with a little romance. I'm from upstate New York where this story takes place so I loved that.This was sharp, well plotted and seriously compelling. I loved it.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Hudson Valley NY
October 19, 2022
This is a novel about legal activities that emphasizes how the personalities and actions of attorneys affect a case. There is a great deal of relationship drama in the plot and it makes a difference in the court case. There are old love relationships and sexual encounters that have serious consequences on the current legal work. There is a DA who has intense political aspirations and seems to have a no problem ruining the reputation of another. There is a great deal of information about court proceedings in this novel too. We read of thoughts about legal work and strategy.
There is a murder at the beginning but the plot does not really involve police work in solving it. We know the particulars and the unknown is what charges will be made and how the defense will form its case. The emphasis is how the personalities and love interests of those involved affect the case, even to the point of making mistakes. We also see how the personality of the accused could be terribly misunderstood.
This is a novel on legal procedure for readers who like an emphasis on the characters involved and how their personalities determine the manner in which a case is pursued. Perhaps the biggest personality action is Jessie's response to a midnight call. One phone call and one decision changed so much. This is a good debut effort.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
There is a murder at the beginning but the plot does not really involve police work in solving it. We know the particulars and the unknown is what charges will be made and how the defense will form its case. The emphasis is how the personalities and love interests of those involved affect the case, even to the point of making mistakes. We also see how the personality of the accused could be terribly misunderstood.
This is a novel on legal procedure for readers who like an emphasis on the characters involved and how their personalities determine the manner in which a case is pursued. Perhaps the biggest personality action is Jessie's response to a midnight call. One phone call and one decision changed so much. This is a good debut effort.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
June 25, 2019
I enjoyed the story but found the legal part of the book a bit tedious. I feel like there were some loose ends left, maybe there’s a sequel in the works? I agree with another reviewer in that they could have picked a better cover. I shouldn’t but I do judge a lot of books by the cover. If this book hadn’t been offered to me to read I wouldn’t have picked it up. Just because of the cover. If you like legal thrillers then I think you would like this one.
May 13, 2019
I got this as a arc e book from Net Galley for my i pad. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
July 30, 2019
Overall, this is a pretty decent first novel. I tried to like it, but, ultimately, couldn't really. I thought about my issues and, after skimming the low-star reviews for this book, I noticed that my complaints were not unique. My primary turn-off was the main character, Jessie. *spoiler alert* Why is every frickin' man in the book in love with her? Seriously, at one point, we've got her ex-fiancé, her current fiancé, her ex-boyfriend, and whatever is up with her "mentor" (his comments and actions when she visits him in the County Jail make it apparent that their relationship isn't all platonic, at least not from his side). Having known women like that IRL, I tend to not care for them. Other than the fact that she is our "heroine/protagonist," I never found a good reason to care for Jessie.
Following from this, we have Jessie's re-kindled relationship with her MARRIED ex-boyfriend while she, herself, is engaged to another man and PREGNANT with said fiancé's child. The author tries to soften this, but infidelity is infidelity. I typically don't find cheating romantic, having been on the losing end of that game also IRL. (As a side note, I was shocked that this plot made it into the print. Immortal Works is a Mormon publishing house; I expected more from them.)
In fact, romance really took up the majority of the plot, when you look at the book from a distance. There really is no mystery, just a couple questions of law. Personally knowing a thing or two about questions of law, they aren't sexy. I won't fault the author for the sections of the book where she is legally realistic. However, I will warn her that laypeople are going to be bored by them. And, if you read other reviews, they are. One Website called this book a police procedural; I wouldn't. At best, I would call it a mixed genre (romantic legal?). By setting it up a a mystery, the author lets readers down when she doesn't deliver more details as to Terrence's psychosis or the events of the night of the killing. Maybe this is the point of the teased sequel?
Lastly, I have just two small quibbles. The defense attorney and the District Attorney are complete caricatures (also, Ebony Jones, braided African-American police officer, notable as Jessie's only female friend). And, finally, maybe I'm old-fashioned, but the sections of the story detailing Jessie's pregnancy often reminded me of the movie Alien. All of the rubbing and the moving and the urinating just grossed me out.
Now, I want to end this review on a positive note. The author's love of her hometown of Poughkeepsie really came through. It sounds like a charming old town, and I can see why she loves it so.
This book will also satisfy the 2019 Watauga County Public Library Reading Challenge categories: A book published in 2019; A book by an author you've never heard of before; the first book in a series (apparently); A book about a career you wanted as a child (attorney); A book with a cover you hate. I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways on Saturday, July 13, 2019. It is a first edition/signed copy.
Following from this, we have Jessie's re-kindled relationship with her MARRIED ex-boyfriend while she, herself, is engaged to another man and PREGNANT with said fiancé's child. The author tries to soften this, but infidelity is infidelity. I typically don't find cheating romantic, having been on the losing end of that game also IRL. (As a side note, I was shocked that this plot made it into the print. Immortal Works is a Mormon publishing house; I expected more from them.)
In fact, romance really took up the majority of the plot, when you look at the book from a distance. There really is no mystery, just a couple questions of law. Personally knowing a thing or two about questions of law, they aren't sexy. I won't fault the author for the sections of the book where she is legally realistic. However, I will warn her that laypeople are going to be bored by them. And, if you read other reviews, they are. One Website called this book a police procedural; I wouldn't. At best, I would call it a mixed genre (romantic legal?). By setting it up a a mystery, the author lets readers down when she doesn't deliver more details as to Terrence's psychosis or the events of the night of the killing. Maybe this is the point of the teased sequel?
Lastly, I have just two small quibbles. The defense attorney and the District Attorney are complete caricatures (also, Ebony Jones, braided African-American police officer, notable as Jessie's only female friend). And, finally, maybe I'm old-fashioned, but the sections of the story detailing Jessie's pregnancy often reminded me of the movie Alien. All of the rubbing and the moving and the urinating just grossed me out.
Now, I want to end this review on a positive note. The author's love of her hometown of Poughkeepsie really came through. It sounds like a charming old town, and I can see why she loves it so.
This book will also satisfy the 2019 Watauga County Public Library Reading Challenge categories: A book published in 2019; A book by an author you've never heard of before; the first book in a series (apparently); A book about a career you wanted as a child (attorney); A book with a cover you hate. I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways on Saturday, July 13, 2019. It is a first edition/signed copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2019
Jessica Martin is a bright, corporate lawyer practicing in New York City and living north of the city in Poughkeepsie , NY. She is about to have a baby and will soon marry her long time boyfriend, Kyle. What she doesn't know his her whole world in going to collapse this night.
In the middle of the night she receives a frantic phone call from her longtime mentor and ex-high school teacher, Terrence Butterfield. He sounds incoherent and is babbling about a dead body and blood all over his residence. Jessie so admires Terrence that she in no way can ignore his pleas for help. What she doesn't know is how much her world is going to be affected by her going to help Terrence.
At first Jessie wants to help her friend but the situation gets really complicated when other lawyers step into the case. Hal Samuels for the prosecution and Jeremy Kaplan for the defense. And then the murder victim turns out to be the son of a family with ties to Jessie and her family.
This is a first novel by Jode Millman and it is a spellbinder. I could have given you a little more information about the victim and the victim's family and how they will effect Jessie's life but I won't give away too much now. Reader alert: this a final twist at the end !
In the middle of the night she receives a frantic phone call from her longtime mentor and ex-high school teacher, Terrence Butterfield. He sounds incoherent and is babbling about a dead body and blood all over his residence. Jessie so admires Terrence that she in no way can ignore his pleas for help. What she doesn't know is how much her world is going to be affected by her going to help Terrence.
At first Jessie wants to help her friend but the situation gets really complicated when other lawyers step into the case. Hal Samuels for the prosecution and Jeremy Kaplan for the defense. And then the murder victim turns out to be the son of a family with ties to Jessie and her family.
This is a first novel by Jode Millman and it is a spellbinder. I could have given you a little more information about the victim and the victim's family and how they will effect Jessie's life but I won't give away too much now. Reader alert: this a final twist at the end !
Read
April 13, 2019The Midnight Call is a fast-paced page-turner written by Jodé Millman. A story that is sure to draw you in from the beginning and hold your attention until the very end. The Midnight Call will have you second-guessing every move until the unexpected end. This would make a lovely beach read.
August 19, 2019
Being from the Poughkeepsie area, it was crazy reading a book based in Poughkeepsie, NY and hopefully she finishes the next book fast because I read its supposed to be about the serial killer Francois.
October 10, 2022
Was he insane or insanely clever and about to get away with murder?
What an outstanding and exciting legal procedural! In The Midnight Call, the reader knows from the start who the killer is, though not the who nor the why of the act. The story revolves around the legal battle after the heinous murder is discovered and the impact it has on the characters, especially Jessie, Kyle, Jeremy, and Hal. There are dramatic consequences for all four, although none had a hand in the murder itself. The story is told from three points of view: Jessie’s, Jeremy’s, and Hal’s.
I loved the main character, Jessie. She wants to be loyal to her old mentor, her fiancé, her unborn child, and even her firm, but repeatedly her eyes get opened to secrets and hidden agendas. She’s so bright, earnest, and driven to be a good attorney, become a partner in the firm because she deserves it for all of her hard work, and have her baby with Kyle, whom she’s positive is 100% behind her and her dreams. It was heartbreaking to watch her physical struggles with her pregnancy and relationships.Jeremy is another underdog in this story, and although I couldn’t like his client or what the man had done, I still wanted Jeremy to win his case. That was a tough sell, too, as his tactic could destroy Jessie’s career.
Hal has followed a path to success laid out for him, first by his parents and then by his ambitious boss. He knows he messed up with Jessie when they were in law school and seems willing to make things as right as possible. But the cost to his wife, Erin, and son, Tyler, is yet to be seen.The Midnight Call is a fascinating legal thriller and modern domestic drama. The story is set in Poughkeepsie, New York, close to the big city but still with a hometown feel and appeal. I enjoyed watching the prosecution’s case being formulated and the creation of the defense’s strategies, but it was the personal dramas that really held my interest and kept me reading late into the night. Usually, I’m on the side of the defendant in these books, but although he has a sterling reputation and is touted as a handsome and charismatic man, he’s left all that behind by the time of the event in the book, and he was downright scary. I never knew what to think about him. Was he insane or insanely clever and trying to get away with murder?
I recommend THE MIDNIGHT CALL to mystery readers who enjoy legal thrillers with a focus on the characters and the impact the crime has on them.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
March 15, 2021
Jodé Millman’s Midnight Call had the potential to be a gripping legal thriller, and it certainly started out that way, but its grip loosened considerably chapter by chapter. Don’t get me wrong, there are aspects of a legal thriller in the book, but it’s few and far between a whole mess of domestic drama. There is a gruesome murder, and several of the scenes involving Terrence Butterfield are rather chilling, but many of those are cut short only to go right back to Jessie and an unsettling love triangle. And that brings me to Jessie. Most of the story revolves around her, and she is a lawyer, but she’s not THE lawyer on either side of this murder trial. Like the love triangle, she’s somewhere in the middle. And people on both sides of this thing either are in love with Jessie, or they have been in the past. She’s an okay character, but she seemed like more victim than anything else, which didn’t make her all that likable in my opinion. What I mean by that is she came across as a damsel in distress way too often. One minute, she would stand up for herself, and the next, she would fall into someone’s arms. I realize she was pregnant, and there were complications, but if Jessie was supposed to be a strong woman, she fell short.
The rest of the characters didn’t endear themselves to me any better than Jessie, unfortunately. I’m not sure if it was the author’s intention or not, but I didn’t like a single character in this book except for Jessie’s dad. He’s the only one who seemed to have his head on straight. The rest were too caught up in the wrong things or thinking about the grass being greener on the other side.
I did listen to the audiobook of this story, and for me, Janel Valentine was the saving grace of this book. She gives a very good performance, and that performance, along with an excellent audio quality, is what kept me listening to the end.
The more I listened to this book, the more I felt like it didn’t really know exactly what it wanted to be. It’s a little bit legal thriller and a lot domestic drama with a love triangle thrown in. Any of those things could have made for an interesting book, but in this case, it’s too convoluted, and it just didn’t work for me. So, what it all boiled down to is I didn’t care for the story, but I will be looking for this narrator in future audiobooks.
The rest of the characters didn’t endear themselves to me any better than Jessie, unfortunately. I’m not sure if it was the author’s intention or not, but I didn’t like a single character in this book except for Jessie’s dad. He’s the only one who seemed to have his head on straight. The rest were too caught up in the wrong things or thinking about the grass being greener on the other side.
I did listen to the audiobook of this story, and for me, Janel Valentine was the saving grace of this book. She gives a very good performance, and that performance, along with an excellent audio quality, is what kept me listening to the end.
The more I listened to this book, the more I felt like it didn’t really know exactly what it wanted to be. It’s a little bit legal thriller and a lot domestic drama with a love triangle thrown in. Any of those things could have made for an interesting book, but in this case, it’s too convoluted, and it just didn’t work for me. So, what it all boiled down to is I didn’t care for the story, but I will be looking for this narrator in future audiobooks.
October 30, 2022
Jessie Martin receives a phone call in the middle of the night from an old friend of her and her father. Terrence Butterfield claims that he killed someone. Jessie and her fiancé, Kyle go to Butterfields home. The police are already there so she does not have a chance to talk to him at that time. She is a corporate lawyer and not experience in criminal law, so she calls the lawyer she trusts, Jeremy Kaplan to represent Terrence.
The victim is 18-year-old Ryan is the brother of a former fiancé, Robbie. Jessie is devastated by the news that not only is Ryan dead but that a friend and mentor could have done it. Jessie is 7 months pregnant, living a happy life with Kyle. They both have decent careers and a lovely home and hope to get married in the near future.
Jessies happy life is about to come crashing down around her as she finds the Kyle has a deep-seated jealousy and tells her that Terrence is not who she thinks he is. She visits Terrence in jail and is dismayed by his demeanor and actions. She hopes that Jeremy can do a good job representing Terrence, but she is not too sure.
There are many other characters in this novel, Hal Assistant DA, his boss Lauren, Hal's wife, Jeremy Kaplan and his wife, Jeremy's assistant Mo, Jessies parents. All of these people play a vital role in telling the story.
Because Jessie had been at Terrence's home, it is speculated that she had called the police to the home when she had not. It appears that Terrence and Jeremy are trying to implicate Jessie, so Terrence can get off of the charges. Jessie ends up having some medical issues due to her pregnancy, she breaks up with Kyle and is having some romantic thoughts about Hal, who she had had a relationship within their college days.
This story is a twisty turny kind of read, a legal thriller if you will. I enjoyed the story; I think that I will want to read anything further from this author. The Midnight Call by Jode Millman is the second in the Queen City Crimes series so I will be sure to read the next one in the series. The first is Hooker Avenue. I like a good thriller so this one was a perfect fit for me.
I will give this book 5 stars, I loved the characters and the plot, and it was a fast read for me. So, if you enjoy a good legal/murder thriller, go get this one!
The victim is 18-year-old Ryan is the brother of a former fiancé, Robbie. Jessie is devastated by the news that not only is Ryan dead but that a friend and mentor could have done it. Jessie is 7 months pregnant, living a happy life with Kyle. They both have decent careers and a lovely home and hope to get married in the near future.
Jessies happy life is about to come crashing down around her as she finds the Kyle has a deep-seated jealousy and tells her that Terrence is not who she thinks he is. She visits Terrence in jail and is dismayed by his demeanor and actions. She hopes that Jeremy can do a good job representing Terrence, but she is not too sure.
There are many other characters in this novel, Hal Assistant DA, his boss Lauren, Hal's wife, Jeremy Kaplan and his wife, Jeremy's assistant Mo, Jessies parents. All of these people play a vital role in telling the story.
Because Jessie had been at Terrence's home, it is speculated that she had called the police to the home when she had not. It appears that Terrence and Jeremy are trying to implicate Jessie, so Terrence can get off of the charges. Jessie ends up having some medical issues due to her pregnancy, she breaks up with Kyle and is having some romantic thoughts about Hal, who she had had a relationship within their college days.
This story is a twisty turny kind of read, a legal thriller if you will. I enjoyed the story; I think that I will want to read anything further from this author. The Midnight Call by Jode Millman is the second in the Queen City Crimes series so I will be sure to read the next one in the series. The first is Hooker Avenue. I like a good thriller so this one was a perfect fit for me.
I will give this book 5 stars, I loved the characters and the plot, and it was a fast read for me. So, if you enjoy a good legal/murder thriller, go get this one!
November 17, 2022
I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.
If you have never read a book by Jode Millman, I encourage you to do so. Her writing just flows into a cohesive story, this one, The Midnight Call, being no exception. This is the second book I’ve read by her and I’m sure there will be more.
Terrence Butterfield - A trusted high school teacher for many years. A friend to Jessie and her father, Ed, for a very long time.
Jessie - A corporate lawyer, engaged to Kyle, daughter to Ed. Friend to Terrence.
Kyle - Jessie’s fiancé who is none too keen on her relationship with Terrence.
Hal Samuels III - Hal went to college with Jessie, they have history. Hal married Erin; Tyler is their young son. Hal works for the district attorney’s office, his boss being Lauren Hollenbeck.
Jeremy Kaplan - Long-time lawyer whom Jessie calls for help. Mr. Kaplan hires Dr. Shtern.
Jessie gets a call in the middle of the night from Terrence, telling her he’s committed a horrendous crime and he needs help. Because of Jessie’s long-term friendship with Terrence, she rushes to his aid, much to Kyle’s dislike. Kyle drives her over because Jessie is very pregnant and doesn’t want anything to happen to her. In the process, Jessie calls her dad to talk to Terrence on the phone to help ensure he doesn’t do anything else and to hopefully keep him calm. Terrence ultimately gets hauled off to jail and things spiral for him from there. Jessie, knowing that she is unable to handle Terrence’s situation, calls in Jeremy Kaplan.
While Jeremy is trying to build the best defense possible for Terrence, Jessie is experiencing a desperate situation of her own. Kyle is not happy with her … at all. The victim in this particular case just happened to be the brother of her long-time-ago ex-boyfriend, the boyfriend Robbie, the victim Ryan. Then, of course, she is confronted with Hal and her memories of him and how she really feels about him. Then, there are her own health scares with her baby. Hal also has to discover his own truths.
The characters in this book come alive through this story. It takes a while to get to the heart of this tale, but it is well worth it in the end. The final sentence of this sometimes heart-wrenching tale leads me to believe that there will be more. Terrence’s story is not over … not yet.
If you have never read a book by Jode Millman, I encourage you to do so. Her writing just flows into a cohesive story, this one, The Midnight Call, being no exception. This is the second book I’ve read by her and I’m sure there will be more.
Terrence Butterfield - A trusted high school teacher for many years. A friend to Jessie and her father, Ed, for a very long time.
Jessie - A corporate lawyer, engaged to Kyle, daughter to Ed. Friend to Terrence.
Kyle - Jessie’s fiancé who is none too keen on her relationship with Terrence.
Hal Samuels III - Hal went to college with Jessie, they have history. Hal married Erin; Tyler is their young son. Hal works for the district attorney’s office, his boss being Lauren Hollenbeck.
Jeremy Kaplan - Long-time lawyer whom Jessie calls for help. Mr. Kaplan hires Dr. Shtern.
Jessie gets a call in the middle of the night from Terrence, telling her he’s committed a horrendous crime and he needs help. Because of Jessie’s long-term friendship with Terrence, she rushes to his aid, much to Kyle’s dislike. Kyle drives her over because Jessie is very pregnant and doesn’t want anything to happen to her. In the process, Jessie calls her dad to talk to Terrence on the phone to help ensure he doesn’t do anything else and to hopefully keep him calm. Terrence ultimately gets hauled off to jail and things spiral for him from there. Jessie, knowing that she is unable to handle Terrence’s situation, calls in Jeremy Kaplan.
While Jeremy is trying to build the best defense possible for Terrence, Jessie is experiencing a desperate situation of her own. Kyle is not happy with her … at all. The victim in this particular case just happened to be the brother of her long-time-ago ex-boyfriend, the boyfriend Robbie, the victim Ryan. Then, of course, she is confronted with Hal and her memories of him and how she really feels about him. Then, there are her own health scares with her baby. Hal also has to discover his own truths.
The characters in this book come alive through this story. It takes a while to get to the heart of this tale, but it is well worth it in the end. The final sentence of this sometimes heart-wrenching tale leads me to believe that there will be more. Terrence’s story is not over … not yet.
December 7, 2023
The Midnight Call is the debut novel from Jodé Millman, first in the Queen City Crimes/Jessie Martin series. Although it won a couple of awards in 2020 when it was published, I personally found it to be a little lacking.
Jessica "Jessie" Martin, a lawyer in the Hudson Valley, receives a midnight call from her friend and mentor, Terrence Butterfield, after he murders a teenager in his basement. Rushing to his side, she becomes entangled in his case in unexpected ways, having almost deadly repurcussions. Has Terrence always been a cold-blooded killer? Did he have some kind of mental break? It will take some legal finesse to get Terrence aquitted of this heinous crime.
Jessie is a relatively likeable character -- engaged, pregnant, smart, and loyal. However, she continuously makes bad choices, pushing her life to implode right in front of her. Kyle, her fiancee, seems to be a good guy, trying to do right by Jessie and their baby, but it backfires on him. Hal, the prosecuting attorney, is too obsessed with Jessie to see things clearly, and he also makes questionable choices. Jeremy Kaplan, Terrence's attorney, is a wiley guy, trying to get back on top in the legal world, doing everything he can to get his client off, even trying to sabotage someone else's livelihood. And Terrence himself...one minute he's a coherent, logical, well-spoken man, the next he's rambling and having physical outbursts. What's happened to him? Is he for real, or faking to get out of prison?
The writing for me left a lot to be desired. There were sentence fragments everywhere, which drove me crazy. I would have to re-read the sentence before it so that the two sentences flowed together like they should have. From the beginning, we knew who did it, but where is the "why"? I expected some kind of twist that never came, and the ending left something to be desired. The going was slow throughout, and I feel like it could have been shortened by at least 50 pages.
All in all, a decent debut novel from this author. There are two more in the series, and although I haven't read them, if you enjoy this one, then you'll probably enjoy the rest of them. Although I wasn't a huge fan of this book, there are definitely readers who will like it. There's family, legal thriller, suspense, relationships...and a trigger warning for pregnancy issues.
Jessica "Jessie" Martin, a lawyer in the Hudson Valley, receives a midnight call from her friend and mentor, Terrence Butterfield, after he murders a teenager in his basement. Rushing to his side, she becomes entangled in his case in unexpected ways, having almost deadly repurcussions. Has Terrence always been a cold-blooded killer? Did he have some kind of mental break? It will take some legal finesse to get Terrence aquitted of this heinous crime.
Jessie is a relatively likeable character -- engaged, pregnant, smart, and loyal. However, she continuously makes bad choices, pushing her life to implode right in front of her. Kyle, her fiancee, seems to be a good guy, trying to do right by Jessie and their baby, but it backfires on him. Hal, the prosecuting attorney, is too obsessed with Jessie to see things clearly, and he also makes questionable choices. Jeremy Kaplan, Terrence's attorney, is a wiley guy, trying to get back on top in the legal world, doing everything he can to get his client off, even trying to sabotage someone else's livelihood. And Terrence himself...one minute he's a coherent, logical, well-spoken man, the next he's rambling and having physical outbursts. What's happened to him? Is he for real, or faking to get out of prison?
The writing for me left a lot to be desired. There were sentence fragments everywhere, which drove me crazy. I would have to re-read the sentence before it so that the two sentences flowed together like they should have. From the beginning, we knew who did it, but where is the "why"? I expected some kind of twist that never came, and the ending left something to be desired. The going was slow throughout, and I feel like it could have been shortened by at least 50 pages.
All in all, a decent debut novel from this author. There are two more in the series, and although I haven't read them, if you enjoy this one, then you'll probably enjoy the rest of them. Although I wasn't a huge fan of this book, there are definitely readers who will like it. There's family, legal thriller, suspense, relationships...and a trigger warning for pregnancy issues.
October 23, 2022
In The Midnight Call, book one of the Queen City Crimes Series, author Jode Millman transports the reader to the tranquil Hudson Valley town of Poughkeepie, New York, for an intriguing story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.
Attorney Jessie Martin receives a late night call that no one ever wants. Her former teacher, mentor and friend Terrence Butterfield, a high school history teacher, tells her that he killed a teenage boy. What ensues is a decision acting as a longtime friend that will turn her life upside down.
Author Jode Millman weaves a slow-building and suspenseful tale that follows attorney Jessie Martin's descent down the rabbit hole, when her friendship and loyalty to Terrence Butterfield is tested, when he betrays her to save himself. Jessie is determined to prove her innocence, and embarks on an investigation that will reveal dark secrets and a tangled web of lies and deceit that will challenge her resolve to uncover the truth.
The reader will be easily drawn into this multi-layered story with a richly descriptive plot that interweaves police procedure with the legal process, and a dangerous cat-n-mouse game that will keep them guessing as personal and professional dramas, past histories, motives, political aspirations, and clues are uncovered. The reader will follow along as the legal process proceeds, as criminal defense attorney Jeremy Kaplan prepares the defense for Terrence Butterfield, while Hal Samuels, the Chief Assistant District Attorney prepares the prosecution's case. Tensions mount as the courtroom drama unfolds, and Jessie is caught in the middle of a dangerous fight for her life. The author does an amazing job of taking the reader along for the ride as the legal process plays out, leaving the reader with a surprise ending that will leave them wanting more.
The reader can follow along with Jessica's next legal adventure in Hooker Avenue, the second book in the Queen City Crimes Series.
The Midnight Call has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, intrigue, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Tours.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
Attorney Jessie Martin receives a late night call that no one ever wants. Her former teacher, mentor and friend Terrence Butterfield, a high school history teacher, tells her that he killed a teenage boy. What ensues is a decision acting as a longtime friend that will turn her life upside down.
Author Jode Millman weaves a slow-building and suspenseful tale that follows attorney Jessie Martin's descent down the rabbit hole, when her friendship and loyalty to Terrence Butterfield is tested, when he betrays her to save himself. Jessie is determined to prove her innocence, and embarks on an investigation that will reveal dark secrets and a tangled web of lies and deceit that will challenge her resolve to uncover the truth.
The reader will be easily drawn into this multi-layered story with a richly descriptive plot that interweaves police procedure with the legal process, and a dangerous cat-n-mouse game that will keep them guessing as personal and professional dramas, past histories, motives, political aspirations, and clues are uncovered. The reader will follow along as the legal process proceeds, as criminal defense attorney Jeremy Kaplan prepares the defense for Terrence Butterfield, while Hal Samuels, the Chief Assistant District Attorney prepares the prosecution's case. Tensions mount as the courtroom drama unfolds, and Jessie is caught in the middle of a dangerous fight for her life. The author does an amazing job of taking the reader along for the ride as the legal process plays out, leaving the reader with a surprise ending that will leave them wanting more.
The reader can follow along with Jessica's next legal adventure in Hooker Avenue, the second book in the Queen City Crimes Series.
The Midnight Call has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, intrigue, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Tours.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
January 14, 2023
The Midnight Call is a legal thriller. Jessica Martin is a corporate attorney whose mentor, Terence Butterfield, is in big trouble – the bloody kind. Jeremy Riley is the past-his-prime defense attorney Jess brings in to defend Terence. Hal Samuels is the Assistant District Attorney pressured to make sure justice is a big, public win. But it’s not that easy – it never is. Past relationships cloud the facts until the web is indeed a tangled one.
Bottom line: The Midnight Call is for you if you like thrillers rooted in a court room with drama driven by personal choices of good people put in bad situations.
Strengths of the story. The story is told in three parts. In the first, we see firsthand the wheels that are set in motion by the midnight call. From the opening phrases through the Grand Jury, the story is well crafted, working through the angst and strategy of a murder trial. The middle part of the story shifts focus to the private lives of the main characters and how the publicity and pressure of the trial affects their choices and their families. The characters are put in difficult situations, and we watch as, for some, emotion overrules good judgement. The final sequence returns to the trial, where the lawyers roll up their sleeves and finish the job. The storytelling throughout is detailed and reasoned.
Where the story fell short of ideal: Compared to other legal thrillers, The Midnight Call does not go deep into the details of the law and courtroom procedures. This will be a plus for readers who love the air of a legal thriller without the grainy detail and a minus for those who like to get so granular, sand falls from the pages. With the story focusing on the three attorneys, the accused killer Terence Butterfield is not front and center, so we do not get his side of the story. While the story tied off the legal strings, it left me with a few unanswered questions.
Bottom line: The Midnight Call is for you if you like thrillers rooted in a court room with drama driven by personal choices of good people put in bad situations.
Strengths of the story. The story is told in three parts. In the first, we see firsthand the wheels that are set in motion by the midnight call. From the opening phrases through the Grand Jury, the story is well crafted, working through the angst and strategy of a murder trial. The middle part of the story shifts focus to the private lives of the main characters and how the publicity and pressure of the trial affects their choices and their families. The characters are put in difficult situations, and we watch as, for some, emotion overrules good judgement. The final sequence returns to the trial, where the lawyers roll up their sleeves and finish the job. The storytelling throughout is detailed and reasoned.
Where the story fell short of ideal: Compared to other legal thrillers, The Midnight Call does not go deep into the details of the law and courtroom procedures. This will be a plus for readers who love the air of a legal thriller without the grainy detail and a minus for those who like to get so granular, sand falls from the pages. With the story focusing on the three attorneys, the accused killer Terence Butterfield is not front and center, so we do not get his side of the story. While the story tied off the legal strings, it left me with a few unanswered questions.
November 25, 2022
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author for an advance copy of this novel. I had read the sequel, Hooker Avenue, earlier this year, so I already knew how the story would turn out, and how many of the relationships would shift.
Jessie Martin, the protagonist, is a young corporate lawyer, 7 months pregnant, living more or less happily with her fiance, Kyle Emory.
Everything changes when she receives a late-night phone call from Terrence Butterfield, her mentor, former teacher, and family friend. Terrence has committed a brutal murder but the details of how and why he perpetrated such a vicious act are hazy. Coincidentally, the victim is someone Jessie knows: the younger brother of her college boyfriend.
To help her old friend, Jessie engages the services of down-on-his-luck, former legal hotshot, Jeremy Kaplan, a criminal attorney she interned with while she was in law school.
Prosecuting Jeremy's case is ADA Hal Samuels. He and Jessie had a fling while they were in law school, but then he broke her heart and married someone else. Nevertheless, he can't get Jessie out of his head, and this case brings back memories of their time together. His marriage is on the rocks, and his ambitious, passive-aggressive boss keeps trying to seduce him. Ironically, he's the only one on Jessie's side as the defense exploits her response to Terrence's midnight call.
The story is told in close third person, rotating among Jessie, Jeremy, and Hal. The author is a lawyer, and the legal details are very well depicted. It's not really a legal thriller or a whodunnit; I'd call it a legal drama as it centers more on the relationships among the characters: love, loyalty, and betrayal.
Jessie Martin, the protagonist, is a young corporate lawyer, 7 months pregnant, living more or less happily with her fiance, Kyle Emory.
Everything changes when she receives a late-night phone call from Terrence Butterfield, her mentor, former teacher, and family friend. Terrence has committed a brutal murder but the details of how and why he perpetrated such a vicious act are hazy. Coincidentally, the victim is someone Jessie knows: the younger brother of her college boyfriend.
To help her old friend, Jessie engages the services of down-on-his-luck, former legal hotshot, Jeremy Kaplan, a criminal attorney she interned with while she was in law school.
Prosecuting Jeremy's case is ADA Hal Samuels. He and Jessie had a fling while they were in law school, but then he broke her heart and married someone else. Nevertheless, he can't get Jessie out of his head, and this case brings back memories of their time together. His marriage is on the rocks, and his ambitious, passive-aggressive boss keeps trying to seduce him. Ironically, he's the only one on Jessie's side as the defense exploits her response to Terrence's midnight call.
The story is told in close third person, rotating among Jessie, Jeremy, and Hal. The author is a lawyer, and the legal details are very well depicted. It's not really a legal thriller or a whodunnit; I'd call it a legal drama as it centers more on the relationships among the characters: love, loyalty, and betrayal.
November 4, 2022
Title The Midnight Call: A Queen City Crime Mystery
Author: Jodé Millman
Publisher: Level Best Books
Series: A Queen City Crime Novel Book 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Midnight Call" by Jodé Millman
My Assessment:
If you are looking for a suspenseful read with a lot of plotting, you have come to the right place. Be prepared for many twists and turns, surprises, and shocks that will also have one shaking their heads and saying, wow, as this crime mystery 'The Midnight Call' will keep one turning the pages to see what is coming next.
Now to the characters...and there will be many, and this author presents them to the reader in how this horrible tragedy starts from a phone call to Jessie Martin [who was a lawyer] from Terrence Butterfield [a teacher]. 'The Midnight Call is a story that 'focuses on the legal aspect of the arrest and the workings of the prosecution and defense of the case.'
What will happen as the reader sees how Terrence Butterfield is a mastermind of manipulation? Will this make a difference in this case?
We go from there to a variety of attorneys...some good and some well; this is where you will have to pick up this read to see how it all plays out in this Poughkeepsie, NY, location.
This story will be one that the reader will not want to put down until the end, and that ending was quite a new revelation to the story.
Read
June 20, 2019Everyone dreads that terrifying call that comes in the middle of the night. Your worst fears might be realized, your life changed forever in the minute it takes to answer. Jessie Martin never expected to hear the word murder on the other end of the line. That ringing phone was the sound of an ill-fated trajectory that would tilt her world, throwing her life into free-fall in Jodé Susan Millman’s heart-pounding courtroom thriller, The Midnight Call (Immortal Works).
Corporate attorney Jessie Martin answers the phone at 1 AM. Terrence Butterfield, her former teacher, and mentor, now a friend, says he’s about to kill himself. Against her fiancé Kyle’s protests—she’s seven months pregnant, after all—they race to Terrence’s house only to meet the police. What she finds shakes her to her core. There’s a boy’s body in the basement, and Terrence declares himself the murderer.
Drawing upon her connections as a corporate attorney, Jessie calls in a favor. She asks her former boss, criminal lawyer Jeremy Kaplan, to take the case.
Jeremy used to be the most celebrated criminal defense attorney around, but he may have lost his edge. This case might be the one that gives him back his mojo, and he might just set another legal precedent.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/06/dial-m-f...
Corporate attorney Jessie Martin answers the phone at 1 AM. Terrence Butterfield, her former teacher, and mentor, now a friend, says he’s about to kill himself. Against her fiancé Kyle’s protests—she’s seven months pregnant, after all—they race to Terrence’s house only to meet the police. What she finds shakes her to her core. There’s a boy’s body in the basement, and Terrence declares himself the murderer.
Drawing upon her connections as a corporate attorney, Jessie calls in a favor. She asks her former boss, criminal lawyer Jeremy Kaplan, to take the case.
Jeremy used to be the most celebrated criminal defense attorney around, but he may have lost his edge. This case might be the one that gives him back his mojo, and he might just set another legal precedent.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/06/dial-m-f...
November 12, 2022
The Midnight Call by Jode Millman is centered on the epic emotional rollercoaster it creates. The book has a lot of promising features. However, as much as I wanted to like the characters, they still needed more work. As the reader, I know Jessie's longtime friend who helped her needs her help. She does so, thinking that she will pay her friend back for helping her get to where she is now. Yet, something is so completely off. The heroine knows this, yet she still goes straight ahead falling into a trap. I was not sure what to think of that. There is more that needs to be added to make it more interesting by adding more guess work.
The friend commits a murder. But was it accidental or not? This is the premise that hooked me. That is what grabbed my attention the whole way through and kept me reading. However, there really was not much else to propel the story. I liked that this book provoked emotions about the characters. The characters gave me some inside need to know more. Just not to the extent I would have loved.
There is a dark yet intense mystery to this read. I definitely enjoyed that whole in the dark cloud vibe. It was edgy and secretive. The writer has many strong points in this tale. Overall, The Midnight Call is alluring and different.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
The friend commits a murder. But was it accidental or not? This is the premise that hooked me. That is what grabbed my attention the whole way through and kept me reading. However, there really was not much else to propel the story. I liked that this book provoked emotions about the characters. The characters gave me some inside need to know more. Just not to the extent I would have loved.
There is a dark yet intense mystery to this read. I definitely enjoyed that whole in the dark cloud vibe. It was edgy and secretive. The writer has many strong points in this tale. Overall, The Midnight Call is alluring and different.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
June 6, 2019
“ ’I think I killed someone.’ The man’s voice whispered across the phone lines.” Jessie is a pregnant attorney who receives this Midnight Call from her mentor, high school teacher Terrence Butterfield.
Terrence claims he remembers nothing of the incident after his whiskey-fueled anger that kids were tagging his walls. The police determine that Jessie had a strong link to the victim. When Terrence betrays Jessie to free himself, Jessie must prove her own innocence by finding the true killer.
There are many subplots within this novel. Perhaps slightly too many as it is difficult to keep them all straight. I believe this is the first romantic triangle involving a very pregnant female I have ever read. So kudos for originality! The legal system is fully described in this book for those aspiring lawyers among us as the author is an attorney in real life. Midnight Call is an enjoyable night’s reading for legal thriller readers. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to Immortal Works and Meryl Moss Media for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Terrence claims he remembers nothing of the incident after his whiskey-fueled anger that kids were tagging his walls. The police determine that Jessie had a strong link to the victim. When Terrence betrays Jessie to free himself, Jessie must prove her own innocence by finding the true killer.
There are many subplots within this novel. Perhaps slightly too many as it is difficult to keep them all straight. I believe this is the first romantic triangle involving a very pregnant female I have ever read. So kudos for originality! The legal system is fully described in this book for those aspiring lawyers among us as the author is an attorney in real life. Midnight Call is an enjoyable night’s reading for legal thriller readers. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to Immortal Works and Meryl Moss Media for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 16, 2022
Jodé Millman had me captivated with her novel The Midnight Call. This is my first book by this author and I am looking forward to reading more. This is a well written, fast paced legal thriller with a little romance added in. It will grab you on the first page and you will keep the pages turning quickly to find out what happens next. This is not your typical thriller where you are waiting to find out who did it. Ms. Millman tells us who did it, but you are reading to find who it is and why they did it!! She will take you on a roller coaster ride filled with thrills and unexpected twist and turns. You will also find lots of drama, secrets , intrigue and so much tension. She writes a descriptive plot with a twisted ending you will not see coming. I highly recommend this compelling story, especially if you are a legal thriller fan.
Many thanks to Partners in Crime Book Tours, Level Best Books and Jodé Millman for the honor to be part of this book tour. My opinions are my own.
#partnersincrimebooktours #themidnightcall #jodemillman
#levelbestbooks #legalthriller
Many thanks to Partners in Crime Book Tours, Level Best Books and Jodé Millman for the honor to be part of this book tour. My opinions are my own.
#partnersincrimebooktours #themidnightcall #jodemillman
#levelbestbooks #legalthriller
May 30, 2019
This book started out with a lot of promise for me, unfortunately it just kind of fell flat. All the lawyer talk was very tedious and I ended up skipping a lot of it because it was boring. I found that we didn’t get enough of the most interesting character in the book. Terrance intrigued me immensely but it was almost like the author was trying to fit in way too much so no one plot line got enough attention. I couldn’t understand this magnetic pull that Jessie had over these multiple men and why the author chose to make her pregnant. It just felt like way too much going on and no one story got the attention needed to give it depth so they were all just kind of spastic.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Check me out if Instagram @justkeepreading85
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Check me out if Instagram @justkeepreading85
February 24, 2020
I approached this book club read with some trepidation. It's set in our area, and I enjoy seeing references to places I know. But it's loosely based on a vicious crime that was committed locally, and even when it was splashed all over the paper, I didn't read about it. I don't like gore, fictional or real. The good news is, the gore is concentrated, and it was easy enough to skip those paragraphs and just move on with the story.
It also kept me engaged, and I finished it very quickly because I was in a hurry to see how it ended.
The bad news, at least for me, is that there wasn't a single character I liked. I like to understand how/why a character makes certain choices, and this book had me constantly thinking, Huh? What?
I would be willing to give something else by Millman a shot.
It also kept me engaged, and I finished it very quickly because I was in a hurry to see how it ended.
The bad news, at least for me, is that there wasn't a single character I liked. I like to understand how/why a character makes certain choices, and this book had me constantly thinking, Huh? What?
I would be willing to give something else by Millman a shot.
October 31, 2020
Wow-what a ride! I loved this book; it’s fast-paced, the characters are interesting and the story is riveting. Ms. Millman’s debut as a novelist is spot-on and it’s obvious that she’s left the door open for the return of Jessie and maybe even Hal? There was so much going on here, but the reader doesn’t get lost and that’s to the credit of the author. Some of the legal scenes were a bit over my head, but that’s to be expected if you aren’t an attorney. The human vs. inhuman aspects of Terrance was unnerving but never took the story off track. Jessie is strong when she needs to be, but doesn’t yet have the backbone I feel she will need to go forward on her own. However, she has a lot of support around her, so she will be back to make her mark. Overall, this is an excellent read and I very much look forward to the next book, be it a sequel or series, by this talented author.
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