The Twisted Judge and Jury

By James M.

Unstoppable and gripping, 114 time best selling author James Patterson (and Andrew Gross) has done it again with this non stop crime thriller. The main characters mob boss Dominic "the electrician" Cavello, FBI agent Nick Pellisante, and loving mother Andie Degrasse.

The novel is about the electrician, who is a ruthless Italian mob boss, being caught by the quirky hard ass FBI agent Nick Pellisante. The trial commences and one of the jurors, Andie Degrasse, thinks she should be anywhere but in the courtroom at the moment. The sort of unexpected escape happens and Cavello escapes custody. This is what sets the tone for the remainder of the story, a gripping classic police chase with unexpected turns.

The way the story is written is a major part of why it's so hard to put down. Gross and Patterson continually shift the point of view between a plethora of different characters from assassins to mothers. Their use of perspective creates a unique and interesting reading experience that gives the feeling of ten different voices all working together to tell one story. It is simple and easy for almost anyone to read, the constant perspective shifts don't make the story at all confusing.

I don't read much and have definitely never read any Patterson books  but this one will not be my last. I think this book is a good segway to start his famous series about a forensic psychologist. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read regardless of if you are interested in crime novels.

Judge and Jury, by James Patterson and Andrew Gross, Hachette Book Group USA, 2006, 310 pages