#Legal Thriller

[driftershunt]

a danny for @fuddlewuddle <3

[agentnico]

Juror #2 (2024) review

Should have been titled 12 Angry Men 2: Now It’s Personal. C’mon Warner Bros, sort your marketing out!

Plot: A juror for a high-profile murder trial finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma that could influence the verdict and potentially convict, or free, the accused killer.

I feel oddly special for managing to seek this one out at the cinema, as in the US seemingly hardly anyone is able to watch it as studio Warner Bros are burying this movie completely, only showcasing it in 50 screens in the country. Granted I am in the UK and here the film has had a proper release, but still I liked to see it as if I’ve been able to attain the unattainable fruit. Especially as this may be the final film directed by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, and yet no one is talking about this movie! Truly baffling, especially as this is a genuinely engaging piece of courtroom drama, and very much a perfect “dad movie”.

Taking inspiration from the likes of Anatomy of a Murder and 12 Angry Men, with the latter even references through straight up imagery copy as Nicholas Hoult stands in the jury room staring out through the blinds of the window like Henry Fonda did in 12 Angry Men when he is first introduced. Only difference is while Fonda’s juror was simply trying to act in the name of justice and doing the right thing, in Juror #2 the main character played by Nicholas Hoult is intent on doing the same thing, expect for the reason behind is that maybe, just maybe he is actually the murderer himself. It’s an interesting spin on the classic courtroom thriller genre, and one that Eastwood manages to unravel in a very well paced and enticing way.

The performances are all great across the board. Nicholas Hoult showcases a lot of emotion through his expressions, especially with his inner conflict of wanting to do the right thing whilst also saving his own skin, whilst also balancing his responsibility of building a new family. Zoey Deutch as his pregnant wife is a solid counterpart, and the extra gravitas with them having lost their first child added that extra layer to the relationship. Toni Collette enjoying a little About a Boy reunion there I see with Hoult, but she delivers a strong turn as a lawyer on the case who’s also an election candidate. Then JK Simmons does his usual shtick and also OMG Kiefer is in this?! I bloody love Kiefer! What a lad! Glad he’s in this, even though he doesn’t get to do much, but he’s always welcome.

Juror #2 is very sturdy, very classical stuff, a tale of moral suspense. Feels like it could have been made 75 years ago, in the best way. It of course isn’t Clint Eastwood’s best work, but it’s perfectly reliable and intelligent entertainment that had me engaged throughout, due to its great concept and execution. There are a couple of silly moments such as when Toni Collette’s lawyer googles the wife’s name + “husband” and multiple photos of them together showed up, cause that’s definitely how Google Images work! Or how Nicholas Hoult acts super shifty throughout that even a blind man would suspect something. But look, I’m not here to knit-pick - I had a good time! It’s real old-school, so again, get your dad to watch it - he’ll have a ball!

Overall score: 7/10

[womenusingwords]

Staying the Course

The details… Title: Staying the Course  Author: Rebecca K. Jones Publisher: Bella Books Publication date: October 31, 2024 Available formats: ebook, paperback   Print length: 306 pages Genre: legal thriller   Themes: women loving women, strained family relationships, sapphic romances, secrets, abuse, murder, lies, courtroom drama, suspense, The blurb from the publisher… Tucson…

[figurelifeflirt]

Random Thoughts I Have Had While Reading Sarah J Maas

I am on chapter 31 of House Of Flame And Shadow. And I have some thoughts about SJM’s worldbuilding. I have read other fantasy besides SJM.

I started reading SJM with the Throne Of Glass series in December of 2016(rough guess). I never read ACOTAR and I don’t plan to.

SJM’s worldbuilding. Is it actually better in TOG or is it just that the character relationships and the battle scenes move the story along faster?

I’m not bored with Crescent City but I am noticing that other fantasy authors and some science fiction authors have better storytelling ability.

Sabaa Tahir’s worldbuilding. And her villains. Everything about Sabaa is wonderful.

PC and Kristen Cast have excellent worldbuilding. And I love that PC and Kristen seem to include Native American themed stuff in a lot of their books.

Cassandra Clare of course has good worldbuilding. I am currently reading Chain of Thorns from her and Swordcatcher is in my TBR.

Maggie Stiefvater has spectacular worldbuilding. I haven’t read all her books yet. I’ve only read The Raven Boys series.

Nora Roberts. Again, I haven’t read all of her fantasy books. I am on the last book of The Dragonheart series. The male protagonist of the Dragonheart series. I actually like him more than I like some of the CC men.

And where do thrillers fall in the worldbuilding scale? Because a lot of thriller authors use a world that is at least loosely based on the real world. Wayne Stinnett, Stuart Wood, James Patterson(I haven't read all of James's Patterson's books), Wendy Dranfield and Lisa Scottoline all use the real world as a base.

Tom Abrams, it depends on what series. But sometimes he uses the real world. Or sometimes he seems to use a slightly more futuristic version of the real world.

Alexandra Ivy also sometimes uses a more futuristic version of the real world

Jackson Ford is science fiction. I have read all of The Frost Files books, except for the prequel because it’s not available through Amazon. Frost Files, the main character bores me sometimes. But I loved both villains.

K. Gorman is science fiction. I have read all of the books in Eurynome Code and I loved them very much. Especially the fact that K. has LGBTQ characters.

VC Andrews. I’m not sure if she’s considered thriller or not. But I’ve read books 1-4 of Flowers In the Attic. And all the Orphans books. I plan to read more of the Flowers in The Attic books when they fit into my schedule.

I’m not asking for recommendations. I just realize now why readers say that there are issues with SJM’s worldbuilding. And to think I haven’t even touched on all the YA, middle grade, and romance and historical fiction authors I have read in my life.

[stuff-diary]

Anatomy of a Fall

Movies watched in 2024

Anatomy of a Fall (2023, France)

Director: Justine Triet

Writers: Justine Triet & Arthur Harari

Mini-review:

Damn, that was good. I was a bit worried about its extended runtime, but the film managed to keep me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Legal dramas/thrillers tend to be hit-or-miss for me, and this one is definitely a hit. Anatomy of a Fall is a masterclass in directing, writing and acting. Justine Triet's directing is both complex and naturalistic, while Sandra Hüller's performance is nothing short of astonishing. Also, the dog (from what I've read his name is Messi) might just be the best animal performer I've ever seen in a movie. As for the script, I loved that it stays ambiguous until the very end, cause at the end of the day, the truth isn't what this story is about. Anyway, I can perfectly understand all the hype surrounding this film; it truly is breathtaking.

[wicked-witch-ofthe-east]

“We protect us. We do. Nobody else. Not the companies, not the scientists, not the government. Us.” - Dark Waters movie

[taterturnspages]

THE CLIENT BY JOHN GRISHAM - BOOK REVIEW

Genre(s): Fiction, Legal Thriller, Mystery, & Suspense

No Spoilers

TW: mention of suicide, PTSD/child trauma

SYNOPSIS:

‘The Client’ by John Grisham follows eleven-year-old Mark Sway after he and his little brother, Ricky, witness a suicide of a well-known lawyer, Jerome Clifford, who was defending a high-profile case involving the murder of Senator Boyd Boyette. Mark and Ricky attempt to put a stop to the suicide attempt, but Mr. Clifford had other plans. Mr. Clifford captures Mark and locks him inside of the vehicle. Mr. Clifford spills a major secret to Mark involving the Boyette case. Mark escapes the locked vehicle with the explosive secret and a hefty choice to make. After the media acknowledges Mark as a witness to the suicide and the police investigate the crime scene, the FBI is on Mark’s tail to reveal what he knows about the case.

Mark retains an amateur lawyer, Reggie Love, to guide him through the high-stakes pressure of the FBI hounding him for information, and the possibility of the Mafia tracking him for potentially holding information that could harm their case. Should Mark spill what he knows to the FBI and chance the Mafia finding him? Or, should Mark keep quiet and play the risky legal system game that could result in serious federal charges? Neither Mark or his lawyer knows the answer to this question. Reggie is willing to go to great lengths to protect Mark from the pressures surrounding him, even if that means both of their lives are in danger.

Mark needs to make a decision, but which will he choose?

READ THIS IF YOU:

Are a fan of ‘Law & Order’

Enjoy thriller books with a little more than just ‘true crime’

Need a page-turning suspense novel that you can’t put down, and when you HAVE to put it down to eat or go to work, you think about it 24/7

CHARACTERS:

This novel has an endless stream of characters with a ton of different FBI agents, Mafia men, Mark’s immediate family, court staff, and hospital staff. For that reason, I will only cover the two main characters, Mark and Reggie.

Mark Sway:

Despite Mark being only eleven years old, his wit and intelligence are far beyond his years. He has lucid moments of not being afraid of anyone or anything, but deep down he is just a kid and it’s comforting to see that he lets his childlike coping mechanisms take over at times. The book takes place over six days…SIX DAYS. The amount of things this child has went through in such a short period of time was tough to read, but he handled it like a champ and ALWAYS focused more on the feelings of those he cared about. His character made this book go the extra mile for me, because I was always thinking ‘What is Mark scheming next?’. He singlehandedly kept me on the edge of my seat.

Reggie Love:

Reggie has lived a troubled life, and that surely did not stop when Mark Sway entered her office. Reggie is a new lawyer and has only practiced for four years, but don’t let that fool you. She is a strong female character and an amazing lawyer. She makes sure to let everyone know that she will not tolerate anyone messing with her or Mark. Much like Mark, Reggie is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She is having trouble advising Mark on his decision, but she supports Mark nonetheless with every decision he makes. Again, Reggie also took this book to the extra mile for me. For Mark, he was now walking in a world with no trust and no allies. Reggie did her absolute best to assure Mark that she was by his side no matter what and I know that is exactly what Mark needed during all of this. I strongly believe that Reggie’s character was flawlessly written.

PRAISES, CRITIQUES, AND MY THOUGHTS:

I like to start my reviews with bad news first, and good news second to end on a happy note. So, first and foremost, my only issue with this book is that the ending was not nearly as exhilarating as I would have hoped. I keep all of my reviews free of spoilers, so I really can’t go into more detail there. I was hoping for an ending with more drama and more suspense. Don’t get me wrong, the ending was not predictable (in my opinion); it was just not as extreme as what I was hoping for out of a suspense novel.

Now with that out of the way, I’m going to explain why I loved this book so much. For starters, this book didn’t NEED a child as the main character. The story could have been written with an adult MC, but the fact that Mark paved the way in ‘The Client’ makes it that much more interesting, albeit upsetting because reading about these events happening to such a young child is devastating. But from a strict “fiction novel reviewer” perspective, I think the difference between child and adult MC was everything.

Second, Reggie Love is an ICON. She is unfettered, which after learning her backstory, was inspiring given all that she has been through. If I ever have legal troubles, I will do my best to find a real-life Reggie Love.  

I highly recommend this book, as well as any of John Grisham’s novels, because they always knock it out of the park for me. I’m typically a strict romance reader, but every now and then I need to take romance breaks. During those times, I know that John Grisham will not disappoint. He has yet to prove me wrong there. All of his novels are legal thrillers and follow some sort of legal problem, so if you find interest in the legal system, then John Grisham may be the author you’re missing.

[a-m-pyra]

Chaotic/ADHD/Just ENTP&ENFP duo.

Because V.I.T.R.I.O.L starts on July 30th.

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CC used in render: Olga: @darte77 (top) @solistair (Iphone) @antosims (hair) Ben: KK on Pateron (top) @shimydim (hair)

[romanogreco]

Ha il colore della sabbia, non potete non portarlo in spiaggia.

[schlock-luster-video]

On January 9, 1998 The Devil's Advocate premiered in Ireland.

[2ndaryprotocol]

Robert Altman’s star-studded Southern fried suspenser ‘The Gingerbread Man’ opened in theaters this week 25 years ago. 🍻⚖️☠️

“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚡𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗' 𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚒𝚗' 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜.”

[pier-carlo-universe]

“Il Settimo Canone” di Robert Dugoni: un legal thriller avvincente e pieno di colpi di scena. Recensione di Alessandria today

Un mistero da risolvere in cui verità e giustizia si scontrano in modo inaspettato.

Un mistero da risolvere in cui verità e giustizia si scontrano in modo inaspettato. Una trama che tiene col fiato sospeso “Il Settimo Canone” di Robert Dugoni è un legal thriller che cattura il lettore sin dalle prime pagine. Ambientato a San Francisco, il romanzo segue le vicende di Peter Donley, un giovane e brillante avvocato, chiamato a difendere il reverendo Paul, accusato dell’omicidio di…

[jackiesreadingcorner]

THAT CARE FORGOT By James Warren @thebookfolks @J_M_Warren66 #ThatCareForgot #Blog Tour #BookReview

Available now / Hardback / ebook / audiobook/ SYNOPSIS A city on edge, a murderer who holds a secret, and an aspiring female lawyer put to the test… When her LA law firm hands junior attorney Rebecca Holt the pro bono case of a convicted felon, her heart sinks. She doesn’t want to help murderers go free. But volatile and obsessive Nick Malone is less interested in his parole hearing than…

[cherylmmbookblog]

#Blogtour The Disappearance by Remigiusz Mróz

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Disappearance by Remigiusz Mróz. ‘The no.1 bestselling crime thriller – now a hit TV series.’ About the Author Remigiusz Mróz is the author of over 50 novels across 9 series and various standalones and is recognised as the most popular author in Poland according to the National Survey and the Nielsen Bookscan. He has sold eleven million books in…

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni

Keera Duggan #2

Twisted tricky thought-provoking legal thriller that drew me in, made me care, and kept me intrigued till the final page.

What I liked:

* Keera Duggan: brilliant, strategic thinker, responsible, dealing with moving from state prosecutor to private practice defense law, loves her family, chess prodigy, sister, has personal-family-work issues to deal with, competitive, learned and grew in this book

* The Duggan Family’s dynamics and learning more about the impact of alcohol on all of them

* Detective Frank Rossi: bright, professional, honest, diligent, mathematical, wants to have a family someday, could see him with Keera in the future…maybe

* P. J. Harrison: ex-detective now private eye used by the Duggan law firm, wise, steadying, intriguing

* The police procedural aspects and how the process was similar and different for the police and Keera – prosecution vs defense

* The plot, pacing, setting, writing

* The backstory of interactions between Keera and her client Jenna

* A quote I wrote down that Rossi’s father liked to say: “If you take sh*t to heart, you die with a heart full of sh*t.

* The way the whodunnit played out with clues offered, followed, and the way the puzzle pieces slotted together – and – the big surprise(s) toward the end

* Knowing that there will be another book in the series

* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about the negative impact alcohol can have

* Trying to figure out how some of the characters in this book could end up so warped and evil

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni. When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court—she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows. Three years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief medical scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent. As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Robert Dugoni is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of several series, including Tracy Crosswhite, Charles Jenkins, David Sloane, and Keera Duggan. His stand-alone novels include Damage Control, The 7th Canon, The World Played Chess, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, which was named Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year and won Dugoni an AudioFile Earphones Award for his narration. The Washington Post named his nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary a Best Book of the Year. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and a multi-time winner for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has been a finalist for many other awards. Dugoni’s books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages, reaching over ten million readers worldwide. He lives in Seattle. Visit his website at robertdugonibooks.com.

[ruleof3bobby]

NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN (1996) Grade: C

Great cast, plot was ok (based off a real story) but the production value kinda looked like TV movie though. It def more of Law movie.