The Judgment

By: D.W. Buffa

Narrated by: Dennis Predovic

Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

No one had a more brilliant legal career than Judge Calvin Jeffries. And no one cared less about the law and more about power. That is, until Jeffries is found murdered in a courthouse parking lot. The crime shocks the community, but justice is swift. Jeffries's killer is caught, confesses, and then unexpectedly commits suicide in his jail cell. The case is closed.

Soon a second judge is stabbed to death under identical circumstances. And like the Jeffries murder, the killing appears to be an open-and-shut case, and a copycat crime as well.

Yet there's one attorney who knows both sides of Judge Calvin Jeffries too well to believe the murders were simply random acts of violence. Attorney Joseph Antonelli agrees to defend the accused. What he discovers challenges everything he knows about crime and punishment...and himself. He uncovers a twisted trail of retribution and obsession that leads to the real killer - and a plan even more chillingly flawless than the mythical "perfect crime."

©2001 by D.W. Buffa, All Rights Reserved (P)2001 by Time Warner AudioBooks

Critic reviews

"A crackling good psychological thriller." (James Patterson)
"Buffa once again produces a fast-spinning tale that jolts and veers enticingly...Well-developed characters...add depth to this excellent thriller." (Publishers Weekly)

boring

The story was excellent, but way too much angst. When he stuck with the story, it was fascinating, but he kept going back to the girlfriend from High School, who had nothing to do with the story. Reading the book might have been good, because you could have skipped those parts.

A disappointing effort

I was disappointed by this book. While I enjoyed the performance of the narrator, who was top-notch, the book itself was boring. I particularly was disappointed with the sub-plot involving the private life of the book's main character. The best parts of the book were the courtroom scenes.

A Painful Listen

I'm sorry, but this was one of the worst audible listens ever. The problem was not the legal mystery and courtroom plot, each of which had its moments and could maintain my interest, but the horribly adolescent love subplot, which went on forever and was terribly written. It literally made me wince to listen to the sophomoric yearnings and repeated declarations of love and longing.
Separately from the love subplot, Buffa also has a tendency to go on and on with extraneous descriptions that unnecessarily slow down even the interesting parts of the book.
Maybe the abridged version would have been better, but I had to force myself to finish this one up.
If you want a 5 star listen IMHO, try Richard North Paterson's "Exile" instead.

Horrible

Do not read this disgusting p.o.s. of a story!!!!
It is sick and ugly likeable asshole

Boring

Any additional comments?

Boring, philosophical blather, no plot or story. I was expecting Connolly or Grisham.
Couldn't finish the first half.

At Times a Painful Book to Listen To

This is the first time I have been annoyed that I bought the unabridged version of a book. Way too often, pointless and boring descriptions bogged this book down.

bummer!

this audio is so horrible. hoped it would get better but it didn't. a waste of time