I read Judge Stone by James Patterson and Viola Davis earlier this year, but I am just now getting around to posting my review on the blog. I enjoyed this book and thought it was an interesting addition to the legal thriller genre. With Viola Davis involved in the project, I was especially curious to see what the story would be like.

Judge Stone follows Judge Mary Stone, a judge in Alabama who finds herself at the center of a highly controversial case. When a doctor is charged after performing an abortion on a young girl, the case quickly becomes much bigger than the courtroom. Politics, religion, race, public opinion, and personal beliefs all come into play as Judge Stone tries to navigate the case while dealing with pressure from multiple sides.

I liked the overall story and thought the legal and political aspects made it an interesting read. There is plenty happening throughout the book, and the story moves at a pace that kept me wanting to see what would happen next. Judge Stone is also an interesting main character because she has to make difficult decisions while dealing with people who have very strong opinions about the case.

One thing I wasn’t as big of a fan of was Viola Davis narrating the audiobook. I like Viola Davis as an actress, and I think her involvement in the book is interesting, but I didn’t necessarily love her narration. It didn’t ruin the book for me, but I think I may have enjoyed the audiobook more with a different narrator.

That said, I could definitely see Judge Stone being turned into a movie. There are so many elements that would translate well to the screen, especially the courtroom scenes, the controversy surrounding the case, and the tension between the different characters. James Patterson has had so many of his books adapted for film and television, and this one feels like it could easily join that list. I could actually see Viola Davis playing Judge Stone, which would make the story even more interesting on screen.

Overall, I enjoyed Judge Stone. It is a fast-paced legal thriller that touches on some complicated and controversial issues while keeping the story moving. While the narration wasn’t my favorite part of the audiobook, I still thought the story itself was worth reading. If you enjoy James Patterson’s books, courtroom dramas, or thrillers that involve politics and current issues, this is one to add to your reading list.