Mr. McCane
The hold this book had on me should be illegal. Judge Stone is a legal thriller and courtroom drama centered on a 13-year-old girl named Nova, who becomes pregnant after being sexually assaulted. Bria Gaines, the town’s doctor performs an illegal abortion on Nova that results in her being arrested and indicted for murder. She’s facing life in prison. While the premise alone is worth reading, it’s the characters, the town, and the courtroom drama that kept my eyes and ears glued to the story. It’s the biggest trial this small town in Alabama (Union Springs) has ever seen, and one of the most controversial in the South.
First, it’s narrated by Viola Davis. If you’ve read her memoir (Finding Me), then you already know what to expect from her performance. With that being said, I highly recommend the audiobook. The characters are incredibly engaging, and I loved the pacing, the short chapters, and the thought-provoking conversations the book brings with it. It’s perfect for a book club.
This story forces you to reflect on where we are as a country, and the politics surrounding it. Also, what’s considered important and more specifically, who’s considered important. Legally, it’s a straightforward case. Ethically and morally, it is not. The book takes place in 2026, but feels like it’s set decades earlier.
I work in a courthouse as a District Attorney Investigator. It was easy for me to see how law enforcement and the DA’s office mishandled the case from the very beginning. Their focus was never on who impregnated a 13-year-old, which is a huge part of the case.
The book shifts between first and third person perspectives. I was initially concerned that this might be distracting, but it wasn’t. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve genuinely enjoyed that style. Overall, it was a great read and it absolutely needs to be turned into a movie ASAP. Also, now I want to own a farm, don’t judge me.
The hold this book had on me should be illegal. Judge Stone is a legal thriller and courtroom drama centered on a 13-year-old girl named Nova, who becomes pregnant after being sexually assaulted. Bria Gaines, the town’s doctor performs an illegal abortion on Nova that results in her being arrested and indicted for murder. She’s facing life in prison. While the premise alone is worth reading, it’s the characters, the town, and the courtroom drama that kept my eyes and ears glued to the story. It’s the biggest trial this small town in Alabama (Union Springs) has ever seen, and one of the most controversial in the South.
First, it’s narrated by Viola Davis. If you’ve read her memoir (Finding Me), then you already know what to expect from her performance. With that being said, I highly recommend the audiobook. The characters are incredibly engaging, and I loved the pacing, the short chapters, and the thought-provoking conversations the book brings with it. It’s perfect for a book club.
This story forces you to reflect on where we are as a country, and the politics surrounding it. Also, what’s considered important and more specifically, who’s considered important. Legally, it’s a straightforward case. Ethically and morally, it is not. The book takes place in 2026, but feels like it’s set decades earlier.
I work in a courthouse as a District Attorney Investigator. It was easy for me to see how law enforcement and the DA’s office mishandled the case from the very beginning. Their focus was never on who impregnated a 13-year-old, which is a huge part of the case.
The book shifts between first and third person perspectives. I was initially concerned that this might be distracting, but it wasn’t. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve genuinely enjoyed that style. Overall, it was a great read and it absolutely needs to be turned into a movie ASAP. Also, now I want to own a farm, don’t judge me.