Juror #3 Hardcover – September 10, 2018

Two factors make Juror # 3 a far faster read than would be expected with a novel of 350-plus pages. One, the story is a fast-moving work of dialogue, told to us in first person. Two, less time is spent on fleshing out the characters. Both factors make this a fun, quick, easy read. Still, dependence on stereotypes to reduce time spent developing characters results in a tale that is more forgettable. It just doesn’t etch itself into my soul the way some great writers do.Although James Patterson is the lead author, I suspect co-author Nancy Allen had much more to do with the body of this story. At least, the voice that comes through sounds very unlike Patterson to my ears. My observation is not meant as criticism. In fact, it is a tribute to the fine writing of Allen. What I mean is that, unlike several of Patterson’s recent works, the writing here is much more evenly balanced and enticing.Initially, I thought of some works by John Grisham. I was concerned that Patterson might be trying to hone in on Grisham and, possibly, would be producing an inferior tale to ride on his coattails. But, as it turns out, Nancy Allen is a fine writer in her own right. Now that I’ve read one of her tales, I shall not hesitate to consider her next tale, with or without Patterson.POV: First person. The power of this story is the narrator. Look to the excerpt to see what I mean.BLUSH FACTOR: A moderate share of f-word profanities, so I advise you to read it to yourself first. Most folks will probably not choose to share this with their church prayer group or their children.EXCERPT‘…“You had a relationship with Jewel; I’m aware of that. I saw the pictures. How long had it been going on?”They had kept it secret, he told me. He would have been fired for certain, might have faced worse consequences. “Things haven’t changed all that much in Mississippi. You know that.”I nodded.“Me and Jewel, we got together whenever she felt like it. Almost always at the club. The first time, we were in the women’s restroom.”“When was that?”He stared off to the side as he tried to remember. “Six months ago, maybe? I’d been working at the club for a while, couple of months.”“Were your meetings always at the club?”“Sure. What were we going to do, walk into a movie together? In February, when it warmed up some, we started going to her daddy’s cabana by the pool. More private.” He grimaced, then said in a defensive tone, “It was casual. Just a woman having fun. I didn’t mind.”Oh, my Lord. There was in fact a sexual harassment angle to the tale, but I didn’t think I could sell it to a Mississippi jury.“So the relationship was casual—you mean, it was strictly physical? Not a romance?”“A romance? No, nothing like that. You don’t think she wanted to end up with me? Take me home to the family? That’s crazy.”“But it was her idea? For you to hook up?”“Always. I never pushed it. [expletive deleted]—never.”I was still trying to get my head around their dynamic; they were a mismatched pair, for sure, by Mississippi standards. “So she wanted sex. Okay—what was in it for you?”He gave me a look of disbelief. “Have you seen what she looked like?”I had. In her lifetime, she was a 9.5, at least.“And she had that charm thing going on. You know.”I knew what he was talking about. I’d been taken in by the “charm thing,” too.I asked: “So how’d you end up in the cabana the night of the Mardi Gras ball?”“She texted me. I asked to go on break. Once I got into the cabana and saw her lying there, I thought maybe she was drunk.”“Was that a possibility?”“Oh, yeah. But then I got closer. And I saw the blood.”I made a note; the blood was an issue we would have to tackle. “There was blood on you: on your jacket, your face, your hands. How’d it get there?”“When I listened to her chest, I guess. I was flipped out. But I tried CPR. I tried to help her, I swear I did.”“And then security came to the cabana?”He whispered: “[expletive deleted]…’Patterson, James. Juror #3 (Kindle Locations 410-431). Little, Brown and Company. Kindle Edition.BOTTOM LINEAs I stated up front, this is a fun, fast read. If you’re looking for a pleasant escape with a hint of romance, “Juror # 3” could be the ideal tale of fiction. If you’re looking for something more deadly serious and thought-provoking, give that Woodward book, “Fear” a try. Better yet, do as I did: Get both. Read “Fear,” then follow it up with “Juror # 3” so you can sleep tonight.Four stars out of five.I am striving to produce reviews that help you find books that you want, or avoid books that you wish to avoid. With your help, my improvement will help you and me improve book reviews on Amazon. Together, you and I can build a great customer review process that helps everybody. Will you join me? It is people such as you who have helped me improve over the years. I'm still learning, and I have a great deal yet to learn. With your help, I'll improve every day.One request: Be respectful and courteous in your comments and emails to me. I will do likewise with you.Thank you so much for indicating if this review helped you, or for your comment.

Does not meet the expectation I have for previous works from this author. It’s lacking in sophistication from dialogue to plot. Usually, I keep hardcovers to share with friends and family who are avid readers. I’ll be donating this one ( I respect books too much to toss). It reads like a basic novel for beginners. If I was an educator, it would be a good example of how to loose your reader- it’s just boring. It lacks depth or intricacy, very disappointing on many levels.

I can’t believe I actually bought it! But I was desperate to read, and the snippet was a tad intriguing. But true to form, JP just throws his name on some other authors book and sells out. Dull, boring, poorly written, little intrigue. All around, just sad.

What I like most about this book is that although there are plot twists, nothing "comes out of left field". The protagonist is a wrong side of the tracks girl who sets and achieves her goals. She doesn't let others intimidate her and she accomplishes what she sets out to do.....admirably.

Easy read. The early pages suggest a terrific thriller ahead - but that promise is never kept. The book is a poor attempt to create a Grisham. It fails. Its lead character, a new lawyer, is ill-defined, poorly described, and not credible. Save your money.

I am grateful for the outstanding talents of James Patterson and now wish to express my appreciation for this introduction to another gifted writer … Nancy Allen ! I was engrossed in this book throughout and enjoyed that I could still find myself laughing out loud at times with rich characters and real expressions of feelings.I will definitely be looking forward to more Nancy Allen !

Ruby is a precious gem and in Juror #3 we see her grow from a fledgling beginner to a fierce junkyard dog of an attorney. In each of the two cases showcased in this book, juror #3 plays a pivotal role—ingenious writing. The cases are interesting—Ruby is riveting. And guess what? There’s a bit of a sweet romance to add to the entertainment.Characters are genuine—some lovable, some not so much. The cases are plausible. The action and suspense build perfectly for the crimes. A light, entertaining read overall.

JP advertised that his book was John Grisham but better. True it was set in Mississippi but I know JG’s books and this was no JG. Two short stories, with a interesting heroine but little else.