Judge Stone
Paperback Published on: 11/03/2027
Price: £9.99
Synopsis
An extraordinary new courtroom drama from Sunday Times bestselling thriller author James Patterson and Academy Award winner Viola Davis. Get ready to meet the most unforgettable character in years.
All rise…for Judge Stone.
The most respected citizen in Union Springs, Alabama (population 3,314), is Judge Mary Stone. She holds two responsibilities sacred: running her family farm and presiding over her courtroom. Everything changes when she draws the most controversial case in the history of the South.
Criminally, it’s open-and-shut.
Ethically, there is no middle ground.
Essentially, it’s a choice between life and death.
No judge can satisfy everyone. It would be dangerous to try. But Judge Stone is willing to fight to bring justice to the people and place she loves.
An explosive legal thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the stunning conclusion.
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'A stunning, powerful and incendiary courtroom thriller. Impossible to put down' - CHRIS WHITAKER
'Gripping, tense, heart-wrenching, timely and so, so important. I read it in one sitting. This is a story that everyone will be talking about in 2026.' - RUTH MANCINI
Publisher information
- Publisher: Cornerstone
- ISBN: 9781804952719
- Number of pages: 400
- Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 25 mm
- Weight: 281g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Harrowing in places and chilling indictment on the legal system in Alabama as well as an entertaining read.
The latest James Patterson collaboration has Viola Davies filling the role of co-author. This is a sometimes harrowing account of how the abortion law in A... READ MORE
Heartbreaking and emotional.
A brilliant, well written courtroom drama which is set in Alabama. The topics are race, abortion and rape, which although difficult to read about, are hand... READ MORE
Excellent courtroom drama
When it comes to James Patterson collaborations you kind of know what to expect, but this was all that and more. An outstanding read. Welcome to Union Spr... READ MORE
Well written and enjoyable
Really enjoyed this one. I was hooked from the start. The protagonist, Mary Stone, is likeable and the book is well written and paced.
The plot is relev... READ MORE
A brilliant legal thriller
I was drawn to this book because of the storyline and a new writing duo of James Patterson and Viola Davis. Some Patterson duos I've enjoyed and but not al... READ MORE
Fantastic! John Grisham meets Greg Isles!
A great new series( I hope) from James Patterson and Vila Davis!
This is a fast paced legal drama set in Alabama where Judge Stone is a presiding judge ... READ MORE
Another great Patterson collaboration
Good solid book. Great storyline, and an outstanding courtroom drama.
Honestly, I think you can hear the voice of Viola Davis throughout this book.
The... READ MORE
A great collab and story
James Patterson's latest collaboration with a celebrity - following such diverse people as Dolly Parton and Bill Clinton - is with the award-winning actres... READ MORE
great read
Judge Stone is an engrossing, sharply drawn courtroom drama that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary. James Patterson and Viola Davis make an exc... READ MORE
Pages fly by
Judge Stone is gripping page turner is a well plotted legal thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
The atmosphere is dark an... READ MORE
A great legal thriller highly recommended
The state of Alabama views abortion as a crime punishable by up to 99 years in prison. The resident judge in Union City Alabama is Mary Stone who is about ... READ MORE
A moral dilemma
This is a darker and more issue-driven novel than many of Patterson’s usual thrillers, focusing on a contentious courtroom case set against the backdrop of... READ MORE
Fast Paced Courtroom Drama
I tore through this thriller, it’s fast-paced, gripping, and packed with believable, deeply human characters. James Patterson and Viola Davis deliver a ten... READ MORE
At times difficult to read but worth thr
Judge Mary Stone already has a hard enough job as it is, but is known for being tough, fair and uncompromising, When she has to sit in judgement on a case ... READ MORE
Judge Stone
I could not wait to get to the end of this because I needed to know what would happen. At times I felt genuinely anxious about what might happen to these c... READ MORE
Courtroom drama
Thank you NetGalley and Century for this eCopy to review.
James Patterson and Viola Davis have created a gripping, morally charged legal thriller that b... READ MORE
One of the better collaboration novels
One of the better collaboration novels, this time James Patterson and Viola Davis. The story centers around a court case involving a 13 year old girl who i... READ MORE
Exellent Thriller
Another of James Patterson’s hook ups with a famous name, this time the Oscar winning actress Viola Davis. They have written an excellent court-based drama... READ MORE
Tense, Thought-Provoking, and Impossible to Put Down
Wow, what a read! Judge Stone had me hooked from the first page and I barely noticed the hours flying by. Mary Stone is brilliant – tough, fair, and comple... READ MORE
Has broad appeal
Break and Heal your heart in equal measure
As much as I love a JP book, this one got me at the one and only Ms Viola Davis. You want a sure fire way to get me to watch a movie - put her in it! She... READ MORE
A page turner
I can highly recommend Judge Stone, an outstanding legal thriller by Viola Davis, an actress who was awarded the 2025 Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille award. ... READ MORE
Fantastic read!
What an amazing story. Something that couldn't happen in my country but you could imagine it in Alabama. A really frenetic storyline with people resorting ... READ MORE
Moving and thought provoking.
A brilliant, well written courtroom drama which is set in Alabama. The topics are race, abortion and rape, which although difficult to read about, are hand... READ MORE
Thought Provoking
A legal thriller set in the present day but this book feels as if it is set in the past. Mary Stone is the circuit judge in Union Springs a predominantly b... READ MORE
Utterly Heartbreaking!
"Judge Stone" by James Patterson and Viola Davis is a tour de force in legal drama.
The story centres on a high-stakes trial after a doctor performs an ... READ MORE
Interesting read
Judge Stone
In Bullock County Alabama a local doctor is being charged for performing an illegal abortion on a thirteen year old.
I initially thought this... READ MORE
Hard hitting
I can highly recommend Judge Stone, an outstanding legal thriller by Viola Davis, an actress who was awarded the 2025 Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille award. ... READ MORE
Ultimately heartbreaking drama
What an exceptional book this was. Although it was described as a courtroom drama, it was definitely not full of procedural ramblings. Instead it was a sto... READ MORE
Powerful
A gripping, intense and powerful read. Judge Stone is incredible. Thank you so much to the authors, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an... READ MORE
Fantastic legal thriller
Judge Mary Stone is a circuit judge for Bullock County, Alabama, she’s highly respected, the first black woman to be elected to this position and ranked fi... READ MORE
AMAZING
What a fantastic book this is!!! I was engrossed from the beginning and couldn't put it down. Huge 5 stars.
Its publication day
I really liked this and I definitely be getting this on pub day. I loved the story and the characters, it kept me engaged to the very end. Purchase this if... READ MORE
Easy 5 * from me.
Well I have to say I wasn't expecting this... a raw, emotional, current and confronting read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Absolutely loved it.... READ MORE
A great tense legal thriller
Thoroughly enjoyed this tense legal thriller. The conflict of opinions along with laws of abortion and racism, certainly made this a compelling read. Judge... READ MORE
One of the best courtroom dramas I have read
I have read and enjoyed many courtroom dramas and this was one of the best I have read with some interesting themes and an unexpected ending. With so many ... READ MORE
an excellent read that will make you feel lots of emotions
A controversial subject for a book handled very sensitively and with common sense.Local doctor carries out an abortion on a 13 year old. Complications from... READ MORE
Utterly compelling
I have read many a courtroom drama but not many as powerfully written as this - Judge Mary Stone and Nova Jones will stay with me for a long time. Set in B... READ MORE
Enjoyable!
A fantastic read!
Judge Stone is a strong and empathetic woman and doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
The story is an emotive one and it's expertly written ... READ MORE
Court room drama
A wonderful court room drama that hooked me from the start and I had to read just one more chapter till I reached the end of the book. Gripping with well d... READ MORE
Just not for me
The title of the book itself is self-explanatory with regards to what the book is about; it’s about Judge Stone, who lives in a small town in Alabama, and ... READ MORE
Hard hitting
Judge Stone
In Bullock County Alabama a local doctor is being charged for performing an illegal abortion on a thirteen year old.
I initially thought this... READ MORE
Truly outstanding.
Judge Mary Stone lives in Union Springs, Alabama, and is one of the most respected people in her little town. She has two things in her life that she cares... READ MORE
Loved it!
Thank you to the publishers for this surprise review copy.
I haven't read James Patterson for well over a decade and I confess I had never heard of Viola ... READ MORE
This book is a rollercoaster.
Judge Stone is a black female judge in Alabama, known to be firm and fair. This case is going to be her hardest one yet.
A female doctor stands accused of... READ MORE