Oooh, this is superb!  Attention grabbing from the beginning unfolding into a riveting read! Juliana Brody is quite a woman. As a judge, she upholds the law to the fullest letter; as a person, she holds herself to the same high principles - until one day, she lets her moral judgement slip and despite her marriage, she sleeps with another man. Agreeing with him that they never contact each other again, she is utterly horrified when one week later he walks into her courtroom - but that is only the beginning . . . This is a totally different scenario to any other I've come across in a novel; the moral dilemma is in competition with everything else which is going on and it totally dominated my thoughts whilst I was reading it. I really wasn't sure where it was going - but, wow, what a story! Very cleverly structured, beautifully written in an easy flowing style which is so easy to read, I could hardly drag my focus away from it. With so many different ways this tale could go, I had no idea which direction it would take and the choices completely took me over. The final scenes are worth waiting for and left me with such a feeling of satisfaction at a wonderful novel, completely enjoyed. A stunningly great read, and one I totally recommend to every thriller lover and one which has earned every one of the full five stars I'm delighted to give it.

Judge Juliana Brody has everything. She is highly regarded by her peers, has a happy marriage and two children, one of whom is in remission from cancer and she sits on the Massachusetts Superior Court. On a trip to Chicago to speak at a legal conference she makes an error of judgement that will jeopardise everything she holds dear. I do love a legal thriller; there’s something about the complexities of the law that makes for a fascinating read and I love those cases where it is one individual pitched against a mighty corporation. That’s the case here, where Judge Brody is presiding over the case of Rachel Meyers versus Wheelz. Meyers is claiming that the management of Wheelz created a hostile work environment where sexual harassment was rife. You wouldn’t think that would be worth killing over would you? And yet, someone is determined that Judge Brody needs to bring this trial to a speedy conclusion – in the defendant’s favour and they are prepared to do anything to make sure that happens. Compromised, with her marriage damaged, Juliana has to decide whether to give up everything she stands for or to find a way to fight back. Along the way she will find a series of Government agencies that have been more than prepared to let the enemy in through the front door and to offer them a seat at the table. Juliana tries hard to get out in front of the situation; these are seriously dangerous people unused and unprepared to be crossed. Eliciting help from a private investigator and her old friend Martha Connolly, Juliana must prepare for the fight of her life if she is to survive Part legal thriller, part espionage story we’re back in cold war territory, except for the welcoming in the Russians with open arms, bit. The plot feels very contemporary, and although the basic premise is well –worn, Finder is able to bring some new twists to it. The reader will, of course, have to suspend their disbelief in order to get the most out of this cat and mouse action thriller where things fall together in a way that does not mimic real life. The chapters are short and sharp and there’s enough action and suspense in the story to keep you reading. But the plot is a bit of a leap; the middle is quite well padded and the characterisation lacks depth. Nonetheless, this is exactly the sort of book I might take on a summer holiday. Entertaining, fast paced and you don’t have to think too hard about it. Verdict: Summer reading for lovers of legal and espionage thrillers.