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Her Honor
Her Honor is a scorching "insiders" tale of the judiciary as only Judge William J. Coughlin could tell it--a provocative story of Kathleen Talbot, whose first major case as a circuit judge--a controversial "mercy" killing--plunges her into the most challenging, heartbreaking dilemma she has ever faced.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
624 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
William J. Coughlin
36 books46 followersWilliam Jeremiah Coughlin (1929-1992), former defense attorney and judge in Detroit for twenty years, was the author of sixteen novels. He lived in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan with his wife, Ruth, an author and book critic.
Also wrote under the pseudonym of Sean A. Key.
Also wrote under the pseudonym of Sean A. Key.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 6, 2017
Returned.
Didn't grab my interest, returning after 4 chapters. Maybe one day I will try it again.
Problems with the text to speech .
Didn't grab my interest, returning after 4 chapters. Maybe one day I will try it again.
Problems with the text to speech .
September 12, 2021
Quite frightening
The book is great, well written, entertaining and full of the twists and turns that keep the reader engrossed. What is frightening, is the portrayal of the individual characters that make up the working parts of the American Justice System...... many of them mean, bigoted, malicious, corrupt and more criminal than those they prosecute or defend.
The book is great, well written, entertaining and full of the twists and turns that keep the reader engrossed. What is frightening, is the portrayal of the individual characters that make up the working parts of the American Justice System...... many of them mean, bigoted, malicious, corrupt and more criminal than those they prosecute or defend.
April 30, 2012
I first read this book well before I decided that historical romances were my favorite type of book. Back then I wasn’t as discriminate as I am now and would read anything I could get my hands on. I loved this book back then (80s) and surprisingly now years later and extremely cynical, I still enjoyed it. I think that even though this book was written back in the days when typewriters ruled the office and there was a phone booth and mailbox on every other corner, it is still a good story. Mr. Coughlin does a very good job at keeping the story engaging and suspenseful. The secondary characters are believable and realistic. You can imagine the chauvinistic attitudes of some of the judges. And how many people now someone like the herioine’stepmother? I really think that he did a better job with his secondary characters, including Marty the drunk and that mentally unstable fellow who hated his mother. However, if you didn't know this book was written by a very old White male, then you can tell by just reading it. His views on race, women and the justice system are subtle but most definitely recognizable. The biggest clue that a man wrote this is the romance part of story. It is so lacking that you just want to tell Mr. Coughlin to stick to courtroom suspense stories and leave the romance to women writers. Prime example is that although the hero is described (vaguely) as tall and handsome, I did not feel attracted to him at all. You don’t really even get to know him. And the heroine, who is described as "Kathleen the Ice Queen" is just that. No personality whatsoever. The romance is so ridiculous in that it is almost non existing. The fact that they fell in love is amazing to me. When did that happen? However, what makes the book good is the story line. The case regarding mercy killings and the different circumstances surrounding both sides of this issue is well written. All in all, a very good book with mediocre main characters, well written secondary characters, a very good story line with suspense and tension throughout.
July 1, 2017
Her Honor is a courtroom novel that introduces us to Kathleen Talbot, an attorney whose father has encouraged her political ambitions. When a family situation occurs, she decides to curtail her political climb towards becoming governor and accept a judgeship. A short time later she is appointed to hear a controversial case, the mercy killing of a brain dead victim by a police officer. It becomes a constant reminder of her own decision to have her father removed from life support and she begins to wonder if hearing this case is a conflict of interest for her.
This book was originally published in 1987 and it has a dated feel in the way men treated women during that time. I don't dispute that this attitude was real, just that so many years later it almost seems unbelievable. I think William Coughlin is a good writer and normally I love courtroom thrillers. This story was fairly predictable so there were no surprises. There were way too many characters and several subplots that kept this from being a page turner. Overall, I enjoyed the story and and it was an interesting glimpse into the judicial system.
This book was originally published in 1987 and it has a dated feel in the way men treated women during that time. I don't dispute that this attitude was real, just that so many years later it almost seems unbelievable. I think William Coughlin is a good writer and normally I love courtroom thrillers. This story was fairly predictable so there were no surprises. There were way too many characters and several subplots that kept this from being a page turner. Overall, I enjoyed the story and and it was an interesting glimpse into the judicial system.
July 21, 2017
A worthwhile and enjoyable read.
Five stars because it is truly a book I couldn't put down.
Not all books which are enjoyable are also worthwhile. This book is worth reading because it approaches several important issues from differing perspectives, manages to resolve those issues in a logical manner consistent with the characters, the story and reality. Supposedly well written fiction can convince the reader to suspend their disbelief through the entire story. You may approach this book with all the cynicism you are able to muster, and you'll still be satisfied with the conclusion.
Five stars because it is truly a book I couldn't put down.
Not all books which are enjoyable are also worthwhile. This book is worth reading because it approaches several important issues from differing perspectives, manages to resolve those issues in a logical manner consistent with the characters, the story and reality. Supposedly well written fiction can convince the reader to suspend their disbelief through the entire story. You may approach this book with all the cynicism you are able to muster, and you'll still be satisfied with the conclusion.
October 20, 2024
Having finished this book I believe I have now read almost all of the William J. Coughlin e-books that are available. I have not reviewed any individually but I will say that all of his so-called Standalone books have been excellent - based on my rating system they have been 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 out of 10. The stories, inside the US legal system, all bring in an extensive variety of real-life characters woven intricately into interesting and exciting stories that are excellently crafted and hard to put down once started. They all have happy/ pleasant endings and, once finsihed, I am yearning for more books from this author.
August 21, 2021
This was a great story and hard to put down.
This story is about the early period where Kathleen Talbot has just become a judge. It follows the period from when she is nominated and up to the time where she oversees a trial where the individual on trial is charged with the same thing that she did as well.
The story relates the old boy clique within the judiciary and how she is treated being the latest member. It also shows how political it becomes when the lead judge is being selected.
If you enjoy following trial activity, then you will want to read this book. It has a lot of events that will also catch your interest.
This story is about the early period where Kathleen Talbot has just become a judge. It follows the period from when she is nominated and up to the time where she oversees a trial where the individual on trial is charged with the same thing that she did as well.
The story relates the old boy clique within the judiciary and how she is treated being the latest member. It also shows how political it becomes when the lead judge is being selected.
If you enjoy following trial activity, then you will want to read this book. It has a lot of events that will also catch your interest.
August 31, 2024
Her honor
I loved the first half of the book. The idea of when death occurs and a judge who's one the same thing she is deciding upon. Then it went sideways, with the case coming down to a single issue. There was no courtroom antics by attorneys.
The book read like a Doris Day movie. Old over evil, the guy gets the girl, and the world is better. No twists, no turns, just drivel.
I loved the first half of the book. The idea of when death occurs and a judge who's one the same thing she is deciding upon. Then it went sideways, with the case coming down to a single issue. There was no courtroom antics by attorneys.
The book read like a Doris Day movie. Old over evil, the guy gets the girl, and the world is better. No twists, no turns, just drivel.
February 6, 2017
Wanted to give it 3 1/2 stars
At first I wasn't sure what to think about this book..Thought there were too many characters that didn't seem necessary to the main story. However ,somewhere around halfway the book came together. I will read more books by this author... I ended up enjoying the book.
At first I wasn't sure what to think about this book..Thought there were too many characters that didn't seem necessary to the main story. However ,somewhere around halfway the book came together. I will read more books by this author... I ended up enjoying the book.
June 30, 2017
I loved this book. I think it was published a fairly long time ago but I wasn't familiar with it at all. It's a look at the ins and outs of the judicial system with a cast of fascinating characters. It moved quickly and really was a novel I was anxious to finish in order to see how it all concluded. Highly recommend it.
July 8, 2017
Honor's fight. Enjoyed each page of the courtroom drama and all that goes with it. Can see the next book taking place now. Coughlin is one of the masters at courtroom drama!.
Predictable but still a great read. Enjoyed each page of the courtroom drama as well as the mysteries surrounding each character. Coughlin is probably one of the great courtroom drama writers!
Predictable but still a great read. Enjoyed each page of the courtroom drama as well as the mysteries surrounding each character. Coughlin is probably one of the great courtroom drama writers!
November 10, 2020
Novels by this author are all good, but I liked this one the best. Judge Coughlin was from the Detroit area, and a kind man with an active mind. He autographed this book for me, with the inscription that the heroine reminded him of me. It made the book so much more personal. Although I have not read all his books, the ones I have read were entertaining and well written.
January 4, 2025
Read this one!
A unique storyline, plenty of interesting characters & plot twists, but I should like to comment on character development. We really get to feel and struggle with our heroine through many aspects of her life. Rarely do we get to experience the complexities of a character with such a “3D” view. So much I could say…just read it!
A unique storyline, plenty of interesting characters & plot twists, but I should like to comment on character development. We really get to feel and struggle with our heroine through many aspects of her life. Rarely do we get to experience the complexities of a character with such a “3D” view. So much I could say…just read it!
January 16, 2025
legal thriller
A really good legal thriller combined emotional and ethical points of view very well. My only issue was with the overwhelming number of characters. I had to reread the first few chapters over and over to clarify who was who, but once I got my head around that, the storyline really took off.
A really good legal thriller combined emotional and ethical points of view very well. My only issue was with the overwhelming number of characters. I had to reread the first few chapters over and over to clarify who was who, but once I got my head around that, the storyline really took off.
March 9, 2017
Her honor the judge
This is ver excellent read. It is a shame that the legal fraternity is not as truthful to themselves as Judge Talbots's
in this story. The story is so well told that it makes a person wonder if these actions are true.
This is ver excellent read. It is a shame that the legal fraternity is not as truthful to themselves as Judge Talbots's
in this story. The story is so well told that it makes a person wonder if these actions are true.
March 25, 2017
Very dry reading
Looking for a courtroom drama, then this is the story for you. However be prepared to be bored. The story is long and drawn out filled with court drama but not in the juicy hanging on the edge of your seat kind of way. I only pushed through to the end to see how it ended.
Looking for a courtroom drama, then this is the story for you. However be prepared to be bored. The story is long and drawn out filled with court drama but not in the juicy hanging on the edge of your seat kind of way. I only pushed through to the end to see how it ended.
May 26, 2017
Grabs your attention and holds it.
I lobed this book it dealt with real life issue, that are still being discussed. I could not wait to see how it ended. I will be looking for more book's by this author.
I lobed this book it dealt with real life issue, that are still being discussed. I could not wait to see how it ended. I will be looking for more book's by this author.
June 16, 2019
Second....
Second read of this one and enjoyed as much as the first time. I could not say how long ago I read it but it kept me guessing again. Look forward to the next book with these two.
Second read of this one and enjoyed as much as the first time. I could not say how long ago I read it but it kept me guessing again. Look forward to the next book with these two.
August 21, 2021
3 1/2 stars rounded up. This was a good story with decent character development and good dialogue. The negatives were the ending and the misuse of excuse for judges. The RECUSE themselves, no excuse themselves.
November 19, 2024
a fine book!
Fascinating characters and an intriguing plot. I am an ancient crone who goes to bed early. My 20 minutes of reading before bed turned into more than three hours. I couldn’t put it down.
Fascinating characters and an intriguing plot. I am an ancient crone who goes to bed early. My 20 minutes of reading before bed turned into more than three hours. I couldn’t put it down.
December 28, 2016
Great book
As soon as I read the first paragraphs I knew I would not be able to stop np a w?book to start reading on a weekday if you have a busy schedule very hard to put down.
As soon as I read the first paragraphs I knew I would not be able to stop np a w?book to start reading on a weekday if you have a busy schedule very hard to put down.
June 15, 2017
Court system
Not a topic I knew much about, at least not the Judge story. I learned something's and grew to appreciate the story. I like to read and learn.
Not a topic I knew much about, at least not the Judge story. I learned something's and grew to appreciate the story. I like to read and learn.
September 29, 2017
I get emotionally attached to characters like Jeremiah Mitchell and Kathleen Talboat. If anyone gets such relationship the World will be a heaven for living.
April 15, 2019
Robuster
I know this ghosted written using a great authors name and reputation.
It still was an enjoyable book fro the most part. I would recommend it.
I know this ghosted written using a great authors name and reputation.
It still was an enjoyable book fro the most part. I would recommend it.
June 7, 2024
A very well written legal novel !!!
December 11, 2024
Although a LOT of characters, a very good book.
Read
August 20, 2025As usual very goo
March 13, 2017
That audio was just awful almost ruined the book for me!!
The theme was well constructed and interesting. The end was a little sloppy for my liking!
All in all it was still worth the read and did raise an interesting ethical question
The theme was well constructed and interesting. The end was a little sloppy for my liking!
All in all it was still worth the read and did raise an interesting ethical question
January 7, 2018
Could be told in half the space.
I object strongly to the characterization of the judiciary and especially to pro-life activists as crazies who have no respect for civil discourse and peaceful protest. Although I acknowledge the author's writing skill, I will not be reading any more of his works.
I object strongly to the characterization of the judiciary and especially to pro-life activists as crazies who have no respect for civil discourse and peaceful protest. Although I acknowledge the author's writing skill, I will not be reading any more of his works.
January 23, 2017
Great courtroom thriller
It was interesting how the author handled the behind the scenes intricacies of the judges along with a very serious murder trial.
It was interesting how the author handled the behind the scenes intricacies of the judges along with a very serious murder trial.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews