Hellfire's Judgment

by Linda L. Barton

A simple trip to the supermarket starts a chain of events that begins with the violent rape of an innocent thirteen-year-old girl. This act of violence forces a family to face the difficult decision of whether to pursue justice against the member of a powerful local family or remain silent as so many others have in the past.
Clay Jefferies has never been a man to walk away from a fight. However, after the acquittal of the man who raped his granddaughter, he finds himself forced to protect his family in the only way he knows how. If you kill the man who brutally raped your granddaughter, is it murder or justice?

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

Hello, my name is Linda L Barton and I'm a Bestselling Multi-Genre Author, Founder of Deadly Reads, and Host of Deadly Reads Radio, Journey into the Night on Blog Talk Radio.

My first book, Next Move, You're Dead was published in March of 2011, and then went on to become a trilogy. I'm proud to say the Next Move, You're Dead Trilogy Bundle was chosen to be 1 of 100 Pre-loaded Kindle Fire ebooks given away in the VIP Swags Bags at the 2013 Emmy Awards show.

I live in a quiet little community in southeast Texas with my husband, Bob, our three spoiled-rotten dogs, and two silly goldfish. Over the years, I have learned that life is an adventure you should always appreciate with all the blessings it brings.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

What a wonderful book! At times it was hard to read because of the sensitive issues but I am very glad I read it. If only in real life could the criminals get the justice they deserve! This is a book you don't want to miss!

[Libby Barland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guilty or not guilty

‘This was a case of a child being sexually abused. The grandfather stood up for her in a tough run town. He decided that enough was enough. His trial was unique.
I really enjoyed this novel.

[Kim (Wistfulskimmies Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Sherry Jeffries. She goes to the shops for her mum one day and doesn't come back for hours. When she does come back however, her clothes are all torn and she is soaking wet. She says she was kidnapped, beaten and raped but refuses to name her attacker. Some days on a young lad named Todd comes round with flowers and Sherry goes berserk, naming him as her attacker. They go to court and astonishingly he gets acquitted. Sherry's grandfather, Clay, is disgusted, and fearing that his other granddaughter or possibly other girls may be at risk, he decides to teach Todd a lesson he will never forget....

This is one of those books that stays with you after you have finished it. In fact now, nearly 24 hours after I have read it, I am still turning it over in my mind. If you are a parent, or grandparent then it will haunt you and make you question whether you would do the same. I cried when Todd was acquitted - my heart went out to the family, whom you couldn't help but love. The pace flowed and despite the difficult subject I couldn't put it down, needing to find out what happened at each step. Would I do what Clay did? I'm not sure, but I certainly commend him for his spirit and family loyalty!

[Glenda Findley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this read recommended on Facebook, and is the first of author Linda Barton's work that I've read. You will not be subjected to a synopsis or a spoiler ending in my following comments.

The tale grabbed me from the beginning and kept my attention to the very end. A total emotional rollercoaster for this aged mother and grandmother even bringing tears. This mama bear was easily caught up in this storyline as I live in a small rural community. Fiction often mirrors reality.

As a character driven reader, Hellfire's Judgment felt real. For this reader, I would have liked the babysitter, Marjorie, and Amy Jefferies, the 10-month-old, to be more developed and involved in the action.

Now, as to why Hellfire's Judgment isn't a 5.0 on my scale is the need for a proofreading editor. There were multiple typos, punctuation, and grammar concerns, which interrupted the reading flow for me. Also, the wrapping of narrative around dialogue caused me to reread portions at times.

I highly recommend Hellfire's Judgment; and am looking forward to reading more from Linda Barton's pen.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say this was an easy read. The subject matter will be a trigger issue for some people. As a woman, as a mom, as anyone who has ever been abused by the so called justice system or known someone who has been molested this might be a difficult read, though to her credit the author does not exploit it, or go into graphic gory detail this is still a story of a child who has been raped and the man who got away with it. I had to tell myself several times "It's just a story, It's just a story It isn't real" But the sad fact is that in this world children are hurt every single day and I was sometimes filled with such rage over what this child was put through that I had to put the book down and take some time away from it. I will say I'm glad I saw it through to the end because it had a most satisfying conclusion. This was a well written and powerful story but not for the faint of heart.