Good Intentions

by J.D. Trafford

An Amazon Charts bestseller. A harrowing legal thriller from the bestselling author of Little Boy Lost . Judge Jim Thompson’s world is unraveling. He’s facing public backlash on a decision-gone-wrong for a young boy in foster care and, even worse, he’s just discovered that his mentor, Judge Meyer, has been murdered. Despite his self-doubt in the face of media scrutiny, Jim is determined to continue his friend’s legacy―and find his killer. As he digs into the mysterious death, Jim comes across a case that had haunted the judge for decades―a case he couldn’t let go of. Judge Meyer had worked hard to find the right solutions for foster children, but rulings in such cases are never simple, and his decisions may have cost him his life. As Jim searches for answers, he begins to see similarities between his mentor’s past and his own present. Now it’s up to him to learn from his late friend’s mistakes and track down a killer―before he loses everything that matters to him.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Legal Thriller, Legal

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 2018

About the author

J.D. Trafford is the winner of the National Legal Fiction Writing Competition for Lawyers, has been profiled in Mystery Scene Magazine (a "writer of merit"), and written multiple bestselling legal thrillers. This includes the “No Time” series featuring Michael Collins, which was selected as an IndieReader bestselling pick, and Little Boy Lost, which has sold over 100,000 copies and was the #1 overall bestseller on Amazon.

In addition to graduating with honors from a Top 20 law school, J.D. Trafford has worked as a civil and criminal prosecutor, an associate at a large national law firm, and a non-profit attorney for people who could not afford legal representation.

Prior to law school, J.D. Trafford worked in Washington D.C. and lived in Saint Louis, Missouri. He worked on issues of housing, education, and poverty in communities of color.

He now lives with his wife and children in the Midwest, and bikes whenever possible.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judge Jim Thompson is a very young judge in the family court system overseeing parental and foster care cases. So young, I had trouble with the concept he would ever have been appointed, no matter who was his mentor. And now his mentor is dead, murdered in his own house and Thompson is being skewered in the news for a case that went very wrong.

Trafford creates a character in Thompson that felt very fleshed out. As the book progresses, Thompson’s youth became apparent as he makes some particularly stupid decisions, not in the court room but outside it.

This is one of those books where the reader is only slowly told what’s going on. It’s not a fast paced book, but it kept my interest. Trafford does an excellent job of making you realize how difficult child protection cases are. In fact, all the legal aspects of the book were well done.

There are multiple storylines and each one is engaging. I wouldn’t hesitate to read or listen to another of Trafford’s books.

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Little Boy Lost by J.D. Trafford last year and was blown away by the book's fabulous story. So, picking Good Intentions by J.D. Trafford was not a hard decision.

Judge Jim Thompson mentor has just been murdered and he's the first to stumble over the body. As if that is not bad, he's under media scrutiny after a boy that he decided to go back to his mother was later found dead. He's under pressure, trying to figure out why his mentor Judge Meyer was killed, as well as dealing with media and a new case.

I enjoyed reading Good Intentions. Just as Litle Boy Lost is the story in this book engrossing and it's not hard to be upset and angry when everyone seems to be out for blood. Jim's blood. He's under enormous pressure from work and he can't let go of a feeling that there is something in the past that could be the reason for the death of Judge Meyer. Perhaps an old case...?

The book is well-written and the last part is really tense! I recommend this book warmly!

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good legal novel with a judge who handles the type of work I do every day as an attorney, so I was very interested in procedure - not just in the plot & characters. The plot and characters were good, and I really liked it. As far as child protection procedure and court procedure in that type of case, it was pretty close to what we have in New Jersey with some exceptions. For example, no judge can handle 2 dozen child protection cases in one day, much less one afternoon. We might get through 5-6 in an afternoon here where I practice - maybe 15-18 in a whole day. So that's weird. But it is correct in most other ways and I appreciate the author's sensitive approach to how important these cases really are. I also liked that the ending was complete with the loose ends tied up - no cliff hanger here! Seems to be a stand along novel, which is fine with me. I'm not sure I want to follow this judge/main character into a series because he was not really a terribly strong character. It was annoying that he made such poor choices at times and was not a sympathetic character for the most part.

[Midwest Geek · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, but I didn't really like it. I like the genre of legal mysteries, but the MC, the juvenile court judge, in addition to his insecurities, seems kind of stupid, at least, in his conduct outside the courtroom.

The prose was acceptable, but the author made mistakes, e.g., having a juvenile custody hearing open to reporters, which they are not. This was done to allow a secondary character to play an important role.

The audio version did not enhance the story; the reader, Will Damron, speaks in a monotone without much emotion to differentiate episodes or in voices that fit the varied characters. I read parts of it with kindle unlimited, which I found somewhat easier to digest.

I realize I that most readers enjoyed the book and rated it much more highly than I. If you want to try it, I'd advise reading it rather than listening.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was an “ok to good” legal thriller about a judge who has to make rulings regarding children in the foster care system. There’s a side plot going on regarding another judge, who is like a father figure to the main character. He ends up getting murdered early on and the unfolding of that situation plays a large part in the storyline.

[Trish R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, another first person book written by a man that wasn’t half bad. But I really couldn’t tell you if our MC, Judge Jim Thompson, was tall, short, bearded, bald, a head full of hair, fat, thin, or pigeon-toed. No idea why male authors want to keep the characters looks a secret from the readers.

However, it was a really good book. The mystery of who killed Judge Harry Meyer, Jim’s close friend and a mentor. At the end it told of the trouble Judge Thompson got into for looking into, and solving, the murder. I thought that was kind of strange. It was also about the case of 4 kids being taken from their parents and the parents losing their parental rights, and the POS father who wanted them back.

It was a good courtroom drama and police procedural story that I enjoyed.

There was absolutely no sex, only about 4 kisses on the cheek and the F-bomb was used 1 time when a lawyer simply repeated what his client said. There was actually no swearing to speak of: hell was used 3 times, damn 4 times and shit 0 times. It wasn’t like real life so I can’t see myself reading this author again. I wanted a REAL life murder mystery, swearwords and all. I need to find some really gritty mysteries, don’t I?

As to the narration: This was my first listen of Will Damron and he was awesome. He read with emotions and his women’s voices were perfect.

[Linda Klager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a well written book. The author had very difficult subject matter to write about and he did it with finesse. There was only 1 curse word and I can imagine a hardened felon saying it. I am so glad that the author did not go into details when describing the love scenes. There was some gruesome material that a convicted criminal did to his family.

It must be very hard to work with child custody cases. A judge hears much sordid events daily. It must be very trying to do the best job for the children involved in these cases.

How very difficult it must have been to be married when dealing with the caseload that this judge was under - his wife was very loving and patient, too.

[Don Dunham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this on the "daily deal" with no expectations but I really liked it. It scratched the same itch a "Grisham" would. I burned through it quickly.

[J.D. Trafford]

Obviously this is a mystery, but that mystery is set within the context of the child protection system. Writing about the child protection system was not easy, because I wanted to illustrate its complexity both good and bad. Even an adoption, however joyful, is also bittersweet, and often times there is not a solution or way to "fix" what is wrong. I hope I wrote a page-turner, but one that goes a little deeper as well.

[Owl._. · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you have the power to change lives and are you able to live with the consequences of that decision? This book looks at that question. It had just enough courtroom drama mixed with the right amount of personal problems and police investigation to create a fast moving story. It was an quick, easy read. Thank you #netgalley and #thomas&mercer for the eARC.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a legal thriller but kept me interested. Liked seeing parental rights through the eyes of the judicial system.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating legal thriller with masterfully done court scenes that are riveting. Legal thrillers are one of my favorite areas to read as they delve into the law in a way we laypeople do not normally deal with. This is a complex, enthralling look at the life of a family court judge.
I enjoyed the authors previous works and was thrilled to receive this for review. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my opinion.

The legal system of child protective services are very difficult. The judges have to make life changing decisions about who is responsible for abused and neglected children. Jim is an appointed judge trying his best to make good decisions . His job is very stressful and he is under tremendous pressure. He is under media pressure in regard to a certain case and feeling the pressure. When his mentor and father figure is murdered he is lost and misses his confidant that he depended on for courtroom advice.
Jim decides to get involved with a investigation on his own of finding the killer. Along the way his career is near imploding and he fears his future. He continues on finding a list of possible suspects he never imagined and secrets about his mentor that changes his view of the court.
As he traverses the clues of his mentor's murder he finds various suspects and possibilities. In the end the murderer is found and brought to justice but Jim's life is forever changed.
This is a fascinating read and I enjoyed the court scenes. I highly recommend this book for all that enjoy legal thrillers. A fast paced interesting read with high courtroom drama and thrills.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read

Ended a bit too tidy for me but a good read with an interesting story line. The main character was flawed and real enough to be believed yet likable

[AmadorBibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good intentions, but....

Well written. Clear there was some research, but how much with folks who actually do juvenile dependency work? Very early on there was a comment that hearings are open to the public (explaining why a reporter is in the courtroom). Nope. Dependency cases are closed to the public.

Anyway....
Love that the author chose this field (child dependency) to write about....

Listened to Audible version - liked the timbre of the reader's voice but not his robotic tone/timing. Also REALLY didn't like his portrayal of women's voices.

[Grace Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Great storyline..well developed characters..captivating to the very end. Recommended for the readers of Mark Dawson and David Archer. Can't wait to start my next JD Trafford book!!!!

[Regis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't soon forget this incredible courtroom drama. Perfection from start to finish. Good narration.

[Mindo'ermatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who Judges a Judge? Fast Legal Suspense!

This fun read gets 4 1/2 stars for quick-paced storyline of a new judge supervising abandoned and abused children, who gets caught in the middle of a murder, a hostile press, and other judges who don't like him. Ugh!

Judge Thompson begins another normal day, then there's nothing normal about the rest of the book. Things go from bad to worse, as the tightly written short chapters always seem to end with another unexpected crisis, making you want to read just one more chapter to see what happens next.

Thompson can't seem to catch a break as too many troubles and too few friends leave him isolated after the death of his lifelong mentor. Everything's a mess as Thompson and his young wife try to make sense of the troubling headlines.

Hidden secrets and untimely surprises keep the plot building, as new discoveries heighten the many continuing conflicts, as Thompson worries that his new career is about to end forever. Yikes!

The author's crisp storytelling creates a believable murder mystery with developed characters and engaging dialogue. This solid storyline has no quagmires of language, graphic violence, or sensational sexuality, making a great fast escape read that won't leave you traumatized.

Many of the poignant challenges of troubled children caught in "the system" highlight the legal difficulties surrounding broken families and the lack of good options. This important backstory supports the novel's title.

Audible's supporting narration added much to my reading experience. Well done!

I plan to read more by this author.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Thompson like his mentor, Judge Meyer - is a juvenile court judge. Decisions in his court determine the fate of children and parents. Should children of unfit parents (addicts, felons or abusive) be returned to their parents or shuffled into foster care? As in every city, the courts, the social workers, the foster care providers are overwhelmed. Further, judges have the option of cancelling a parent's right- which means in effect that that child was never born to them. Names are changed, children disappear in the foster care system, their biological parents a mystery for life.

Thompson wonders if he is the right person for the job. With Judge Meyer's guidance, Thompson has been given an early judgeship. Deemed too young, too inexperienced by all the other judges to hold a position that no one really wants, Thompson finds himself publicly criticized for a placement decision he made. Then, he discovers that Judge Meyer has been murdered. He cannot help but involve himself in trying to find the murderer.

This is a good courtroom murder mystery - presenting the laws and flaws - of the juvenile court system.

[Patty Nobles · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Good Intentions” by J.D. Trafford is one of those well-written novels that grabs on to the reader and does not let them go until the last page is turned. Judge James Thompson is a relatively new judge who hears the cases of families in crisis, and he is often called upon to make decisions that in hindsight were not always a perfect choice. The two things that keep him going is his mentor and knowing that he is trying to make life better for a child. When his father figure and mentor is murdered, the many secrets of the system he has worked hard for is suddenly revealed and he is forced to question everything he knows. This novel is gripping and eye-opening to many aspects of an overwhelmed underfunded system that has been set up to protect our most vulnerable citizens. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Thompson is the youngest judge in the family court system. Surrounded by jealous colleagues, a sensationalist media, and bitter defendants, it seems as if Jim has no one in his corner, other than his his supportive wife. When Jim's mentor, Judge Meyer, is found murdered, Jim's professional life spirals out of control.

As Jim digs deeper, he discovers that perhaps his mentor wasn't what he appeared. To uncover the truth, he hides important information from a detective (thankfully, not a stereotypical one), while being dogged by a tenacious reporter who will go the distance to nail Jim just for a good story.

Good Intentions takes a few character turns I didn't expect, but for the better. There are no sudden character assassinations here, and Trafford remains reliably solid with everyone he introduces. With the exception of a page long fight scene toward the end, there are no car chases, shootouts, or ninja-style combats to be found. It's a legal thriller in the traditional sense.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Intentions captured my interest from the very first page. It is a compelling, page turner of a mystery with lots of twists and turns. The story matter, although appalling, is intriguing and made me think about how I might handle decision making in these types of cases. I found myself thinking about the book when I could not sit and read, leaving projects undone because I had to know what would happen next.

Good Intentions is a book I want to share with family and friends. I think it would make a great book discussion selection, and I can totally see it made into a movie. This is the first book I've read by J. D. Trafford. I definitely want to read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an eARC!

[Robert Enzenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second by this author for me. And this book, although excellent, was very difficult for me personally. As a pediatric eye doctor, I deal with child abuse on a weekly basis, since it is often my duty to document retinal hemorrhages when an injured child presents with a parental story that doesn’t make sense. This I correctly described as a legal thriller. But it is also a concurrent murder mystery with lots of twists and turns. And this author describes very well the over-worked child welfare system, from the social workers to the attorneys and advocates to the judges. The story moves at a good pace. The plot sucks the reader in.

[Erin Cassell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a journey about an attorney who it thrust into circumstances for which he did not ask. Honestly, his judgeship working with abused children is something for which he did not ask. Now, it is all threatened.

I really enjoyed this book. The pace was great, and the characters are believable. At times, I was desperate for the individuals in the story. More than once, my heart was just sad.

While the book outlines his quest for the answers, this is not a thriller. It is just takes you through his search for the truth and reconciliation...with himself, his vocation, his mentor, the media, and the cruelties of life.

I really enjoyed it.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly docile family court judge in Alameda County, CA faces the murder of his mentor and the messy aftermath while personally running his own secret investigation. The tension between his professional ennui, and curious uncertainty regarding his future focus on the bench, and his lack of clarity about his mentor, while pursuing information about his death, make for an interesting tale. Author J.D. Trafford offers enough detail to make the court scenes very realistic. The book is fast and highly engaging. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Pegeen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Issues of “judgment” , especially when the judgments carry the full weight of the state authority behind them in child abuse cases is a very interesting theme in the book. However characters and plot are so so. Nikki is wooden and moved in and out like a stick figure. The confrontation in the Thompson’s house was unbelievable. Child welfare hearings are not open to the public/ press. Originally downloaded it because it is set in Oakland CA. Would have like that setting to be a bit more important to the flavor of the book, as it was, it could have been set almost in any urban area.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I chose the first because he once lived in my home town. But I came back for more because I really like the way he writes. His stories are compelling. I learn something even though the story is fiction. Judge Thompson felt real. I liked him and was rooting for him all through the story. The topics he deals with can be difficult, but are true to life. Even when I’m tired of the “legal thriller” genre, I will still choose to read his work!

[Carol D Geibe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense and Realistic

The story of a newly appointed judge going through a harrowing time in his career made me sit and turn pages over and over again. The courthouse characters, plaintiffs, defendants and other court personnel were well portrayed. Interpersonal relationships were also interesting and conveyed a lot of caring as well as some of the anger and the confusion that can go on in a marriage. A definite good read.

[Sheila J. Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 2:22 in the morning!

I just couldn't put this book down. I didn't stop to eat or drink. It was so enthralling and suspenseful that closing my Kindle was not humanly possible until the last word was read.

I know you will fall for Judge Thompson and his wife. Be confused by Helen Vox, terrorized by the villan, and will thoroughly enjoy this well-written and engrossing book.

[Jonathan Reskof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intentions

This was an engrossing book which I found to be very interesting and enjoyable. A couple of the things that occurred were implausible due the high intellect of the protagonist but we're not impossible. Overall I found this to be quite a good read and highly recommend it.