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Group Read - The Verdict Final comments Spoilers welcome
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I'm still absorbing the ending. As things were happening, I was often confused (ex-Israeli Special Forces?). I appreciated the newsclippings at the end of the book because they helped sort it all out for me. Another book where I didn't particularly like any of the characters....except for Ray and Amy, and probably Swayne - but only because he remained a mystery. But there's a lot to think about and I am still doing that, so to me thats a sign of a good book!
Ann wrote: "Spoilers welcome for the entire bookNow that you have finished the book what did you think of it?
Have you read a Nick Stone book before? Would you read another, and are there any other authors y..."
To your questions, Ann, I really enjoyed the book--particularly the suspense of not knowing initially whether VJ was guilty. Then once it became clear it was a set-up, the enjoyable part was seeing whether Terry & the legal team would be able to uncover the truth, and even then whether they could win at trial.
I never read Nick Stone before. I would read him again with the caveat that it would need to be a shorter read than The Verdict.
I don't read many legal thrillers, so I'm not sure who to compare Stone to. I never read The Firm, but I saw the movie, and this book reminded me a little of "The Firm" (ie, eager, somewhat naïve man joins a crooked firm & gets way in over his head as they target him).
Russ, The Firm is a good comparison. There are definitely a lot of characters in this book. I wonder if we will see them again. I did read Mr. Clarinet by Nick Stone but don't think I liked it as much as most people.
Russ, The Firm is a good comparison. There are definitely a lot of characters in this book. I wonder if we will see them again. I did read Mr. Clarinet by Nick Stone but don't think I liked it as much as most people.
Dawn, it was hard to like many of the characters; VJ didn't endear us from the start setting the tone The kids as you mentiined were cute (Amy's optimistic cheerfulness) and Ray was a great kid. But while almost all of the lawyers were not likable, I enjoyed the story told in Terry's voice and the investigation, clues revealed and the trial really grabbed me in. I imavine the stellar audio narration helped.
I'm very let down with the ending it took too long to get to trial (the best part), a verdict and leave terry knowing who was behind it all. Then a few news articles explain most of the conclusion fell very flat for me. The final scene with terry and vj to clear up the diary issue and clarify terry's outlook for the future was good for closure though. I just feel the way it ended made the whole trial and terry's investigation trivial, with the cover up exposed because the hitmen/woman were caught in the riot and confessed. Maybe thats a point the author tried to get across, that the law gets it wrong even when the evidence doesn't add up. The book raised a few good points and I'm glad to have read it. I would give another of his books a go but would not persist with it if it took as long as this one to get into. I would be interested to read a sequel of terrys story if it comes about.
I did enjoy the book but thought it was a bit too long. The trial section was my favorite but the part after Fabia's death was just too convoluted for my tastes. Like Jack, I wanted to know what really happened with VJ's father's murder and kept thinking the Rolex being a fake would be important. I thought it was a good thing that Terry took the job because it did seem like a good move for the future of his family since what are the odds that he will get involved with another wild conspiracy with paid killers?This was my first book by the author and I would probably try another one especially if he decides to continue on with these characters.
Sandi: The Rolex did seem to have more importance when Terry was tracking it down than it ended up having as a device to lure Fabia out of hiding. The potential tie-in for the murder of VJ's father to be revealed had also seemed likely, then we were left hanging. As Jack proposed, the author could have been making a point about the law/juries/prosecutors getting it wrong and convicting even when the evidence doesn't add up, needing a variety of viable alternatives to be ignored.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and I agree with the comments above. It was a little long but listening to it helped make it go fast. I would definitely read another by Nick Stone although I'd look for reviews to find something that would grab me like a legal thriller does. I agree with Sandi and others that the plot got a little convuluted at the end and as I said in another thread the hurry-up wrap up was a little obvious, but doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. I don't know that I'd want to read a sequel with these characters, it would just seem too fantastic that Terry would have another sensational case fall into his lap. On the other hand, that doesn't stop me from reading other police procedural and legal thrillers, LOL.
Jack, you mentioned in chapters 55 - 74 (or something) that you had an idea of the culprit. I came over hear to ask you, did your guess turn out right?Did anyone else guess the murderers?
carol I thought vjs wife Melissa was going to have a part in it but the story followed the clues to the end without significant twists. The few appearances with sid during the trial made me think she might still have a part in it but she dropped off the radar and was briefly mentioned as divorcing vj at the end.
Jack wrote: "carol I thought vjs wife Melissa was going to have a part in it but the story followed the clues to the end without significant twists. The few appearances with sid during the trial made me think s..."I can see why you'd think that, it may have crossed my mind for a second too.
I sort of wanted a little more from her in the story, in terms of her response to his horrible sexual preferences, but I guess her divorcing him said it all. I also wanted to know if VJ started going after Melissa while she and Terry were still seeing each other in college, but we'll never know that either.
I guess if Nick Stone ever comes to the US to do author signings on a future book, I can come back here and ask him all these niggling unsolved questions. You authors out there, would that be the most annoying thing ever, LOL?
My theory was based on a lot of thrillers having a wife hire a woman to catch out their husband for some reason. It was different here because they wanted him set up for a murder not just sleeping around. I even thought she had something to do with the diary thing and helping get terry kicked out of uni.I too wanted more from her to help give another perspective on vj and terry. It would've been good for her to answer that question of why she dumped terry for vj.
That would be an interesting q&a session.
I could think of nothing worse that some one questioning my work all the time I suspect it would be the same for authors. Maybe there will be a sequel and some of these questions will get answered.
Never too late to comment Chikako! It is intriguing to wonder if some of the loose threads like the fake Rolex and the identity of Terry's Father's killer were intended to leave room for future books or if details regarding "where they were leading" have been edited out of the final book perhaps to curb the length.
It was long, but in retrospect The Verdict has been my favorite group read (and perhaps any read) so far this year.
Russ: I agree, the group discussions about The Verdict have been great and added to my enjoyment of a strong legal thriller.
Chikako wrote: "I have finished just now! and am completely late for the finish date...I agree with Sandi saying this book was a bit too long, though enjoyed the trial scenes.
The Rolex--a fake Rolex--is importa..."
I enjoyed the trial scenes too, Chikako. I was glad to read this legal thriller; I don't think it would have come to my attention if it hadn't been a group read.
Now that you have finished the book what did you think of it?
Have you read a Nick Stone book before? Would you read another, and are there any other authors you would compare him to?