<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A SPINE-TINGLING SUSPENSEFUL TALE
Review: Don't pick it up unless you're prepared to not put it down. With the first page The Juror grabs the reader, taking him on a spine-tingling suspenseful trail of tips and tricks as the artfully crafted plot thickens and excitement builds. Annie Laird, a single mother and aspiring sculptor, is Juror 224 in the case of the people vs. mob boss Louis Buffano. Innocent yet intelligent, Annie agrees to serve, in part, because she has always taught her 12-year-old son, Oliver, to be responsible. Before the trial's opening statements, Annie falls under the spell of an urbane art dealer who professes an interest in her work. On their first date she is told that she must return a not guilty verdict or else. The man threatening her is actually known as the Teacher, a brilliantly ruthless mob thug who begins to electronically follow Annie's every move and conversation. The excitement mounts as Annie tries to think of ways to protect her son and outsmart her dangerous predator. This legal thriller is top-rate entertainment, packed with superbly honed characters, especially the treacherous Teacher.
Rating:
Summary: A SPINE-TINGLING SUSPENSEFUL TALE
Review: Don't pick it up unless you're prepared to not put it down. With the first page The Juror grabs the reader, taking him on a spine-tingling suspenseful trail of tips and tricks as the artfully crafted plot thickens and excitement builds. Annie Laird, a single mother and aspiring sculptor, is Juror 224 in the case of the people vs. mob boss Louis Buffano. Innocent yet intelligent, Annie agrees to serve, in part, because she has always taught her 12-year-old son, Oliver, to be responsible. Before the trial's opening statements, Annie falls under the spell of an urbane art dealer who professes an interest in her work. On their first date she is told that she must return a not guilty verdict or else. The man threatening her is actually known as the Teacher, a brilliantly ruthless mob thug who begins to electronically follow Annie's every move and conversation. The excitement mounts as Annie tries to think of ways to protect her son and outsmart her dangerous predator. This legal thriller is top-rate entertainment, packed with superbly honed characters, especially the treacherous Teacher.
Rating:
Summary: Stylish, worthwhile followup to Caveman
Review: George Dawes Green, The Juror (Warner, 1995) George Dawes Green wrote The Caveman's Valentine, which netted him the Edgar. He then followed it up with the euqally acclaimed The Juror, and proceeded to drop off the face of the earth, foiling a carefully-plotted career as a bestselling mystery novelist. Go figure. Based on the quality of his first two books, a whole lot of folks wish he'd come back. Green's second novel introduces us to The Teacher, a part-time mob enforcer, Taoist, and grower of rare orchids whose present job entails tampering with a jury to make sure his part-time employer doesn't go to jail. Problem is, the Teacher starts getting emotionally involved the the juror, and the two of them end up doing a rather dysfunctional dance that ends up with a whole lot of people dying. It's an absorbing novel, and a quick read. The characters are strongly drawn and identifiable, and the plot is excellently paced. The book's main flaw is that it relies a bit much on coincidences (of the "of all the gin joints in the world..." variety) that stretch credibility too far. But mystery novels rely on coincidence, and so we have to be willing to forgive Green in order to bask in the luxury of his writing. And it is certainly worth forgiving him, as the characters he creates here will be with you long after you turn the last page. *** 1/2
Rating: 
Summary: Terrifying real life horror book
Review: I don't usually read this type of book, but I did not return my card to my book club in time and received it. I could have returned it to the book club but decided to read it. I was terrorized by the reality in this book. I could not put it down. I read until 4:00a.m. when I finished it. Then I went and hugged my child. The author made me feel that this could happen in the tainted world we live in. His characters were so alive. As a single mother, I could identify with the main character. If my child's life was ever threatened, I would do the same thing this mother did. She went from being a civil minded woman to a woman with a vengenance! I cheered at the end but I cried and was scared through most of the book. Sorry but I have to go check on my loved ones now
Rating:
Summary: The Teacher is Truly Scary
Review: I'm baffled with: Reviewer: macer@erie.net B.Macer from Erie, PA, USA Pull your head from out under the rock! Genius writing in the Juror has you on the edge from the beginning to the very pulsating end. The "Teacher" was a masterfully written role. His psychological games are completely twisted and have the reader turning page after page to read more. I couldn't put the book down!
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, suspenseful -- a good read.
Review: I'm pretty stingy with my 4 & 5 star recommendations; so take that in consideration! One of the most interesting aspects of this book - one quite surprising to me - was the subtle humor delivered deftly by some of the characters. Some of Slavko's thoughts and comments made me laugh out loud & share them with my husband. I was fascinated & also repulsed by The Teacher - probably just as the author intended. Well written, a QUICK read. I would have liked a little more character development with a few of the characters - makes me wonder if the author had a "page-thirsty" editor! Sign me -- a 40-year-old avid reader
Rating:
Summary: TEACHER TEACHER
Review: THE JUROR is a humdinger of a novel, filled with some really nasty characters, a strong heroine, a gifted young child, a PI with a heart, and several plot twists along the way. Single mother Annie Laird is called to jury duty -- for the trial of a mob leader. An aspiring sculptress in a dead-end job, she sees jury duty as a kind of break from her humdrum life. Then one day she sells three of her sculptures to a mysterious man; he's charming, handsome, rich and sweeps Annie off her feet. He's also "The Teacher" and tells her she can have her career, her life, the safety of her child and friends if she says two words: Not guilty. From there she is thrown into a maze of deceit, lies, and ultimately bone chilling fear. A subplot involves a polish detective helping out the Teacher's girlfriend, who thinks her lover is cheating on her.
The pace of the novel is great and even after the trial is over, it's not over for Annie.
Fine good thriller.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not Brilliant
Review: The Juror is a story of a mafia kingpin's trial and the hell it causes for a single mother named Annie Laird. She lives at home with her son, sculpts all night and works as a clerk all day. One day she is selected as a prospective juror for the most famous case in the land. She wants some excitement in her life, so she agrees. Soon her life is twisted upside down by a seductive, powerful man known as the Teacher. She must vote to acquit the mob boss if she wants her friends and son to live. The story doesn't end with the trial. The Teacher still wants her after it is over, and when she betrays him, he wants blood. The reason this book is so good is because of its characters. You can feel the characters resonating off the page. The Teacher with his reserved fury, Annie and her fear and determination. The book grabs you in. It is not perfect, it has a couple of tedious and repetitious sexual references and passages. Anyway, this is a powerful book, and very plausible. Very original. Check it out.
Rating:
Summary: Entertainment with a little extra
Review: This novel doesn't pretend to be anything other than a diversion. It gives the reader exactly what he bargained for. Beyond that the book provides a deeper level of characterization than you usually find in such novels. I particularly enjoyed how attractive the author made the villain. It added an element of excitement. I also liked the way the main character faced up to the private quality of her trendy art boxes. On the other hand, I found the young boy's sexual obsession with the juror's girlfriend odd and out of place. It was kind of distateful without contributing anything to the plot. That is just a quibble however, this is a good airplane novel.
Rating:
Summary: Characters revealed, love protrayed!
Review: Very interestingly, the author is able to grip on to your attention with its constant change in the plot and switching between characters. I am baffled by how a twist in one's life can result in so much change. Initially, I had thought what a weakling Annie was for having succumbed to the pressure and demand of "The Teacher" but to soon realise that she is in fact stronger than I have thought. Her want to protect Oliver (her son) is a testimony of her inner strengths and courage! This is clearly shown towards the end when the author clearly depicts her emotions; which also resulted from the chains of events that had happened. I am particularly intrigued by the charms of Zach Lyde ("The Teacher" - known with several other names in the books) of his strong instincts, his wealth of knowledge. The author managed to develop this central character of the novel to an extent that makes one feel terrified, and really hoping that there's wouldn't be such a person that exists in this world who can work powerfully on the psychology of others. The light touch of the book, and yet a strong point driven across was about the greatness of motherly love - how much a child means to his/her mother and to what extend she will be there to protect the child. Such an important lesson and yet so succinctly put across by the author. A great novel for a good weekend read. You find it hard to put the book down once you start reading it.
<< 1 >>
| 
