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The Hanging Judge

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The Hanging Judge

Written by: Michael Ponsor
Narrated by: Rich Orlow
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When a drive-by shooting in Holyoke, Massachusetts, claims the lives of a Puerto Rican drug dealer and a nurse at a neighborhood clinic, the police arrest a black drug dealer. With no death penalty in Massachusetts, the US attorney shifts the double homicide out of state jurisdiction into federal court so that he can pursue the death penalty.

The Honorable David S. Norcross, who has been on the federal bench only two years, now presides overthe first death penalty case in the state in 50 years. He must contend not only with an ambitious female prosecutor and a brilliant veteran defense attorney, but with a citizenry outraged at the senseless killing of a white hockey mom- not to mention the pressures of the media, anti-death penalty protesters, vengeful gang members, and the million other things that can go wrong in a capital trial.

Michael A. Ponsor takes readers into the courtroom and beyond, presenting with great sensitivity the points of view of the defendant and his wife; the victims' families; law enforcement officers; witnesses; and the judge who, while still coming to terms with the death of his wife, begins a relationship with a woman he is not sure he can trust.

©2013 Michael Ponsor (P)2013 Recorded Books Crime Crime Fiction Legal Thriller Thriller & Suspense Fiction Law Marriage Massachusetts
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The One-Eyed Judge Written by: Michael Ponsor
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The plot of this book could have provided a great excuse for author Michael Ponsor to examine the pros & cons of Capital Punishment and the mechanics of the criminal justice system when putting on a Death Penalty case. Speaking through his characters, Ponsor's evident contemplative conjectures on the subject are balanced and thoughtful (albeit often superficial).. but he doesn't even give that mandate a try. Instead, he offers a character development drama where a capital case acts as nothing more than a matrix for exploring relationships. Ponsor overdramatizes backgrounds among the players in his story.. trying so hard to make everyone involved relatable - particularly the wife of the accused, a conflicted police officer, and the underqualified lovesick puppy judge - that the book comes across as disappointingly maudlin. Where is the social commentary so effectively suggested by the overall plot?

As to presentation: Reader Rich Orlow reads the book conscientiously - capturing the author's intentions pitch-perfectly.. but that could actually be part of the problem. Orlow makes the characters so realistic that it compounds the "too scripted" problems I had with the book.
[Please note: Orlow actually sings nursery rhymes when called for - demonstrating an impressive dedication to the project. The narration is definitely the best feature of this audiobook]

Altogether, 'The Hanging Judge' rates 6/10 stars. It was a reasonable distraction for a couple of quiet afternoons for free.. but - despite a rapidly-evolving ending - you should keep browsing for better options when they ask for a Credit.

[Note: The addition of a plotline exploring an example of a classic miscarriage of justice in a late 19th-century Massachusetts murder case (where two innocent men were hanged) is a great addition to the book]

Thought-provoking Character Exposé

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