The Juror

Good reprise

The Juror by George Dawes Green was originally released from The Hachette Book Group in '95, but has been re released this year. (It was also made into a movie in '96 with Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin)

Annie Laird is a struggling single mother. When she is called to jury duty, she accepts, determined to do her civic duty. She is approached by a man known only as The Teacher, who insists that she 'sway' the jurors to a not guilty verdict. Her inspiration? Her son and friends will remain unscathed. Fail and......

Suddenly her civic duty has become a matter of life and death. Annie isn't quite the pushover The Teacher thought she was though....

I listened to this abridged version in audio format. It was read by Lolita Davidovich and John Heard. Davidovich's voice perfectly portrays a young innocent woman. It belies the steel that exists within Annie. John Heard's carefully modulated even tones are in direct contrast with the threats he delivers, making them all the more menacing.

An excellent taut thriller, pitting two unlikely adversaries against each other. I must say as a personal preference, I do prefer unabridged audio. There is no lack of continuity with the abridged, but I always feel like I've missed something.

Fast paced legal thriller

Synopsis:

Single mother, struggling sculptor, and newly selected juror Annie Laird doesn't realize her danger when she agrees to participate in the murder trial of mob boss Louie Buffano. This changes quickly enough when Annie meets "the Teacher," a handsome, dangerous and volatile member of Buffano's familia. The Teacher makes it immediately apparent that if she agrees to cooperate, he can help make her career. If she refuses to do so, her life and that of her son may be forfeit. The tension rises as Annie struggles to find a way to save her family without giving in to the Teacher's increasing demands.

Review:

If the plot sounds vaguely familiar, you may have watched the 1996 movie version with Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin. The audiobook is equally fast paced and absorbing without the strength of Alec Baldwin's portrayal of the Teacher and the weaknesses of Demi Moore's Annie Laird. Overall, The Juror is action packed, suspenseful and highly entertaining.

THE JUROR is a fabulous psychological drama

Single mom Annie Laird struggles to make ends meet as a part-time data entry clerk and as a starving sculptress. She is selected to the jury of a Westchester County murder trial of mob boss Louie Buffano.

Almost immediately after joining the jury, Annie meets a sophisticated art broker who buys some of her work. He invites her to dinner and she accepts. The man is a Taoist Wall Street financier who quotes Lao Tse with ease of an expert. He is called "The Teacher" and actually runs the Buffano mob from behind the scene. He offers her a choice of the safety of her and her son Oliver, and a rewarding sculpturing career that will make her wealthy or two deaths; hers and her child. He explains further to live affluently she must say not guilty; otherwise she will not live nor will Oliver even though he is falling in love with his pawn.

THE JUROR is a fabulous psychological drama as Annie goes through a myriad of emotions while the Teacher pushes her panic buttons with the scenario of a dead Oliver even after he concludes he loves his target. The story line leaps from one maniacal scene to another as the Teacher is an insane yet brilliant sociopath who forces Annie to fight as flight is not an option though fright is destroying her gut. Fans will appreciate this one sitting thriller reminiscent of the Baldwin-Moore movie of the same title yet much more horrific as the mom concludes the only way her offspring will be safe is with the death of the Teacher.

Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.