The Hanging Judge: A Novel

· The Judge Norcross Novels Book 1 · Open Road Media
4.0
28 reviews
Ebook
492
Pages
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About this ebook

From the author of The One-Eyed Judge: A New York Times–bestselling novel about a federal death penalty trial from the perspective of the presiding judge.

When a drive-by shooting in Holyoke, Massachusetts, claims the lives of a drug dealer and a hockey mom volunteering at an inner-city clinic, the police arrest a rival gang member. With no death penalty in Massachusetts, the US attorney shifts the double homicide out of state jurisdiction into federal court so he can seek a death sentence.

The Honorable David S. Norcross, a federal judge with only two years on the bench, now presides over the first death penalty case in the state in decades. He must referee the clash between an ambitious female prosecutor and a brilliant veteran defense attorney in a high-stress environment of community outrage, media pressure, vengeful gang members, and a romantic entanglement that threatens to capsize his trial—not to mention the most dangerous force of all: the unexpected.

Written by judge Michael Ponsor, who presided over Massachusetts’s first capital case in over fifty years, The Hanging Judge explores the controversial issue of capital punishment in a dramatic and thought-provoking way that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is “a crackling court procedural” (Anita Shreve) and “gripping legal thriller” (Booklist) perfect for fans of Scott Turow. 

Ratings and reviews

4.0
28 reviews
Bonnie Hardin
May 28, 2014
Good look at the capricious system used to dispense justice. Great argument against the death penalty IMHO. Also enjoyed the use of humor.
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Robin Seaman
February 13, 2016
Kept me interested throughout. For a first shot as an author, excellent job. Was hoping the author had more books published.
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Paul Harmston
August 24, 2014
The insights and familiarity with the system make this worth the read for any mystery afficianado.
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About the author

Michael Ponsor graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed him a life-tenured US district judge. From 2000 to 2001, he presided over a five-month death penalty trial, the first in Massachusetts in over fifty years. Judge Ponsor continues to serve as a senior US district judge in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Western Division. The Hanging Judge, his first novel, is the winner of Massachusetts Bay’s 2015 OneBook Prize.

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