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Jane Smith #1
12 Months to Live
Criminal attorney Jane F. Smith, tough as nails, has received a terminal diagnosis and doesn't have much time. Is her own client trying to kill her first?
Her name is Jane Smith. To friends and foes, she's Jane Effing Smith.
Why? Because she's the best criminal defense attorney in the Hamptons—the elite world of New York's rich and infamous. Because she's as good an investigator as she is a lawyer. Because she's tough. She's strong. A competitive athlete who never settles for second place.
As Jane is preparing to defend a high-profile client accused of a triple homicide, she's also hired to revive a cold case—a cluster of unsolved murders.
Then another bombshell lands: a devastating medical diagnosis. Terminal. She’s given twelve months to live.
But first, she has a trial to win. Unless one of her many enemies kills her first.
Her name is Jane Smith. To friends and foes, she's Jane Effing Smith.
Why? Because she's the best criminal defense attorney in the Hamptons—the elite world of New York's rich and infamous. Because she's as good an investigator as she is a lawyer. Because she's tough. She's strong. A competitive athlete who never settles for second place.
As Jane is preparing to defend a high-profile client accused of a triple homicide, she's also hired to revive a cold case—a cluster of unsolved murders.
Then another bombshell lands: a devastating medical diagnosis. Terminal. She’s given twelve months to live.
But first, she has a trial to win. Unless one of her many enemies kills her first.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2023
About the author
James Patterson
1,123 books347k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 813 reviews
August 15, 2023
It’s Jane Smith’s job to defend wealthy Rob Jacobson, who is charged with the murders of the Gates family. He professes his innocence to her, but Jane knows the only people that need to be convinced are the twelve jury members. Although she has plenty to keep her occupied defending Jacobson, Greg McCall, the Nassau County DA, asks Jane and her investigator ex- NYPD officer, Jimmy Cunniff, a favour. He requests they run a side investigation into three deaths in Garden City, those of the Carson family. So, Jane really has her work cut out now with two cases of triple homicide and if that’s not enough, she receives some terrible news.
First of all, I particularly enjoy that here we have a strong, good female lead character. Yes, she’s a bit of a smarty-pants and has a terrific grasp of killer (poor choice of words considering the death count) one-liners but she’s very likeable. The dialogue is always whip smart when she’s around. There is plenty of humour although at times it’s a bit cheesy, however, it’s still welcome. Jimmy is also very likeable, he’s intuitive, brave and a good friend. I hope this duo appear again, the ending suggests this is a strong possibility.
I like the way it’s written with short sharp and snappy chapters, which delivers a fast paced ever changing plot with danger around many a corner. The courtroom scenes are especially lively as things bat back and forth between the defence and prosecution with the judge trying to keep order. The trial and investigation takes many a convoluted but interesting twist and turn and Jane is definitely on the train to Crazy Town, but will it all end in the wreckage of a case? The tension of has he/hasn’t he in the trial is maintained right to the end keeping you glued to the pages. The two cases blend together well and I don’t feel as if I’m jumping from one to the other.
Overall, this is a fast, easy to read, enjoyable and entertaining read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
First of all, I particularly enjoy that here we have a strong, good female lead character. Yes, she’s a bit of a smarty-pants and has a terrific grasp of killer (poor choice of words considering the death count) one-liners but she’s very likeable. The dialogue is always whip smart when she’s around. There is plenty of humour although at times it’s a bit cheesy, however, it’s still welcome. Jimmy is also very likeable, he’s intuitive, brave and a good friend. I hope this duo appear again, the ending suggests this is a strong possibility.
I like the way it’s written with short sharp and snappy chapters, which delivers a fast paced ever changing plot with danger around many a corner. The courtroom scenes are especially lively as things bat back and forth between the defence and prosecution with the judge trying to keep order. The trial and investigation takes many a convoluted but interesting twist and turn and Jane is definitely on the train to Crazy Town, but will it all end in the wreckage of a case? The tension of has he/hasn’t he in the trial is maintained right to the end keeping you glued to the pages. The two cases blend together well and I don’t feel as if I’m jumping from one to the other.
Overall, this is a fast, easy to read, enjoyable and entertaining read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
April 4, 2024
You are going to love Jane Smith! She is a tough, determined, stubborn and funny criminal defence lawyer in New York. She has also just been told that she has cancer and has 12 months to live. This does not stop her from going to work, defending a rich, arrogant and very unlikeable man in a triple homicide case. This case will make her break her, in manny ways.
I for one hope that Jane fights this cancer and has more than a year left in her life. She is a fantastic new character from one of my favourite authors. Along with her investigative partner, Jimmy, both ex NYPD, they put their lives on the line for what they feel is right.
With his signature short and snappy chapters, plenty of questionable characters, this is a great start to a new series. I already can’t wait for more from Jane and Jimmy.. and Rip. An absolute cracking page turner once again.
Thank you so much to Century, Random House UK for allowing me early access to this book. It is always an honour to be approved for James Patterson books, and I always devour them. Published on September 28th.
I for one hope that Jane fights this cancer and has more than a year left in her life. She is a fantastic new character from one of my favourite authors. Along with her investigative partner, Jimmy, both ex NYPD, they put their lives on the line for what they feel is right.
With his signature short and snappy chapters, plenty of questionable characters, this is a great start to a new series. I already can’t wait for more from Jane and Jimmy.. and Rip. An absolute cracking page turner once again.
Thank you so much to Century, Random House UK for allowing me early access to this book. It is always an honour to be approved for James Patterson books, and I always devour them. Published on September 28th.
April 19, 2024
To know you are going to live only 14 months is an insurmountable future to face. What an incredible weight to bear. And that is exactly what our main character, Jane Smith, is carrying. She is sharp witted, sarcastic, intelligent and a very competent lawyer that has never lost a case. But has she met her match when she goes against Kevin Ahearn, the district attorney that has not ever lost a case either? To add to her misery, she does not know if her client, Ron Jacobson, is really guilty or not. The one person she has in her corner is Jimmy Cunniff, ex NYPD. He is involved in two cases at the same time but remains by her side, given her support and encouragement. He is her rock in a very turbulent storm. This storm includes a questionable client, a sister she has not spoken to in years, an MD that she is falling in love with and an aggressive cancer which she refuses to have treatments for until the case concludes. To top it off, people that are being interviewed are either disappearing or dying. This is definitely a page turner. I was not very fond of the ending but that is my own feeling. The next GR reader might feel it is a perfect ending. I would say this books is worth the time to read. Enjoy!
May 24, 2024
Warning, some minor spoilers here..but it could be entertaining to read regardless. I think I’ve got my point across. I have ripped into this one.
I am not a huge fan of James Patterson, I have liked a few of his early books but tend to find many lacking in a lot of things. I know he’s a huge Author and popular but that never sways me. So for years now he has been writing books with other writers, it’s hard to know how much of each book is written by who. Maybe her writes none of it in which case I’m criticising the other writer. No clue.
This one had so much wrong I can’t fit it in this review. Let’s take our main character, Jane Smith, or cringe, Jane effing Smith she calls herself. Supposedly a hot shot defence Attorney. She is one of the most unlikeable and unrealistic characters I’ve read in a long time. She is crass, unprofessional (slapping a client and nothing happens.) As if that would happen with no consequences!
She is given a heavy medical diagnosis early on but it features almost diddly squat in the book so I didn’t get the point. So much could of been done around that. Every cliched character and scenario is crammed into this novel.
Toted as the best Criminal Lawyer in the Hamptons (so expensive). If she’s the best - God help you if you had anyone else! I’d rather have a first year Law student from the tiniest University in the country. In fact I’d be better off defending myself after watching all the long trials I watch on YouTube as a Law and Crime fan.
Oh my God, the ridiculous court scenes, of which there is a lot. So many unrealistic things. Things that would never ever be allowed to occur or be passed over and ignored in a real court room. Ever. It’s badly researched at the very least. She’s defending yet another unlikeable character up on a triple homicide charge. Honestly the evidence, the DA’s case, the witnesses are laughable. This is poor quality writing. One reviewer states it’s one of the best legal thrillers she’s ever read! I spat my coffee out reading that.
The plot is boring. There is a side plot going on of her ex NYPD Detective buddy Jimmy who is solving other murders, or trying to and being targeted by a mystery character himself. He was THE only decent and realistic character in the whole book.
I did warm to him.
Remember that slap Jane got from her client? Well the client slapped her too, at the same time and ZERO repercussions. Like that’s gonna happen during a break session from trial. Seriously. I am stunned by that scene alone.
She’s portrayed as this hard, cold bitch and quite frankly it didn’t wash with me. I felt it was very cliche and it got very over the top many times. The plot holes are huge. I think I said that already. Brief moments to show her softer side are so brief if you blink you’ll miss them. She’s just nasty. I read a review that said she was funny. Huh? Not a funny bone in her or her any of her actions. Did we read a different book? I wish the other 1 star and 2 star reviews had written why for my own curiosity. One reviewer who has read a lot of JP strongly suspects that he didn’t write much of this, if any.
Let’s look at the moment (spoiler alert, so skip this bit if you want) when her dog is found muzzled and hidden in a closet in her house. Someone had broken in, she’s been warned by this person with threats but does NOTHING! No police, no forensics, no fingerprints, zip, nada, zero. Let’s just carry on as per normal. Nothing to see here. Even the dog wasn’t interviewed (it might of made good reading if he was). In fact it would add to the unrealistic elements in the whole book.
It goes on and on. What it is however is a quick read that doesn’t strain the brain at all. It’s a shambles in my opinion. The police, the forensics, the trial, the Judge, the Attorneys all are written with actions and words that are not at all the real deal. This trial would of been hammered down in a real court. Don’t get me started on the runaway witnesses. Or who she puts on the stand. Holy moly.
Nope. I am officially done with any James Patterson. These books are pumped out and so, so similar. It will sell, because certain readers like that type of basic fiction.
Gosh, a tiny bit of realistic research to make seems more believable would have been a basic. Did I mention that ballistics evidence is given by a cop who gives testimony because he was told by Forensics before court about a gun and bullets? Eh? You’d have the DA in fits. Jane won’t put “experts” on the stand in case they confuse the jury with science! It would have been ripped into. A cop is not a Ballistics expert. Sheesh. I’ll stop here. Tragedy.
Regular crime and trial readers will see this all. There are great books out there that get police and legal procedure right. It’s not that hard. In fact any regular reader of both genres could of edited this to improve it. I don’t get it? How do big names get published with such mistakes?
Jane “effing” Smith (who calls yourself that more than once as if it proves you are a hard nose?) is a terrible character. Hated her. Passionately. Never redeemed herself and thank God she’s not my lawyer. I don’t fancy getting a slap or being talked to like a piece of dirt like she does, even if her client is a dirtbag. I’d have definitely fired her incompetent butt.
Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone for my ARC via NetGalley.
Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.
I am not a huge fan of James Patterson, I have liked a few of his early books but tend to find many lacking in a lot of things. I know he’s a huge Author and popular but that never sways me. So for years now he has been writing books with other writers, it’s hard to know how much of each book is written by who. Maybe her writes none of it in which case I’m criticising the other writer. No clue.
This one had so much wrong I can’t fit it in this review. Let’s take our main character, Jane Smith, or cringe, Jane effing Smith she calls herself. Supposedly a hot shot defence Attorney. She is one of the most unlikeable and unrealistic characters I’ve read in a long time. She is crass, unprofessional (slapping a client and nothing happens.) As if that would happen with no consequences!
She is given a heavy medical diagnosis early on but it features almost diddly squat in the book so I didn’t get the point. So much could of been done around that. Every cliched character and scenario is crammed into this novel.
Toted as the best Criminal Lawyer in the Hamptons (so expensive). If she’s the best - God help you if you had anyone else! I’d rather have a first year Law student from the tiniest University in the country. In fact I’d be better off defending myself after watching all the long trials I watch on YouTube as a Law and Crime fan.
Oh my God, the ridiculous court scenes, of which there is a lot. So many unrealistic things. Things that would never ever be allowed to occur or be passed over and ignored in a real court room. Ever. It’s badly researched at the very least. She’s defending yet another unlikeable character up on a triple homicide charge. Honestly the evidence, the DA’s case, the witnesses are laughable. This is poor quality writing. One reviewer states it’s one of the best legal thrillers she’s ever read! I spat my coffee out reading that.
The plot is boring. There is a side plot going on of her ex NYPD Detective buddy Jimmy who is solving other murders, or trying to and being targeted by a mystery character himself. He was THE only decent and realistic character in the whole book.
I did warm to him.
Remember that slap Jane got from her client? Well the client slapped her too, at the same time and ZERO repercussions. Like that’s gonna happen during a break session from trial. Seriously. I am stunned by that scene alone.
She’s portrayed as this hard, cold bitch and quite frankly it didn’t wash with me. I felt it was very cliche and it got very over the top many times. The plot holes are huge. I think I said that already. Brief moments to show her softer side are so brief if you blink you’ll miss them. She’s just nasty. I read a review that said she was funny. Huh? Not a funny bone in her or her any of her actions. Did we read a different book? I wish the other 1 star and 2 star reviews had written why for my own curiosity. One reviewer who has read a lot of JP strongly suspects that he didn’t write much of this, if any.
Let’s look at the moment (spoiler alert, so skip this bit if you want) when her dog is found muzzled and hidden in a closet in her house. Someone had broken in, she’s been warned by this person with threats but does NOTHING! No police, no forensics, no fingerprints, zip, nada, zero. Let’s just carry on as per normal. Nothing to see here. Even the dog wasn’t interviewed (it might of made good reading if he was). In fact it would add to the unrealistic elements in the whole book.
It goes on and on. What it is however is a quick read that doesn’t strain the brain at all. It’s a shambles in my opinion. The police, the forensics, the trial, the Judge, the Attorneys all are written with actions and words that are not at all the real deal. This trial would of been hammered down in a real court. Don’t get me started on the runaway witnesses. Or who she puts on the stand. Holy moly.
Nope. I am officially done with any James Patterson. These books are pumped out and so, so similar. It will sell, because certain readers like that type of basic fiction.
Gosh, a tiny bit of realistic research to make seems more believable would have been a basic. Did I mention that ballistics evidence is given by a cop who gives testimony because he was told by Forensics before court about a gun and bullets? Eh? You’d have the DA in fits. Jane won’t put “experts” on the stand in case they confuse the jury with science! It would have been ripped into. A cop is not a Ballistics expert. Sheesh. I’ll stop here. Tragedy.
Regular crime and trial readers will see this all. There are great books out there that get police and legal procedure right. It’s not that hard. In fact any regular reader of both genres could of edited this to improve it. I don’t get it? How do big names get published with such mistakes?
Jane “effing” Smith (who calls yourself that more than once as if it proves you are a hard nose?) is a terrible character. Hated her. Passionately. Never redeemed herself and thank God she’s not my lawyer. I don’t fancy getting a slap or being talked to like a piece of dirt like she does, even if her client is a dirtbag. I’d have definitely fired her incompetent butt.
Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone for my ARC via NetGalley.
Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.
Want to read
October 6, 2023I definitely want to read this book. I think it's very exciting.
May 31, 2024
Tackling yet another James Patterson collaborative effort, Mike Lupica joins the fray for this piece. A legal thriller series debut, the authors present Jane Smith, a tough as nails attorney who is relentless in her efforts to defend her clients. When she is given a terminal diagnosis, Jane must juggle this with her current case, a multiple murder. Jane will not let the news paralyse her, though she has become quite reflective. Her case heats up and she learns that nothing is quite as she expects. Fueled by the desire to make the most of life while she still can, Jane Smith will do anything possible to ensure her client is not railroaded. A decent thriller by Patterson and Lupica, which has me eager to read the next novel.
Jane F. Smith is a ruthless criminal attorney, always making sure her client has fair and thorough representation. While her friends know her as Jane Smith, her opponents aptly refer to her as Jane Effing Smith, and it holds true. Her current case has Jane trying to defend a client who is accused of killing a family. While the death penalty is not on the table significant jail time could await the accused if Jane cannot pull out a miracle.
In the middle of the trial, Jane Smith receives a terminal cancer diagnosis. While no one would blame her for tossing in the towel, Jane refuses to let this deter her. She has twelve months, as per the medical professionals, but she will make the most of it. She funnels her anger into a courtroom presentation and tries to keep her client out of jail.
In between medical appointments, Jane makes sure her case is airtight as she tries to prove that her client did not commit the murders. Along the way, numerous pitfalls appear, forcing Jane to turn into the tough as nails attorney she has long been known to be. Wrestling with reality and the situation before her, Jane reflects on her life and hopes to make the most of the time she has left. One can hope that she will get the verdict she wants in court, while life remains a hung jury. A great series debut by Patterson and Lupica.
While I have read a number of legal thrillers with James Patterson’s name on the cover, this one stands out with its unique approach to the law and with the protagonist. The narrative approach is a quick delivery, complemented by the Patterson traditional short chapter recipe. The narrative covers all the needed areas and gains speed as the story gets tense. The characters, some of whom I am sure will return for the second novel, are both relatable and interesting in their own way. Jane Smith proves to be as tough as she presents, though there is always an opening to show her vulnerable side.
The twists and turns found within the book are both legal and personal. While some of the delivery is less surprising than it could have been, the authors did well to build up the plot points and keep things from getting too predictable. I am eager to see how the end of this book will bridge with the second novel, which I have in ARC form airing for me. I will make sure to find connections and discuss them in the next review of the series.
Kudos Messrs. Patterson and Lupica, for a great legal thriller to get my mind going.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Jane F. Smith is a ruthless criminal attorney, always making sure her client has fair and thorough representation. While her friends know her as Jane Smith, her opponents aptly refer to her as Jane Effing Smith, and it holds true. Her current case has Jane trying to defend a client who is accused of killing a family. While the death penalty is not on the table significant jail time could await the accused if Jane cannot pull out a miracle.
In the middle of the trial, Jane Smith receives a terminal cancer diagnosis. While no one would blame her for tossing in the towel, Jane refuses to let this deter her. She has twelve months, as per the medical professionals, but she will make the most of it. She funnels her anger into a courtroom presentation and tries to keep her client out of jail.
In between medical appointments, Jane makes sure her case is airtight as she tries to prove that her client did not commit the murders. Along the way, numerous pitfalls appear, forcing Jane to turn into the tough as nails attorney she has long been known to be. Wrestling with reality and the situation before her, Jane reflects on her life and hopes to make the most of the time she has left. One can hope that she will get the verdict she wants in court, while life remains a hung jury. A great series debut by Patterson and Lupica.
While I have read a number of legal thrillers with James Patterson’s name on the cover, this one stands out with its unique approach to the law and with the protagonist. The narrative approach is a quick delivery, complemented by the Patterson traditional short chapter recipe. The narrative covers all the needed areas and gains speed as the story gets tense. The characters, some of whom I am sure will return for the second novel, are both relatable and interesting in their own way. Jane Smith proves to be as tough as she presents, though there is always an opening to show her vulnerable side.
The twists and turns found within the book are both legal and personal. While some of the delivery is less surprising than it could have been, the authors did well to build up the plot points and keep things from getting too predictable. I am eager to see how the end of this book will bridge with the second novel, which I have in ARC form airing for me. I will make sure to find connections and discuss them in the next review of the series.
Kudos Messrs. Patterson and Lupica, for a great legal thriller to get my mind going.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 19, 2023
3.75 / 5
Strong legal thriller of a book sprinkled in with some action in there. Not bad. Bog standard James Patterson esc writing. Nothing disappointing. Easy to read, easy to follow- but nothing special to warrant a rating higher than 3.75.
The book follows Jane smith, she’s a criminal defence lawyer who just found out she has neck and throat cancer with less than 12 months to live. She’s hired by Rob Jacobsen, as he is charged for the murder of the Gates Family killing the father, mother and daughter in the head. She’s also been hired by a hotshot district attorney for another triple homicide murder to solve as well. She is regarded as the best criminal defence lawyer in New York- perfect record with no losses.
This book is fully, it’s whitty full on legal thriller. So to those than enjoy legal plots this is a book to go to. Not a bad read.
Strong legal thriller of a book sprinkled in with some action in there. Not bad. Bog standard James Patterson esc writing. Nothing disappointing. Easy to read, easy to follow- but nothing special to warrant a rating higher than 3.75.
The book follows Jane smith, she’s a criminal defence lawyer who just found out she has neck and throat cancer with less than 12 months to live. She’s hired by Rob Jacobsen, as he is charged for the murder of the Gates Family killing the father, mother and daughter in the head. She’s also been hired by a hotshot district attorney for another triple homicide murder to solve as well. She is regarded as the best criminal defence lawyer in New York- perfect record with no losses.
This book is fully, it’s whitty full on legal thriller. So to those than enjoy legal plots this is a book to go to. Not a bad read.
November 18, 2023
This James Patterson and co-author is a court room thriller...minus the thrills.
Readers sometimes have standards as to the time they are willing to invest in 'getting into' a story. This book took a good 200 pages to begin to coalesce into something approaching a compelling narrative but in the end the payoff didn't deliver.
The good:
-There's some effort to make the defendant a viable threat
-The loss of a partner is the most heartbreaking part of this story and it rang true
-Rip, the dog, ....that's kind of tragic that this is a highlight of the book...
The not so good:
-Didn't like 'Calamity Jane' or fully understand her relationship with her sister
-So many characters kept appearing and disappearing (or being killed off) that it was challenging to figure out who to invest any interest in
-Not sure in the end who (if anyone) was truly involved romantically based on the courtroom testimony that may or may not have been accurate
-Missed opportunities to create at least a few authentic twists
-Unfulfilling ending
I'm a minority opinion on this one but was happy, happy, happy when this story ended.
Readers sometimes have standards as to the time they are willing to invest in 'getting into' a story. This book took a good 200 pages to begin to coalesce into something approaching a compelling narrative but in the end the payoff didn't deliver.
The good:
-There's some effort to make the defendant a viable threat
-The loss of a partner is the most heartbreaking part of this story and it rang true
-Rip, the dog, ....that's kind of tragic that this is a highlight of the book...
The not so good:
-Didn't like 'Calamity Jane' or fully understand her relationship with her sister
-So many characters kept appearing and disappearing (or being killed off) that it was challenging to figure out who to invest any interest in
-Not sure in the end who (if anyone) was truly involved romantically based on the courtroom testimony that may or may not have been accurate
-Missed opportunities to create at least a few authentic twists
-Unfulfilling ending
I'm a minority opinion on this one but was happy, happy, happy when this story ended.
October 10, 2023
2 Stars ✨ For lack of enjoyment. 😕
This one just isn’t doing a thing for me. I don’t like any of the characters. It’s been confusing both with who is who and what do they do. My guess is that perhaps if I could read it in longer sessions maybe that’s the problem. I’ve enjoyed the early Patterson stories but this isn’t the first of his that disappointed me lately. That said, I’m moving on to one of the hundreds of books I want to read before I die. 😉 DNF
This one just isn’t doing a thing for me. I don’t like any of the characters. It’s been confusing both with who is who and what do they do. My guess is that perhaps if I could read it in longer sessions maybe that’s the problem. I’ve enjoyed the early Patterson stories but this isn’t the first of his that disappointed me lately. That said, I’m moving on to one of the hundreds of books I want to read before I die. 😉 DNF
November 1, 2023
“12 Months to Live” is the fall thriller release from James Patterson and writing partner, Mike Lupica, introducing their new anti-establishment hero, defense attorney, Jane Smith. And yes, that appears to be her real name.
The book cover includes their heavily advertised blurb – “Jane Smith is the best character we’ve ever created. Bar none.”
Although that’s quite a bit of self-promotion in order to increase sales, I also got to admit at the same time, there’s some truth to that statement.
This is Jane’s story. It begins the day before the start of her high-profile murder case, in which she is defending Rob Jacobson, owner of he biggest real estate company in the Hamptons, against the charges of killing an entire family in cold blood.
To make things worse, Rob is a tough person to defend. He’s spoiled, selfish, rude, and a downright scum of the earth.
The good news is that Jane’s never lost a case. The bad news is that her opposing council, Suffolk County district attorney, Kevin Ahearn is also undefeated and looking magnify his reputation by taking Jane down.
Jane’s investigation partner, Jimmy Cunniff, ex-NYPD police detective and local bar owner, is also trying to do his part and keep her out of trouble, but the more he looks into Rob’s background the worse it gets for Jane’s case.
To make matters worse, Jane has also received some really bad news from her best friend and personal doctor, Samantha Wylie. Jane has terminal cancer with an estimated life expectancy of 12 months to live.
Jane’s biggest challenge is which will kill her first – her client’s murder trial or her medical condition…
After finishing this book, I have mostly good news along with one piece of bad news regarding the ending that was really irritating and frustrating on a personal level.
For the most parts, this was a typical Patterson mystery thriller, delivering his standard formula driven plotlines. However, for me though, this book turned out to be an enjoyable, escapist read. Heavy on style and delivery while maintaining interesting content. Jane’s character and strong personality drives the story forward, most of the time at warp speed forward pace, with twists and turns around every corner.
As expected, you have to suspend some level of reality at times, but it’s easier to do with this one than most of Patteson’s other books. This was a well delivered guilty pleasure read, that is except for one important element that I will address next.
*** Warning Spoiler ***
Spoiler alert ahead – no details will be shared, but a key element will be touched upon in the next paragraph… Be forewarned…
I was really enjoying this book, on a 4-star level, maybe even 5-star as it headed to the final climax in the last two – three chapters. And then… Ugh… Hit my head on the desk… Then hit my head on the desk again… Ugh again… The painful last chapter that left a high level of frustration and somewhat anger in my suddenly depressed state of mind.
This is only my opinion, nothing more, but holy crud, this is NOT the way to end the book. Not only was there a badly dangling cliffhanger moment, but it was so unclear in its poor delivery that I was left dazed and confused, having to read the last chapter again, which did not help me either. I don’t understand how any writer and editor could ever feel that unfulfilling ending was a good idea…. Seriously… Ugh… If you want to read a 386-page novel that lacks closure, then this is the book for you!
The worst part is that I had an early clue. The reader need only the back book jacket to read the following announcement “The clock keeps ticking down in “8 Months to Live”, coming in September 2024. I knew before I even started the book that there would be more. But come on, man, give the first books some closure, would you?
As you can easily tell, the ending really bothered me. But the rest of the book was good enough to offset it and bring my rating down to 4-stars. Primarily because the compelling characters and plotting really made this worth reading. I am even interested in reading the next Jane Smith book, but by golly, the ending had better be improved over this one.
The book cover includes their heavily advertised blurb – “Jane Smith is the best character we’ve ever created. Bar none.”
Although that’s quite a bit of self-promotion in order to increase sales, I also got to admit at the same time, there’s some truth to that statement.
This is Jane’s story. It begins the day before the start of her high-profile murder case, in which she is defending Rob Jacobson, owner of he biggest real estate company in the Hamptons, against the charges of killing an entire family in cold blood.
To make things worse, Rob is a tough person to defend. He’s spoiled, selfish, rude, and a downright scum of the earth.
The good news is that Jane’s never lost a case. The bad news is that her opposing council, Suffolk County district attorney, Kevin Ahearn is also undefeated and looking magnify his reputation by taking Jane down.
Jane’s investigation partner, Jimmy Cunniff, ex-NYPD police detective and local bar owner, is also trying to do his part and keep her out of trouble, but the more he looks into Rob’s background the worse it gets for Jane’s case.
To make matters worse, Jane has also received some really bad news from her best friend and personal doctor, Samantha Wylie. Jane has terminal cancer with an estimated life expectancy of 12 months to live.
Jane’s biggest challenge is which will kill her first – her client’s murder trial or her medical condition…
After finishing this book, I have mostly good news along with one piece of bad news regarding the ending that was really irritating and frustrating on a personal level.
For the most parts, this was a typical Patterson mystery thriller, delivering his standard formula driven plotlines. However, for me though, this book turned out to be an enjoyable, escapist read. Heavy on style and delivery while maintaining interesting content. Jane’s character and strong personality drives the story forward, most of the time at warp speed forward pace, with twists and turns around every corner.
As expected, you have to suspend some level of reality at times, but it’s easier to do with this one than most of Patteson’s other books. This was a well delivered guilty pleasure read, that is except for one important element that I will address next.
*** Warning Spoiler ***
Spoiler alert ahead – no details will be shared, but a key element will be touched upon in the next paragraph… Be forewarned…
I was really enjoying this book, on a 4-star level, maybe even 5-star as it headed to the final climax in the last two – three chapters. And then… Ugh… Hit my head on the desk… Then hit my head on the desk again… Ugh again… The painful last chapter that left a high level of frustration and somewhat anger in my suddenly depressed state of mind.
This is only my opinion, nothing more, but holy crud, this is NOT the way to end the book. Not only was there a badly dangling cliffhanger moment, but it was so unclear in its poor delivery that I was left dazed and confused, having to read the last chapter again, which did not help me either. I don’t understand how any writer and editor could ever feel that unfulfilling ending was a good idea…. Seriously… Ugh… If you want to read a 386-page novel that lacks closure, then this is the book for you!
The worst part is that I had an early clue. The reader need only the back book jacket to read the following announcement “The clock keeps ticking down in “8 Months to Live”, coming in September 2024. I knew before I even started the book that there would be more. But come on, man, give the first books some closure, would you?
As you can easily tell, the ending really bothered me. But the rest of the book was good enough to offset it and bring my rating down to 4-stars. Primarily because the compelling characters and plotting really made this worth reading. I am even interested in reading the next Jane Smith book, but by golly, the ending had better be improved over this one.
September 28, 2023
A fairly sombre affair as our main detective has a lot going on in her personal life, having been given only twelve months to live as she’s dying of cancer. Her sister is also dying of cancer and so the race to find the perpetrator of a triple murder is certainly on. I began begging for at least some good news at this stage and the attitude and sense of humour of our detective hero went some way to helping cheer me in as it happened. Phew. This is where it gets a little more complicated as there is a parallel case, in similar circumstances, in the mix with more characters to get my head around. There were certain elements that I enjoyed about the story, including the main character being fairly likeable. I didn’t, however, feel totally captivated and compelled to race through to the conclusion. A fairly decent read but not my favourite thus far by this author.
August 9, 2023
I must admit I haven’t read James Patterson for a long time but I’m glad I decided to read this one. Short chapters, great characters and an interesting storyline…just what you can expect from this prolific writer. The ending leaves it open for more with these two partners to be back for more.
Thank you NetGalley for introducing Jane Smith to me!
Thank you NetGalley for introducing Jane Smith to me!
June 27, 2024
Really good. Love a courtroom drama/police procedural/thriller :)
I think this will be an excellent new series - even though our protagonist has a terminal diagnosis. Jane is a great leading character; she is sassy and funny, she's dedicated and loyal. A great investigator and lawyer, I hope we see more of her.
I received a physical copy of this before it was published and loved it then, but I've just re read as an audio book and devoured it in two sittings. Fab book.
I think this will be an excellent new series - even though our protagonist has a terminal diagnosis. Jane is a great leading character; she is sassy and funny, she's dedicated and loyal. A great investigator and lawyer, I hope we see more of her.
I received a physical copy of this before it was published and loved it then, but I've just re read as an audio book and devoured it in two sittings. Fab book.
October 13, 2023
I was a little leery picking this up after reading House Of Wolves with Lupica & Patterson and hating it, but this was a much better outing. Love the idea of Jane Smith and only having a year left to live and her struggles with who to tell and how to spend her time all while trying to acquit a man who she thinks is guilty. Her partner Jimmy is just as likeable a character as Jane. Good ending to this as well. 👍🏻
January 13, 2024
This is the first book that I have read by Mike Lupica (together with James Patterson) and I found it a little different in that I had a difficult time keeping some of the lesser characters straight, but maybe that was just me. I did enjoy the book very much in spite of that.
December 22, 2023
A new James Patterson (I'm a fan). Again, I was not disappointed with another easy, fast-paced, gripping read with short chapters. In this book, we follow a very complicated and messy case with an outcome no one wanted or needed. Alongside the case lawyer, Jane has her own battles to fight when she finds out she has cancer and not long left to live herself. Can she solve this case before she dies? Will these people kill her first? I enjoy this one. A well-deserved four stars from me.
January 31, 2024
This was pretty good even though it was 400 pages long. I was surprised I listened to it as fast as I did. I especially liked Jane’s cancer story in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2023
Well, it ain't the cheeriest of stories: hard-driving defense attorney and former NYPD officer Jane Smith has no shortage of enemies, any one of whom is more than capable of taking her down at any given moment. Should they miss, though, her terminal cancer will finish her off.
Jane's client, wealthy ne'er-do-well Rob Jacobson, is on trial for the murder of an entire family - dad, mom and daughter. Her investigative partner, Jimmy Cunniff, is an ex-cop as well, and the two are determined to get a favorable jury verdict for their client, no matter how unlikable he is (nor, for that matter, whether or not they believe in his innocence). In between, Jane - whose sister Brigid also is fighting terminal cancer - is training for a biathlon. At that point, I have to be honest and say that while I was impressed with both Jane and Jimmy, the thought of wading through a book that's bound to have an unhappy ending no matter which way the trial goes lost a bit of appeal. But I hung in there - if only because I'm a big fan of both the authors - and also honestly, the story itself began to draw me in.
An old friend of Jimmy's asks Jane to investigate a similar case that happened about six months earlier - another dad, mom and daughter who were murdered in a similar fashion. Despite the (ahem) trials and tribulations in the courtroom, Jane decides to take on both cases; and that's when the action really starts to pick up. Apparently, someone out there isn't rooting for Jane and Jimmy to win; they're both threatened, and when they don't heed the warnings, the threats turn all too real.
Scenes shift from the courtroom, where Jane mixes it up with a worthy legal adversary, to what's happening in her personal life to what turns up as Jimmy investigates the relationship, if any, between the two horrific murder cases. Of course, you won't get the details from me, but I will suggest reading it for yourself as I did - even if you're pretty sure in the end you won't like the ending - just because it's a doggone good book. And I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.
Jane's client, wealthy ne'er-do-well Rob Jacobson, is on trial for the murder of an entire family - dad, mom and daughter. Her investigative partner, Jimmy Cunniff, is an ex-cop as well, and the two are determined to get a favorable jury verdict for their client, no matter how unlikable he is (nor, for that matter, whether or not they believe in his innocence). In between, Jane - whose sister Brigid also is fighting terminal cancer - is training for a biathlon. At that point, I have to be honest and say that while I was impressed with both Jane and Jimmy, the thought of wading through a book that's bound to have an unhappy ending no matter which way the trial goes lost a bit of appeal. But I hung in there - if only because I'm a big fan of both the authors - and also honestly, the story itself began to draw me in.
An old friend of Jimmy's asks Jane to investigate a similar case that happened about six months earlier - another dad, mom and daughter who were murdered in a similar fashion. Despite the (ahem) trials and tribulations in the courtroom, Jane decides to take on both cases; and that's when the action really starts to pick up. Apparently, someone out there isn't rooting for Jane and Jimmy to win; they're both threatened, and when they don't heed the warnings, the threats turn all too real.
Scenes shift from the courtroom, where Jane mixes it up with a worthy legal adversary, to what's happening in her personal life to what turns up as Jimmy investigates the relationship, if any, between the two horrific murder cases. Of course, you won't get the details from me, but I will suggest reading it for yourself as I did - even if you're pretty sure in the end you won't like the ending - just because it's a doggone good book. And I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.
October 20, 2023
Many thanks to Little, Brown {partner} for my gifted copy.
Friends, I’m so happy to be sharing 12 MONTHS TO LIVE with you today as part of the #JamesPattersonStreetTeam It’s the first in the new Jane Smith series and I’m already looking forward to the next!
Jane is a character that I quickly grew to love. She’s a smart, takes no crap, and is just the right amount of sarcastic for me. I’m also a fan of her partner, Jimmy Cunniff, ex NYPD cop and boundary-pushing sidekick investigator.
The story is a faced-paced courtroom drama meets mystery/thriller with short, action-packed chapters that made it almost impossible to put down.
Friends, I’m so happy to be sharing 12 MONTHS TO LIVE with you today as part of the #JamesPattersonStreetTeam It’s the first in the new Jane Smith series and I’m already looking forward to the next!
Jane is a character that I quickly grew to love. She’s a smart, takes no crap, and is just the right amount of sarcastic for me. I’m also a fan of her partner, Jimmy Cunniff, ex NYPD cop and boundary-pushing sidekick investigator.
The story is a faced-paced courtroom drama meets mystery/thriller with short, action-packed chapters that made it almost impossible to put down.
March 7, 2024
Well, I had not read a James Paterson for awhile and I really must say I have not missed anything. I thought I needed a fast-paced book with short chapters, strong female heroines and satisfying conclusions. I will let you be the judge, one of these is missing from this book.
March 20, 2024
I enjoyed the book. It’s got witty, lively conversation throughout as a very likable criminal defense attorney tries to sort out some truth. The defendant is not helping matters. He insists he is innocent but during the trial appears to be lying, manipulative, and tampering with witnesses.
December 29, 2023
3-31/2 *s Idk- a little too much "suspension" for me, but it did keep my attention.
August 13, 2023
Thanks Little, Brown for the free advanced copy of the book, “12 Months to Live,” by James Patterson and Mike Lupica!
Patterson and Lupica have previously teamed up to write “The Horsewoman” and “The House of Wolves,” which were both very good. This time, Patterson and Lupica hit it out of the park. How could they not, with two such heavy hitters teaming up? Ok, enough with the baseball references! Although, Mike Lupica is a prominent sportswriter and this book is filled with sports references.
In “12 Months to Live,” criminal defense attorney and former police officer, Jane Smith, is deep in preparation for a high-profile triple-murder case, when she is diagnosed with cancer. As Smith has never lost a case, she decides to postpone her cancer treatment until after the trial. Smith is your stereotypically hard-nosed defense attorney and does not care to know whether her client is guilty, but rather that his/her rights are preserved. She believes in the judicial system and knows it is her job to provide her client with the best defense possible – even though she cannot stand him. The stakes are even higher for Smith, as she is undefeated and is in a race against time to keep her record unblemished before her health begins to deteriorate. Unfortunately for her and her investigator, former police officer, Jimmy Cunniff, someone is taking out witnesses and threatening Smith and Cunniff’s lives.
As an attorney myself, I don’t often read courtroom books. I find many to be unrealistic, which makes it harder to enjoy the story. Here, Patterson and Lupica did their homework. I found the courtroom scenes to be entirely believable. I enjoyed the attorney banter, their introduction of evidence, the questioning of witnesses, and their knowing they had to play to the jury. If I needed a criminal defense attorney, I would definitely want Jane and Jimmy on my side.
Patterson and Lupica have previously teamed up to write “The Horsewoman” and “The House of Wolves,” which were both very good. This time, Patterson and Lupica hit it out of the park. How could they not, with two such heavy hitters teaming up? Ok, enough with the baseball references! Although, Mike Lupica is a prominent sportswriter and this book is filled with sports references.
In “12 Months to Live,” criminal defense attorney and former police officer, Jane Smith, is deep in preparation for a high-profile triple-murder case, when she is diagnosed with cancer. As Smith has never lost a case, she decides to postpone her cancer treatment until after the trial. Smith is your stereotypically hard-nosed defense attorney and does not care to know whether her client is guilty, but rather that his/her rights are preserved. She believes in the judicial system and knows it is her job to provide her client with the best defense possible – even though she cannot stand him. The stakes are even higher for Smith, as she is undefeated and is in a race against time to keep her record unblemished before her health begins to deteriorate. Unfortunately for her and her investigator, former police officer, Jimmy Cunniff, someone is taking out witnesses and threatening Smith and Cunniff’s lives.
As an attorney myself, I don’t often read courtroom books. I find many to be unrealistic, which makes it harder to enjoy the story. Here, Patterson and Lupica did their homework. I found the courtroom scenes to be entirely believable. I enjoyed the attorney banter, their introduction of evidence, the questioning of witnesses, and their knowing they had to play to the jury. If I needed a criminal defense attorney, I would definitely want Jane and Jimmy on my side.
September 25, 2023
This is undoubtedly one of the best legal thrillers that I have ever read. Defense attorney Jane Smith is a formidable opponent to whatever district attorney she faces, including Ahearn, her undefeated foe. When she finds herself defending Rob Jacobson for multiple murders, she seems to have met her match in more ways than one, especially since she strongly suspects that he client is guilty. When her investigative partner Jimmy Cunniff cannot break through the layers of lies and secrecy and keeps getting attacked as he searches for the truth, Jane knows that she is in way over her head. The action never stops and the pacing is fast and furious. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, especially the unstoppable and witty Jane and hope to see more books featuring her and Jimmy in the future. I loved the storyline and the theme of pursuing justice no matter the cost. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys legal thrillers with twists at every turn and red herrings everywhere.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy from Little, Brown and Company as part of the author’s street team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy from Little, Brown and Company as part of the author’s street team. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
September 18, 2023
Publishing heir and wealthy real estate mogul Rob Jacobson is currently being held at Riverhead Correctional Facility in New York having been accused of murdering a local family in the dead of night. The Gates clan - mother, father and teenage daughter - were each shot in the head. Jane Smith is his kickass defence attorney, and with his trial about to begin she is up against district attorney and prosecutor Greg McFall of Nassau County. But it soon becomes obvious to Smith that there are people who are willing to go to any and all lengths to ensure Jacobson goes down for this heinous crime whether he is guilty of it or not. But who, why and what exactly do they have so deeply invested in this care? Smith and her long-time best friend ex-NYC detective Jimmy Cunniff, not ones to rest on their laurels, have also decided to take on the private investigation of a case involving organised crime heavy hitters.
Both cases get more and more convoluted as time goes on and that's before we even get to the mention of Jane's recent cancer diagnosis where she has been informed by her friend Doctor Sam Wylie that she will be lucky to last the year. James Patterson has penned yet another glorious thriller, this time involving the legal system and boy what a ride it is. Although it took a little longer to get into it than some of his past books, once I was fully invested there was no stopping me from racing through its pages as quickly as humanly possible. I know people complain that his books are often formulaic, but the bottom line is that whatever this formula is it works staggeringly well to create tension and grip you like a vice. If it ain't broke why fix it? With his trademark short chapters that make it easy to dip in and out of if you haven't the time to devote to devouring the whole thing at once and many twists and turns with something important happening in nearly every chapter, thriller readers of all ages would be fools not to reach for 12 Months To Live.
Both cases get more and more convoluted as time goes on and that's before we even get to the mention of Jane's recent cancer diagnosis where she has been informed by her friend Doctor Sam Wylie that she will be lucky to last the year. James Patterson has penned yet another glorious thriller, this time involving the legal system and boy what a ride it is. Although it took a little longer to get into it than some of his past books, once I was fully invested there was no stopping me from racing through its pages as quickly as humanly possible. I know people complain that his books are often formulaic, but the bottom line is that whatever this formula is it works staggeringly well to create tension and grip you like a vice. If it ain't broke why fix it? With his trademark short chapters that make it easy to dip in and out of if you haven't the time to devote to devouring the whole thing at once and many twists and turns with something important happening in nearly every chapter, thriller readers of all ages would be fools not to reach for 12 Months To Live.
November 15, 2023
When I first heard about this book I was very excited to read it . Unfortunately it fell short for me , the story line was very weak and I kept on waiting for a twist of some kind and there was none . I honestly expected more from this author . I couldn’t find any one person in this book I liked or could root for . I wish it was better !
September 28, 2023
Warning, some minor spoilers here..but it could be entertaining to read regardless. I think I’ve got my point across. I have ripped into this one.
I am not a huge fan of James Patterson, I have liked a few of his early books but tend to find many lacking in a lot of things. I know he’s a huge Author and popular but that never sways me. So for years now he has been writing books with other writers, it’s hard to know how much of each book is written by who. Maybe her writes none of it in which case I’m criticising the other writer. No clue.
This one had so much wrong I can’t fit it in this review. Let’s take our main character, Jane Smith, or cringe, Jane effing Smith she calls herself. Supposedly a hot shot defence Attorney. She is one of the most unlikeable and unrealistic characters I’ve read in a long time. She is crass, unprofessional (slapping a client and nothing happens.) As if that would happen with no consequences!She is given a heavy medical diagnosis early on but it plays diddly in the book hardly, I didn’t get the point. So much could of been done around that. Every cliched character and scenario is crammed into this novel.
Toted as the best Criminal Lawyer in the Hamptons (so expensive). If she’s the best God help you if you had anyone else. I’d rather have a first year Law student from the tiniest University in the country. In fact I’d be better off defending myself after watching even more YouTube trials than I do already.Shame that nobody else watched anything real to help the book.
Oh my God, the court scenes, of which there is a lot. So many unrealistic things again. Things that would never ever be allowed to occur or be passed over and ignore in a real court room. Ever. It’s badly researched at the very least. She’s defending yet another unlikeable character up on a triple homicide charge. Honestly the evidence, the DA’s case, the witnesses are laughable. This is poor quality writing. One reviewer states it’s one of the best legal thrillers she’s ever read! I spat my coffee out reading that.
The plot is boring. There is a side plot going on of her ex NYPD Detective buddy Jimmy who is solving other murders, or trying to and being targeted by a mystery character himself. He was THE only decent and realistic character in the whole book.
I did warm to him.
Remember that slap Jane got from her client? well the client slapped her too, at the same time and ZERO repercussions. Like that’s gonna happen during a break session from trial. Seriously. I am stunned by that scene alone.
She’s portrayed as this hard, cold bitch and quite frankly it didn’t wash with me. I felt it was very cliche and it got very over the top many times. The plot holes are huge. I think I said that already.Brief moments to show her softer side are so brief if you blink you’ll miss them. She’s just nasty. A read a review that said she was funny. Huh? Not a funny bone in her or her actions. Did we read a different book? I wish the other 1 star and 2 star reviews had written why for my own curiosity. One reviewer who has read a lot of JP strongly suspects that he didn’t write much of this, if any.
Let’s look at the moment (spoiler alert, so skip this bit if you want) when her dog is found muzzled and hidden in a closet in her house. Someone had broken in, she’s been warned by this person with threats but does NOTHING! No police, no forensics, no fingerprints, zip, nada, zero. Let’s just carry on as per normal. Nothing to see here. Even the dog wasn’t interviewed (it might of made good reading if he was). In fact it would add to the unrealistic elements in the whole book.
It goes on and on. What it is however is a quick read that doesn’t strain the brain at all. It’s a shambles in my opinion. The police, the forensics, the trial, the Judge, the Attorneys all are written with actions and words that are not at all the real deal. This trial would of been hammered down in a real court. Don’t get me started on the runaway witnesses. Or who she puts on the stand. Holy moly.
Nope. I am officially done with any James Patterson. These books are pumped out and so, so similar. It will sell, because certain readers like that type of basic fiction.
Gosh, a tiny bit of realistic research to make seems more believable would have been a basic. Did I mention that ballistics evidence is given by a cop who gives testimony because he was told by Forensics before court about a gun and bullets? Eh? You’d have the DA in fits. Jane won’t put “experts” on the stand in case they confuse the jury with science! It would have been ripped into. A cop is not a Ballistics expert. Sheesh. I’ll stop here. Tragedy.
Regular crime and trial readers will see this all. There are great books out there that get police and legal procedure right. It’s not that hard. In fact any regular reader of both genres could of edited this to improve it. I don’t get it? How do big names get published with such mistakes?
Jane “effing” Smith (who calls yourself that more than once as if it proves you are a hard nose?) is a terrible character. Hated her. Passionately. Never redeemed herself and thank God she’s not my lawyer. I don’t fancy getting a slap or being talked to like a piece of dirt like she does, even if her client is a dirtbag. I’d have definitely fired her incompetent butt.
Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone for my ARC via NetGalley.
Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.
I am not a huge fan of James Patterson, I have liked a few of his early books but tend to find many lacking in a lot of things. I know he’s a huge Author and popular but that never sways me. So for years now he has been writing books with other writers, it’s hard to know how much of each book is written by who. Maybe her writes none of it in which case I’m criticising the other writer. No clue.
This one had so much wrong I can’t fit it in this review. Let’s take our main character, Jane Smith, or cringe, Jane effing Smith she calls herself. Supposedly a hot shot defence Attorney. She is one of the most unlikeable and unrealistic characters I’ve read in a long time. She is crass, unprofessional (slapping a client and nothing happens.) As if that would happen with no consequences!She is given a heavy medical diagnosis early on but it plays diddly in the book hardly, I didn’t get the point. So much could of been done around that. Every cliched character and scenario is crammed into this novel.
Toted as the best Criminal Lawyer in the Hamptons (so expensive). If she’s the best God help you if you had anyone else. I’d rather have a first year Law student from the tiniest University in the country. In fact I’d be better off defending myself after watching even more YouTube trials than I do already.Shame that nobody else watched anything real to help the book.
Oh my God, the court scenes, of which there is a lot. So many unrealistic things again. Things that would never ever be allowed to occur or be passed over and ignore in a real court room. Ever. It’s badly researched at the very least. She’s defending yet another unlikeable character up on a triple homicide charge. Honestly the evidence, the DA’s case, the witnesses are laughable. This is poor quality writing. One reviewer states it’s one of the best legal thrillers she’s ever read! I spat my coffee out reading that.
The plot is boring. There is a side plot going on of her ex NYPD Detective buddy Jimmy who is solving other murders, or trying to and being targeted by a mystery character himself. He was THE only decent and realistic character in the whole book.
I did warm to him.
Remember that slap Jane got from her client? well the client slapped her too, at the same time and ZERO repercussions. Like that’s gonna happen during a break session from trial. Seriously. I am stunned by that scene alone.
She’s portrayed as this hard, cold bitch and quite frankly it didn’t wash with me. I felt it was very cliche and it got very over the top many times. The plot holes are huge. I think I said that already.Brief moments to show her softer side are so brief if you blink you’ll miss them. She’s just nasty. A read a review that said she was funny. Huh? Not a funny bone in her or her actions. Did we read a different book? I wish the other 1 star and 2 star reviews had written why for my own curiosity. One reviewer who has read a lot of JP strongly suspects that he didn’t write much of this, if any.
Let’s look at the moment (spoiler alert, so skip this bit if you want) when her dog is found muzzled and hidden in a closet in her house. Someone had broken in, she’s been warned by this person with threats but does NOTHING! No police, no forensics, no fingerprints, zip, nada, zero. Let’s just carry on as per normal. Nothing to see here. Even the dog wasn’t interviewed (it might of made good reading if he was). In fact it would add to the unrealistic elements in the whole book.
It goes on and on. What it is however is a quick read that doesn’t strain the brain at all. It’s a shambles in my opinion. The police, the forensics, the trial, the Judge, the Attorneys all are written with actions and words that are not at all the real deal. This trial would of been hammered down in a real court. Don’t get me started on the runaway witnesses. Or who she puts on the stand. Holy moly.
Nope. I am officially done with any James Patterson. These books are pumped out and so, so similar. It will sell, because certain readers like that type of basic fiction.
Gosh, a tiny bit of realistic research to make seems more believable would have been a basic. Did I mention that ballistics evidence is given by a cop who gives testimony because he was told by Forensics before court about a gun and bullets? Eh? You’d have the DA in fits. Jane won’t put “experts” on the stand in case they confuse the jury with science! It would have been ripped into. A cop is not a Ballistics expert. Sheesh. I’ll stop here. Tragedy.
Regular crime and trial readers will see this all. There are great books out there that get police and legal procedure right. It’s not that hard. In fact any regular reader of both genres could of edited this to improve it. I don’t get it? How do big names get published with such mistakes?
Jane “effing” Smith (who calls yourself that more than once as if it proves you are a hard nose?) is a terrible character. Hated her. Passionately. Never redeemed herself and thank God she’s not my lawyer. I don’t fancy getting a slap or being talked to like a piece of dirt like she does, even if her client is a dirtbag. I’d have definitely fired her incompetent butt.
Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone for my ARC via NetGalley.
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February 12, 2024
Jane Smith is a defense attorney, with a career record of no defeats. Jane is defending a very rich, lying scum bag of a man who is on trial for killing a family of three. Of course he says he didn’t do it, but the evidence against him is overwhelming. Jane is very good at reading through his BS, but even still, she sometimes believes he really may be innocent.
Janes investigator, Jimmy Cunniff, is an ex NYPD cop, and they are best of friends. As the trial begins Jane and Jimmys lives are threatened by ‘someone’ who definitely wants them off the case. Also, to make things more difficult for Jane, she is diagnosed with cancer, with maybe 12 months to live. If she starts treatment immediately, there’s a chance she can extend her life. But Jane being the competitive attorney she is, refuses to begin treatment until the trial is over.
I really liked Jane and Jimmy, but I didn’t like Rob Jacobson, the defendant.
The book moved along very quickly, with lots of very tense moments. As much as I disliked Rob, I found myself wondering if he really was innocent, or if he was a very gifted liar.
I was pleasantly surprised to see there will be a sequel to this book,
8 Months Left, coming out in September.
Janes investigator, Jimmy Cunniff, is an ex NYPD cop, and they are best of friends. As the trial begins Jane and Jimmys lives are threatened by ‘someone’ who definitely wants them off the case. Also, to make things more difficult for Jane, she is diagnosed with cancer, with maybe 12 months to live. If she starts treatment immediately, there’s a chance she can extend her life. But Jane being the competitive attorney she is, refuses to begin treatment until the trial is over.
I really liked Jane and Jimmy, but I didn’t like Rob Jacobson, the defendant.
The book moved along very quickly, with lots of very tense moments. As much as I disliked Rob, I found myself wondering if he really was innocent, or if he was a very gifted liar.
I was pleasantly surprised to see there will be a sequel to this book,
8 Months Left, coming out in September.
December 23, 2023
4.25 stars ⭐️
This was my first read by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. I have heard raving reviews of Patterson work and was excited to get my hands on his newest release.
When I started reading Twelve Month To Live, I wasn’t sure what to make of the writing style. The sentences were snappy throughout and the chapters were short and sweet. It was certainly not a bad thing- it actually made for an enjoyable, entertaining read.
The characters were deeply rooted and all the plot elements were perfectly placed. I was particularly intrigued how this book raised questions about the value of life and the lengths people go to preserve it. Additionally, Patterson and Lupica cleverly tackled themes of morality, courage, and resilience in a thought provoking way.
I couldn’t help but love Jane Smith, the main character. She exhibited immense bravery as she fought for her life. She served as an inspiration for readers, encouraging them to face their own fears head-on and persevere through even the most difficult of circumstances.
It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer. He has a natural gift of storytelling. As a result of all the fervent elements Patterson and Lupica incorporated in their collaborative writing style, I highly recommend this easy to read, satisfyingly entertaining legal thriller.
This was my first read by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. I have heard raving reviews of Patterson work and was excited to get my hands on his newest release.
When I started reading Twelve Month To Live, I wasn’t sure what to make of the writing style. The sentences were snappy throughout and the chapters were short and sweet. It was certainly not a bad thing- it actually made for an enjoyable, entertaining read.
The characters were deeply rooted and all the plot elements were perfectly placed. I was particularly intrigued how this book raised questions about the value of life and the lengths people go to preserve it. Additionally, Patterson and Lupica cleverly tackled themes of morality, courage, and resilience in a thought provoking way.
I couldn’t help but love Jane Smith, the main character. She exhibited immense bravery as she fought for her life. She served as an inspiration for readers, encouraging them to face their own fears head-on and persevere through even the most difficult of circumstances.
It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer. He has a natural gift of storytelling. As a result of all the fervent elements Patterson and Lupica incorporated in their collaborative writing style, I highly recommend this easy to read, satisfyingly entertaining legal thriller.
September 28, 2023
Jane Smith has never lost a case. Her latest client is the despicable Rob Jacobson who is on trial for killing the Gate family - will this be the case she finally loses? To complicate matters, someone is trying to silence her and her partner Jimmy too. Are they asking too many questions?
People connected to the case are disappearing or dying. Who will be next?
If that wasn't enough, Jane has been diagnosed with neck and back cancer with a life expectancy of 12 months.
This is the start of a new series from the Patterson powerhouse... how long it can continue with a protagonist with such a fatal diagnosis is tough to say. If anybody is tough enough it is Jane Smith. It is a solid start to a new series.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
People connected to the case are disappearing or dying. Who will be next?
If that wasn't enough, Jane has been diagnosed with neck and back cancer with a life expectancy of 12 months.
This is the start of a new series from the Patterson powerhouse... how long it can continue with a protagonist with such a fatal diagnosis is tough to say. If anybody is tough enough it is Jane Smith. It is a solid start to a new series.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
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