The Murder Trial

"I had a sinking sensation. A feeling of impending doom." ~ 47%

I am on a roll with reading my favorite genre. Lately it's been murder trials and thrillers back-to-back in my TBR. Patterson's latest, The Murder Trial, was a great addition. It centers on a young woman standing trial for the double murder of her parents. Eighteen-year-old Janelle Thompson is the adopted Black daughter of a blue-eyed Republican Senator and campaign manager. Then one Friday night, her parents are declared dead after gone missing. All evidence points to the daughter who is barely old enough to vote. The story takes place in her holding cell at Westfall Justice Center (county jail), the St. Louis County Circuit Court, and home in Webster Groves, MIssouri.

This book has mixed reviews among advance readers. The co-author, Nancy Allen, practiced law for 15 years in the Ozarks and taught law at the university level for 16 years. I'd say she is credible enough, especially when partnered with the great storyteller, Patterson. So I began with high hopes.

"Well. Look how that turned out. Ironic, actually." ~ 62%

My critical side-eye first appeared when I learned the main character, Janelle, was Black and constantly told how "lucky" she is to be adopted and raised by white affluent parents. Yeah okay. Then the special mistreatment she received in school, at home, and the court system only made me angry. Fights, an old, white jury and judge. A teeny-weeny Afro because her white mom doesn't know what else to do with her hair. Likened to a maid. Come the fuck on! 

The Murder Trial has signature short chapters that made it easy to read in one evening. But not because the story was page-turning good. Because it felt borderline racist and stereotypical. I spent majority of the book shaking my head. The inconsistencies are glaring, such as the cover not matching the main character's description at all and her age being 18 for over a year. The dialogue is not realistic. The character's constant bad decisions is infuriating. The repetitive often-exaggerated curse word "shit." The writing is meant for YA. And the ending...tuh!

The entire story is just horrible. This is not what I expect as a Patterson fan and not a good impression of the co-author. I say this with my Black chest: do not recommend!

Happy Early Pub Day to James Patterson and Nancy Allen! The Murder Trial will be available Monday, November 23.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Murder Trial
Author: James Patterson and Nancy Allen
Published: November 2026
Pages: 400
Edition: Galley
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 🖤