Rating: 
Summary: Sharp, Taut, Superior Thriller
Review: '[
Rating: 
Summary: Call Central Casting, Please
Review: As a former prosecutor, I enjoyed this book. A nice set-up, characters we are ambivalent about (good people don't rob Federal Reserve banks, do they?), a lot of tension, and one or two surprises. The book is satisfactorily written, but I did feel I was reading a particularly well thought-out back story for a screen play. By the end of the book, I was itching to cast the Hollywood stars to play this story on the big screen. I don't see why a movie based on Zagel's book shouldn't give John Grisham a run for his money. And if money to make the film is no object, my choices are: Paulie Devine: Jeff Bridges. Dave: Kurt Russell. Charity: Angela Bassett. Trimble: Brad Pitt. Plymouth: Andy Garcia. Prindiville: James Rebhorn. Corman: Brian Dennehy. Ellen: Patricia Clarkson.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable tale told from a unique perspective
Review: I can't remember ever reading a novel written by a federal district court judge, but Money to Burn, written by Judge James Zagel weaves a compelling legal thriller/crime fiction tale from this unique perspective.In the novel, fictional district court judge Paul Devine, plans a robbery of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago, motivated by a desire to avenge a wrong done by the director of the bank to his deceased wife. Devine is also just bored with his life on the bench and plotting the crime is a thrill for him. His co-conspirator is his best friend and fireman-turned-arsonist Dave Brody, whose own criminal experience and knowledge of explosives and medicine is key to the plot. When a head security guard for the Fed and her electrician/husband appear in Devine's courtroom, the criminal conspiracy is underway. Concurrent with his crime plotting, Judge Devine carries on his daily courtroom routine. We get to see the workings of a judge's mind: how he decides his cases, his daydreaming during cases and the games he plays to keep cases interesting. Despite his criminal bent, Devine is a crusader on the topic of ensuring the guilty are punished, even if it means bending the law. One story line involves a lazy prosecutor who proposes a plea bargain with a short jail time for a con-artist who cheats the elderly out of their life-savings. Devine refuses to accept the plea and makes suggestions to the police detective on advancing certain evidence that comes to a bad conclusion for the criminal. The chilling part of the novel includes both the suspensful robbery and aftermath but also involves the same police detective who is the only one to suspect a robbery may have taken place. Like a man on a mission, the detective seems to be everywhere which begins to rattle the suspects. Will one of them crack and turn in the others? Does Inspector Plymouth really know what happened and more importantly, can he prove anything? There are lots of surprises in store for you in this outstanding first novel. The pages will fly, and the suspense builds to such a pitch that you are hesitant to continue in case something bad is going to happen but you are also afraid to stop reading because the story is so gripping.
Rating:
Summary: This book should definitely be made into a movie
Review: I have to say that this is probably in the top 5 or 10 books of all time favorites that i have red.I definitely hope this author puts more books out especially if they are as good as this. Lookout john grisham this book wrote by James Zagel who is a U.S. district court judge.The story about a sitting judge the honorable Paul Devine who dreams up a wild plan to rob the federal reserve in chicago of 100 million dollars by using his life long friend Dave Brody who is a heroic firefighter and paramedic who also happens to be a arsonist for hire for special jobs, Charity Scott who is a sergeant of the guards at the reserve and Charity's husband Trimble Young who happens to be a maintenance electrician.The judge is instigating this not only for the money but a bit of payback against the head of the reserve Redding Prindiville who had a previous case before the judge where he basically cheated a little old lady and the damage Redding caused the judge's wive in furthering her career. Like i said before hollywood should make a movie of this there are many deffirent turns in this story its definitely fastpaced and a great read
Rating:
Summary: intriguing debut crime novel
Review: In Chicago, Judge Paul Divine decides to rob the Chicago branch of the Federal Reserve Bank mostly because he wants to taste the thrill of the caper. He thinks of his best friend Dave Brody, a fire department paramedic, who enjoys torching buildings and wants the feel of being on the edge excitement. During an equal opportunity case in his court in which the reserve bank is defending its policy, Paul believes he has found the remaining members of his heist gang besides Dave. He enlists Sergeant of the Guards Charity Scott and her husband electrician Trimble Young to help pull off the robbery. Both are angry with the bank's leadership for enforcing a little used rule on spouses working together. Now the team is in place and the plan is set with only the time left to select when to pull off the caper. Think of Taking of Pelham 123 occurring inside the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank to grasp the underlying action of MONEY TO BURN. However, what engages the reader with the story line is the thought processes of the Judge, a model citizen who seems to have allowed his darker side to take charge. James Zagel provides an intriguing debut novel that will hopefully not be the last because this author has plenty of talent. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Engaging Crime Story -- Cover To Cover Reading Pleasure
Review: Judge Paul Divine decides to rob the Chicago branch of the Federal Reserve Bank mostly because he wants to taste the thrill of "getting away with it". He immediately considers his best friend Dave Brody, a fire department paramedic, who enjoys torching buildings and wants the feel of "life on the edge", to be a part of his plan. During an equal opportunity case in his court in which the reserve bank is defending its policy, Paul believes he has found the remaining members of his heist "gang". He enlists Sergeant of the Guards Charity Scott and her husband electrician Trimble Young to help pull off the robbery. Both are angry with the bank's leadership for enforcing a little used rule on spouses working together. Now the team is in place and the plan is set with only the exact time for the caper to be decided. The puzzling element of a judge, supposedly a model citizen and figure of trust, being lured by selfish forces to mastermind a felony, as well as involving others in his sinister plan, makes for spellbinding suspense. James Zagel's debut novel is hard to put down. The reader finds enjoyment from cover to cover. Let's hope for much more from this promising author!*****
Rating:
Summary: A Smart, Exciting, Compelling Crime Story
Review: Let there be mostly boring, mind-numbing cases on Judge James B. Zagel's docket because --- like the fictional Judge Paulie Devine --- he puts what might otherwise be idle brain cycles to good use conjuring up, among other things, intelligent and exciting books and essays. His first published novel, "Money to Burn," is not autobiographical according to the author but law enforcement personnel in Illinois can certainly be excused if they find at least a few extraordinary similiarities between Judges Devine and Zagel. For one thing, Zagel obviously knows and loves Chicago: its jazz clubs, restaurants, geography, and --- most of all --- its people. And so does Devine. As a $100 million heist of the Federal Reserve is planned, executed, and then unraveled, Devine goes all over town to places familiar to Chicago readers. The images Zagel paints are authentic and could almost be the beginnings of a screenplay. The planning of the caper and the actual event are told with the attention to detail and plot development that I usually expect only from (real) Tom Clancy novels. It is the darker second half of the book, however, where Zagel's richly-drawn characters agonize over the moral issues of what they have done, that gives this book real intellectual and emotional heft. I recommend this book without reservation and hope to read more novels by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Call for the IRS
Review: The author has spent his professional life in law enforcement - from police chief to prosecutor and trial court judge. It shows. The main story is about the burglary of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. But whenever he believes that the reader needs a break, he inserts wonderful little stories that can happen to a federal judge. The solution to these stories is always more humane than legal. The audience probably will cheer, but any trial lawyer will cringe. US District Judge Paul Devine tells us how he planned the robbery of the Federal Reserve Bank for zillions of dollars, and how he executed his plan. He had three accomplices:
Dave Brody, a childhood friend, now a fireman and paramedic. He torches buildings on order.
Charity Scott, a black lieutenant of security at the bank. Devine threw a case in her direction, later collecting on her gratitude.
Trimble Young, white electrician at the bank. He slavishly follows the directions given by Charity, his wife. The opponents:
Redding Prindiville, who runs the bank.
"The Wheezer" Corman, head of security.
Detective Tony Plymouth, who solves cases by just thinking extra hard about them. Obviously, I should not give away how the caper comes to an end. Suffice it to say that it is a wonderful mystery with a well-executed new approach. This being a first effort, let us hope for more in the near future.
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Summary: A thinking person's mystery. Really First Rate Page Turner
Review: This is an incredible book. It is beautifuly written and carefully crafted. The story centers around four complex characters. Judge Devine is a federal judge, who plots to rob the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. James Zagel, the author, does an amazing job establishing a credible reason why the judge would commit such a crime (no, it's not greed). The judge is a fascinating character because the criminal and judicial parts of his character seem to live in parallel. He is a model judge in the courtroom, and yet when he romoves his black robe and goes home, he plots a highly complicated and devious robbery. The plan to beat the Federal Reserve is truly imaginative. But the story does not end there, as the judge and his cohorts find themselves confronted with a dogged investigator who at times seems to have mixed motives himself. Indeed, the process of trying to stay ahead of the investigator provides a lot of sharp twists and elevates the intricacy of the plot. This book is truly exceptional. The plot has been carefully constructed, both in terms of being very original as well including a lot of very realistic detail (according to the dust jacket, the author is a judge, and former police chief, so that's why this book has a very real feel to it). The characters are not, in any way, predictable -- something encountered in all too many crime based books. Without doubt, this is one of the best mystery books in a long time from a new author. Read it, it's really great.
Rating:
Summary: Sharp, Taut, Superior Thriller
Review: This is one of the finest thrillers I've read in some time. It is an wonderfully written tale that avoids cliches and the often [ironic] plot twists that populate the lesser novels in this genre. The characters are sharply drawn, although none more than Judge Devine. He is arrogant at times and burning with pain over the loss of his wife. The details of Chicago (and I say this as a Chicagoan through and through) are pitch perfect. The heist is complex. I like how much of the story deals with the fall out of the heist. It is not the type of story that ends with the main characters, tanned, rested, and toasting each other on board a yacht somewhere outside the US. Finding happiness and moral guidance is not easy for the characters--it is complex story. Zagel writes extremely well and I look forward to another book, should he desire to write one.
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