Viola Davis is already one of the most decorated actors of her generation — an Academy Award winner, the most-nominated Black actress in Oscars history, and one of the few entertainers to achieve EGOT status. Now, she’s adding another title to her résumé: novelist.
Davis is stepping into adult fiction with the upcoming courtroom thriller Judge Stone, co-written with bestselling author James Patterson. The novel, published by Little, Brown and Company, is set to hit shelves on March 9.
What ‘Judge Stone’ Is About
The story centers on Judge Mary Stone, a respected circuit judge in the small Alabama town of Union Springs. When a doctor is charged under strict abortion laws after performing a procedure on a 13-year-old girl, Stone finds herself presiding over a deeply divisive case.
As the trial unfolds, she must balance her devotion to justice, loyalty to her community, and her own reelection prospects. The novel explores moral conflict, institutional power, and the political pressure that can shape the courtroom — themes that feel both timely and urgent.
And the story may not stop at the page. Patterson has teased that a film adaptation of Judge Stone is already in the works. In announcing a New York launch event, he shared that he and Davis will discuss “the book, the audiobook, the movie,” promising a special evening. The event will also be livestreamed.
From ‘Finding Me’ to Fiction
Writing isn’t entirely new for Davis. In 2022, she released her memoir, Finding Me, a deeply personal reflection on her childhood and rise in Hollywood. The audiobook narration earned her a Grammy Award in 2023, officially securing her EGOT.
During her press tour, Davis reflected on why storytelling matters.
“There’s an unspoken message that the only stories worth telling are the stories that end up in history books. This is not true,” she told Brené Brown. “Every story matters… We are all worthy of telling our stories and having them heard.”
If Finding Me was about reclaiming her own narrative, Judge Stone signals a shift — using fiction to interrogate power, justice, and the systems that shape our lives.
Still Thriving On Screen
Davis’ literary debut doesn’t slow her momentum in film. She recently led the Amazon Prime Video thriller G20 as the President of the United States and is attached to the highly anticipated adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, slated for a January 2027 release.
From commanding performances on screen to commanding narratives on the page, Viola Davis continues to evolve — and expand what longevity in Hollywood can look like.
Are you picking up Judge Stone on March 9? And would you want to see this story adapted for the big screen?