Viola Davis has another major release on the calendar—this time, on the bookshelf.
Judge Stone, a new courtroom drama co-written with bestselling author James Patterson, is set to arrive on March 9, 2026, according to USA Today.
The novel will be published by Little, Brown and Company, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, and will be available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook formats.
The audiobook is especially notable, as it continues Davis’ growing presence in publishing following the success of her memoir Finding Me.
The upcoming release marks an unexpected but intentional collaboration between two powerhouses from very different creative lanes. Davis, widely known for her work on screen and stage, joins forces with Patterson, whose prolific output and genre-spanning thrillers have made him one of the most commercially successful authors of all time.
While the pairing may seem surprising at first, both have emphasized a shared respect for storytelling and character-driven narratives as the foundation of the partnership.
In a statement, Davis said she was drawn to Patterson’s ability to balance suspense with emotional depth. She described working on Judge Stone as a chance to fully explore a character’s internal and moral conflicts in long form.
“Writing about a character as compelling as Judge Mary Stone has been an extraordinary experience,” Davis said, adding that she believes readers will be “deeply moved by her journey.”
The novel centers on Judge Mary Stone, a respected figure in the small town of Union Springs, Alabama. Beyond her role on the bench, Stone is also a family farmer and a pillar of the community.
Her steady world is shaken when she is assigned a deeply divisive case—one that appears straightforward on the surface but ultimately forces her into a profound moral reckoning involving questions of justice, loyalty, and consequence.
Patterson, who has previously collaborated with figures ranging from Dolly Parton to former President Bill Clinton, said he had long admired Davis’ work. He pointed to Finding Me as a key factor in the collaboration coming together. “Her memoir was among the most insightful and uplifting I’ve ever read,” Patterson said.
Publishing executives have framed Judge Stone as a standout title for 2026. Hachette CEO David Shelley called the project a rare meeting of “two remarkable creative forces.”
At the same time, Little, Brown and Company publisher Sally Kim described the novel as one that challenges readers while delivering an unforgettable story.