海角大神

To say that Stacey Abrams has been busy lately is an understatement. As a lawyer, an advocate for voting rights, a former Georgia state representative, and a leader in the Democratic party, she has a keen understanding of the complexities of high-stakes politics. She鈥檚 brought this background to her latest novel, 鈥淲hile Justice Sleeps,鈥� which offers twisty good fun and a dense and, at times, over-complicated plot.

Abrams is already a best-selling author (for two of her non-fiction books, 鈥淥ur Time Is Now鈥� and 鈥淟ead From the Outside鈥�), and she鈥檚 penned eight romance suspense novels under the name Selena Montgomery. Her political activism has garnered her a 2021 nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. 鈥淲hile Justice Sleeps鈥� has been picked up for a television series, and there鈥檚 already talk of a sequel.

Her latest book opens boldly with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn staging an 鈥渆pic meltdown鈥� at American University, in which he publicly shames U.S. President Brandon Stokes, declaring that he 鈥渞eveled in swatting down his initiatives and eviscerating the laws signed by his administration.鈥� After storming off stage, Wynn later exclaims to his private nurse, 鈥淭hat was no tantrum.... It was strategy. It鈥檚 all strategy. Opening move of the King鈥檚 Gambit! Every breath is a movement toward the endgame.鈥� And is it ever.

That night, Wynn, who happens to be the court鈥檚 swing vote, falls into a mysterious coma. Washington goes on high alert. Wynn鈥檚 death would leave an empty seat on the high court and change the outcome of a controversial case involving a merger between an American biotech company and an Indian genetics firm.

Wynn鈥檚 brilliant law clerk, Avery Keene, soon finds herself swirling in Washington politics and international conspiracy when she discovers her cantankerous boss has appointed her his legal guardian and power of attorney, leaving her a trail of cryptic, chess-like clues. To complicate matters further, Avery is dealing with her drug-addicted mother, who could potentially threaten Avery鈥檚 promising career. But is there ever a perfect time to step in and save the world? Of course, having a photographic memory and a cluster of highly intelligent cohorts doesn鈥檛 hurt, either.聽聽

鈥淚n a game of strategy, the king is a figurehead, unable to save his own life without the aid of others. The queen is powerful and dynamic. She will protect the king, but not because of weakness. It鈥檚 because that鈥檚 what she鈥檚 supposed to do.鈥� Avery鈥檚 words to her temperamental, chess-loving boss in an earlier encounter seem prophetic. 鈥淗e鈥檚 an honorable man鈥� You can argue with him, but you can never question his logic and his values,鈥� she says of the justice. Brilliant minds think alike, and Wynn knew this when he chose Avery.

鈥淲hile Justice Sleeps鈥� features a boatload of colorful characters, including a resentful wife, an estranged son, law associates, FBI and Homeland Security agents, media personalities, high-tech engineers, and a female chief justice.聽聽聽

As the stakes rise, and murderous villains lurk, readers come to understand that horrific moral and ethical boundaries have been crossed. The unfolding morality tale, 鈥渢he labyrinthine game the law demanded,鈥� plays out in the final fireworks scene at the Supreme Court. Abrams plays it to the hilt.聽