Believe the hype! Ms. Abrams delivers a well-paced and researched political thriller with the help of her family and their combined knowledge of law, epidemiology, and literature. She states that this book took twelve years to get published and I believe this is the right time. Abrams successfully guides readers through discussions on the meanings of patriotism, loyalty, sacrifice, and our government.

Avery's path is an unpredictable one. As much as I often like to take guesses at the endings of books like this, I didn't have time to do that. I was try to keep up with the details, as I'm aware that Ms. Abrams is a stickler for details. This character is reminiscent, to me, of the Civil War spy Mary Bowser, who also had photographic memory (also known as eidetic memory). Should there be more political, legal, mysteries starring Ms. Avery Keene I'd be an instant fan.

For a long time, I avoided political mysteries, detective novels, and police procedurals because they gave the impression that the good guys always won, the law enforcement were usually trustworthy, and these genres seemed overwhelmingly white and male. Thus, I did not feel like replacing my historical fiction and romance books with novels like these. Stacey Abrams changed that for me. Not only do I connect with the main character through my identity, but I also feel like the book is not loaded with traditionally masculine thought processes and plots.

I recommend this book to folks who love a good mystery and are ready for a wild ride.

Thank you to Doubleday and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Stacey Abrams can write! This was a brilliantly plotted legal and medical thriller, dealing with conspiracy, the Supreme Court, genetics, bioweaponry, international and corporate politics...and chess. Her writing reminded me a lot of Grisham's The Pelican Brief, only in this one a lowly law clerk gets to play the hero against all odds. I consumed this book over two days and could not look away when the stakes continued to skyrocket. Abrams truly is genius at this craft, and I will definitely be watching for more like this by her.

Coming on the heels of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, Stacey Abrams uses a fictional supreme court justice to explore what would happen if a justice becomes incapacitated during a court session. The justice is neither dead, nor lucid. This is the quandary that law clerk Avery Keene finds herself in as supreme court justice Howard Wynn lies in a coma. She has been made his legal guardian over his estranged wife and son. An important court vote is coming up, and some were depending on Wynn's swing vote. Now Keene must navigate the legal waters to determine what her role is in the vote, and what her vote should be. This is a riveting read for anyone who loves mysteries. The possibility for this situation to happen is not too far fetched, as some of the story line comes right out of today's newspapers. You will be thinking about his book for some time to come.

Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for an ARC of While Justice Sleeps in exchange for my honest opinion.
This legal/political/medical thriller has so much going on that I had to take my time reading it! While having that much going on, Stacey Abrams makes it work (unsurprisingly). I wish I knew more about chess because I think I would have appreciated the story even more. If you’ve got the time to dedicate to his book and are looking in the genre, I recommend it.

In 2020, Stacey Abrams led a wave of Democratic voters back to the polls in Georgia, ultimately flipping the red state to blue. It was a political victory years in the making.

Her latest victory is also years in the making. “While Justice Sleeps” (Doubleday/Penguin Random House, $28), her first political thriller, started over lunch more than a decade ago. She’ll talk about the book Monday virtually at BookPeople, with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Sarah Michelle Gellar. (More later on that interview pairing.)

A fateful lunch conversation with a friend piqued Abrams’ interest in what might happen if a Supreme Court justice ever became incapacitated. She sketched out a scene that eventually became the scaffolding for “While Justice Sleeps,” which finds Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene investigating a mystery that kicks off with her boss, legendary Justice Howard Wynn, in a coma and Keene designated as his guardian.

Despite her previous success as a romance writer — Abrams authored eight novels under the pen name Selena Montgomery — she couldn’t get publishers interested.

"While Justice Sleeps" by Stacey Abrams
“I was told that it was too complicated and that the president was too far-fetched — that it seemed absurd that we would have a president who was involved in international intrigue — and that nobody cared about the Supreme Court,” Abrams told the New York Times.

All that changed in 2019, when a Doubleday editor snapped up the manuscript.

And now Abrams’ literary fortunes are ascending, just like the recognition of her political acumen, honed over more than a decade in the Georgia House and her bid for Georgia governor. The infrastructure she helped build continues to support voting rights through the groups Fair Fight and the nonprofit Fair Count.

More TV:ATX Television Festival bringing Connie Britton's 'The White Lotus' and more HBO this year

Working Title Television has acquired the adaptation rights to “While Justice Sleeps,” with Abrams signed on as an executive producer. The thriller follows her two nonfiction New York Times bestsellers, “Lead From the Outside” and “Our Time Is Now,” published earlier this year. In 2022, publishing house Berkley will reissue three of her romance novels in hardcover, including her debut, “Rules of Engagement,” written while she was still at Yale Law School. Another of her romance novels, “Never Tell,” is in development with CBS. She’s working on a children’s book and a “teenage superhero book.”

Let’s not forget “Buffy.”

Fans of the 1990s WB drama “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” swooned last year when Abrams tweeted out her post-election thoughts on the show’s love triangle: “To be fair, Angel was the right boyfriend for Buffy coming into her power. Spike was the right man to be with as she became the power.” Gellar, who played Buffy over the show’s seven seasons and is a self-dubbed Abrams “fangirl,” will interview her for the BookPeople appearance.

Abrams’ myriad of talents and interests serve her well in “While Justice Sleeps,” which over the course of a propulsive story spotlights Avery shepherding her troubled mother and deploying an eidetic memory as she puzzles over a merger between an American biotech firm and a genetics firm in India, and she grapples with political intrigue that spirals upward to the White House. She’s a smart woman battling an entrenched system of power.

Which might just describe Abrams, too.

I

I absolutely love Stacey Abrams so I really wanted to love this book, but I did not. The beginning and end were very slow and while it picked up a bit in the middle, it just didn't draw me in. I appreciated Avery as a strong female character and the detailed descriptions of Washington D.C., but I would have preferred a little more action and a letter less "wordiness." The plot was a bit complicated and involved a lot of different agencies and characters.

I was almost comically nervous when I started reading this book. What if I don’t like it? I don’t want to say anything even remotely negative about Stacey Abrams. EVER.

Turns out I needn’t have worried, because While Justice Sleeps was an outstanding read. My only remaining question is, how did our resident superwoman find the time to write this??

Abrams hits all the right notes in this fun, pulse-pounding thriller, giving us both propulsive action and thoughtfully drawn characters. I love a buddy comedy vibe in an action thriller, and while there isn’t a ton of humor in this one, that feeling of camaraderie still pervades as protagonist Avery and her allies embark on a race against both the clock and a formidable set of enemies.

The book is really more legal thriller than political thriller (though it blends elements of both), and has some fascinating insight into Supreme Court actions, particularly at the end. That said, this is much higher octane than many legal thrillers and infinitely more likable.

It’s at once an easy read in the sense that it isn’t terribly emotionally demanding and has no slow sections that leave your mind to wander, and at the same time a demanding read in that the reader (just like the characters) becomes deeply focused on solving the puzzle as it unfolds.

While Justice Sleeps is terrifically fun and smarter than your average summer read, and it’s going to make an outstanding tv/movie adaptation.

Is there anything Stacey Abrams can’t do?!

A political thriller written by the one and only Stacey Abrams, count me in! This book has lots of legal and political suspense as our heroine, Avery, a clerk for one of the Supreme Court Justices is sent on a chase to possibly take down the President of the United States. Who can she trust: The DHS man who wants to silence her; the FBI agent who is threatening to arrest her; her mentor, the Justice who is in a coma but who has left her clues; his son who sje just met; the Chief Justice who seems to understand her; or her drug-addled mother?

There's a little of everything in the book. I had a hard time wrapping my head around some of the antics that Avery had to endure and not being a chess player didn't help with the many references. But, I really loved her characters, which is always the most important element of any book for me. Avery is a strong female who knows her mind and isn't going to get pushed around by some of the caustic men she has to deal with.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

Stacey Abrams is an engaging author, and While Justice Sleeps is no exception. I love supporting her work as an author and this new thriller is no exception.

What a roller-coaster ride! The thrilling, page-turning race against time (and evil) is enough to make this a 4 star read. But what elevates While Justice Sleeps is the in-depth dive into science, government and law which provides an interesting background to the fast-paced events of the story. On top of all of that, this is a book about family, friendship and loyalty. Easily a 5 star read.

While seeing Stacey Abram's name on the cover and subsequently realizing that yes, it's THE Stacey Abrams who wrote this book might sell a lot of copies on its own, readers of legal thrillers are not going to be disappointed with this one! While the first chapters are a bit slow while we meet a lot of characters and establish the story, it picks up a lot with a middle section that is full of twists and complications, leading to main character Avery having to make impossible choices in nailbiting situations that have massive consequences for individuals all the way up through the entire US government and beyond.

While Justice Sleepsis the first book I’ve read by Stacey Abrams. Avery is clerking for a Supreme Court judge when suddenly she’s thrown into a high stakes game of cat and mouse while her justice lies in a coma. She and her quickly cobbled together team must unravel the mysteries surrounding the judge. This was a fun book that reminded me a lot of the perfect mix of a John Grisham and Dan Brown novel. Read and enjoy!

Legal drama and nefarious shenanigans featuring Avery Keene, law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn. When he suddenly becomes comatose, Avery is designated as his legal guardian and must unravel mysterious clues to save the judge and the USA from a deranged administration.

This was fast-paced, though a bit repetitive at times, but requires a huge suspension of disbelief as Avery and her 3 "friends" attempt to bring justice to the people who committed atrocities under the auspices of national security protections. Tell me, does EVERYONE know someone who can hack computers, perform high level tech, and also have military intelligence expertise? And another friend who happens to be a doctor and very knowledgeable about genetics and bio-weapon applications? Plus, an attorney at their disposal? It was all a bit contrived, but a decent and complicated plot that we knew would come together eventually. Avery happens to be very intelligent with an eidetic memory (another quite convenient trick) and engages in the necessary cloak and dagger activities to figure out the chess related clues that Justice Wynn left behind. Of course she's in danger and others aren't lucky enough to escape the bad guys. The gene-targeting technology was scary and the motivations of the different characters provided rich detail.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

So different from what I expected!

I've been awaiting WHILE JUSTICE SLEEPS since it was announced months ago. As a longtime fan of thrillers with scrappy female leads, this book is right up my alley, and it will surprise no one that Abrams can write strong fiction.

This book reminded me a lot of NATIONAL TREASURE (one of my favorite movies) but about uncovering treason and malice instead of ancient artifacts. My only quibble is at times I had a hard time keeping track of all the different plot lines and character loyalties.

I would love to see this as a miniseries one day, and a perfect choice for the #ReadingWomenChallenge "a women in politics" category.

While this book was not what I expected, I loved the experience no less for it!! If you loved Scandal, you will absolutely adore While Justice Sleeps. Stacey Abrams has a gift for deft and scintillating prose, intriguing character development, and a plot that makes you keep turning page after page. I highly recommend this book!

I'm a huge fan of Ms. Abrams, but the writing style didn't work for me -- I wasn't able to finish this.

I was, of course, interested in this book because Stacey Abrams wrote it. I definitely enjoyed the mystery aspect of this - Supreme Court Justice Wynn goes into a coma and it turns out that he has left a series of clues for his law clerk, Avery Keene, to follow so that she can continue his work unraveling a pretty intense political/legal conspiracy that involves gene editing and other advanced biotech stuff being used for legit evil purposes. I liked the mystery and the wrap up, but I did get lost in some of the fine legal details here - there were a lot of documents and wills and codicils and legal complaints and I still don't think I know exactly what happened with all of those things. But I did like the characters a lot (and the narration of this was cool - kind of omniscient but done in a way that I don't think I've read before). I would definitely read more of Abrams' mysteries, I just might need to have a legal dictionary on hand to put the puzzle pieces together.

I’m always on the lookout for mysteries and thrillers by BIPOC authors, and this one is definitely worth adding to your list. While it took about 50 pages for me to get into, once I did I was hooked. Before falling into a coma, a supreme court justice (who just happens to be the swing vote) leaves clues about a life-threatening conspiracy for his law clerk to piece together. At times complex but always compelling, this book is a unique blend of political thriller and whodunit. Abrams is clearly a gifted writer and reading this made me eager to check out her romance novels, which are being re-released by Berkley next year.

First off, let me way Stacey Abrams is WAY SMARTER THAN ME. First, she was writing romance novels, then she ran for Governor of Georgia. When she lost, she did not turn to anger, instead she empowered many to vote for the first time. Now she is writing legal thriller. 26-year-old Avery Keene is the law clerk to a Supreme Court justice. When he falls into a coma, she discovered he has made her his legal guardian. He is the key vote in a decision about the merger of two biotech firms that could lead to the cure for a nasty brain syndrome. Avery has to figure out the answers and while much of the medical research information was way beyond me as were the clues in a real chess game he left her to help her uncover the truth, the fact that a corrupt President of the United States was involved in the shenanigans made sense to me. When Justice Sleeps is a page turned that will keep the reader up past bedtime.

“While Justice Sleeps,” by Stacey Abrams, Doubleday, 384 pages, May 11, 2021.

Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn has a degenerative brain disorder. Only Chief Justice Teresa Roseborough, Wynn’s doctor and his private duty nurse know about his illness. Then he slips into a coma.

Avery Keene, one of his law clerks, is told that Justice Wynn has left instructions for her to serve as his legal guardian and power of attorney. He hadn’t told her that he was naming her. Avery’s father is dead and her mother is a drug addict who Avery keeps bailing out.

The justice is estranged from his wife, Celeste Turner-Wynn, and his adult son by his first marriage, Jared. Wynn and President Brandon Stokes don’t agree on issues. Wynn is the swing vote on many high-profile cases.

Avery finds that Wynn has been secretly researching one of the most controversial cases before the court: A proposed merger between GenWorks, a North Carolina biotech company, and Advar Biogenetics, an Indian genetics firm. Wynn has left Avery a complex puzzle.

This is very intense, fast-paced and intricately plotted. The characters are complex and the dialogue is well-written. It combines medical ethics, biological warfare and chess.

Stacey Abrams served for 11 years in the Georgia House of Representatives. She is the author of eight romance novels written under the pen name Selena Montgomery. I haven’t read any of her romance novels, but “While Justice Sleeps” is a first-class legal thriller.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley and in print in exchange for a review.