I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Justice Sleeps, by Stacey Abrams, is a fascinating legal/political/medical/scientific thriller! Justice Howard Wynn falls into a coma. His law clerk, Avery Keene, finds out that he has named her as his guardian and she must make decisions on his treatment and care, including potentially withdrawing life support. Avery follows the clues he's left her and uncovers a scandal that puts her in grave danger.

I really enjoyed this book. 4 instead of 5 stars only because I thought the chess references were a bit much, as I don't play chess and had a hard time following them.

Abrams foray into thrillers tells the story of Avery Keene, a young law clerk at the Supreme Court who is thrust into an impossible position. Abrams gives us povs from everyone who does anything important in the novel, so there isn’t a lot of mystery. What drives the plot is not who did it, but rather figuring out how Avery will bring them to justice. The prose is a bit flowery and overwritten, and I got impatient with how long everything took.

4.5 stars

What a ride!

_While Justice Sleeps_ features Avery, a clerk for a Supreme Court justice, who has no fear, all the loyalty, and the most incredible logic-centered problem solving skills I have ever seen in action. To make her even more fascinating, she has a challenging mother and somewhat difficult past, and she finds herself in a truly wild and terrifying predicament that lasts the duration of the novel.

I hadn't read a medical or legal thriller in quite some time, and this book made me want to read more. It is so smart, so interestingly pieced together, and so fast paced. A lot is happening, and at times, readers are required to give Avery the benefit of the doubt. Her ability to solve puzzles and remember EVERYTHING borders on heroic and even supernatural.

This is gripping, alarming, and intricate, and I hope that Abrams writes more in this genre, but only when she doesn't have more pressing stuff to manage, like singlehandedly rescuing democracy. Recommended.

While Justice Sleeps was everything I thought I wanted and more. From the characters to the race against the clock plot? This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed and every page kept thinking: "okay what's going to happen next."

Here are some of the many things I enjoyed:
The setting was well established. Being from the DC-area I can be a stickler for details and nuances, but I felt like this book was completely spot on and I felt immersed,

I found the characters the main and main-minor characters to be believable and interesting. I was also rooting for them, I love to root for characters in race against the clock plots like this.

The plot of this legal thriller was interesting and complex in its reveal, but not so much that I felt lost in the language of the legal and political system that's intertwined within the story.

This book could honestly be turned into a Netflix original tv series or film with everything it has going on and with how captivating it is.

If you like shows like House of Cards, Alias, The Mentalist, or any show or movie where the civilians have to kick ass and unravel the shady dealings of the government behind the scenes? I would definitely pick this up.

I was delighted to receive an Advanced Review Copy from NetGalley for this legal/political thriller from Stacey Abrams (yes, that Stacey Abrams). I knew Ms. Abrams had written several romance novels under a nom de plume and had read her non-fiction work but was still pleasantly surprised to discover that her writing in this genre is also excellent. If you like family drama, chess references, bio-tech, and wonkish plots involving the Exon-Florio amendment you will enjoy this book about a young law clerk who becomes the legal guardian of a supreme court justice who is in a coma under shady circumstances. I assume it will be picked up by Hollywood for TV/fIlm adaptation and I can't wait to see who is cast.

Avery works for Justice Wynn, the most cantankerous member of the Supreme Court. His neurological degeneration makes him even more surly and paranoid, but he refuses to relinquish an ounce of control even after he falls into a coma. Wynn appointed Avery his guardian and left her a series of riddles to solve. Her career, family, reputation, and life are all threatened as she unravels the conspiracy Wynn dared not reveal, one that stretches from D.C. to India and features appalling political and medical abuses. Avery is a gutsy heroine and the breakneck pacing carries the reader through the implausibilities.

What you need to know going into this book is that it's a legal/political thriller written by Stacey Abrams YES THAT STACEY ABRAMS and no, I don't know when she sleeps. Basically, someone put a Supreme Court justice in a coma and Avery is pulled in as the Supreme Court Justice's guardian, which is strange as the Justice had both a living wife and son. So the questions at first are twofold: who put him a coma, and why did he put Avery in charge?

Ok, so thrillers are not really my genre, but I saw the name "Stacey Abrams" and was like, yes, please, I will give that a try. And I liked it! I didn't race through it, mostly because its very intricately plotted (perhaps overly so, at least for this lazy reader), and the set-up is complex. I think the easiest way to have solved this issue would've been to just cut out the Rita character, but I get why they left her in, especially if future books are planned. The main character, Supreme Court justice law clerk Avery Keene, was smart but relatable and could easily helm her own series. This also seems like it'd be great as a TV series, and someone should option it ASAP.

Overall, while it is not my thing per se (I haven't read a legal thriller in a minute, y'all), it seems as though it is a great and probably elevated entry into the genre. I'll be recommending it to fans of John Grisham and adults and older teens who are into the political/legal thrillers.

While I did finish this book, I found it too convoluted to enjoy thoroughly. Paring down the prose would have helped move the narrative along.

Really enjoyed this book! Stacey Abrams can really do no wrong! This fun political thriller had a lot of moving pieces and I really couldn't put it down to figure out the ending! Loved it, will definitely recommend!

So well written! A group of scientists find a drug to cure a disease . A Judge is part of that in the form of trying to save his adult son who he hasn't talked to him In years. The Judge and his clerk play chess and this helps solve the mystery of why the President wants it! I truly enjoyed the writings of Stacy Abrams.It flows , very descriptive, and well worth reading!

"While Justice Sleeps" is an absolutely fantastic read. A political thriller (with wrongdoing on both sides of the aisle) and crime mystery all in one, from the very beginning, I was hooked and couldn't put it down until I was finished. Not only is the story fascinating, it's incredibly well written.

Avery is a law clerk to the swing vote of the Supreme Court, who falls into a coma just before deciding on a massive case involving genetic theory and medical science and the merging of two massive corporations. Justice Wynn inexplicably sign Power of Attorney over to her, so all at once, she's being hunted by various individuals, agencies, and organizations, either for information, or to kill her. She manages to find a group of trusted friends to work her way through the maze of information and complex set of clues Justice Wynn has left behind for her to solve, all while dodging murder attempts and keeping tabs on her drug addicted mother.

It's so wonderful to read a book with a strong female protagonist who doesn't just "fall into" trouble and make silly decisions along the way until her problems are solved miraculously. Avery is smart because she's well educated, and tough because she was forced to grow up quickly to take care of her mom. It is truly a page turner of a novel, and though it does delve into complicated theories, it never does so in a way that makes the reader feel like they can't keep up. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

This book was fascinating. I loved the mystery and the intrigue and the fast clip the story took. This was the first book I have read of Ms. Abrams. I am a huge fan if hers in real life, so this was quite a treat to read her fiction.

Wow--this book certainly fits into the political thriller genre! Abrams has done an amazing job of incorporating the machinations of government with modern-day tribulations.
Living in the DC area, it was especially fun to read about the places the author identified so well. It was so well-paced but you definitely had to maintain your focus on what was transpiring.
The plot seemed to reflect on the happenings in our country today. The author is someone to be so admired and her talents are many. I learned so much and was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Stacey Abrams, well-known for her political work in Georgia and an experienced tax attorney IRL, has written When Justice Sleeps, a legal thriller that is complex, clever, and revelatory of the high-stakes political maneuverings in Washington DC (particularly the Supreme Court). The protagonist of this fast-paced thriller is Avery Keene, a brilliant young law clerk working for Justice Howard Wynn, a curmudgeon who is in failing health. Avery is doing her best to hold her life together, working long hours in a demanding job, while dealing with a messy family situation featuring her drug addict mother.

For some reason unknown to Avery, Judge Wynn names her his legal guardian and gives her his power of attorney, so when he falls into a coma, her life gets very messy very quickly. Avery soon discovers that Justice Wynn had been secretly researching a controversial case involving a proposed merger between an American biotech company and a genetics firm in India. The woman representing the Indian firm is an astute observer of US politics: “Despite years in American schools, she still barely understood the deep divisions between the left and right in a country with so little to argue over.” President Stokes is a “shrill xenophobe,” who reveals that to “…maintain the peace, I cater to the far right and cavil to the farther right and pretend to have patience with the weak-willed left. I’ve denounced what I know to be true, all in the name of patriotism and bipartisanship.” (did I mention the author REALLY knows politics?) Stokes is itching to replace Justice Wynn on the bench, but he can’t do that until the Justice resigns or dies.

There is a ton of intrigue as the political wrangling to potentially replace Wynn, and he has entrusted Avery with an incredibly complex puzzle that is designed to lead her to the secrets that he fears will destroy democracy. As Avery unravels the chess-related clues that are the key to finding out what is going on, she realizes that the stakes are even higher than she thought: the medical condition afflicting Wynn might be helped by the results of the merger. The technology and its potential impact are fascinating. The “Science Directorate reveled in developing the type of technology that would have made Bond’s Q envious and a bit intrigued.” Creepily, the research “attempted to manufacture a genetic virus to kill Muslims,” and the interactions between and among both nations and agencies make for a fascinating look at current political intrigue: as one of her potential allies tells her, “I worked for Homeland Security, Avery. We watch everything. Usually, though, no one watches us.”

While Justice Sleeps is a complicated plot, with twists and turns involving interesting characters. Stacey Abrams clearly knows her way around DC, the Court, and chess strategy. TBH, I’m not sure if it was my lack of knowledge about chess that made me think perhaps there was a requirement for occasional willing suspension of disbelief as Avery and Justice Wynn’s son work frantically to unravel the puzzle and unearth the real reasons for the proposed merger and the role played by the President and various representatives of alphabet agencies that are numerous in Washington.

For fans of legal thrillers, puzzles, political intrigue, and intricate plotting, this will be a big hit. I can’t help but wonder when Ms. Abrams finds time to sleep, but this made me admire her even more that I did. Four stars. Very well written and I suspect my rating of fewer than five stars is due to my own lack of knowledge of chess! Many thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for this honest review. Four stars, and I expect we will see more outstanding fiction from Ms. Abrams.

A fascinating story that I could not put down. It has a cast of compelling characters, a very special setting in the Supreme Court and a plot that will keep you riveted from the first page to the very last. I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed Stacey Abrams's debut thriller While Justice Sleeps. The reader follows law clerk Avery Keene as she races to uncover political machinations underpinning a controversial case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court that places those involved in danger and threatens the integrity of the Court. Fans of John Grisham and Dan Brown have a new author to enjoy!

Stacey Abrams haas written a terrific mystery. Plot, characters, pacing. Her legal knowledge is apparent.

Loved this thriller. Reminded me of a john grisham novel. Loved that there was chess involved and mystery to solve. I loved that she was able to do it with her friends. She was able to protect the court and the bad guy got put in jail. Loved the intrigue and slight romance. I would read her other books.

It was hard not to fangirl over this one, because Stacey Abrams is just that kind of person. However, the book is outstanding on its own merits. The story is complex, intricate, and compelling, all at once. I didn't want to stop, and already want to read her next thriller. More! More! More!

Avery Keene is a second-year clerk for Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn, just trying to survive she can start searching for jobs after the term ends in June. But Wynn has different plans for her. Just as the court is preparing to release its final decisions (including one in which Wynn is the swing vote), Wynn slips into a coma and Avery learns that, inexplicably, she's been named as his legal guardian and given power of attorney over his life. He's also managed to pass along a few pieces to a puzzle that he thought would uncover an explosive political scandal. While Avery tries to determine if he's right or simply paranoid and senile, the FBI, Homeland Security, the White House, and the media are all banging down her door...and someone seems desperate to stop Avery's investigations.

This is a great political thriller that weaves together recent Supreme Court concerns, biotech innovations, addiction, and legal challenges, all with a well-realized cast of characters and a fast pace (slowed down only by a few sections of legalese). My only question: is there anything Stacey Abrams CAN'T do? Because she sure can write a fantastic thriller.