Avery Keene Book 2
ABOUT THE BOOK
Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene is back, trying to get her feet on solid ground after unraveling an international conspiracy in While Justice Sleeps. But as the sparks of Congressional hearings and political skirmishes swirl around her, Avery is approached at a legal conference by Preston Davies, an unassuming young man and fellow law clerk to a federal judge in Idaho. Davies believes his boss, Judge Francesca Whitner, was being blackmailed in the days before she died. Desperate to understand what happened, he gives Avery a file, a burner phone, and a fearful warning that there are highly dangerous people involved.
Another shocking murder leads Avery to a list of names – all federal judges – and, alarmingly, all judges on the FISA Court (the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court), also known as America’s “secret court.” It is this body which grants permission to the government to wiretap Americans or spy on corporations suspected of terrorism. As Avery digs deeper, she begins to see a frightening pattern – and she worries that something far more sinister may be unfolding inside the nation’s third branch of government. With lives at stake, Avery must race the clock and an unexpected enemy to find the answer.
Drawn from today’s headlines and woven with her unique insider perspective, Stacey Abrams combines twisting plotlines, wry wit, and clever puzzles to create another immensely entertaining suspense novel.
- Publisher : Doubleday
- Pages : 368 pages
- Publication date : May 23, 2023
My Thoughts
Unlike many books that can stand alone in a series, Rogue Justice will be far more enjoyable if you have the background provided by the first book, While Justice Sleeps. Though I had read her first novel several months ago, I still struggled to recall all of the details, so reading them straight through might have even worked better.
Avery Keene is a highly intelligent 27-year-old African American. She worked as a D.C. law clerk for a cantankerous judge who left her with quite a surprise in the previous book. This book picks up after Avery’s testimony, which had to do with the impeachment of President Stokes.
In book two, Preston Davies, a clerk for a recently deceased federal judge, shares his suspicions with Avery that his boss was being blackmailed with a fake video. Avery’s not sure what he expects of her, but he gains her full attention when, only moments later, she witnesses him being killed.
The plot thickens as Avery’s curiosity pulls her into a story that is filled with twists and turns.
My Concerns
While details can enhance a story, in this case, it felt filled with unnecessary information. I’m sure with Abrams’s political history the details were meant to promote the authenticity of the setting and story, but the pacing felt off.
There were too many characters to keep track of, and they didn’t stand out from each other.
Bottom line: The story had trouble holding my attention.
Final Thoughts
If you like books with deeper plots than most legal thrillers, you won’t want to miss Abrams’s new series that stars Avery Keene. While I loved her first book, this one didn’t completely win me over.
My thanks to @doubledaybooks for a gifted book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
STACEY ABRAMS is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and political leader. She served as Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, and she was the first black woman to become gubernatorial nominee for a major party in United States history. Abrams has launched multiple nonprofit organizations devoted to democracy protection, voting rights, and effective public policy. She has also co-founded successful companies, including a financial services firm, an energy and infrastructure consulting firm, and the media company, Sage Works Productions, Inc.
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