Book Title: The Tenth Justice

Author:  Brad Meltzer

Stars (Out of 10):  7

One Word Summary:  Page-turner

Full Review:

    The Tenth Justice refers to the clerks of the US Supreme Court whose job and influence is so crucial that they've earned this illustrious nickname.  The book focuses on one of those new clerks named Ben Addison, an ambitious and brilliant attorney. Ben is tricked into breaking the confidentiality rule of his clerkship and is subsequently blackmailed. Not knowing what to do, Ben drags his co-clerk Lisa and his three roommates into the fray. What ensues is a page-turning thriller with surprises at every turn.

    You can't help but feel sorry for Ben while also wondering how he could be so stupid. The twists and turns keep the story interesting and you can't wait to finish so you know what happens to Ben and his friends. You'll also learn something about the inner workings of the US Supreme Court.

    Move over Grisham; Brad Meltzer is another great legal thriller writer. I highly recommend this book. It's a quick, fun read.

Conclusion:  
 

Booklist Description:

Meltzer is a bit of a wunderkind. A young attorney and speechwriter for President Clinton, he managed to wrangle credit out of Columbia Law School for writing his first novel, a peppy, amusing, and suspenseful little thriller primed for major commercial success with film and foreign rights in the bag and a spot in the Literary Guild lineup. The story begins on Ben Addison's first day at work as a clerk for the Supreme Court. So crucial is the contribution of the clerks to the Court that they are referred to as the "tenth justice," and Ben, precocious and ambitious, is terrifically
excited until he's taken down a notch by his brusque co-clerk, Lisa Schulman, a no-nonsense gal who quickly gets involved up to her skeptical eyebrows in Ben's troubles. Too eager to succeed, Ben foolishly breaks the Court's rule of confidentiality and soon finds himself under the thumb of a blackmailing mastermind. Ben enlists the help of his three roommates--a senator's aide, a reporter, and a State Department employee--and inadvertently stirs up a hornet's nest of distrust, fear, and anger. As Ben, his nearly alienated buddies, and intrepid Lisa try to establish the identity of their adversary and his inside source, Meltzer scrolls out dialogue worthy of a high-quality prime-time sitcom.
This could be an action version of Friends or Spin City; in fact, picture Michael J. Fox as Ben, and you've got the flavor of this witty, almost violence-free, fresh, and satisfying page-turner. Donna Seaman --