Review by michael a draper (2012-05-01)
Two supreme court justices are murdered as the story unfolds.

The President feels that this is an opportunity for him to reshape the court. Eight of the justices will be republicans and this could reshape the direction of the country for years to come.

Darby Shaw is a bright law student at Tulane. She thinks she knows why the justices were murdered. She researches her opinion and publishes her findings in a document called, "The Pelican Brief."

She is a lover of law school professor Thomas Callahan and gives him a copy of her brief. He gives it to a friend in the FBI and soon after, Callahan is murdered and Darby becomes hunted.

Grisham is an excellent story teller and master of creating suspense. The reader can sympathise with Darby who doesn't know who to trust but keeps on trying to expose the guilty person, even at the risk of her life.