Books on Justice & Injustice

James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.

The 6:20 Man

by David Baldacci

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Modern Classic Fiction

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The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

by Stuart Turton

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Justice, Revenge, Fate

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (published as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in Canada and the United Kingdom) is Stuart Turton’s first novel. The novel was first published in 2018 by Harper Collins; this guide references the first Canadian edition. The novel is primarily a mystery, with some elements of science fiction and fantasy. The plot features elements traditionally associated with the murder mystery genre made famous by Agatha Christie, since the... Read The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Summary

The ABC Murders

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1936

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Good & Evil, Justice, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Social Class, Horror & Suspense, British Literature, Classic Fiction

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The Acorn People

by Ron Jones

Publication year 1976

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Gratitude, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Disability, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Children`s Literature, Disability

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The Address Book

by Deirdre Mask

Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community, Race, Justice, Economics, Power & Greed, Politics & Government

Tags World History, Politics & Government, Race & Racism, Social Justice, Science & Nature, Urban Development, Sociology

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Publication year 1892

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Teamwork, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s (1859-1930) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was published in 1892 as a collection of 12 short stories. The texts detail some of the earliest cases of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes as narrated by his friend and collaborator, Doctor John Watson. The stories appear in the order in which they were originally published in The Strand Magazine.Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh to Catholic parents, the second of 10 children. The... Read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Summary

The Alienist

by Caleb Carr

Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Immigration, Mental Health

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Mental Illness, US History, Poverty, Trauma & Abuse, World History

The Alienist, by Caleb Carr, is a New York Times-bestselling historical thriller originally published in 1994 and adapted for television as a TNT series in 2018. A historian by trade, Carr applies his expertise to The Alienist as well as its sequels, The Angel of Darkness (1997) and Surrender, New York (2016). Set in New York City in 1896, The Alienist tells the story of Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist (“alienist,” in the parlance of... Read The Alienist Summary

The All of It

by Jeannette Haien

Publication year 1986

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Language, Mental Health, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Environment, Plants, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Education, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Literary Fiction

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The Alloy of Law

by Brandon Sanderson

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Gender Identity, The Past, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Technology

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure

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The American Dream

by Jim Cullen

Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nation, Colonialism, Religion & Spirituality, Social Class, Immigration, Community, Economics, Equality, Justice, Politics & Government

Tags US History, Immigration & Refugeeism, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, Black Lives Matter, Race & Racism, Social Justice, Politics & Government, American Revolution, American Civil War, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Colonial America, Sociology, Education, Education, Business & Economics, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts & Culture

The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation, originally published in 2003 by Oxford University Press, is a popular history book by American cultural historian Jim Cullen. As an overview and critical analysis of the American Dream, this book adds some meat to the bones of a traditionally ambiguous concept. Cullen maintains an optimistic outlook about the usefulness of the various American Dreams and about the promise of America, despite... Read The American Dream Summary

The Anniversary

by Alex Finlay

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Revenge, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice, Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror & Suspense

Set in Monarch, Nebraska, and spanning 1992 to 2011, the story follows two intertwined lives across a decade of trauma, loss, and resilience. Each section takes place on May 1st, a date of devastating significance. The prologue shows an unnamed figure at Megan Tucker's grave, examining her driver's license and reflecting on the murder as their first kill.In 1992, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley are eleventh-graders at Monarch High School. Jules is popular; Quinn is... Read The Anniversary Summary

The Antidote

by Karen Russell

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Perseverance, Grief, Regret, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Race, Coming of Age, The Past, Climate, Environment, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism

Competitor... Read The Antidote Summary

The Armor of Light

by Ken Follett

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Love, Justice, War, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Economics, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Science & Technology

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Industrial Revolution

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The Art Forger

by B A. Shapiro

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Art, Perseverance, Gender Identity, Fame, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction

The Art Forger is the fourth book from author B. A. Shapiro. With a PhD in sociology, Shapiro is well known for combining meticulous research with character-driven storytelling. Her academic background shapes her fiction; in The Art Forger, Shapiro approaches art and crime as social and philosophical questions as well as plot devices. Her characters explore questions about why society values certain objects and what the art world’s obsession with reputation and provenance mean about... Read The Art Forger Summary