While Justice Sleeps

While Justice Sleeps is a legal thriller written by Stacey Abrams published in 2021. It explores the world of Washington, DC, politics through a suspenseful thriller narrative that addresses issues like corruption, political power, and greed—as well as hot-button ethics topics like genetic research and biogenetic warfare. Abrams is a lawyer and politician who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017. The narrative draws on her personal legal and political knowledge. Abrams is also a two-time New York Times best-selling author who has written two other books, Our Time Is Now and Lead from the Outside. This study guide refers to the 2021 HarperCollins paperback edition of the novel.

Content Warning: While Justice Sleeps and this study guide touch on challenging and possibly triggering topics, including implied death by suicide, murder, drug and alcohol abuse, racism, ethnic and religious persecution, and human-rights violations.

Plot Summary

While Justice Sleeps tells the story of Avery Keene, a 26-year-old law clerk for US Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn, and her efforts to expose corruption at the highest level of the US government—the office of the president. The book’s events are set into motion by Justice Wynn, who puts himself into a coma and grants Avery power of attorney, giving her the right to choose whether he should remain on life support. Justice Wynn is the deciding vote in the Supreme Court case GenWorks v. US. GenWorks, an American biogenetics firm, represented by its founder and president, Nigel Cooper, wants to merge with India-based Advar, a biotech company headed by Dr. Indira Srinivasan. US President Stokes blocked the merger on the grounds that it would allow for ethically questionable genetic research. An appeal has now gone to the Supreme Court.

The real reason President Stokes blocked the merger is because it would reveal that the US government illegally funded immoral research to create a genetic virus that kills Muslim people. This research was conducted by Hygeia (Advar’s predecessor company); the project was named “Tigris.” Justice Wynn joined forces with a doctor who was present during the testing, Dr. Ani Kandahar Ramji, to gather data that would expose Tigris and the US government.

However, Justice Wynn faces a unique moral predicament. He knows that exposing the research is the right thing to do ethically, but the research that could result from the GenWorks-Advar merger could have positive outcomes—including the development of a cure for Boursin’s syndrome, a fictional degenerative disease that is killing Justice Wynn. His son, Jared, has inherited the disease. Justice Wynn is unable to fail either his country or his son; he thus puts himself into a coma and leaves the decision to Avery, whom he trusts to expose the truth.

The narrative follows Avery’s mission as she unravels the clues left by Justice Wynn and learns the truth about Tigris and the US government’s involvement. Avery is helped in her mission by a cast of characters, including Jared; her roommate, Dr. Ling Yin; Justice Wynn’s lawyer, Noah Fox, who drafted the power of attorney putting Avery in charge; and a “good guy” FBI agent, Robert Lee. Opposing this cast of “good guys” are the “bad guys”: US President Brandon Stokes and his main henchman, US Major William Vance, plus a cast of minor “bad guys” (Phillips and Castillo are two recurring figures) who do the dirty work of killing, kidnapping, and intimidating other characters.

By the end of the book, Avery discovers the truth about Tigris, and she has evidence to prove the US government’s involvement. She exposes the president and Major Vance in a dramatic final courtroom scene. The president denies Avery’s assertions and claims that Major Vance acted without his knowledge. Major Vance, angry at the president’s turning on him, betrays the president, giving Avery proof that, as vice president, Stokes killed former President Cadres. Avery can’t prove that President Stokes knew about the Tigris Project—a testament to how difficult it is to prosecute powerful individuals with wealth, connections, and resources—but she does ensure he is prosecuted for the murder of former President Cadres.

The book’s primary plotline centers on Avery’s investigation and attempts to expose President Stokes. This plotline is supported by subplots relating to Avery’s personal life. First, Avery’s mother, Rita Keene, has an addiction to drugs and alcohol. She is a weak spot for Avery, and the “bad guys” leverage this weakness by kidnapping Rita and demanding that Avery take Justice Wynn off life support—or else they will kill Rita. With the help of Agent Lee, Rita is saved. Another subplot follows a blossoming romance between Avery and Jared. The characters team up to crack the case and, in the process, develop romantic intimacy.