The story goes that Brad Meltzer wrote THE TENTH JUSTICE, his first published novel, while he was attending law school back in 1997. Don’t know if he ever graduated, but the success of that debut launched his livelihood as a popular, bestselling author of thrillers, often based in law and politics (and, recently, comic books, too).
Now, thanks to Harper’s reissues in “premium paperback” format (slightly longer than mass paperback, but narrower than trade format and priced in between the two), we can see where his novelist career began. For the most part, THE TENTH JUSTICE, some 12 years after the fact, holds up pretty well.
Ben Addison, the main character, counts himself as extraordinarily fortunate for having landed the coveted position as a Supreme Court clerk fresh out of Yale Law School. Clerking for the highest court in the country means a ton of endless work, but it also means his future is assured and that he will undoubtedly be courted by the most prestigious legal firms offering staggering salaries and perks. But because Supreme Court clerks have early access to very powerful information about national legal decisions — making any of them the unofficial “Tenth Justice” — they must take ultimate vows of secrecy.
One afternoon, Ben is contacted by Rick, a former clerk for the same justice Ben works for. Over lunch, Ben and Rick share stories and experiences; Ben casually reveals the unannounced decision of a case that involves huge amounts of money. Almost immediately thereafter, Ben learns that Rick was never a clerk. In reality, Ben was tricked into revealing information that became a million-dollar, inside-trader bonanza for a certain investor.
Of course, the leak puts Ben’s career in serious jeopardy. What’s even more frustrating is that he, along with his close friends and roommates — aided by Lisa, the spunky young girl he clerks with — can never manager to catch the mysterious Rick on film or on tape. Even their attempts to track down his I.D. fail. In the meantime, Rick tightens the blackmail noose he’s thrown around Ben’s neck. And Ben suspects Rick is being assisted by one or more of his friends, and perhaps even Lisa.
At more than 500 pages — owing perhaps to the excesses of a first-time novelist — THE TENTH JUSTICE moves surprisingly well, with only a few superfluous scenes and a cautious minimum of legal exposition. The dialogue and characterizations are also refreshingly free of at-the-moment slang and mannerisms, so they remain mostly believable after all these years.
But for all its undercurrents of loyalty, friendship and betrayal, the novel is, at heart, a legal thriller. While it’s not likely to win over any readers not already in love with such stories, it still holds much for those who don’t count the days between new books by the likes of John Grisham, Scott Turow, David Baldacci and many others.
Considering the credibility stretches Meltzer has taken in his novels of late, this debut might be counted as among his best. That, along with the few hours of solid entertainment it provides, makes it worth a look. —Alan Cranis
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• THE BOOK OF FATE by Brad Meltzer
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
For those of us who love anything to do with the Supreme Court this book seems like a must read for the intrigue and the learning experience of how the system works. This touches me on many different levels good concept for sure!