The Pelican Brief

by Robin Waterfield

First published 1995

Darby Shaw sits in her law school library when news breaks that two Supreme Court justices have been murdered within hours of each other. While Washington reels from the shocking assassinations, Darby connects dots that others have missed. She writes a legal brief outlining her theory about who ordered the killings and why. Her analysis points to a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power. When Darby shares her brief with the wrong person, she becomes a target herself. Killers hunt her through the streets of Washington and New Orleans. The FBI cannot protect her. Reporters want her story. Politicians want her silenced. Darby must prove her theory while staying one step ahead of professional assassins. She races against time to expose the truth before the conspiracy claims another victim. Her survival depends on convincing the right people that a young law student has uncovered what experienced investigators missed.

Genres: crime, action, mystery-thriller, legal-thriller

Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: cat-and-mouse, cover-up, race-against-time

Setting: New Orleans, United States, Washington

80 pages · Paperback · Penguin

Content warnings: violence

More by Robin Waterfield

Readers who liked The Pelican Brief also liked

View on Siftivo