A Thriller of Supreme Proportions

When I read that Justice Clarence Thomas has released his memoirs, it occurred to me that the "Supreme Court" may be completely untapped as the setting for a crime thriller (if there is a Supreme Court crime thriller out there, please don't tell me -- I prefer ignorance). It's an insular organization at a sufficiently high level of government that a story could intersect with frightening intrigues, and, on top of all of that, many of the main characters wear flowing black robes. Could it get any better?

Here's my flap jacket copy for such a novel:

Rob Flash is the hot new law student called up to clerk for the Supreme Court of the United States. He is assigned to Justice Ian McAvoy, who has secured a reputation as the court's decisive swing voter. On the eve of a controversial abortion case, McAvoy dies of a supposed heart attack. Despite the tragedy, the court and the nation must move on. The conservative president attempts to alter the outcome of the case by appointing a political ally to the court. Meanwhile, pro-choice activists and legislators vehemently oppose the move and castigate the president for hijacking the judicial process through partisan appointments.

In the middle of this political firestorm, Flash begins to question whether McAvoy's death was truly natural. Unable to quench his thirst for the truth, the young flash begins snooping around the court for clues. Soon, powerful and unseen forces thwart his investigation at every step, even going so far as to threaten his life. Undeterred, Flash's quest for truth turns into the pursuit of justice as he chases after the man he believes killed Justice McAvoy -- a journey that leads him to the heart of back room conspiracies and political intrigues he could never have imagined. Caught between determined conservative leaders, religious fundamentalists, and fanatical womens' rights groups, Flash must navigate the turbulent nexus of law and politics, a world far darker than any an idealistic law student could have ever imagined.

He believed in the law, but he encountered a murder so unprecedented not even stare decisis could guide him. Now he must race against time in order to stop the gravest threat the republic has ever faced. No objection will be sustained, no action out of order, no curae in any way amicus. Rob Flash is . . .

The Last Resort