Rogue Justice (Avery Keene, #2) by Stacey Abrams

Rogue Justice (Avery Keene, #2) Reviews

• 
  Daniel Shindler

  Stacey Abrams is a multitalented political savant who has galvanized underrepresented groups to participate in political and electoral life.She is also an author of popular fiction books.Recently she has created a series that fuses accessible entertainment with pressing concerns about the viability of American democracy.
  
  Avery Keene, the series’ protagonist, drives both the plot and political discourse forward. She is a biracial child who has leveraged her eidetic memory, street smarts and logical mind to overcome her difficult childhood to become a law clerk for a Supreme Court Justice. The first book in the series, “ While Justice Sleeps,” centers on the effectiveness of lifetime Supreme Court appointments while also raising the specter of a rogue President focused on personal gain who attempts to manipulate the Court’s composition. Avery confronts these issues and enlists the help of a coterie of friends that represent a Rainbow Coalition of ethnicities and skills that hint at the author’s vision of political participation.
  
  The current book,” Rogue Justice,” takes place four months after the events in the earlier novel.The plot again returns to structural political problems and broadens its scope by introducing concerns about clandestine money influencing Court decisions, the proliferation of domestic surveillance, and the vulnerability of our cybersecurity system.
  
  Avery and her associates confront these threats with an elan bordering on super heroic in thought and deed. I did not find this aspect of the novel among its strong points. However, I do recognize that the novel is intended to reach a wide audience and dramatize political issues simply and accessibly. In that regard, Ms Abrams succeeds admirably. The United States is at a tipping point where democracy might threaten to migrate to autocracy. The country and its political infrastructure are relatively new and still evolving.Those who say “ It can not happen here” have not taken a critical view of events. Although the plotting of the novel did not totally engage me, I admired Ms Abrams’ efforts to continue her grass roots proselytizing for her vision of American participatory democracy.3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
• 
  Monte Price

  It felt so good to be reading a sequel that felt like a sequel. I'm positive that's a sentence that reads a little foolish, but given my reading year the second books in things have been flopping. Though here the story feels much less like it's a definite conclusion, and so that that does help things a little. At the same time the more time I spent reading this book the more I also started to wonder just how long a series like this could run for when already the stakes feel pretty intense.
  
  There was a quality to this book that felt like I was a kid again. Stay with me because I don't mean for that to be a drag or symbolize that the book reads younger than the intended audience. There was simply a quality to this book that reminded me of being in middle school and watching a really good movie.
  
  So much of the media created over the past decade has this essence looming over it that the alternate history or near future depicted is decidedly a little too close for comfort, and there is something of that in this book? On page it feel ludicrous that the consequences of the last book could lead into the plot of this book but then you look up from the pages and remember where we are in the real world and the way the narrative was able to have this interplay between something set contemporaneously while playing with nostalgia but also keeping the tension... it just clicked.
  
  As for Avery Keene I liked being back with her. I still don't know how Abrams found the time to get this book out, but I loved it even more than the last one. I think that it handled raising the stakes in a way that felt believable and not clownish, while also subverting some expectations that also felt believable given the game being played here.
  
  Sure, there are some scenes that I would have personally loved a little more of, but overall it was definitely time well spent.
• 
  Jamele (BookswithJams)

  Ok I hope Stacey Abrams is doing nothing else but writing legal thrillers for the near future and just keeps them coming, because y’all, this one is just as fantastic as the first, if not a wee bit more as she did not have to set any stages and could just jump right into it. As an added bonus, this story had elements of power grids and ERCOT and ahem, I lived through the nightmare a few years ago of losing power during the freeze and so this one got a little too close to home but I loved it so much. Legal thrillers are a favorite of mine, especially political ones, and the pacing was on point here. In addition to power issues (grid and political) there was also the topic of crypto, but not to worry, she explains it for the layman in here and so nothing was over my head.
  
  Avery is a strong character with phenomenal credibility, so of course she has both powerful allies and enemies alike and it is fun to watch her handle the enemies and use the allies throughout. This starts off with a bang and does not let up until the very end and I was hooked all the way through. The audio is fantastic, I followed along with the physical book but I did not need to, it was just a preference in this case. I hope this is not the conclusion of the series and there are more coming, as I have thoroughly enjoyed these books!
  
  Thank you to Doubleday Books and PRH Audio for the advanced copies to review. Pub date is Tuesday, May 23 and while you do not need to have read the prior book, While Justice Sleeps, I highly recommend them both!
• 
  Candice Hale

  ▪️ 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝙍𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 proves to be a solid sequel to 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙎𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙨. It lulls only partly in the beginning to build up the tension, plot, and background for the government corruption occurring in the book. It’s best to read Book 1 first. It’s a whirlwind of political drama. I’m in awe of the astute political mind Abrams possesses and hopes she continues to allow Avery Keene a place in the legal mind. The ending was explosive and had me cheering for the “anti-villain.” This one is out now and doesn’t disappoint.
  
  ▪️ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: 1.) That sometimes the wheels of justice turn in the wrong directions by those in power, forcing some people to pursue “rogue justice” to feel heard, seen, and acknowledged by a system meant to protect them. Justice must see the marginalized and power cannot be corrupt. 2.) Cybersecurity is a looming threat to our national security if our governments are not prepared effectively from terrorist attacks.
  
  ▪️𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: Yes, I waited patiently. Thanks to @libby.app and @prhaudio for the free listen. The narrator for Abrams’ story is none other than Adenrele Ojo. She is a true giant in the audiobook world with over 200+ titles including 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙒.𝙀.𝘽. 𝘿𝙪 𝘽𝙤𝙞𝙨, 𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙒𝙖𝙮𝙨, and 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙖 to name a few that I’ve read. Ojo is spectacular here with an array of different voices/accents. 85% of my read was on audio only and I was intrigued by the drama. Great audiobook version.
  
  ▪️𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.25)
  
  ▪️𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱: For readers of legal thrillers, political dramas, mystery thrillers, and adult fiction with some contemporary issues.
• 
  Barb in Maryland

  Vastly entertaining follow-up to
  While Justice Sleeps. This is a non-stop political techno-thriller featuring a plot to destroy the whole US power grid.
• 
  Ariel (ariel_reads)

  Rogue Justice is an excellent follow up and book two in the Avery Keene series. I really like Avery as the main character, and I appreciate how she moves and makes choices with agency and direction. Stacey Abrams has such a solid grasp on politics as a politician and activist herself, and that is even more evident in this book. There's a pending impeachment, reelection, and Supreme Court Justice appointments all interwoven in the book and they're explained in a way that felt accessible to me to easily understand without being too mired in the details. The plot focuses heavily on the questions and concerns surrounding the US's reliance on the internet and the cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could be exploited. Overall, this is a solid political thriller, and I'd recommend this book if you've read and enjoyed While Justice Sleeps, and I recommend While Justice Sleeps to anyone who is interested in some political/legal mystery thrillers set in the US.
  
  Some content warnings to be aware of: sexual assault, stalking, attempted strangulation.
  
  A huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!
• 
  Gini

  She writes well. I could have used a review of the first book; I was lost for quite a while and missed quite a bit. Wasn’t going to reread the first one, though. Best read back to back. Plot wasn’t very original, but the book held my interest most of the way through. Without the backstory from the first book, a law clerk’s involvement in international terrorism, high level hacking etc seems incredulous. I’ll probably read the next one because - Stacey Abrams!
• 
  Kate (kate_reads_)

  WOW. I don’t even know how to talk about Rogue Justice. This will probably be one of my top books of 2023. This book pulled me in and just wouldn’t let go. I had dreams about it. I thought about it between times when I could read it. I tried to convince a friend to read it immediately because I couldn’t wait to discuss it (sorry for the pressure Christine!)
  
  This is the second book in the Avery Keene series and I sure hope there will be more!! I do suggest reading them in order but it’s okay to go into this if you don’t remember everything from the first book. This picks up a few months after that ended and everyone is dealing with the consequences.
  
  I didn’t read any of the synopsis before I started and want to give you that opportunity too. So I’ll just say this is a political thriller that will keep you flying through the pages and scare you with possibilities. At one point I started making safety plans for what I would do in a certain situation. Wow. What a book.
  
  Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
• 
  Stephanie

  Almost exactly two years ago, I read and reviewed Stacy Abrams’ novel While Justice Sleeps, in which we were introduced to Avery Keene, “…a brilliant young law clerk working for Justice Howard Wynn, a curmudgeon who is in failing health. Avery is doing her best to hold her life together, working long hours in a demanding job, while dealing with a messy family situation featuring her drug addict mother.
  
  For some reason unknown to Avery, Judge Wynn names her his legal guardian and gives her his power of attorney, so when he falls into a coma, her life gets very messy very quickly. Avery soon discovers that Justice Wynn had been secretly researching a controversial case involving a proposed merger between an American biotech company and a genetics firm in India.” Terrific plotting, great characters, I pretty much loved it. I gave it four stars, and admitted that “...my rating of fewer than five stars is due to my own lack of knowledge of chess!”
  
  Avery Keene is back in Ms. Abrams’ new novel entitled Rogue Justice, and she is trying to get things in her life back to what passed for normal after her efforts to deal with an international conspiracy in While Justice Sleeps. She is at a legal conference where she meets Preston Davies, a fellow law clerk working for a federal judge in Idaho (Avery works at SCOTUS). Preston is sure that his recently deceased boss, Judge Francesca Whitner, was being blackmailed shortly before she died. Along with a dire-sounding warning, he gives Avery a file and a burner phone, and his fear that dangerous people are involved.
  
  Avery discovers that judges on the FISA Court (the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court), which grants permission to the government to wiretap Americans or spy on corporations suspected of terrorism, are on a list, and in danger, so she sets out to unravel the truth. So far, so good. But then the real world intruded on my thoughts, as headlines about the shocking corruption in Washington, D.C. in general and the U.S. Supreme Court in particular made me very concerned about the state of our democracy. Although I was enjoying Avery’s story, and I found the book to be (as expected) well written and filled with insider knowledge, I just kept having nightmares.
  
  I have not yet finished it, and I’m not sure when I will be ready for it. TBH, my therapist recommended I give it a rest until I am less fearful. (God knows when THAT will be.) In the meantime, I recommend it for fans of legal thrillers, political intrigue, and intricate plotting, just as I did the first in the series. I look forward to more from Avery Keene and Ms. Abrams, although I am still puzzled about when Stacey sleeps! Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing me a copy of Rogue Justice in exchange for this honest review. Four stars.
• 
  Karen

  I was ready to snuggle in with a good book and a good nights sleep. I picked the wrong book for a good nights sleep.
  
  This is the second in the series, for Avery Keene, an intelligent DC law clerk for a cantankerous judge. We first met her in the author's first book While Justice Sleeps. If you haven't read, the first book, you may be a little lost with this one. They are a bit connected. I found myself struggling to recall details - so I think the author might have helped if she provided more summary of the first book in the second book, as reminders - just so we could have followed along more easily.
  
  This book picks up after Avery's testimony which had to do with the impeachment of President Stokes. If some of this story seems to mirror real life politics, don't be surprised. That is what I believe drives this author.
  
  In this book, Preston Davies, a clerk for a recently deceased federal judge, felt that his judge had been blackmailed. He is concerned and really feels Avery should look into it. She is a bit skeptical, until she witnesses Preston's murder.
  
  While details can enhance a story, it seemed to be an overkill in information. (And bodies.) I'm sure with Abram's vast political astuteness this would add to the authenticity of her setting and the characters she presents, but the pacing of the plot felt off. Unfortunately there were just too many characters to keep track of, and they didn't stand out from each other.
  
  In the end, the story had trouble holding my attention. And I don't think it was just because I was tired. Still, if you like books with deeper plots than most legal, political thrillers, this series might work for you. Unfortunately, it was a skipper to the end for me.
• 
  Tamisha booklovertamisha

  This legal thriller was quite a read. Avery Keene is back and ready to do more investigating. This was a book about terrorism, espionage, and government. It was very technical, which made it difficult to follow. I did find myself skimming some of the more intricate sections.
  
  The ending was really good. I'm always happy when a book gives you closure in a mystery. Finding out the who, why, and how it all connects was very interesting. I'm not sure I would read a book like this again. I like my stories a little less complicated and more relatable.
• 
  Martin Maenza

  Rogue Justice, the second in this series by Stacey Abrams, will be released on May 23, 2023. Doubleday books provided an early galley for review.
  
  This one picks up four months after the end of the last book, and that fallout is being addressed right at the start of this one. The reader is able to easily see how the cast has progressed, giving a realistic feel for the advancement of time.
  
  Of course, there is also a new threat that involves parties seeking power through manipulation of the United States legal branch. Abrams describes the action and danger well and continues to explain organizational and technical terms in a reader-friendly manner that fits the story flow and tone.
  
  She also has a knack for reflecting current political themes into her story without directly referencing them verbatim while adapting them to fit into her fictional world. I like that her Washington DC has a different cast than our own, even if the rules of agencies and the nature of human behavior still matches up. She has continued to add to her world-building that, hopefully, we'll see more of in future installments of this series.
• 
  Nnenna | scsreads

  Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
  
  I really enjoyed the first book in this series, WHILE JUSTICE SLEEPS, and I was very much looking forward to this sequel. As I thought about it though, I feel like on paper this book doesn’t necessarily seem like something I’d be into. It’s very much about the inner political workings of the government and various government agencies. I’m definitely an Avery Keene fan though, and even though some of the details go over my head, I enjoyed this book!
  
  This picks up a few months after the last book ended and Avery Keene is once again wrapped up in a potential national crisis. I think she’s such a great character and I love how she’s constantly proving she’s more intelligent than the top government agencies. It was fun to be back in this world amongst this cast of characters and this book held my interest the whole way through. I feel like Abrams dove right into the story without too much preamble, which I appreciated. I did think the ending was a little bit abrupt though. Also, I do hope Avery gets some R&R between this book and the next though- girl has been through a lot!
  
  ROGUE JUSTICE has me thinking that I might be into the genre of legal thrillers, but I need to test this theory by reading a couple more!
  
• 
  Darcy

  This one really didn't go where I expected it to at the start. Avery was in the middle of things and it was hard for her to stay out of it, especially when people kept coming to her. It was fun to see how all these powerful people dealt with Avery and how she won them over in the end.
  
  The last part was pretty explosive and I kinda found myself cheering on the bad guy, not wanting them to fail, they had already been failed enough. I really liked the last bit with the news show, ahhhhh karma at her best!
• 
  Kari Budnik (checkedoutbooks)

  First of all I would vote Abrams for president so fast just based on the sheer knowledge of government systems she displays in these books. This was another fast-paced political thriller featuring the same protagonist as her first book and even though some of it went over my head I think I felt like I got more of this book than the first. I don't love political thrillers but I'll continue to read what Abrams puts out.
• 
  Lulu

  Rogue Justice is a much better read. The story is still packed full of governmental agencies and their acronyms, information and scenarios way above my clearance, but the story makes sense, is very relatable and flows smoothly! I’m looking forward to more of Avery Keene.
• 
  Lisa Welch

  I am really enjoying this series from Stacey Abrams, and it will appeal to a wide range of readers. Abrams is a strong writer with great execution skills. This one is action-packed, and I was flying through the pages waiting to see what would happen next. The pacing was excellent, and the plot never went in a direction that would make me want to chuck the book across the room. The plot does get a little technical at times, but nothing that kept me from losing interest. Our main characters are further developed in this book (I don't think you HAVE to read book 1 to jump into this one, but it definitely helps and I would recommend reading it first), and I enjoyed getting to know them even more. I love the little shades at some current political figures who feature prominently in the news these days. I cannot wait to see what Abrams does next!
• 
  Judie

  While Avery Keene’s boss, Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn remains in a coma, she remains on the court’s payroll, doing whatever the Chief Justice assigns her. As his power of attorney, she is also trying to figure out what he was working on.
  While she was at a legal conference, she was approached by the clerk of a federal judge in Idaho, who had just committed suicide. The clerk tells her his boss was being blackmailed and gave Avery a file and a burner phone and warned her about approaching danger. She followed him out of the building, saw him get into a taxi, and then he and the taxi driver were shot to death by a jogger.
  The things he gave her lead her to a list of federal court judges, all of whom were members of a secret court which oversaw and granted permission to the government to wiretap or spy on individuals and corporations who were suspected of terrorism.
  Avery learns that all of the people named are in danger. Working with Justice Wynn’s son Jared, and using his particular talents, they follow the trail to try to stop further assassinations and discover why these judges are being targeted.
  While going through his papers, Avery finds that Justice Wynn, knowing about her phenomenal memory and solving ability, has left her a lot of clues, mostly in a puzzle format. She learns that the Acting President of the US, who wants to be named President, has participated in numerous crimes.
  The goal of the enemies involves a major plan to seriously disrupt the workings of the government and the lives of all Americans.
  The book has a lot of technical information, mostly explained, and moves quickly. My main complaint is the there are a lot of agencies, committees, etc. that are identified by their initials. A list at the end of the book would have been extremely helpful.
• 
  Kymm

  Of course, I know what a dynamo Stacey Abrams is in the political world but after reading the first and now second book in the Avery Keene series, "Rogue Justice" she's at the top of the literary game as an author too. The book was exciting, action packed and filled with all the thrills and chills of a well thought out political thriller that we all can relate to after years of being let in by the media. I found several current events that intermingled with the fictional life and story of Avery Keene, a legal aid tasked with holding down the fort for the Supreme Court justice who is barely hanging on in the hospital after the first book's drama unfolded. If you haven't, I'd read the first book, "While Justice Sleeps" before this one just to get familiar with Avery and how she works and sleuths in the biggest and potentially most damaging courts in the country.
  
  Avery is the perfect protagonist; she'll do anything to see that justice prevails and the bad seeds of government never succeed with their criminal behavior. She's tough, she's brilliant has an eidetic memory and always gets her man/woman. I just love this series; it's written very well by someone whose been inside some of the toughest political rooms and was able to live and talk about it! I highly recommend this one to anyone no matter what side of the political aisle you find yourself on. Happy Reading!
• 
  Weronika

  Avery Keene is back and the story picks up four months after the conclusion of While Justice Sleeps, where Avery accused the President of United States of genocide and treason. Now the President’s under investigation and possible impeachment. Avery is not making friends in high places when a law clerk approaches her with a mysterious extortion and death of a federal judge and he gets killed in broad daylight right before her eyes - Avery is again embroiled in a dangerous and sinister plot by unknown hackers.
  
  Abrams blows me away with her great writing, mystery building and political intrigue, I’m hooked! What stands out to me the most are all the layers woven into the story and how they get revealed to the reader. I’m enjoying this ragtag group of crime solvers and especially like the interactions between Avery and Agent Lee, they almost have a daughter-father relationship and it really makes me care and root for them when all these events are against them.
  
  I’m pretty sure I’ll be reading whatever Stacey puts out next and I hope we get more of Avery’s books!
• 
  Leane

  A superb sophomore entry in the Avery Keene Legal/Political Thriller series as the author continues to develop her smart and formidable female Supreme Court clerk and drops the reader right where the excellent first in this series (When Justice Sleeps 2021) leaves off as Avery, her posse of friends, legal cohorts, and FBI minders are dealing with the fall-out from the last adventure. She soon finds herself reeled into another one that echoes Abram’s impressive research as she entangles the reader in energy policy, cybersecurity, federal laws, and military protocol, integrating all this into a fast-paced puzzle with intensifying Tone and layers of intriguing Plotting. The only complaint I really had was that many of the secondary CHs remain placeholders even if they do bring some humor to the story. Good Washington DC setting details. I look forward to number 3 as the conclusion to the second leaves a few threads frayed and dangling with potential. Fans of Mike Lawson, Steve Martini, Grisham and Turow may want to take note. For another strong female legal mind with twists and turns, also discover Robyn Gigl’s Erin McCabe series and Marcia Clark.
• 
  Hannah Gabel

  Avery Keene’s adventures continue! Having read While Justice Sleeps when it first came out (in 2021), I had a bit of a hard time remembering where it left off. That said, this book features a new adventure (plus some info on the fallout caused by the previous book’s sleuthing) so recalling all the details from the first book isn’t entirely necessary.
  
  My main issue while reading this one was the number of characters to keep up with. That and the technical complexity of the mystery. This story is deep in the weeds of technology, electrical / power grids and governmental structure / processes. Stacey Abrams is one smart woman (which we obviously already knew, but she still never fails to impress me!).
  
  I think I enjoyed While Justice Sleeps more than this one, but still worth the read / Stacey Abrams is an auto-buy author for me. 🤍
• 
  Rebecca

  Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
  
  I'm thrilled that Stacey Abrams has gifted us with another Avery Keene book, and this is a solid follow up to While Justice Sleeps. This is incredibly detailed and draws on Abrams's vast knowledge of the legal system, but this does mean that it occasionally gets bogged down with a little too much information. There is still a lot that feels like it needs to be resolved in Avery's life, but it is interesting to see what has happened since the first book while still eagerly anticipating future stories.
• 
  Colleen

  Damn, Stacey Abrams is brilliant.
  
  This is a continuation of her first novel under her name, which I didn‘t realize and there were enough references that I wish I had read a good summary before starting this one. But it worked okay as a standalone. There‘s a lot going on here and a lot to keep track of but DAMN it comes together in a satisfying way. And I‘m thinking we haven‘t seen the last of Avery Keene yet.
• 
  Sandra The Old Woman in a Van

  I’ve been curious about Stacey Abrams’ novels for a while now so I finally listened to Rogue Justice. It is a fast paced thriller with a huge cast of characters. In sum - it was ok, but Avery Keene didn’t capture my imagination enough to want to read anything more featuring her. She wa sjust a bit over the top, even for this genre. Her cast of friends seemed like a “what expertise do I want on my desert island” so there’s a world class IT expert, to do all the hacking, a physician, to patch everyone up so they don’t need a hospital..and it goes on.
  
  That said, kudos to Stacey for having courage to follow so many passions.
• 
  Marshall

  Rogue Justice is a strong thriller and good follow up to While Justice Sleeps. However, the climax is rushed and underwhelming. The book keeps you on your toes until the very end. The final moments had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a summer thriller to get immersed in. I can't wait for the next one!
• 
  Lauren Chrisman

  I wish I had read While Justice Sleeps and Rogue Justice back to back. This book just has too many references to the first which made it difficult to follow after 2+ years between reading. Overall, too many plot lines in general. Although Stacey Abrams is an incredibly creative writer and I am a sucker for a good political thriller.