The Pelican Brief by John Grisham

In suburban Georgetown a killer's Reeboks whisper on the front floor of a posh home... In a seedy D.C. porno house a patron is swiftly garroted to death... The next day America learns that two of its Supreme Court justices have been assassinated. And in New Orleans, a young law student prepares a legal brief... To Darby Shaw it was no more than a legal shot in the dark, a brilliant guess. To the Washington establishment it was political dynamite. Suddenly Darby is witness to a murder -- a murder intended for her. Going underground, she finds there is only one person she can trust -- an ambitious reporter after a newsbreak hotter than Watergate -- to help her piece together the deadly puzzle. Somewhere between the bayous of Louisiana and the White House's inner sanctums, a violent cover-up is being engineered. For somone has read Darby's brief. Someone who will stop at nothing to destroy the evidence of an unthinkable crime. Goodreads

I got this book on sale at my Bookstore. I picked it up because I had recognized the cover from the movie and Julia Roberts. I haven't seen the movie but it's on my list. I kind of pissed the Bookstore lady off, when I asked if the book was based ON the movie or the other way around. She literally turned her chair around and freaked out on me. She asked me to look at the title and that's when I saw who wrote the book, John Grisham. This is the first book I've ever read by him but I know his name and that his a well know writer. I was a bit scared and relieved by her action because I act like that too when people say ridiculous things about my books. She did however admit that she was being a bit mean and apologized. 

As for the book. Well for my first Grisham book this was pretty good. It first came out in 1992 and it's set in the same time period.It was a wonderful trip back to the 90's. You know that good feeling you get after watching a 90's movie, that's how good it is(or maybe that's just me and movies). I wonder if the movies any good?

The thing(s) that bugged me was the actual Pelican brief and the vagueness around it's content. From the moment it's mentioned to almost half of the book all we really know is that it implicates and obscure figure as a suspect to the murders of the Justices Rosenberg and Jensen. This bugged me a lot because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about! why are people trying to kill the main character ? what the hell did she write in there? Of course these question all got answered in chapter 29. I'm not a very patient person but it was worth it. It's called the Pelican brief because of the birds, which are an endangered species. This guy Mattiece has these 2 Justices killed so  it would be more profitable for him to get permission to ruin the environment. (maybe not how I say it, but more or less)

The narrative was a bit confusing for me at first. I think it's one of those all-knowing narrative. For some part of the book I thought Gray was a black guy, then he's a white guy. I think he's a white guy. (not that the book's written confusingly, this is just me).

The situation at the white house: After the murders on the Justices the president and his right hand, Flecther Coal, see this as a great crisis to profit from. They care more about how they can  milk the situation to possibly influence their reelection the following year. Instead of the deaths of two prominent (yet hated figures) of society. I hate politics as much as I hate lawyers.

Characters:

 Darby Shaw: This lady is amazing and really smart. After she hears about the murders she goes and writes this brief that causes the whole story to develop and yeah some murders,but hey somebody had to do it. I really like her and the way she evaded the people following her and how she got the story out and her snarkiness. A strong female lead, who doesn't like one(except maybe lawyers).

Gray Grantham: he's the journalist Darby contacts and together they verify the claims in the pelican brief. 

There's this scene in the book where Darby goes to a Bank to get something from a deposit box. The Box belongs to a lawyer who knew something. He was murdered before Gray could find him. When Darby collects the stuff and leaves with Gray. They speed away, like they robbed the bank or something and keep yelling at each other. Gray wants her to read the affidavit and he's driving too fast, Darby's yelling. It was very amusing. 

Darby's really the only character I like from this book. Although Gray can be seem as a relatively good character .

The book ends with the guy (Gray) getting the girl (Darby). And leaves me with another great heroine.

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