About the book, Supreme Justice

Paperback
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (July 1, 2014)
Pages: 338

A new standalone thriller from the creator of The Road to Perdition and the Nathan Heller series.

After taking a bullet for his commander-in-chief, Secret Service agent Joseph Reeder is a hero. But his outspoken criticism of the president he saved—who had stacked the Supreme Court with hard-right justices to overturn Roe v. Wade, amp up the Patriot Act, and shred the First Amendment—put Reeder at odds with the Service’s apolitical nature, making him an outcast.

FBI agent Patti Rogers finds herself paired with the unpopular former agent on a task force investigating the killing of Supreme Court Justice Henry Venter. Reeder—nicknamed “Peep” for his unparalleled skills at reading body language—makes a startling discovery while reviewing a security tape: the shooting was premeditated, not a botched robbery. Even more chilling, the controversial Venter may not be the only justice targeted for death…

Is a mastermind mounting an unprecedented judicial coup aimed at replacing ultra-conservative justices with a new liberal majority? To crack the conspiracy and save the lives of not just the justices but also Reeder’s own family, rising star Rogers and legendary investigator Reeder must push their skills—and themselves—to the limit.

Buy, read, and discuss Supreme Justice

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Add to Goodreads

About the author, Max Allan Collins

Max Allan Collins has earned fifteen Private Eye Writers of America “Shamus” nominations, winning for his Nathan Heller novels, True Detective and Stolen Away, and receiving the PWA life achievement award, the Eye.

His graphic novel, Road to Perdition, the basis for the Academy Award–winning film starring Tom Hanks, was followed by two novels, Road to Purgatory and Road to Paradise. His suspense series include Quarry, Nolan, Mallory, and Eliot Ness, and his numerous comics credits include the syndicated Dick Tracy and his own Ms. Tree.

He has written and directed four feature films and two documentaries. His other produced screenplays include The Expert, an HBO World Premiere, and The Last Lullaby. His coffee-table book The History of Mystery received nominations for every major mystery award and Men’s Adventure Magazines won the Anthony.

Collins lives in Muscatine, Iowa, with his wife, writer Barbara Collins. They have collaborated on seven novels and are currently writing the Trash ‘n’ Treasures mysteries.

My Thoughts

It was a bit weird reading this novel even as the real-world conservative-dominated SCOTUS is chipping away at women’s rights, voting rights, and the separation between church and state. In fact, at times I felt myself wishing that there actually was a conspiracy to replace the conservatives on the bench. But aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

Both of the main characters were fascinating, dimensional people, and the dialogue throughout the book as as snappy as Aaron Sorkin ever wrote on The West Wing. Collins has written for the screen before, and it shows, because Supreme Justice feels like it would translate really well to television (HBO, maybe?) or film.

A gripping plot, fantastic characters, and well-paced action all combine to give the reader a satisfying, suspense-filled experience.

Goes well with a juicy steak, a baked potato, and a craft beer.

This review is based on an ARC provided by TLC Book Tours, and is part of a blog tour they organized. For more information, including the complete list of tour stops, click HERE.