The Pelican BriefThe Pelican Brief
Score Modern
What it's about
Two Supreme Court justices are murdered on the same night, and Washington has no idea why. Darby Shaw, a brilliant law student at Tulane, writes a legal brief laying out a far-fetched theory of who was behind it. The brief gets passed around, and soon the people around her start dying. Running for her life, she turns to a Washington Post reporter for help.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 12 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and is one of Grisham's most popular thrillers. It's a fast, tense chase with a smart, resourceful heroine.
You'll love it if you liked
The Bourne Identity
The Day of the Jackal
The Odessa FileGood to know
It's pure page-turner rather than courtroom drama. The 1993 film stars Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller74 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #98 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #490 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #937 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by John Grisham
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Quick answers
Is The Pelican Brief worth reading?
Yes. It spent 12 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and is one of Grisham's most popular thrillers. It ranks #937 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Pelican Brief about?
Two Supreme Court justices are murdered on the same night, and Washington has no idea why. Darby Shaw, a brilliant law student at Tulane, writes a legal brief laying out a far-fetched theory of who was behind it. The brief gets passed around, and soon the people around her start dying. Running for her life, she turns to a Washington Post reporter for help.
How long does it take to read The Pelican Brief?
About 10 hours (402 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Pelican Brief?
If you liked it, try The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth or The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth.