The Pelican Brief

The Pelican Brief is legal/suspense thriller written by John Grisham in 1992. The hardcover edition (ISBN 0385421982) was published by Doubleday in that same year. Two paperback editions were published, both by Dell Publishing and both in 1993.

Related Topics:
John Grisham - 1992 - Hardcover - Doubleday - Dell Publishing - 1993

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The story concerns the assassination of two Supreme Court Justices. While the public speculates about who may have killed them and why, the main character, Darby Shaw, researches the two justices' records and cases pending before the Court. She writes a legal brief speculating that the assassinations were committed on behalf of Victor Mattiese, an oil tycoon wanting to drill for oil on swamp land currently occupied by an endangered breed of pelicans. The land is therefore protected from development, and the court case is an appeal filed on his behalf to gain access to the land. The two slain justices had a history of environmentalism--their only common view--and thus Darby proposes that Mattiese, who has a pre-existing business relationship with the President, hoped to turn the case in his favor by eliminating two justices, thus leaving his friend the President in a position to appoint new justices more likely to rule in his favor.

Related Topics:
Supreme Court Justice - Court - Legal brief - Pelican

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Darby shows the brief to her law professor/mentor/lover, Thomas Callahan, who shows it to his Washington-based friend, Gavin Verheek. Both of them are killed soon after. Darby comes to the attention of Washington Post reporter Gray Grantham, and the two of them set out to prove her brief correct. Government forces quickly take sides, with the President trying to cover up his connection to Mattiese, which would be politically damaging; the FBI wants to get ahold of her to verify her story; and allies of Mattiese try to kill her to cover up the story.

Related Topics:
Washington Post - FBI

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The Pelican Brief was adapted into a feature film in 1993, directed by Alan J. Pakula and starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington.

Related Topics:
Feature film - 1993 - Alan J. Pakula - Julia Roberts - Denzel Washington

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