Very good political novel about Supreme Court nominee & abortion

First edition as new

8422693305

5751. Protect and Defend a novel by Richard North Patterson (read 11 Jul 2021) This is the 7th novel by this author I have read. It involves a late term abortion sought by a 15-year-old girl because she fears the fetus is likely to have no brain and that she will be unable to have more children since the child will have to delivered by C-section. The father of the girl is a lawyer and professor and staunchly pro-life. There is a trial and the father opposes his daughter. . The case gets to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals where the judge who has been nominated to be the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and who when young had a child out of wedlock decides in favor of permitting the girl having an abortion. The arguments for and against permitting the abortion are set forth fairly. The novel is successful in holding one's interest, even though some of the action is implausible. One's interest is held by the book till the last page. ( )

I generally don't list books here that I don't like. Usually, I don't finish them. But, I kept reading this one thinking it would get better. It has such unfulfilled promise. The fresh, new, Democratic President is being sworn in by the very old and very conservative Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. As soon as the swearing in is over, the Chief Justice drops dead. The new president's first job is to find a replacement who will, of course, be the swing vote on the court. So much could have been made out of this story. And, even though, for me, the fatter the book the better, this sucker could have been told in less than half the pages used. ( )