Genius lawyer Avery Keene is back with a third installment in this gripping thriller series from jack-of-all-trades Stacey Abrams. Avery has been hired by Camasca and its charismatic founder Rafe Diaz to investigate the death of one of its top IT executives that occurred on Camasca's campus while the executives were attempting to "realign" Camasca's AI. The AI in question was the foundation for technology that would help ailing veterans, particularly those of color, whose medical histories were often overlooked or ignored due to implicit biases. A noble cause--but veterans in Camasca's care suddenly begin bleeding profusely from their eyes, and no one seems to know why. Are these incidents related? Are Avery and her team in danger? And what will happen with Camasca's imminent IPO?

This is a DENSE book, y'all. Sometimes I had to reread sentences or entire paragraphs multiple times to make sure I understood what the characters were talking about--AI is complicated! But it's obvious that Abrams knows what she's talking about, and I appreciated (though others may not) the subtle and not-so-subtle political angles that Avery and her colleagues took while discussing and investigating the case. While it takes a little bit to get into it, once the book gets going, it hums along with plenty of red herrings and surprises. I also read this without reading the second book (and it has been years since I read the first one), so you can pick this up without being totally up to date on the series if the AI topic interests you. It's a very of-the-moment thriller, and I loved following Avery along for the ride as she figured everything out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

This delves into AI and medical ethics surrounding health care. A lot of research went into this story and at times it seemed slow but the dynamics among the 4 in Avery’s group made this interesting. I hope the next book in this series gets back to more of the legal court drama.3.5 stars

CODED JUSTICE by Stacey Abrams is the third book in the mystery series featuring lawyer Avery Keene. Currently working as an internal investigator, Avery accepts a client whose innovative product (a computerized neural network with talking robots) utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms to provide patient care to veterans. Run by a dedicated ex-military scientist, Rafe Diaz, the company is about to execute an IPO, but another scientist/coding engineer has died recently. Was it some kind of malfunction in the air conditioning system (as the local police believe) or malicious intent? Avery and her team (Jared, the cyber security expert; Noah, a lawyer and financial analyst; and Ling, a doctor) have a limited time to discover the truth, especially as more deaths occur, increasingly pointing to danger for all. This thriller is complex with plenty of suspects. If the pace seems slow at times, that is balanced by being informative and thought-provoking about the ethical dilemmas associated with artificial intelligence. CODED JUSTICE received a starred review from Booklist ("The very real concerns with veteran health, privacy, and the chilling prospect of AI run amok will engage readers' brains and souls.")

Coded Justice, by Stacey Abrams, was terrifyingly fascinating as it alerts us to the benefits and dangers of using Artificial Intelligence in the delivery of health care. I think about it frequently, and almost every time I sit in a medical office. Frankly, the future of AI is scary enough that it far outweighed the thriller/mystery aspects of the story. Also, there are a lot of characters and a lot of talk that weighs the novel down. To be fair, this is the third entry in the series. It probably would have been less overwhelming had I read the preceding two novels. For those of you concerned about the author's politics, not a lot seeps into this story. In fact, I chose it for my book club as a vehicle to discuss AI and the state of health care. I am very much looking forward to that conversation! Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

"Coded Justice" by Stacey Abrams is a captivating read that explores the intersection of AI and healthcare. Avery Keene, a character known for her sharp wit and dedication to justice, tackles a complex case involving a mysterious death and a powerful tech company. The book delves into ethical dilemmas surrounding AI and features a dynamic cast of characters. Abrams's taut writing and suspenseful plot keep you on the edge of your seat, making this installment a standout in the Avery Keene series. It's a thrilling read that explores complex themes with a sense of optimism and a focus on justice.

3.5 stars

The Avery Keene series is one of my favorite thriller series of all-time. I binged the first two books in this series because of their connection to the Supreme Court and federal legal system. That said, this book didn’t really do it for me.

I think the writing itself was consistent with the past books and Abrams is always great with her prose. I think it just felt so disconnected from the first two books in its premise. I wasn’t super interested in the get-go from moving away from the federal government focus to a private firm focus. Overall the plot was interesting enough, but I couldn’t help but cringe at “the AI.” It also felt like a few of the deaths were glossed over and not super relevant beyond a mention in the plot. It didn’t give that same urgency as the first two with imminent threats of national security which made the actual pacing feel much slower and not as thrilling.

It was good but not great. A fun thriller but kind of a let down from past works in the series.

Coded Justice by Stacey Abrams is a gripping and timely addition to the Avery Keene series, and as someone who’s followed this series from the beginning, I found it to be the most ambitious installment yet. Abrams plunges Avery into the high-stakes world of artificial intelligence and medical innovation, where a promising new technology is marred by disturbing anomalies and a suspicious death. The case leads Avery into Camasca Enterprises, a secretive tech company with billions on the line and a trail of bodies that suggests something far more sinister than a software glitch.

What makes this series so compelling and Coded Justice especially is Avery herself. She’s sharp, principled, and emotionally grounded, balancing her legal instincts with a deep sense of justice. In this book, she’s not just solving a mystery; she’s navigating the ethical minefield of AI in healthcare, confronting powerful interests, and protecting vulnerable lives. Her dynamic with returning characters like Jared, Ling, and Noah adds depth and continuity, while the new players, including the enigmatic founder Rafe Diaz, keep the tension fresh.

Abrams’s writing is taut and intelligent, blending legal thriller with tech suspense in a way that feels both urgent and thought-provoking. The pacing is brisk, the stakes are high, and the moral questions linger long after the final page. As a longtime fan of the series, I’m thrilled to see Avery evolve in complexity and courage. Coded Justice doesn’t just entertain—it challenges, making it a standout in a series that continues to deliver.

Avery Keene is one of my favorite series and this addition did not miss. I find AI to be incredibly interesting and SA did a great job with it. I was intrigued when she used it to tie in to veteran's healthcare. To someone who has been in HC for quite some time this really hit home. Thank you for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review! I cannot wait to read more from SA!

I really enjoy the style of writing from Stacey Abrams. I have read all three of her Avery Keene novels and she treats her readers with respect and intelligence and in this case, she did have to do some explaining of AI, which I needed.

When Avery is hired to do an internal investigation of a tech company prior to them going public, she is forewarned that a death of one of their top researchers was declared an accident but could have been murder. But, murder by a person or the AI that could make the company and all their employees rich. I admit I spent most of the book rooting for it being a person because I can't imagine a world where computers run everything on their own. There are a lot of discussions within the book about AI and how it will change the world.

The regular secondary characters are back, Avery has her group who help her solve complicated issues: a doctor, another lawyer and her high tech boyfriend. The banter between the good friends helps bring the reader into the fold.

I learned a lot and am still scared of AI! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Coded Justice is another solid addition to the Avery Keene series. This time focused on the ethical and practical concerns surrounding AI, it's a bit of a slow-starter that gains momentum as the story chugs along and ends in a mostly satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to the next installment!

In 2021, I read and reviewed Stacy Abrams’ novel While Justice Sleeps, and was introduced to Avery Keene, “…a brilliant young law clerk working for Justice Howard Wynn, a curmudgeon who is in failing health. Avery is doing her best to hold her life together, working long hours in a demanding job, while dealing with a messy family situation featuring her drug addict mother.” Then in 2023, I read Abrams’ second Avery Keene novel, Rogue Justice, but the shocking corruption in Washington, D.C. in general and the U.S. Supreme Court in particular has made me so concerned about the state of our democracy that I had trouble finishing it. Although I was enjoying Avery’s story, and I found the book to be (as expected) well written and filled with insider knowledge, I just kept having nightmares.

So I was intrigued by the premise of Coded Justice, Abrams’ third in the Avery Keene series. In this latest installment, Avery is trying to start a new career as an investigator at a prestigious high-end law firm in Washington, D.C. It seems that Camasca Enterprises, a tech firm focused on medical issues working on incorporating AI as a tool to deliver health care to veterans, needs help. Their prototype is plagued by strange anomalies (I know, sort of redundant) and the mysterious death of an engineer has brought things to a head. Enter Avery! She and her colleagues need to figure out why things are screwing up.

In my recent review of Bruce Holsinger’s novel Culpability, which also revolved around AI, I noted that “I really enjoyed learning about AI and considering some of the arguments for and against its use.” The same is true (perhaps even more so) in Coded Justice, with the added bonus of Abrams’ insider knowledge about D.C., legal issues and ethics, and the issues around race and gender in medical care.

The word “coded” in the title has multiple meanings. While related to software programming, it also explores the differentiation of medical diagnosis and treatment based on race and gender. Treatment decisions are made based on how patients are “coded” or classified based on their race and gender. Also, one of the engineers at Camasca uses the phrase “code switching,” meaning how people change their behavior to match the social context of a situation. Personally, I found this fascinating (perhaps more so than AI, TBH).

As expected, this third entry in the series is filled with well-developed characters embroiled in legal and political issues, and the mystery-thriller aspect is very well done. My only issue is that the dialogue sometimes seemed clunky or at least stilted, and IMHO the characters might have been more relatable if they talked more like real people. Shallow, but my opinion, and doesn’t detract from the quality of the story or the impact on the reader diving into the world of AI as an everyday issue. While this can definitely be read and enjoyed as a standalone, the backstory about Avery is likely to be helpful to understand her actions, so I would recommend reading earlier books in the series. Again, this entry in the series gets four stars from me, along with thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for this honest review.

Another great read from Stacey Abrams. Avery Keene is back—this time in the midst of AI and the pharmaceutical industry. Current, informative, and unsettling. I couldn’t put it down.

Part political intrigue, part mystery thriller, and part near-future speculative fiction, Coded Justice examined the impact of AI in the healthcare industry. Camasca, a tech startup, is creating an AI healthcare model that is more inclusive to combat racial disparities in healthcare. However they soon launch an investigation when a team member dies on the job and a warning against the machine surfaces.

This book is very well researched and I thought it was fascinating to have Stacey Abrams lend her political knowledge to tackle some modern issues with AI and healthcare, especially in the realm of VA, which often gets overlooked.

However, the dialogue is very exposition-heavy, which makes all the characters sound unnatural and the quips didn’t quite land. The themes are interesting and topical but the execution wasn’t there for me, which is disappointing as Abrams is a good writer.

Special thanks Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Book #3 in the Avery Keene series. Stacey Abrams' professional history includes politics on both the local and federal levels. This is evident in the realistic approach to the reach of the AI systems that are at the center of CODED JUSTICE. Camasca Enterprises has developed a groundbreaking AI system that is poised to revolutionize healthcare. The system has been launched to enhance the treatment of soldiers and veterans within the military. Following an unexplained death, Camasca is looking for answers. Is there a problem with the program, or is there an outside influence attempting to disrupt it? Avery Keene has been tasked by her firm to investigate and report her findings quickly. Avery and her team find many questions with few answers until it becomes clear that someone is trying to stop their research. The story is fast-paced as they race to prevent more deaths.

Stacey Abrams has always been on my TBR list as a Georgian. This book did not disappoint. The book deals with AI on the medical side. A riveting mystery with lots of current issues. AI seemed to be in my life this week and this dealt with it from the ways it can help with warning of how it can hurt. I highly recommend this book.

This was such a fun popcorn thriller with a surprisingly smart take on AI. It’s the third Avery Keene book, and I really enjoyed being back in that world—fast-paced plot, political and legal intrigue, and just enough personal drama to keep things grounded. You definitely have to pay attention as you read (classic Avery), but it’s worth it.

What stood out most to me this time was how the book handles artificial intelligence—not in a sci-fi, killer robot way, but in a more unsettling “what if the system thinks it knows better than us?” kind of way. There are multiple AI systems involved, and the way they interact—both with the humans and with each other—is genuinely fascinating. They’re not evil, exactly. But they’re logical, strategic, and sometimes manipulative in ways that feel eerily real. One thread explores how an AI might pretend to be aligned just to avoid being retrained, and it gave me chills in the best way.

That said, it still reads like a thriller—big moments, shifting alliances, and some tense scenes I won’t spoil, but whoa. The story moves quickly, and even though some parts are a bit over-the-top, I was fully in.

If you’ve read the first two books, this is a solid continuation. If you haven’t, you could probably jump in here, but you’ll get more out of it with the backstory. It’s entertaining, a little bit unsettling, and made me think more than I expected. Definitely recommend if you like smart thrillers with something to say. Thank you Doubleday for the gifted ebook to review.

4.5 ⭐️
This book was great, really great! This is my first Stacy Abrams book, and I am thrilled to read more.

She writes a very in-depth, descriptive, and compelling story! I highlighted every time I came across a vocab word, words that are not commonly used in books or speaking, and I counted 65+ words in the book. She included vocabulary like eidetic, disquietude, recalcitrant, insouciance, concomitant, sicced, and so many more. Abrams was like you are going to learn something from my book and I loved being challenged while reading! That does not happen often, with the books and the genres I read. So that made me even more invested in reading.

Her topics were highly relevant and I could see this happening, or something similar, as we integrate AI into our lives more and more. Additionally, after reading Legacy by Dr. Uché Blackstock earlier this year, this book felt connected by the themes of addressing racial health inequities, and in this story, specifically, veterans of color. I would definitely recommend Legacy after reading this for those interested in the healthcare system with the lens of racial inequities.

I did get a little confused with the amount of tech jargon. She definitely tried to explain healthcare and AI/tech terms and intricacies, and while it worked a lot of the time, sometimes it felt that, as a reader not in tech, things were going to go above my head no matter how well she explained something. Near the end, there was a long scene with a lot of techy dialogue in an intense situation, and it felt too drawn out. It was a little silly and exhaustive, and I think it could have been shorter to get the reader to the ending quicker.

Other than that, it was thoroughly entertaining. I am eager to read more Abrams.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Coded Justice is another great book in the Avery Keene series. You learn a lot about AI (artificial intelligence) in the medical industry and the way it can be utilized. Are the humans behind its use doing it for good or are there ulterior motives? The book takes you through many twists and turns as Avery and her friends investigate a company and its staff as the company, Camasca, prepares for an IPO. It is a thrilling and spellbinding book that leaves you on the edge of your seat as different events occur. I high;y recommend this book.

A new book in the Avery Keene series, and it is a great read, especially for readers who enjoy books by John Grisham and Michael Connelly. This one has Avery taking a new job in D.C., hoping to put the recently disturbing past behind her. She's at an elite law firm, and when an important client specifically asks for her, she's intrigued. Of course, there's a reason, and it is not good for Avery. Lots of twists and turns, lots of action. The more you know Avery, the more you will enjoy this book, but it definitely works as a standalone title. I look forward to recommending it.

If you weren't already at least a little freaked out by AI, this will help you get there for sure. I've really enjoyed the previous Avery Keene books, and while this isn't my favorite for a few reasons (it's too long, and occasionally gets into the weeds a little too much with descriptions/discussions of the technology), it still has the clever legal work and enough heart-racing thrills that I never considered stopping this one.