Solid Grisham; if you like his other books, you'll like this one, too. The two plots involve 3 incarcerated judges holding court in a federal prison and a presidential candidate that is merely a puppet of the CIA. (You'll have to read the book to find out how those two very different stories come together.) What I found most interesting is that Grisham wrote this book in 2000, ie pre-9/11. The threat of terrorists is what compels the CIA head to use his vast resources and PAC money to get involved in the presidential race in the first place. Also, if you have ever wondered how an unknown Congressman was able to amass unlimited funds to run for president, Grisham gives a plausible explanation in The Brethren (albeit 8 years before the fact).