Now the new President has a chance to appoint his own nominee to the Supreme Court, a court that is bitterly divided and highly partisan. He chooses California Federal Judge Caroline Masters, seemingly a judge who will be able to withstand the witch hunt mentality of Senate hearings. She has no written opinions on abortion rights and can parry with the best of those opposing her. Her confirmation seems assured.

What will derail Kerry and Caroline's plans for a smooth hearing and easy confirmation is a trial in California, one which will inevitably draw Caroline into its whirlpool.

A fifteen-year-old girl, Mary Anne Tierney, is challenging a law recently enacted by Congress. The Protection of Life act requires that minor girls must have parental permission in order to obtain a late term abortion of a viable fetus. Mary Anne is six months pregnant with a hydrocephalic fetus. Her parents, devoted and sincere pro-life advocates, will not agree to an abortion, even knowing that Mary Anne runs a risk of infertility because she'll have to have a classical C-section.

When Mary Anne chooses young, ambitious attorney Sara Dash, a former law clerk of Caroline Masters, to help her obtain a late-term abortion, then the situation takes on new dimensions. Mary Anne will be forced to face her parents in a trial, which, because of the judge's vanity, will be televised. From there the action will lead us through Federal Court ­ where Caroline is still a sitting judge ­ Senate caucuses, the White House, Senate hearings, the Supreme Court ­ with innocent bystanders as well as the primary and secondary characters being swept along, particularly when the media begins to ferret out secrets.

While Protect and Defend is not a thriller in the true definition, the political machinations are riveting. The background information on how the Federal judiciary works, the back room political deals, the seeming crassness of scandalmongers in the media ­ all interlock to form a story where the ideals seem to take center stage. These include the reproductive rights of women versus the rights of the unborn, the buying of political influence by the wealthy and the obliteration of privacy by the unscrupulous in the media.

Patterson's primary and secondary characters all struggle to protect and defend themselves in terms of their values, their social and political influence, their parental rights and their carefully-hidden secrets, secrets if, which exposed, will open tender hurts and in the case of some, will have tragic consequences. The press is portrayed as voracious in its quest to make news rather than report news.

Patterson provides us with a comprehensive treatise on the pros and cons of late term abortion and convincingly describes the emotions, politics and rationale on both sides of the abortion question. Speeches by both sides of the issue are powerfully written, persuasive and eloquent. However, I must point out that I do see a left-wing bias. For the most part, the Republicans are single-issue opportunists, while the Democrats are clearheaded and humane moderates.

Yes, the ending has a Hollywood feel. Everything is in its place and all's right . . . or left . . . with the world. If only real life were this succinct and tidy. As far as fiction goes, I like Patterson's left-wing Utopia. However, my recommendation of this book comes with a warning.

The fact that I was mesmerized with Protect and Defend and am unequivocally recommending it will no doubt tell you immediately about my political and social values. Those of you who embrace the far right and conservative causes, those of you who do not accept a woman's right to determine her reproductive freedom, will likely find that this book will irritate and even anger you.

To you I say, Caveat Emptor.

--Linda Mowery