Trial by Fury by K.G. MacGregor

Trial by Fury
by K.G. MacGregor
Pages: 240
Date: June 20 2016
Publisher: Bella Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: August 18 to 19 2016

This is one of the better MacGregor's I've read in a while. A good mix of legal stuff and romance stuff (though not necessarily balanced).

A woman in drag (dressed up in a suit and hat intending to look like a man, or at the very least, not like herself) shows up at a law office – specifically at the law office of a famous lawyer known for fighting for the rights of women. Fighting for women in divorces, fighting on behalf of women in unequal pay cases, etc.

Well, that woman in drag has a case of her own, though not for herself, or on her own behalf. No, it’s for a student (for you see, she is actually a professor at a local private university, a woman by the name of Dr. Celia Perone). A dead student.

On the night that Harwood University’s men’s basketball team won the national basketball championship, a young woman slashed her wrists. And died. Three or more members of that team had drugged her unconscious then raped her. Then, piling on, released a video of their actions. Well, it was released to a select group; so it was more vague taunts of others, plus outright expressions of disbelief – she was a drama student; the others claimed she was just being dramatic. The campus health clinic helped in a small way, with a rape kit. The campus police seemed vaguely interested.

Then . . . things changed for her. Her ‘friends’, as mentioned, said she was lying, being dramatic, or had been asking for ‘it’. Not all, but enough of them. The police did not proceed with an investigation. The college? Literally told her that they would suspend her, and/or sue her, and/or other vicious things if she continued being a nuisance about the issue. She was a woman with very little support, family/college (no rape crisis center on that campus)/police/’friends’. Except for one male friend who she leaned on, and one college professor – that previously mentioned Dr. Celia Perone. Watching her rapists celebrating, smiling, and giggling on national television . . . she could not go on.

Theodora Constantine, of Greek heritage (I mention for no known reason), takes the case. Very complicated case – especially as it is very difficult to find ‘footing’ or standing for a lawsuit.

While that case is proceeding, along with others, a romance between Theo (as she is actually called in the book) and Celia also progressed. A mix of slow burn and instantaneous ‘stuff’ (took a while for both agreed to date, then they proceeded to fuck on their first date , etc.).

I liked both main characters. There were moments near the end when Celia was annoying me, but otherwise I liked both main characters. The story line was strong (if depressing – I’ve a desire now to say something like – ‘I’m going to boycott college sports!’ but I do not pay attention to college sports . . .).

College campuses are little fiefdoms of evilness.

August 19 2016