Slander

By William Deverell

Book Overview

Slander is set in rainy, foggy Seattle. The narrator, Liz Finnegan, is a brash, bright, petite women's rights lawyer. She's 26, and a defender of abortion clinics (they're being bombed by "Christian" rednecks), abused women, and related liberal causes. Her nemesis is a handsome, long-haired judge (Vandergraaf) whom she publicly savages, at a press scrum, for giving a slap-on-the-wrist sentence to a white-collar rapist. Along comes a new client, a middle-class woman who has gone back to university as a mature student. When last in college, she was raped by Judge Vandergraaf (she says), then a law student, but was dissuaded by her religiously conservative parents from reporting it.

Blocked in her every effort to open up this old case, Liz finally holds an impromptu press conference, laying out the accusations, and daring the judge to sue for slander. It's the only way she can get the matter before the courts. Vandergraaf takes up the challenge, and sues for $10 million.

This is a very well-written legal thriller, more Scott Turow than John Grisham. In addition to delving into women's issues, the book offers insight into the law of slander. How do courts deal with submerged memories? Are judges beyond the law? Do women receive equal treatment in courts?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1550225936
• ISBN13: 9781550225938
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: ECW Press
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

WOW!

What a fantastic book. Lots of great twists. A must read! Deverell is one of the best!

Review of Slander

A great, thrilling courtroom drama about a little known law - the law on slander. A very surprising twist to the story. Women liberationists will love it! Even though it was written by a man it is definately a woman's story. Should be better known and better reviewed in this country. Definately a hidden gem. I hope that a good U.S. publisher picks it up and promotes/sells it like it deserves.