The Innocence That Kills

By Ron Levitsky

Civil rights lawyer Nate Rosen is in Chicago to argue a case that offends his every natural instinct. 

He must protect the rights of some arrogant thugs who raped and murdered a young girl. The cops didn’t follow all the mandated legal procedures, so the judge, at Rosen’s request, must dismiss the complaint and release the clearly guilty young men from custody.

Having “won” his case, Rosen has unexpected time to spend with Sarah, who’s deeply concerned about her schoolmate, Nina Melendez. Nina’s diary suggests that she may have been molested by her drama teacher, and her outraged family wants to press charges. Rosen is worried about what may or may not have happened to Nina, and he’s also frightened for his own daughter, who may have received unwanted attentions.

But when events lead to murder, Rosen discovers that his daughter’s welfare takes precedence over any concern he might have had for the legal rights of the accused. As Rosen struggles to rationalize the private and professional sides of his life, he also searches for a cunning killer.

Rich in character and compelling as a study of good and evil, The Innocence That Kills confirms the extraordinary talent of one of the most gifted new voices in crime writing.

Ronald Levitsky grew up in the Chicago area, receiving his B.A. in history from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and his M.A. from Sir George Williams University (now Concordia) in Montreal. A junior high school social studies teacher, he lives with his wife and daughters in Northbrook, Illinois.