Lesser Evils: An Animal Rights Novel

by Zola Creech

Evading a developing sexual scandal and an unexplained death at Wittgenstein University, criminology professor Mark Blackwell accepts a faculty internship with the FBI. He is assigned to work with Valeriya Highland, a data analyst who specializes in searching large databases to find unusual patterns. What begins as a routine assignment soon becomes a rigorous investigation into a strange paradigm of an abnormal number of animal abusers are dying in grotesque accidents.
As the intricacies of the killings grow more complex, Mark and Valeriya struggle to put the pieces together. Meanwhile, Mark battles an increasing infatuation with Valeriya while skirting the investigation into his own scandal. Valeriya becomes emotionally drawn into the animal rights movement to the detriment of her career and, possibly, her sanity. Both Mark and Valeriya must make devastating decisions, forced to choose between mutually unacceptable alternatives.
This psychological thriller scrutinizes our relationship with animals and the flawed thinking used to justify their exploitation. A few scenes contain factual descriptions of animal abuse that some readers may find disturbing.

Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2022