Murder by Tradition (1991)

Every book up until this one involved an investigation into murder. This time it's Law and Order. Opens with murder. Shortly thereafter the police arrest a man for the crime and he confesses. Rest of book is the murder trial.

One of the big points that pop up in both the defense of the defendant and among police officers who are supposed to be investigating the case is the "Homosexual Defense". Two-fold: 1) guy deserved to die because he was gay; 2) defendant deserves to get off due to how a "normal common sense person" would freak out if a homosexual person attempted . . . well, breathing near them.

Oh, and less seen, but this "homosexual element" also impacts the prosecution. None of the male attorneys want the case, so it gets "dumped" onto a female attorney who has never done a murder trial before.

Kate's police partner basically shuts down and wants nothing to do with the case when it turns out that the murder victim is a gay man, and the murderer, during the confession, notes that he freaked out and that's why he killed. Ed wants the guy to get involuntary manslaughter, if that, because gay people are icky. Also, the police officers interviewing neighbors, witnesses, etc., are quite brief as they don't wish to be involved with the case. So Kate has to handle the police side by herself. Mostly.

I wasn't sure how the murder trial would go. How it would be written. I had not read one written by Forrest before. First two witnesses were basically described as "they got up, they gave their testimony, they got off the stand." So, it wasn't looking that thrilling, but then things picked up. In the end, the trial parts were probably among the best scenes I've read. ( )

This is the fourth book in the Forrest's Kate Delafield series, and I thought it was the best so far. All of Kate's personal stuff from the previous three books that has been bubbling under the surface during the murder investigations come to a roiling boil.

The book starts with a murder, as usual. It was the murder of a gay man, Teddie Crawford, in the restaurant he owns. Kate's job, of course, is to find out who did it. She does, but this isn't a police procedural like the previous three, but more like a legal mystery.

Most of the book takes place in the courtroom, prosecuting the alleged murderer that Kate catches. And it's amazing stuff. Forrest has managed to gloss over the most boring parts of the trail and plays up very, very well the more exciting parts.

I also really liked how Forrest approached Kate and Aimee's relationship that started in the previous book and the friendships with those from the Nightwood Bar (from the second book). This was the first book that really felt like it was more than just a stand alone story with the same characters from the rest of the series.

I'd give this an awesomely intense five stars. ( )

Hate Crime ist und bleibt aktuell. Nachdem ein offen schwul lebende Restaurantbetreiber brutal erstochen worden ist, wird der Täter schnell gefunden. Wird aber ein normaler Hetero verurteilt, der sich vor einem scheinbar zudringlichen Schwulen schützen musste, überhaupt verurteilt in den USA? Die lesbische Kommissarin Kate Delafield spürt nicht nur den Täter auf, sondern setzt sich intensivst für dessen Verurteilung auf, auch wenn das ihre eigene Position bei der Polizei in Gefahr bringen könnte. Spannend geschrieben und ideal für einen Sonntag im Garten. ( )

Kate needs to just come out already. Gah! ( )