Jury Rig

Kaul’s amusing debut, a mix of courtroom drama and offbeat mayhem, introduces Lawrence, Kans., consultant Kate Summerlin, who advises lawyers in the jury selection process. Trouble arises in the form of a man named Boris. With the aid of gullible brothers T.J and Randy, who believe Boris is the devil, Boris kidnaps Kate’s boss to blackmail her into rigging the jury in a Kansas City trial in which she’s advising the plaintiff’s lawyer. While Kate struggles to find an ethical way to influence the trial and save her boss, Kaul throws in a murder case referred to as the “Urinator trial”; homeless people seeking Kate’s aid in the death of Reggie the Mumbler, a mysterious Hawaiian giant; and a mock trial held at Big Mama’s Casino and Love Palace. The subplots disrupt the narrative flow, but the author’s focus on the importance and unpredictability of jury selection is a promising series theme. Agent: Tekno Books. (Apr.)