Her Deadly Game

Content Warning: This section refers to alcohol use disorder, child abuse, murder, stalking, and psychological manipulation.

Keera is the protagonist of Her Deadly Game, and the novel follows her first murder trial as a defense attorney. At the beginning of the novel, she has reluctantly joined the family’s defense firm after leaving her position at the state prosecutor’s office. After she broke off her relationship with Miller Ambrose, a senior prosecutor, he penalized her at work and stalked and harassed her. Even so, she boldly faces him whenever he confronts her, showing her refusal to be intimidated.

This boldness translates to her courtroom style as well, as does her highly competitive nature; when Anne’s cancer is revealed, Rossi reacts by “smiling because he knows how competitive Keera Duggan [i]s, especially in trial. Give her an inch and she’[ll] take a mile” (159). Keera’s chess prowess and ability to strategize are central character traits. Chess is a constant thread in her life, as she plays anonymously online after giving up a competitive career. She also applies the rules and strategies of chess to her work—explicitly forming her strategy in the trial and against Ambrose, like she works through her chess match with Dark Knight, using