Deadly Lessons

Winston Patrick thought he had left the law behind him. Successful - but dissatisfied - with his career defending the downtrodden of Vancouver's criminal world, Winston trades in the courtroom for the classroom at a rough East Vancouver high school. Soon his past life meets his present, when Carl, a fellow teacher, seeks his legal help after a student threatens to expose a lurid teacher-student love affair. Reluctantly, Winston has agreed to provide legal defense of Carl's alleged sexual impropriety when the case takes an even uglier turn: the student is murdered, making her alleged lover the prime suspect. Winston and his best friend, Detective Andrea Pearson, find themselves immersed in a murder investigation that could cause an international incident, if it doesn't cost Winston his own life first.

David Russell is an actor, former talk show host, and writer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His work has been published in Maclean's Magazine, The Vancouver Sun, The Vancouver Province, The Victoria Times Colonist and others. He also previously wrote a Canadian Politics column for Suite101.com.