The Murder of Grace Millane

By Rod Kackley

Her dream of backpacking around the world ended with her father's worst nightmare.

 

A young woman sets off on a yearlong, around the world, backpacking trip. Six weeks into the adventure of a lifetime, she meets the wrong guy, at the wrong time. 

 

Their night of sex games ends in death.

 

What follows is a tragic story that captivates the attention of people battling violence against women in two nations as the killer's attorneys make a controversial case for their client; The 50 Shades of Grey Defense.

 

The Murder of Grace Millane: A Shocking True Crime Story is a gripping, thrilling, and heartbreaking, tale that asks one of the most significant questions of this commercially sexualized era: Can a woman consent to her own death?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rod Kackley
• Release date: May 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393298366

Rod Kackley

Rod Kackley is a journalist and author who writes most of his books armed with a MacBook, a blueberry muffin, and a Grande cup of Starbucks coffee at the Barnes & Noble store in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Special thanks to everyone at B&N who keeps the Starbucks hot and the muffins warm!

Book preview

1

Big, strong, powerfully built, Jack quickly held the young woman down, sitting on top of her, with her forearms pinned. She couldn’t breathe. This scene was much more than Emily had bargained for.

She’d been thinking about BDSM-style sex, or maybe a little rough sex for quite a while. That’s what brought Emily and Jack together on Tinder.

Tonight, they’d been drinking. Jack told her that he wanted sex. Hell, that’s why they got together on Tinder in the first place. But a near-death experience was certainly not in her playbook.

This was all wrong. And worse, it could be deadly.

They’d met on Tinder. Good looking guy, he said he’d been born in Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand. They didn’t spend a lot of time getting to know each other. Emily wasn’t bothered by that; after all, they’d met on Tinder.

But Jack, smooth-shaven with a full head of short, black hair, had been more than forthcoming. And what a crazy life he’d led. Fascinating, too. Jack said he was a cancer survivor — something that definitely plucked Emily’s heartstrings. Learning his parents were dead, again she felt sympathy for Jack. And, as if his story needed any extra spice, his cousin was an All-Black rugby star.

On top of all of that, Jack was a successful businessman. He told Emily of his plans to buy a fabulous restaurant, right on Auckland’s waterfront.

Their first date had gone well. The sex had been great. But now Jack was actually sitting on top of her.  All she could think about, fighting through a fog of shock and disbelief, was breathing. She was literally fighting for breath, battling for her life.

This was the second time they’d gotten together, Emily and Jack were both in their late twenties and natives of New Zealand.

Their first date had been close to perfect. Emily expected the second time to be even better.  The plan was to meet up for a drink in Auckland’s City Centre.

The City Centre in Aukland is where you want to be, if you’re young, in love, or just in lust. Hell, if you have a pulse, the central business district of Auckland is where it’s all happening in Auckland. It’s the heart of the city’s business, arts, and entertainment worlds.

Once they got together, however, Jack told her that he needed to change his clothes, so they went back to his room at the CityLife hotel on Queen Street instead.

She was impressed. The CityLife is a charming, upscale, modern hotel that includes a restaurant and bar, where Emily was sure they could settle down for at least one drink. There was also an indoor heated pool. Emily hadn’t brought a swimsuit. But, maybe she would next time.

On their way to the CityLife, the young couple ran into a nearby shop and picked up some alcohol. They were both ready as ready could be for a hot night.

Once inside Jack’s hotel room, he pushed Emily for sex and finally shoved her back on to the bed. He knelt above her. She was worried, afraid, yet also turned on. But then, suddenly, Jack sat on her.

This was not good, clean, nonsexual sex, Emily thought, although not in as many words. More to the point, she was suddenly scared to death. This was so terribly wrong, Emily wasn’t sure she’d come out of it alive. She thought about nothing except her own survival.

And, Emily would have told him that if she’d been able to breathe. She was suffocating. This was something Jack had said he wanted, telling Emily she'd enjoy it. But this was nowhere near sexual to her. She was nowhere near being turned on.

Struggling underneath Jack Emily managed to turn her head to one side so she could catch a breath. Once she could breathe, Emily started to fight back. Emily kicked violently, trying at the same time, to tell Jack she couldn’t breathe, that she was suffocating. Maybe he didn't understand how close to death Emily was afraid she was.

Terrified now, Emily tried something new. Maybe, she thought, if Jack thinks I’ve passed out, he’ll get off of me.

This can’t be the way I die, she thought.

It worked, He got up and off. Emily opened her eyes and pushed him off the

Reviews for The Murder of Grace Millane

[Farhana Begum · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A comprehensive overview of the case, written before the suppression order was lifted. Weird how at the beginning the author imagined both what Grace and the murderer had been thinking. Even weirder were all the typos, and at one point he writes the name Gillian where it should be Grace.