Discussion Questions
Has your view of wildlife preservation changed as a result of reading Grudge Tiger? How?
Has your view of the ethics of zoos changed as a result of reading Grudge Tiger? How?
How did the relationships among the Warren family members change from the trauma of the lawsuit?
Why do you think Jackie misapprehended the strength of her defense?
By the end of the story, is Jackie ready to move on emotionally? What would help her?
Was it reasonable for Kenny’s mother and Becca’s parents to endorse the trip to London?
How did you feel about the quick tour of London? How do you think it impacted the girls’ views of themselves?
What do you think Jamie saw in Kenny that she didn’t see in herself?
Do you agree with Jackie that several of Dr. Lucas’s questions and comments at their lunch were sexist?
Was Marietta right to try to save the zoo by visiting Dean? Why?
Did Dean have legitimate reasons to refuse the insurance settlement and insist on his day in court?
There is no chapter from Dean’s perspective, but his conversations with the other characters are presented through them. Is Dean a moral person?
Do you feel sympathy for Hank, who found himself swamped with work because he gave his only associate time off for paternity leave?
How did you react when Hank slipped over the ethical line during his conversation with Dean, then doubled-down on the claim that Dean had planned to become a professional model?
Hank withdrew the negligence count of his complaint before the trial because he thought it was undeniable that Dean was more than 50% at fault for his injury. Do you think he was right?
Hank pressured Dean to settle for the $500,000 insurance money because the lawyer had become convinced the jury would accept the “grudge tiger” defense. What persuaded him?
How important was the trial testimony of the elderly Eugenia Wilcox?
Dr. Lucas testified that the fact that Dean had the code to enter the tiger cage was a “condition,” but not a “cause” of the accident. Do you agree with his reasoning?
Was Kenny right to leave Jimmy in his “cage” for several hours?
Should Kenny have reported Jimmy to the police? Why didn’t she?
Did you have sympathy for Jimmy, trapped in his own cage?
What do you think would’ve happened if Jimmy had been successful at releasing Ms. Benni into the community before the end of the trial?
When Carolyn spoke with her deceased husband, she expressed embarrassment at having a crush on Charlie. Why?
What do you think of the way Judge Marcus handled the trial? What about the way she dealt with the state’s attorney’s complaint?
Had you been on the jury, how would you have voted on the zoo’s guilt? Why?
Praise for Grudge Tiger
“Uncovering and documenting relevant facts surrounding the incident involves sleuthing across continents, human and animal psychology, legal maneuvering, and intrigue…Prepare yourself for an all-nighter…Recommended for current and aspiring lawyers, zoo-keepers, animal lovers, and all who enjoy a good read.”
— AM
“Grudge Tiger is a roaring good read! Rather than the well-worn plot of a lone attorney representing a tragic victim against an evil multinational corporation, Helms gives us the less-often-told, but equally compelling, story of a civil defense attorney trying her best to protect a small business owner from financial devastation at the hands of an unscrupulous plaintiff’s attorney and his say-anything-for-money client.”
— TS
“A must-read for anyone who loves cats, people, and the laws that govern both. (The zoo owner’s) two daughters…find a common bond as they need to place their family’s future in the hands of a tenacious female lawyer intent on beating the odds.”
— MY