Penny Candy Novelettes
Fraud, corruption, betrayal—as a lawyer, Sue Streicker sees it all.
As the first female lawyer hired at a Texas firm in 1980, her first obstacle to overcome is blatant gender discrimination. She manages to hold her own, but Sue knows she has a tough road ahead of her. For the next thirty years, she gains prominence as a top lawyer—but at what cost?
A series of frauds, scandals, deceptions, and ethical dilemmas pushes Sue to her absolute limit, both professionally and personally. Broken into three books and accompanied by a detailed study guide, Penny Candy: The Culture of Corporate Theft is engrossing legal fiction that grapples with personal responsibility while exploring the deep relationship between the corrupt corporate culture in the banking industry and the recent Great Recession.
Book I
In 1980 Susanna rides the second wave of the women’s movement in Texas and lands a job as the only female lawyer ever hired by Simpson, Craddock, & McGuire. A professional opportunity that didn’t previously exist for women has opened for her, but she’s challenged by powerful partners who facilitate fraud and provide cover for their dishonest clients.
Book II
Susanna leaves Simpson, Craddock, & McGuire to join King & Stockton, one of Texas’ most elite law firms. Unfortunately she becomes entangled with Peter Thurston, a young partner who callously wields power in ways that are uncommon for a man his age.
Book III
After Susanna’s tumultuous law firm experiences she takes time to repair the collateral damage that her career has inflicted on her personal life and the relationship she has with her son.
Book IV
Susanna discovers that twenty-first century bank robbers are charismatic, polished corporate executives who work through blind proxies and engineer corporate strategies for illegal profiteering. Instead of outlaws who use guns to rob banks, bankers collude with customers and manipulate bank incentive compensation systems to divert revenues into their own pockets.
Discussion Facilitator's Guide
The Penny Candy novelettes were written after the recent Great Recession in the spirit that life lessons taught through storytelling are the lessons best remembered. A guide is available for bookclubs and instructors who might wish to use the novelettes for training or discussions about ethics.