A Harvest of Thorns

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, a garment factory burns to the ground, claiming the lives of hundreds of workers, mainly young women. Images of the disaster go viral, and fan the flames of a decades-old controversy about sweatshops, labour rights and the ethics of globalization.



A year later in Washington D.C, disgraced journalist Joshua Griswold receives an anonymous summons to the Lincoln Memorial from someone promising information about the Dhaka tragedy. To his astonishment, this 'someone' turns out to be Oliver Moore, the long-time legal adviser of the multinational clothing corporation who owned the factory. Griswold is handed an envelope containing the findings of a confidential internal audit of the company's practices, and details extensive human rights abuses committed by the corporation's worldwide suppliers, including forced labour, safety violations and sexual assault - as well as a series of photos Griswold never knew existed, documenting the affair that ended his marriage and precipitated his fall from grace.



These are Moore's terms: the report must never be publicized, or the photos will be leaked to the media. The only other person who can see them is Griswold's ex-wife, Madison Ames, a non-profit lawyer who represents victims of forced labour and human trafficking. 'Take us to court,' Moore says, 'and we'll fight you to the bitter end. But you must take us to court, and you must prevail. We have blood on our hands.'



For Griswold, the challenge is irresistible, as is the chance, however slight, at redemption. He partners with Madison to build a historic case against America's second largest retailer, setting the stage for a war in the courtroom and the media that he must win: for the victims of Dhaka, for the tatters of his reputation, and for the chance to salvage his family.

Corban Addison holds degrees in law and engineering. After completing a federal clerkship, Addison began his career specializing in corporate law and litigation. He has an abiding interest in international human rights, and is a supporter of numerous causes, including the abolition of modern slavery. He lives with his wife and two children in Virginia. He is the author of A Walk Across the Sun, The Garden of Burning Sand and The Tears of Dark Water.

About Corban Addison