An obscure science fiction book written by the late father U.S. Attorney General William Barr is drawing attention for what some see as parallels between its plot and the alleged sex crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein, Vice's Motherboard reports.
The plot twist: Donald Barr wrote the novel while he was headmaster at an elite school where Epstein became a teacher just three months after Barr's departure. It isn't known if Barr had a role in hiring Epstein.
In "Space Relations: A Slightly Gothic Interplanetary Tale," published in 1973, a man from Earth, John Craig, is kidnapped and taken to another planet where he is enslaved.
Craig, falls in love with Lady Morgan Sidney, the only female among the planet's leader. He agrees to Lady Morgan's demand to sexually assault a teenager, and, according to Motherboard, there are other instances of rape in throughout the novel.
Epstein, 66, was facing multiple charges of abusing underage teenage girls over the years when he is believed to have hanged himself in his jail cell July 23.
Attorney General Barr has said "serious irregularities" were found at the Manhattan jail and the FBI and Justice Department's inspector general are investigating.
Meanwhile Donald Barr's book is commanding high prices on eBay, selling for as much as $4,999 because of its perceived connection to Epstein.
“Parallels have been drawn between the plot of the novel and the current allegations of sex trafficking brought against the now-deceased Jeffrey Epstein,” one listing found by Motherboard read. “When Donald Barr wrote this novel he was a headmaster of a school that Jeffrey Epstein taught at.”
It should be noted, however, that the two were never at the school at the same time, and Motherboard pointed out that the content of the novel was common for early '70s sci-fi.
According to Motherboard:
"Rumors about the book have been floating around the internet for months, but have become more boldly conspiratorial since Epstein’s suicide. Of course, this gossip is simply speculation, and it bears repeating that the connection between Epstein and Barr is flimsy, and any link between Epstein’s crimes and the book’s contents even more so."