By Way of Sorrow
Mar 2021 · An Erin McCabe Legal Thriller Book 1 · Kensington Books
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“An emotionally resonant debut . . . welcome—and quietly groundbreaking.”
—The New York Times Book Review
In a fresh and riveting thriller debut, Robyn Gigl introduces Erin McCabe, a New Jersey criminal defense attorney doing her best to live a quiet life in the wake of profound personal change—until a newsworthy case puts both her career and safety in jeopardy . . .
Erin McCabe has been referred the biggest case of her career. Four months ago, William E. Townsend, Jr., son of a New Jersey State Senator, was found fatally stabbed in a rundown motel near Atlantic City. Sharise Barnes, a nineteen-year-old transgender prostitute, is in custody, and given the evidence, there seems little doubt of a guilty verdict.
As a trans woman herself, Erin knows that defending Sharise will blow her own private life wide open, and doubtless deepen her estrangement from her family. Yet she feels uniquely qualified to help Sharise, and duty-bound to protect her from the possibility of a death sentence. Because Sharise admits she killed the senator’s son—in self-defense.
As Erin works with her partner, former FBI agent Duane Swisher, circumstances hint at ties to other brutal murders. Senator Townsend is using the full force of his prestige and connections to publicly discredit everyone involved in defending Sharise. And behind the scenes, his tactics are even more dangerous. For his son had secrets that could destroy the senator’s political aspirations—secrets worth killing for . . .
“An intelligent and resourceful protagonist with an unusual backstory. . . . Erin’s ability to navigate the intricacies of the law is just as fascinating as the subsequent perils she encounters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Gigl, a transgender lawyer herself, provides provocative insights into the legal system and the challenges of gender identity.”
—Booklist
—The New York Times Book Review
In a fresh and riveting thriller debut, Robyn Gigl introduces Erin McCabe, a New Jersey criminal defense attorney doing her best to live a quiet life in the wake of profound personal change—until a newsworthy case puts both her career and safety in jeopardy . . .
Erin McCabe has been referred the biggest case of her career. Four months ago, William E. Townsend, Jr., son of a New Jersey State Senator, was found fatally stabbed in a rundown motel near Atlantic City. Sharise Barnes, a nineteen-year-old transgender prostitute, is in custody, and given the evidence, there seems little doubt of a guilty verdict.
As a trans woman herself, Erin knows that defending Sharise will blow her own private life wide open, and doubtless deepen her estrangement from her family. Yet she feels uniquely qualified to help Sharise, and duty-bound to protect her from the possibility of a death sentence. Because Sharise admits she killed the senator’s son—in self-defense.
As Erin works with her partner, former FBI agent Duane Swisher, circumstances hint at ties to other brutal murders. Senator Townsend is using the full force of his prestige and connections to publicly discredit everyone involved in defending Sharise. And behind the scenes, his tactics are even more dangerous. For his son had secrets that could destroy the senator’s political aspirations—secrets worth killing for . . .
“An intelligent and resourceful protagonist with an unusual backstory. . . . Erin’s ability to navigate the intricacies of the law is just as fascinating as the subsequent perils she encounters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Gigl, a transgender lawyer herself, provides provocative insights into the legal system and the challenges of gender identity.”
—Booklist
Ratings and reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Cathy Geha
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April 5, 2021
By Way of Sorrow by Robyn Gigl An Erin McCabe Legal Thriller #1 Thought provoking legal thriller that had me contemplating what it would be like to live life as other than who I am. I have to say that I was compelled to google to learn more and grew a great deal while thoroughly enjoying this wonderful debut novel. It is not always an easy read but it is a brilliant one. What I liked: * Erin McCabe: intelligent, professional, good friend, true to self, loves her family, is good at what she does, learns more about herself and grows through this book. * Sharise: transgender woman accused of murder and Erin’s client – really felt for her. * Duane Swisher: Erin’s law partner and friend, ex-FBI, supportive, a good person. * Erin’s mother: found her interesting, supportive, a good person, loving, and more. * The writing, plot and story * The way the case came together * The intrigue, twists, and turns * The glimpse into the transgender person and the issues they might face * Learning and growing as I googled to find out more * Being able to hate some of the characters for valid reasons * Erin’s nephews: smarter and more loving than some of the adults they were related to * Wondering if perhaps this was the beginning of a series and if so, what will happen next (just saw it IS gong to be a series) What I didn’t like: * Knowing that powerful people may act in the negative ways that were described in this story * The evil people and the evil behavior they perpetrated * That some people got away with things I wanted them to have to pay for – hope they pay in the NEXT book! Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would read more by this author? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 4-5 Stars
About the author
Robyn Gigl is an award-winning author, attorney, and LGBTQ+ advocate. The recipient of the Publishing Triangle’s prestigious Joseph Hansen Award, her Erin McCabe legal thrillers have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, CrimeReads, and LAMBDA Literary. TIME magazine named the second installment, Survivor’s Guilt, one of the 100 Best Thrillers and Mysteries of All Time. An attorney whose legal career spans more than 40 years, she was appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to the Court's Committee on Diversity Inclusion and Community Engagement and has been named one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in New Jersey. She has been honored by the ACLU-NJ and the NJ Pride Network for her work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and is a member of the Board of Directors of Garden State Equality, New Jersey’s largest LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Organization. She is a partner at the law firm of Dilworth Paxson, LLP in Freehold, NJ, and can be found at online robyngigl.com, on X @robyngigl, and Instagram @robyngigl.
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