A Book A Week

It is pretty rare these days to find myself starting a new series. Simply put, I have more books to read than I have time to. Committing to a series usually means I'm neglecting too many other books. Every so often, though, I find a series that I can't help but read. Robyn Gigl's debut novel By Way of Sorrow is the kind of thriller that perfectly combined a riveting plot with even more captivating characters. When I read the book last year, I didn't know that it would mark the start of a series featuring lawyer and transgender woman, Erin McCabe. When Gigl's publisher offered me a copy of the second novel to feature the character, I couldn't help but accept it. 

On the heels of a high-profile case, Erin McCabe's professional life couldn't be better. Business at her small practice is booming, and she has been able to accept the kinds of cases that really appeal to her. On the personal front, Erin is making progress too. Her father and brother had a tough time accepting her coming out, but thanks to her ever-supportive mother and a pair of rambunctious and accepting nephews, the men in her family are beginning to come around. When we last saw Erin, she had just begun a new relationship with Mark, a man who seemed to love her for exactly who she is. Mark's family has been less accepting. Unwilling to be a wedge between him and his loved ones, Erin has decided to break things off with Mark. With this relationship in limbo, she fears she may never find happiness again. Instead, Erin resolves to bury herself in her work. Erin is in luck because her next big case is about to present itself. 

The death of businessman Charles Parsons seems like a pretty open and shut case. At first glance, the death looked like a suicide, but new evidence revealed it to be a murder. There's a recording of the death in which Parson's seems to reveal his killer as his child. His adoptive daughter Ann is picked up and shortly thereafter confesses to the crime. Erin is brought into the mix when one of the detectives on the case begins to have second thoughts about the conviction. It is revealed that Ann is also a trans woman, and the detective hopes that she'll be willing to open up to Erin about what happened. Erin is hesitant at first but soon begins to find too many pieces of the puzzle that simply don't add up. She convinces Ann to rescind her guilty plea and takes on the task of defending her in a trial. 

I was enamored by the way Robyn Gigl empathetically presented the struggles of her characters in By Way of Sorrow. I'm happy to report that the same care is applied to her heroes in Survivor's Guilt. While the case on the surface level may seem extremely similar to the one presented in the first book, there's enough to differentiate the two to make it feel fresh. The personal turmoil of Erin McCabe combines with that of her professional life in a way that makes the story extremely well-rounded. I couldn't put this one down! If I have any complaint, it would be that the villains in the book are almost comically evil. There's no doubt who the bad guys are, and they fall into just about every stereotype you'd expect a villain to have. This can be a bit jarring, especially when contrasted with the deep care that Gigl takes to ground her main character in reality. Still, I more than enjoyed reading this book and wouldn't be upset if McCabe makes another appearance soon. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 5)