By Way of Sorrow

Written by Robyn Gigl

Narrated by Marguerite Gavin

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-yearold transgender prostitute, is in custody, and given the evidence against her, there seems little doubt of a guilty verdict.

Erin knows that defending Sharise will blow her own private life wide open, and doubtless deepen her estrangement from her family. Yet as a trans woman, she feels uniquely qualified to help Sharise, and duty-bound to protect her from the possibility of a death sentence.

Sharise claims she killed the senator’s son in self-defense. As Erin assembles the case with her partner, former FBI agent Duane Swisher, the circumstances hint at a more complex and chilling story with 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. Behind the scenes, his tactics are even more dangerous. His son had secrets that could destroy the senator’s political aspirations—secrets worth killing for. And as leads begin mysteriously disappearing, it’s not just the life of Erin’s client at stake, but her own …

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781980075301

Robyn Gigl

Robyn Gigl is an attorney who has been honored by the ACLU-NJ for her work with the transgender community. Robyn lives in New Jersey, where she continues to practice law by day, and work on her next Erin McCabe novel by night. Fortunately, she has a very boring social life. 

Reviews for By Way of Sorrow

[hairball_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great, great, great book. If someone needs a primer about the transgender world, but in an oblique way, give them this. The characters are great, and the story is solid.

[mm_jones · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

By Way of Sorrow is an amazing debut novel. A little preachy in places, but the story holds your attention. Almost too much thriller for me as money & power succeed at every turn. Good choice!

[cathygeha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

By Way of Sorrow by Robyn GiglAn Erin McCabe Legal Thriller #1Thought 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? YesWould read more by this author? YesThank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 4-5 Stars

[grumpydan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am not such what to think of this first time legal thriller. I liked it and I didn’t like it. It was a good story by a first time author. The characters were well developed and the story was intense. Attorney Erin McCabe is hired to defend a black transgender prostitute who is on trial for the murder of the son of a very prominent New Jersey politician. But was it self-defense and can McCabe and her partner prove it? When bodies start piling up and Erin gets attacked, it does seem somebody has something to hide. The novel also deals with the personal side of Erin who had transitioned a few years earlier and he relation with her family. Definitely, kept the story flowing. I do see the character Of Erin McCabe showing up in future novels.