By Way of Sorrow

By Way of Sorrow introduces Erin McCabe, a New Jersey criminal defence attorney striving to live a quiet life following a profound personal change—until a high-profile case threatens both her career and her safety.

Erin is referred to the biggest case of her career. Four months ago, the 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 sex worker, is in custody, and a guilty verdict seems inevitable. Sharise admits she killed the senator's son—but in self-defence.

As a trans woman herself, Erin knows defending Sharise will expose her private life and potentially increase estrangement from her family. Yet, she feels uniquely qualified to help Sharise and duty-bound to protect her from the threat of a death sentence.

While Erin collaborates with her law partner, former FBI agent Duane Swisher, to build a case, the distraught senator begins wielding his influence to publicly discredit everyone involved in Sharise's defence. Additionally, his clandestine tactics prove even more dangerous—as his son harboured secrets that could destroy his political ambitions, secrets worth killing for.

'An emotionally resonant debut... Welcome—and quietly groundbreaking' - NYT Book Review

'A compulsively riveting page-turner with a complex heroine, a captivating plot, and no easy answers... One of the best thrillers of the year' - Mystery Scene

'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's accomplishment here is to parse the serious flaws with the legal system by way of subtle characterization and seamless plotting... We get engrossing originality—and a brilliant point in a larger argument for the benefits of greater representation in our beloved genre' - Lambda Literary

'Gigl provides provocative insights into the legal system and the challenges of gender identity' - Booklist