Penitence is a contemporary novel about the tragic murder of a teenage boy by his younger sister and how both the family and her legal team struggle to understand what happened.

When Angie and David discover that their daughter, Nora, has shot and killed their son, Nico—who had been suffering from a neurodegenerative disease—they hire local lawyer Martine to defend her. But the case requires an experienced criminal lawyer, so Martine enlists her son, Julian, for help. However, Julian and Angie share long-kept secrets and a complicated history that threaten to surface as he works on Nora’s case.

This is not a fast-paced thriller with a neatly tied-up ending but rather a family drama steeped in tragedy, with dead and damaged children at its center. It also explores themes of justice, forgiveness, and whether people can be defined by the worst thing they’ve ever done.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Narration Notes: Penitence is read by Thérèse Plummer, who does an excellent job portraying a variety of voices—male and female, young and old.

Disclaimer: An advanced audiobook copy was provided by Macmillan Audio for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.