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For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It�s a suspenseful, addictive page-turner filled with literary insight that compels readers to consider whether the worst thing we�ve ever done is all that defines us. When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn�t just legal counsel�she�s also the mother of Angie�s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them. Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of pre-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval�s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.