Lawyer Claire Dunning used to be able to see the tip of Manhattan from the window of her high-rise office. But after her married employer’s financial fraud is discovered—along with their secret affair—she moves from New York to a small town in North Carolina to start over, taking a job defending inmates condemned to death row.

Her first client, Grace, is a woman sentenced to death for the murder of her two-year-old daughter. After several years behind bars, Grace’s sanity is in question, and her story has been muddled by time, too much medication, and the brutal effects of isolation. Still, Claire tries to uncover the obscured details of the child’s tragic death and prove her client’s innocence—all while attempting to forget her own complicated past. Though try as she might, Claire cannot help but ask: Once the damage is done, is the question of guilt or innocence still relevant?

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.