Penitence - An unforgettable story of love, grief, guilt and forgiveness

A gripping page-turner and a loving exploration of what it really means to forgive'' Mary Beth Keane, bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes and The Half Moon ''Wise and profound'' Claire Messud, bestselling author of The Emperor’s Children and This Strange Eventful History Left reeling in the aftermath of a shocking murder, two small-town families must find a way to navigate grief, love, guilt and blame in this riveting, poignant debut for fans of Celeste Ng, Mary Beth Keane, Jodi Picoult and Ann Patchett. When teenager Nora Sheehan fatally shoots her brother Nico in their family home one evening, her parents’ lives are left shattered. Nico had been diagnosed with a terminal illness – was what Nora did an act of mercy, or something far darker? And what will happen to her now, alone in a juvenile detention centre awaiting trial, unable or unwilling to speak? Out of their depth, Angie and David Sheehan turn to local lawyer Martine Dumont for help. Martine isn’t just legal counsel – she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, now a high-powered New York defence attorney who returns to their rural Colorado hometown to assist with the case. But Julian’s arrival stirs up secrets buried in his and Angie’s past – mistakes with far-reaching and damaging consequences. And as the verdict looms, the two families find themselves at the mercy of the very same question that will decide Nora’s fate. Are you more than the worst thing you have ever done, or are some things too terrible to forgive?

Product details

• Authors: Kristin Koval
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Release: 15.01.2026
• EAN: 9781398548831
• ISBN: 978-1-398-54883-1
• No. of pages: 336
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Colorado, New York City, FICTION / Coming of Age, FICTION / Women, Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), FICTION / Family Life / General, FICTION / Literary, Thanksgiving, FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense, Thriller / suspense fiction, Thriller / suspense, Family life fiction, Skiing, Narrative theme: Coming of age, 21st century, c 2000 to c 2100, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Modern and contemporary fiction: general and literary