David Miraldi

Real Rating: 3.25* of five

The Publisher Says: Heather was only fifteen when she died by suicide.
Her father wants justice.
The system wants silence.

After his daughter’s tragic death, Dennis is devastated, convinced that her psychiatrist is to blame. Desperate for accountability, he seeks an attorney to settle the score.

Enter Paul Schofield, a struggling attorney who impulsively takes the case, hoping for a quick settlement. But the deeper he digs, the more he uncovers buried secrets, show more conflicting loyalties, and ethical dilemmas that shake him to his core. As courtroom tensions rise, relationships fracture, alliances shift, and the line between justice and greed begins to blur.

Inspired by true events, The Edge of Guilt is a gripping legal drama that delves into the gray areas of justice, morality, and grief—captivating readers from the first page and resonating long after the final verdict.

Perfect for fans of Defending Jacob by William Landay, Reversible Errors by Scott Turow, and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, this story blends courtroom suspense with emotional depth and real-world ethical complexity.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Legal dramas don't come much more grabby than a grieving father trying to wrap his head around his child's death. Failing that, he sets out to get revenge, or as he thinks of it, "Justice."

The big issue is an Eternal Verity: NEVER START A LAWSUIT IF YOU'RE GUILTY. Of what, well, look at Oscar Wilde if you just want a case study of why this is the world's worst idea. The author's a civil lawyer, so no doubt accustomed to lying clients. I'm not all the way convinced that isn't why there's a twist at the latter stages of the story...was that really a good idea is not settled in my mind.

The real characters here are the lawyer and the father. They eat all our attention, seemingly by design as there aren't any female characters including the dead daughter who speak much still less say anything important.

I won't say it was my favorite read of May 2025 but I never rolled my eyes and resisted picking it up. The comps above seem accurate to me. I liked the Landay book pretty much exactly the same intensity as I liked this one, and for similar reasons of moral complexity. If you like courtroom dramas, this definitely makes its bones there; if you're after a solid tale of grief managed poorly, here you go; if you like a surprise ending, the kettle's on in Author Miraldi's story kitchen. show less

A Legal thriller

Inspired by true events this gripping legal drama is captivating to no ends. It tells the story of a father devastated by the tragic death of his daughter, convinced that her psychiatrist is to blame. He seeks an attorney and enters Paul Schofield, a struggling attorney, taking the case….

What a well-crafted story told with a measured prose and efficient pacing while it delves into the human psyche. The more Paul digs, the more he uncovers buried secrets and ethical dilemmas show more that shake him to his core. The author’s words reflect the inner turmoil he faces with aplomb. Nicely said and done. The courtroom scenes are filled with tension ….a fine line between greed and justice becomes rather vague…all along the proceedings I stood on the fence undecided if I was on the father side or not, whether I wanted Paul to win or loose the case.

I was hooked from the start; the storyline is captivating and plays with your emotions to keep you engaged till you reach the final verdict. What a wonderful blend of courtroom suspense and ethical ambiguity. The author excelled in bringing to life a case where the areas of justice, morality and grief are conflicting.

Well-done, well-said.

Thank you Book Whisperer for providing this ARC for my thoughts: this is the way I see it. show less

This book was recommended to me by someone I know who had read it. I'm not sure if it would be shelved in true crime, but it is based on real trials.

It's a difficult subject to read about (alleged sexual abuse of children and alleged miscarriages of justice) and there were times I had to step away from the book to process. I do not remember the original (1994?) trial but did hear about the one(s) in the 2020s.

The book seems well written and researched. Hindsight is 20/20 as the saying show more goes--so it may be easier for the author (and us) to see things that may not have been as apparent during the initial trial. show less