“Combines the intrigue of a murder mystery and the high stakes of a courtroom drama with the eloquence and sensibility of true literary fiction.” – Rob Kyff, the Word Guy, syndicated columnist and author of Gatsby’s Secrets

“The story feels like a cosmos unto itself, like W. G. Sebald’s Rings of Saturn in which ‘the present is composed of the layered remains of countless past bodies and stories.’” – Jonathan Calloway, author of A Monotonous Glow

The year is 1983. A renowned criminal defense attorney is reunited with her childhood sweetheart when he is arrested and accused of sexually assaulting and murdering his young intern. There is no body, but the young man is missing and presumed dead.

The trial serves as the framework for a saga that spans the four decades from World War Two to the turbulent Reagan Era, when Massachusetts briefly reinstated the death penalty. If found guilty, the defendant faces the very real possibility of execution.

Like Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the novel confronts systemic bigotry while exploring such themes as love and sexuality, loss and memory, and how the past remains a vital and vibrant part of our present.

“This book is an odyssey. The range is immense, covering in lush and effortless prose, its many subjects and themes with acute insight.” – Jack Driscoll, Pushcart and PEN/Nelson winner for Waiting To Be Heard

“There is such care in the narrative. Its non-linear structure is richly imagined, right down to the minor characters. The multiple twists and overall treatment are sure-handed throughout.” – Judith Frank, Lambda Literary Award for Crybaby Butch

“Its richness reminds me of Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See.” – Mark Spencer, Faulkner and Pushcart Award winner for The Weary Motel

“Dark, haunting, and profoundly human, The Sorrows of Gathering is a sweeping literary mystery that explores love, prejudice, and the devastating cost of silence. Set against the fear and uncertainty of 1980s America, D. A. Dorwart crafts an emotionally charged story in which architect Nolan Gathering stands accused of murder while the woman who once knew him best is forced to defend both his life and the truths buried in their shared past. Rich with moral complexity, unforgettable characters, and aching emotional depth, this novel blends courtroom suspense with a deeply compassionate meditation on loss, redemption, and the courage it takes to face a world determined to judge before it understands.” – Danielle Sartorelli, author of Life in Instalments