A book review of Forgiving My Daughter’s Killer: a True Story of Loss, Faith, and Unexpected Grace by Kate Grosmaire with Nancy French
Stars: *****
Thomas Nelson (2016)
Memoir (Christian)
240 pages
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Summary: On March 28, 2010, Kate and Andy Grosmaire received two pieces of news that would change their lives forever. The first was their worst nightmare: “Ann has been shot.” And the second was the dumbfounding addendum: “Conor was the one who shot her.” Their nineteen-year-old daughter had been killed by her boyfriend, a young man who had lived with the family and had come to feel like part of it.
In a beautiful, tragic testament to the liberating power of forgiveness, Kate Grosmaire tells the story of her daughter’s murder at the hand of her boyfriend—and the stunning, deliberate forgiveness and help that Kate and her husband offered to the young man who shattered their world. Part memoir, part spiritual testimony, Forgiving My Daughter’s Killer is the story of a family whose faith was put to the test and so found the capacity to do far more than they could have thought or imagined.
Forgiving My Daughter’s Killer
This book was engrossing. I read it in one day, in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. It’s not just a memoir of a tragedy. The Grosmaires display true grace and forgiveness right from the start of their nightmare. Kate repeatedly states that others think of their forgiveness as extraordinary or a show of being an exceptional Christian. She says this is not true, she is just doing what a Christian should. Jesus forgave us for our sins. So we are supposed to forgive others.
More importantly, at the back of the book she states some things she has learned about forgiveness though this all. I found those very helpful. I try to forgive but there is a certain person I struggle with forgiveness for. After reading her lessons, I feel like I can start to move forward with forgiveness.
Have you heard of restorative justice? I certainly hadn’t. The Grosmaires pursued it for Conor (the shooter.) Someone mentions it to them and they have to research it and find someone to help. It had never even been done in Florida before.
Also interesting is a Q & A with Conor at the end of the book. Throughout the main part of the book we don’t get to hear much from Conor so it was nice to hear it from the other side too. Usually a memoir is pretty one sided.
If you struggle with forgiveness, I highly recommend this book.
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