The Question Isn’t Whether He’s Guilty.
On Sale December 17, 2026
About Albert's Time
Certain words disrupt by their very nature – divorce, disease, depression. But few words are more disruptive than guilty. For the past fourteen months I have dreaded the impact of that word on Albert Birdsong, an impact all but unavoidable and likely to land him on death row.
About the Author
Marc Bookman was an attorney with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, spending almost two decades in its initial Homicide Unit. He is now the Legal Director of the Atlantic Center for Capital Representation. Marc has been publishing short stories and essays for 40 years. Albert’s Time is his second book and first novel.
Praise
"This is a powerful and deeply human story that will immerse you in the lives of those who stand at the center of a death penalty. Readers will not soon forget these characters or the truths they illuminate about vengeance and forgiveness. A remarkable achievement."
—Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking on Albert's Time
"In Descending Spiral (2021), Marc Bookman advocated for the abolition of the death penalty in twelve brilliant essays. Now, with Albert’s Time (2026), one of the nation’s leading attorneys for capital representation turns his remarkable literary talent and legal expertise to fiction. This riveting courtroom thriller will make you wonder: is the hardest person to defend someone who may not want to be saved?"
—Robert Atwan, Founder and Series Editor, The Best American Essays (1986-2023)
"This novel reveals many truths about how the machinations of judges, prosecutors, and lawyers determine whether a person lives or dies. Marc Bookman's writing illuminates the human toll of capital punishment not just on the accused, but on all involved in the process."
—Stephen Bright, Longtime Director of the Southern Center for Human Rights on Albert's Time
"Bookman delivers a memorable entry… [with] an affecting story that explores the ways in which lawyers and clients carry each other's burdens… An impressive achievement."
—Kirkus Reviews
Also by Marc Bookman
“Essays from one of America’s most prominent death penalty abolitionists. . . . Bookman creates a clear, comprehensive portrait of a broken system, and the cases he highlights make for fascinating reading.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“With lucid prose and a firm grasp of history and legal precedent, Bookman makes a persuasive argument… when it comes to death penalty injustices. This is a cogent and harrowing primer on what’s wrong with capital punishment.”
—Publishers Weekly
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