Books by Daryl Royer

CRIMINAL DEFENCE LAWYER & CRIME FICTION AUTHOR

Daryl Royer, Edmonton Lawyer and Author

Daryl Royer has spent more than 20 years practising criminal law in Canadian courtrooms. As an Edmonton criminal defence lawyer, he has conducted hundreds of trials, appeared in more than 90 reported cases, and argued over 50 appeals, including matters before the Supreme Court of Canada.

His courtroom experience inspires his fiction. Daryl is the author of The Anomie Series, three crime novels featuring Howard Anomie, a criminal defence lawyer who confronts challenging cases and personal conflicts. Inspired by real Canadian criminal cases, his stories explore crime, police investigations, courtroom proceedings, and the complexities of justice.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Daryl grew up in Birch Hills and Maple Creek before graduating from the University of Saskatchewan in 2001. He has lived in Edmonton with his wife for more than 20 years. His legal experience and Saskatchewan upbringing continue to influence the characters, settings, and stories featured throughout his novels.

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Daryl Royer, Edmonton criminal defence lawyer and author of The Anomie Series

The Anomie Series by Daryl Royer

Three crime fiction novels featuring defence lawyer Howard Anomie. Read them in order or discover each story independently.

Cover of Confessions of Anomie by Daryl Royer: a lone silhouetted figure standing under a starry night sky BOOK 1 OF 3 · THE ANOMIE SERIES

Confessions of Anomie

Sometimes the hardest truth to confront is the one hidden within yourself.

Howard Anomie is a criminal defence lawyer with a troubling past. In the first novel of The Anomie Series, he returns to familiar places to understand a defining moment from his life. As he revisits difficult memories, Howard struggles to uncover the truth and find the answers he needs before moving forward.

Written in the first person and present tense, the novel explores loss, abandonment, personal transformation, and justification. Through Howard's experiences, readers discover how past events can shape personal decisions and influence someone's understanding of responsibility, guilt, and justice.

Inspired by a Canadian criminal case from the 1960s that Daryl Royer studied during law school, the story blends historical events with fictional storytelling. Although the circumstances and characters have been reimagined, the original criminal event and the court's decision remain unchanged.

Publication Details

  • Published: June 1, 2020
  • 258 pages
  • Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover
  • ISBN: 979-8650379904
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Cover of Righteous and Repentant, a Howard Anomie novel by Daryl Royer, set against a pink and blue sunset sky BOOK 2 OF 3 · THE ANOMIE SERIES

Howard Anomie: Righteous and Repentant

A challenging murder trial forces one lawyer to question his beliefs and professional responsibilities.

Howard Anomie returns to criminal defence work and takes on a murder case that initially appears difficult to prove. As the trial progresses, he begins questioning his client's innocence while confronting doubts about his professional ethics and personal values. Despite these concerns, Howard continues defending individuals accused of serious crimes.

Told in the first person and present tense, the novel explores estrangement, repentance, and the struggle to judge another person's actions. Howard's experiences reveal the difficult relationship between professional responsibilities, personal beliefs, and the pursuit of justice.

Inspired by a Canadian murder case decided in 1924, the story incorporates historical courtroom proceedings, including judicial rulings and instructions to the jury. Readers can follow Howard's experiences without having read Confessions of Anomie.

Publication Details

  • Published: October 1, 2021
  • 279 pages
  • Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover
  • ISBN: 979-8474074993
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Cover of Anomie’s Reckoning by Daryl Royer: the silhouette of a man against a gold and teal starfield BOOK 3 OF 3 · THE ANOMIE SERIES

Anomie's Reckoning

One crime in a small town. She refuses to be the victim. He refuses to lose the case.

When Aleah Campbell is attacked in Oliver, she refuses to remain a victim. Determined to make the responsible person pay, she takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, criminal defence lawyer Howard Anomie accepts the challenge of representing the accused.

Near the end of his career, Howard faces credible witness testimony and strong forensic evidence. Despite these challenges, he remains more concerned with protecting his client's freedom than pursuing justice.

The novel follows the case from the initial crime through the police investigation, prosecution, and courtroom trial. Drawing on Daryl Royer's criminal defence experience, the story explores conflicting perspectives on responsibility, legal representation, and justice.

Publication Details

  • Published: July 23, 2024
  • 328 pages
  • Kindle, Paperback
Buy on Amazon.ca

Crime Fiction Inspired by Real Courtroom Cases

Inspired by Canadian Criminal Cases

Each novel draws inspiration from Canadian criminal cases, including historical murder trials. Daryl Royer transforms real legal events into fictional stories exploring crime, responsibility, and justice.

Written by an Experienced Defence Lawyer

Courtroom procedures, witness examinations, and judicial decisions come from Daryl's years of criminal defence experience, bringing a realistic perspective to his fictional legal stories.

Exploring Every Side of Criminal Justice

Explore criminal cases through the perspectives of the accused, investigators, lawyers, and witnesses, revealing how different people understand the same events and the meaning of justice.

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