The world’s largest book fair, Frankfurter Buchmesse, once again opened its doors from October 15–19, 2025, in Frankfurt, Germany—welcoming dreamers, storytellers, and innovators from around the globe. Known as the beating heart of the publishing world, this grand event gathers more than 7,500 exhibitors from over 100 countries, along with an expected 280,000 attendees and 10,000 media professionals. It’s not just a fair—it’s a global celebration of literature, culture, and creativity.
This year’s fair promises to be extraordinary, with over 4,000 seminars and roundtable discussions spotlighting the future of books and storytelling. From bold new voices to legendary authors, the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 continues to serve as the ultimate hub for discovering fresh perspectives and timeless tales.
This year’s Guest of Honour—Philippines—adds even more vibrance to the event, presenting its rich literary tradition and cultural heritage. With an array of thought-provoking works and captivating stories, the 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse promises to be a celebration of imagination without borders.
https://www.messemasters.com/shows/frankfurt-book-fair/
As the fair celebrates another successful year of bringing together the brightest minds in publishing, Citi of Books proudly joins the festivities at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse, showcasing inspiring titles from its talented authors. Among the featured works in the Book Gallery is “Criminal Defense Redemption” by Alice J. Harris-Wood — a girl’s story of innocence through genetic hardship.
Alice J. Harris-Wood is a civic leader, educator, founder of The Fisher House, and music director. Her multifaceted life enriches her fiction with authenticity and moral gravitas. Criminal Defense Redemption marks a bold step into narrative exploration of social justice, biology, and theology.
“Criminal Defense Redemption” is a gripping narrative that follows the journey of Lola, a young woman incarcerated for a crime she did not commit. The twist lies in the fact that the real culprit may not be her direct action, but a genetic defect passed down through generations of her family. Harris-Wood’s book explores the thorny terrain of legacy, blame, and whether we are defined by our DNA or by our choices.
In weaving the stories of the Harrison and Donovan branches of Lola’s family, the novel delves into generational sins, criminal proclivities, and the haunting question: can one break free from a path seemingly written in one’s blood? Criminal Defense Redemption doesn’t merely dramatize a legal case—it attempts to humanize the accused, giving voice to those caught in the crosshairs of fate and prejudice.
From the opening pages, the reader meets Lola behind bars, fighting for the chance to prove her innocence not by disavowing her family’s legacy, but by confronting it. She is not simply defending against charges—she’s pushing against the weight of inherited guilt and the stigma of a family history marked by crime.
Over the course of the novel, Harris-Wood reveals how the Harrisons and Donovans made choices that echoed through time—choices that left physical, moral, and emotional wounds. Intertwined with Lola’s story are episodes from her ancestors’ lives—some driven by desperation, others by ambition or legacy. Those histories become both burden and illumination.
As Lola navigates prisons, courtrooms, and memory, she confronts the uncomfortable question: to what extent is her fate determined by the genes she carries? Alongside legal allies, she fights not just for verdicts, but for understanding, for redemption, and for her own identity beyond heredity.
This novel stands out because it grapples with complex moral questions rather than offering simple black-and-white answers. The blend of legal suspense, family saga, and biological themes gives it a unique flavor in the genre. Lola’s struggle is compelling not only for its drama, but because it touches on universal anxieties: How much control do we truly have over ourselves? Can someone wronged by fate still become free?
In Criminal Defense Redemption, Alice J. Harris-Wood dares us to look past labels, to examine the forces that shape a person, and to wonder whether redemption can live in the cracks between guilt and inheritance. It is a novel that challenges readers to hold truth and grace in tension—and to remember that each life carries more story than we often see.
Purchase book through this link: https://amzn.eu/d/63814H2