Reviewed by Manik Chaturmutha for Readers' Favorite

Devil's Name by Lori B. Duff follows small-town Georgia lawyer Jessica Fischer as she takes on the case of Alexander, a transgender teenager fighting to legally change his name and birth certificate before heading off to college. While Jessica navigates a hostile small-town court system and a skeptical judge, her own life is spinning fast: an unplanned pregnancy pushes her and boyfriend Bobby into a rushed engagement, then a miscarriage forces them both to figure out what they actually want from each other. Alexander's case drags through legal delays even as his parents fight for him at home, while an aunt back home insists his very name is a mark against his soul. When the system fails Alexander in the worst possible way, Jessica and Bobby are left grappling with grief, guilt, and the question of what it really means to fight for someone.

Devil's Name by Lori B. Duff is a quietly powerful read, and the title says a lot before the story even gets going. The title carries real weight, pulled from a cruel line an aunt throws at Alexander. The world-building isn't flashy, but small-town Ashton, Georgia, feels real and lived-in, right down to the courthouse politics and the neighbors who "mostly pretend Alexander doesn't exist." Jessica is a genuinely likeable narrator, funny and self-aware, and her growth from an inexperienced lawyer overthinking every word to someone who leans on her people is handled with a light touch rather than a heavy lesson. Bobby, Diane, and Alexander's parents all add warmth and texture without stealing focus from the central storyline. The writing style is breezy and conversational, funny even in the darkest moments, and that contrast makes the gut-punch ending land even harder. The novel also works as a commentary on how well-meaning allies can still fall short when it matters most. This book is for readers of character-driven legal fiction who appreciate a story that tackles heavy real-world issues without turning preachy.