The Good Wife finale: 9 books to read now that it's over

The Good Wife ended its seven season run on Sunday and while fans say goodbye to Alicia Florrick, we’re left without the ferocious, badass lawyer who made us cringe, clap, and, yes, cry. To help get through the Good Wife withdrawal, here are nine books — with equally memorable female judicial leads — to help get through the pain.

Rage of Angels, Sidney Sheldon

Long before Julianna Margulies ever uttered the name Chris Noth, Jennifer Parker was an assistant district attorney making trouble for a powerful organized crime family and getting romantically involved with a married rising politician. Just as a young star of the mafia group decides he wants to make Jennifer the consigliere of the family, Jennifer’s lover announces his candidacy for the Senate and they go their separate ways (but not before she gets pregnant with his child — something she never tells him).

Conviction, Richard North Patterson

America’s death penalty system can be quite a swamp, and Patterson plumbs its darkest depths for this thriller about the worst kind of wrongful conviction. Fifteen years after two men are arrested and sentenced to death for the horrific murder of a 9-year-old girl, activist Teresa Paget becomes convinced that their trial was completely mishandled, and decides to fight for their possible innocence all the way to the Supreme Court.

The Client, John Grisham

When a prominent Louisiana senator has gone missing (and is presumed dead), the nation is on pins and needles as the search for his body intensifies; the secret of its whereabouts, however, reside in the memory of a child: 11-year old Mark Sway. Sway previously encountered a suicidal attorney fleeing the murderous grasp of notorious thug Barry “The Blade” Muldanno. Moments before shooting himself, the man tells Mark where to find the senator’s body. With the help of a fledgling lawyer, Reggie Love, who specializes in children’s affairs, Mark navigates the treacherous waters of a legal system that will stop at nothing to get answers, while the suspected killer and his threatening mob attempt to silence the boy by any means necessary.

The Puttermesser Papers, Cynthia Ozick

Cynthia Ozick’s captivating 1997 novel plunges into the restless world of a New York recluse, spanning five decades as she struggles to find meaning in the wayward mess she calls life. Enthralled by Jewish mythology (hello, golems!) and dreams of a better city, Ruth Puttermesser attempts to change the world and herself.

Stray Bullets, Robert Rotenberg

After a young boy is critically injured during a downtown shooting, detective Ari Greene must rush to convict the crime’s perpetrator in this riveting legal thriller.

Gone, But Not Forgotten, Phillip Margolin

Set in Portland, Oregon amid several disappearances and murders, Gone, But Not Forgotten follows attorney Betsey Tannenbaum as she risks everything to defend Martin Darius, a calculating, manipulative businessman accused of murdering many women and a private investigator. As Darius’ past misdeeds are revealed, Tannenbaum races to find the serial killer before it is too late.

Devil’s Corner, Lisa Scottoline

Devil’s Corner follows prosecutor Vicki Allegretti as she becomes a near victim and accidental witness when she goes to meet a confidential informant and instead sees a police officer killed. As she probes further, Allegretti realizes the murders were not a random occurrence — and when another murder occurs, she is thrown into a full on search for the killers.

Judgement Calls, Alafair Burke

The first book in the Samantha Kincaid series, Judgement Calls introduces readers to Kincaid, Portland’s Drug and Vice division deputy, who tries to find justice for a 13-year-old runaway who has been found drugged and assaulted. Fearless and faulty, Kincaid is a protagonist to root for even if she makes life-altering mistakes.

The Execution of Noa P. Singleton, Elizabeth Silver

Noa P. Singleton has been in prison for 10 years for first-degree murder. During her trial she stayed silent, but now she sits on death row, awaiting her execution. In a bizarre turn of events, Marlene Dixon, the mother of the woman Noa was convicted of killing, comes to visit, telling Noa she wants to save her life if Noa just admits the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s death. What results is a thrilling story of love and lies.