When Angels Cry

by Robert Lane

ARCHIE WILLIAMS RECEIVES A LETTER STATING THAT HIS DAUGHTER, WHO WAS STILLBORN FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO, IS ALIVE. HE ASKS JAKE TRAVIS TO FIND HER.

“To understand Archie, know that he believes in the fairy tale,” Bobbie Lee, Archie’s current wife, informs Jake. “He is a man who loves love.” With those words, Jake sets out to reconstruct the past. He discovers that many of the mothers who gave birth at the clinic where Archie’s girlfriend Lisa was treated also had stillborn babies.

Jake realizes what no one saw at the time. A number of those young women soon died, victims of random hit-and-runs. Including Lisa. And Archie Williams isn’t the only person questioning the validity of what he was told. As he broadens his investigation, Jake’s actions draw the attention of a man who, dormant for years, decides on one last hurrah.

When Angels Cry is a gripping tale of a man’s quest to find his daughter and the fate of the first woman he loved.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2026

About the author

Robert Lane is the author of the critically acclaimed Jake Travis novels. His debut novel, "The Second Letter" was the Independent Book Publishers Association 2015 Gold Medal Winner for Best New Voice: Fiction.


Florida Weekly states: “Jake Travis is one of the best leading men to take the thriller-fiction stage in recent years. Lane has created a winning hero who is super-skilled, super-fit, oddly bookish, and funny as a stiletto. Lane mixes confidence and doubt, steadiness and recklessness, and toughness and sensitivity in engaging proportions.”

Foreword Clarion Reviews adds: "Lane’s writing is sharp, evocative, and gripping. Travis distinguishes himself from other dynamic PI’s in the genre via his pure zest for life which is often presented with a sensual edge.”

“Razor-sharp wit.” Midwest Book Review

“The prose is confident and clever, the pacing smooth and compelling…consistently entertaining crime thrillers.” Kirkus Reviews

“Entertaining and enjoyable.” SceneSarasota

“Witty dialogue, and page-turning drama.” BlueInk Reviews

Lane resides on the west coast of Florida.

Reviews

[Gail Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a good day when Robert Lane drops another Jake Travis book. Jake is a wry and witty character who lives on the bay in St. Pete. He is family-loving, outdoorsy ex-military man, irreverent, romantic, a real man. He is often called upon to handle high-stakes investigations. In “When Angels Cry”, Jake is tasked with finding the daughter of a wealthy man. . .a daughter that he thought was stillborn.
Jake uncovers the heinous story of a doctor who profited from vulnerable young pregnant girls. This is a story about abortions, about selling babies for profit, and about murder. And as usual, Jake brings it all to the forefront. The twist at the end of this tale was not hard to figure out and shows that humans have a way of making things work, even under unusual circumstances.
My thanks to Robert Lane and his publisher, Mason Alley Publishing, for an advanced readers copy. My opinions are my own.

[Susan Phend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every new Jake Travis book is like revisiting old friends who have a much more interesting life than my own. This book is certainly no exception and I’m please to write another review for yet another exemplary novel featuring my favorite characters.

For those new to these characters, Jake Travis lives with his wife Kathleen, daughters Joy and Sophia, a cat named Hadley, a duck who visits occasionally and neighbor and longtime friend Morgan. The girls’ nanny is Bonita who is so much a part of this family that she now has voting rights on at least some family issues. You’ll learn why by the end of the book. Jake has a dry sense of humor and a flair for repartee that I envy and find endlessly entertaining. Jake is very family oriented, a romantic man at heart and genuinely loves the company of his family and friends.

Their lives are mostly what one would expect (filled with the unremarkable daily things that we all do) except for the dilemma that lands in Jake’s lap and becomes the reason for the book’s existence. The Jake that adores reading bedtime stories to their daughters also has a skillset that frequently puts him in contact with police Detective Rambler when working on a case.

“When Angels Cry” addresses the issues of abortion and adoption and those who choose to participate in getting babies to couples who are desperate to have a child. Record keeping when certain activities are illegal is very different from record keeping when the same activity becomes legal.

The theme of “When Angels Cry” is a sensitive topic and one about which people generally have a fixed opinion. I enjoyed this book as I have all of Robert Lane’s books, but this one was especially poignant. It addresses in a very realistic way a situation that is unsettling at best and that is difficult to contemplate.



[Kim Pet · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I kept trying to convince myself that what I knew to be true couldn’t be true. It was too bizarre.” Folks, sometimes you think you want to know the truth, but if you could go back and unknow it, you really would prefer that.
I appreciate a quick wit, a sarcastic come back and intelligent word play; Lane delivers all that and so much more!
Another installment of the Jake Travis novels (don’t worry, you don’t need to read them in order) which incorporates intrigue, mystery, and humor as usual. There are many threads running through this story from a seedy doctor, kidnapped babies, a sociopathic murderer, and the victims caught in the middle of it all. Lane ties these threads up seamlessly, if not a bit tragically. The lesson can’t be lost that sometimes the seemingly inconsequential people are the ones who know everything.
True to form, Lane offers a mystery, seeped in a connecting issue, and carries us through it all with enough twists, turns and wit that you both don’t want to put it down and don’t want it to end. Don’t miss this one! 5⭐️
*I was invited to read by the author, Robert Lane, for an honest review

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sobering read.
A story that really draws the reader in. A child thought to have died 47 years ago is possibly alive. Where will the trail lead. Sometimes you need to be careful what you ask for. Jake navigates the challenges of a family, a dog - maybe, and following the non existent leads looking to find someone who is more than likely dead. It is an excellent read, Jake is one of those guys, a bull in a china shop, he does not really have time for small talk, just wants to get to the facts. This personality sometimes causes chaos and he needs to remember to keep his head on a swivel. Well written story with great dialogue, much of it gritty and witty, plenty of it fun and serious. Great characters, Jake Travis is one of those guys you just want to have around as he would certainly give you the shirt off his back, and because of his sincerity and honesty, he makes you want to help him out with any crisis he may have. Another highly recommend read from this author. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.

[Kellie Whittam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake is such a great character - funny, sarcastic, tough, and fiercely loyal to his family. He's the kind of main character that keeps you hooked the whole way through.
I really liked the humour woven into the writing. Even with all the darker elements - the blood and deaths - there are plenty of moments, especially with the family interactions, that lighten things up and give you a bit of a smile.
Jake, Morgan and Garrett always work so well together - you know they are going to get the job done when they get together.
There's a twist at the end which I did see coming, but it didn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.
Another solid, entertaining read.
I received an ARC from the author, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Travis is a relatable character, charming, good humored, and the sort of person you want to be friends with. This time he's asked to do the impossible, i.e., to find a woman who was presumed dead upon birth but is apparently alive to a father who is fighting cancer and got the info about a daughter recently. He'll be methodical in his search and will many times think about giving up but he'll find her, will make unexpected friends in the pole dancing club where she used to work, and will solve decades old cases of murdered women that were linked to the place of the girl was born. Great read! I thank the author for this ARC.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archie Williams receives a letter saying his newborn daughter is alive and not stillborn like they were told. His wife was killed in a hit and run years ago. Archie hires Jake Travis to try to find his daughter if she is actually alive. He finds criminal activity and stolen babies adopted by people not realizing. A page turner.

[Ana Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this one to hit me emotionally the way it did. The premise alone is powerful, but what really stayed with me was Archie’s belief that his daughter could still be alive after all those years. The investigation unfolds slowly, but it feels intentional. By the end, it felt less like a thriller and more like a story about love and loss.

[Larissa Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this one to hit me emotionally the way it did. The premise alone is powerful, but what really stayed with me was Archie’s belief that his daughter could still be alive after all those years. The investigation unfolds slowly, but it feels intentional. By the end, it felt less like a thriller and more like a story about love and loss.

[Eleanor Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lots of twists and turns, but he got there in the end. An edge of the seat page turner.

[Juliana Costa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this one. The idea is great, but I found parts of the story dragging, especially in the middle. Still, I finished it, so it’s definitely engaging enough.

[Camila Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the more emotional entries in the series. Jake Travis is still sharp as ever, but the focus here is clearly on Archie and his story. That shift worked really well for me.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read overall. The mystery is layered, and I liked how the truth wasn’t revealed all at once. I just wish the pacing was a bit tighter in a few sections.

[Beckah Koennicke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read overall. The mystery is layered, and I liked how the truth wasn’t revealed all at once. I just wish the pacing was a bit tighter in a few sections.

[Matheus Almeida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your typical action-heavy thriller. It leans more on investigation and character, which I actually appreciated. It felt more grounded because of that.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Jake has an important case. It’s a bit different than the usual, find a missing person who wasn’t supposed to be alive. Filled with suspense and secrets to make you binge read

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book is one of the best well written books I have read in a long time. I highly recommend this page turner. I will add this author to my reading list. I really enjoyed this book.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started out a 4 and ended as a 5. Quite the surprise ending. Enjoyed the laid back writing style.

[Deb Lockwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really??