I love, love, loved this book. Please read it. This was a thriller, but not like most of the thrillers I read… it’s more of a… literary thriller? I loved it… probably one of the best books I read this month. I will also tell you that it made me feel a little bit sick to my stomach. Sick in the same way that true crime can read, because in a way it read almost like true crime? Don’t let that deter you: I still loved it. Ansel Packer is on death row, scheduled to die in twelve hours. The book takes us through the perspectives of several people (including Ansel’s) to show us how he got there. We learn about his background and traumatic childhood- abandoned by his mother, growing up in the foster system. We meet Saffy, the little girl who was once in foster care with him and grew up to be the detective who is determined to nail him. We hear from her mother, and come to understand why she did what she did. We meet Hazel, his wife Jenny’s twin sister, who had a little crush on Ansel – until she didn’t. It’s chilling. It feels like it could be real. It’s dark and upsetting but so, so good. The sort of book you’ll think about for months after you read it. Highly, highly recommend this one! Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon!
Author: Danya Kukafka
