“Tragedy had a texture. A knot, begging to be unraveled.”
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Ansel Packer is scheduled for execution in 12 hours. He is hopeful he will find a way out of his fate. His whole life he has been working on his theory of good and evil. We learn more about him, his upbringing and the crimes that brought him to death row in alternating chapters focusing on his mother, his wife’s sister and a girl who knew him as a child and became a homicide detective.
The depth with which these women relate their stories and help us understand how and why and exactly what Ansel did blew me away. This was one of those books I didn’t want to put down. I had equal empathy and distaste for Ansel in the end and I think that’s quite a feat based on the crimes he committed. If you like crime stories – the well paced, slowly unraveling mystery type that make you think about humanity – then this one is for you.
If you liked Grisham’s The Chamber or this year’s Beasts of the Earth, definitely check this one out!
What’s the last book you just couldn’t put down?
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