Danya Kukafka

In the tradition of Long Bright River and The Mars Room, a gripping and atmospheric work of literary suspense that deconstructs the story of a serial killer on death row, told primarily through the eyes of the women in his life--from the bestselling author of Girl in Snow. Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he's done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn't want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. He hoped it wouldn't end like this, not for him. Through a kaleidoscope of women--a mother, a sister, a homicide detective--we learn the story of Ansel's life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation. We meet Hazel, twin sister to Ansel's wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister's relationship threatens to devour them all. And finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake. Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.

A Novel

Notes on an Execution

"When fifteen-year-old Lucinda Hayes is found dead in her sleepy Colorado suburb, the secret lives of three people connected to her are revealed: the social outcast who loved her from afar, the jaded girl who despised her, and the policeman investigating her death"--

Girl in Snow

Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he's done, and now awaits the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn't want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. He hoped it wouldn't end like this, not for him.

Through a kaleidoscope of women, we learn the story of Ansel's life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation. We meet Hazel, twin sister to Ansel's wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister's relationship threatens to devour them all. And finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down to Ansel's execution, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.

Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes On An Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating the justice system and our cultural obsession with crime stories and asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.

Appunti su un'esecuzione

V coloradském městečku je nalezena zavražděná středoškolačka. Tamní obyvatelé jsou otřeseni a atmosféru plnou strachu a podezření prožívají každý po svém – dospívající Cameron, jenž byl mrtvou dívkou posedlý, spolužačka Jade, která ji nenáviděla, a vyšetřující policista Russ, přítel Cameronova ztraceného otce. Všichni tři se navíc musejí vypořádat s vlastním životem a démony, které je sužují. Každý z nich totiž skrývá nějaké tajemství. Kým člověk je, když se nikdo nedívá? „Od znepokojivé první věty po omračující závěr je Dívka na sněhu thriller, který má perfektní spád a mistrně vystavěnou zápletku.“ Paula Hawkinsová „Skvělé postavy, tajemství skryté uvnitř tajemství a tempo, které vás uchvátí. Vřele doporučuji.“ Lee Child

Dívka na sněhu

Ansel Packer è nel braccio della morte: ha davanti a sé dodici ore prima di essere giustiziato. Ha ucciso tre ragazze e non c’è possibilità di grazia. Solo una speranza: la complicità di Shawna, guardia carceraria avvinta dal suo fascino equivoco e disposta a farlo fuggire. Mentre il conto alla rovescia incombe, la voce seducente e ossessiva di Ansel si alterna a quelle delle donne più importanti della sua vita: Lavender, la madre, schiacciata da una relazione violenta che ha abbandonato senza pensare alle conseguenze; Saffy, la detective della Omicidi che con intuito e pazienza ha riconosciuto l’assassino, l’ha braccato, l’ha catturato; e Hazel, che ha visto la gemella consumarsi in una passione malata. Sorretto da un ritmo tesissimo, animato da personaggi densi di luce nonostante l’ombra che li avvolge, questo romanzo è anche un’indagine sul tetro, ambiguo mito del serial killer.

Wanneer populaire scholiere Lucinda Hayes vermoord wordt aangetroffen, laat dat niemand in haar slaperige stadje in Colorado onberoerd, en zeker niet de jongen die te veel van haar hield, het meisje dat net zo'n perfect leven wilde als zij en de agent die haar moord moet onderzoeken. Door de tragedie gaan die drie onvergetelijke personages - Cameron, Jade en Russ - noodgedwongen de confrontatie met hun diepste geheimen aan in de hoop troost te vinden, de waarheid of beide.

Meisje in sneeuw

V coloradskom mestečku nájdu zavraždenú stredoškoláčku. Tamojší obyvatelia sú jej smrťou otrasení. Atmosféru plnú strachu a podozrení prežíva každý po svojom – dospievajúci Cameron, ktorý bol mŕtvou dievčinou posadnutý, spolužiačka Jade, ktorá ju nenávidela, i vyšetrujúci policajt Russ. Všetci sa navyše musia vyrovnať s vlastným životom a démonmi, ktorí ich sužujú. Každý z nich totiž skrýva nejaké tajomstvo. Kým je človek, keď sa nikto nepozerá?

Danya Kukafka

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