#52BookClub
Prompt: Title begins with letter N
Book: Notes On An Execution
Author: Danya Kufafka [narrated by Jim Meskimen & Mozhan Marno]
Duration: 9 hours 42 minutes [Storytel]
Publication: HarperAudio
Genre: Crime
Plot
Ansel Packer is awaiting execution for murdering four women. The novel not only traces the countdown to his impending death but also narrates the tale of three women who knew him closely.
Review
Danya Kufafka doesn’t focus on the investigations leading to Ansel’s arrest and subsequent sentencing. There’s no doubt that he is the murderer. The writer attempts to focus on the impact his actions had on various women.
Notes on an Execution follows a non-linear narration. Ansel’s second-person point of view has an aloofness that characterises his unsympathetic nature towards all species. The writer uses a third-person point of view across multiple timelines for three characters whose actions impact Ansel in one way or another.
Lavender is Ansel’s mother. Unable to bear the domestic abuse inflicted by her husband, Johny, she escapes, but not before calling 911 to rescue her sons. Her actions raise a series of what-ifs. Could she have picked up Ansel and his brother before fleeing? If the Harrisons had adopted Ansel along with Ellis, the serial killer in him would not have woken up.
Saffy, aka Saffron Singh, knew Ansel since their foster home days. However, she channels her troubled childhood towards joining the police, gradually rising to the rank of a Captain. Fighting racism and sexism along the way, she trails Ansel to the point of obsession, ultimately making him confess to the murders.
Hazel is a fraternal twin to Jenny, Ansel’s ex-wife. Once harbouring a crush on her brother-in-law, she gradually sees through Ansel and is instrumental in digging up a crucial clue to implicate Ansel.
The novel features descriptions of domestic violence and animal torture. Readers’ discretion is advised. But these scenes bring Ansel’s nature to light. Unlike Saffy, he opts for violence. His attempt to gaslight Shawna, the widowed policewoman, to help plan his escape shows he still feels women can be charmed by him. On the other hand, he genuinely likes his niece, Blue. These secondary characters bring out the two contrasting sides in him.
The novel is a slow burn, but despite the multiple timelines, the interest never wavers. I liked the fact that Danya Kufafka never tries to humanise Ansel, but by using the three female voices, she brings to light how tough it is for them to navigate a male-dominated world filled with Ansel Packers.
The narrators have done a good job too.
Do I recommend Notes on an Execution?
If you’re looking for a fast-paced whodunit, it’s not for you. Do you want to delve into the psychology of the perpetrator and his indirect victims? Then go ahead and grab the novel. It’s worth the 4-star ratings on Goodreads.
