Feature image credit: @inkdrinkerreads

In this month’s Books On Your RadarBookSparks’ founder Crystal Patriarche recommends a heart-pounding novel, one of those books that might just change the way you look at the world when you’re done reading. We recommend bumping this pick up to number one on your TBR list this month. 

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

Phenomenal, creepy, enlightening, tragic and empowering, Notes on an Execution takes a hard look at America’s obsession with serial killers and the lives of women. The novel opens on Ansel Packer, a convicted killer who is scheduled to be executed in 12 hours. However, this isn’t your typical serial killer novel. As the time of his death draws closer, the story of Ansel’s life is revealed through the women in his life—his mother, a sister, and the homicide detective that captured him. In this book, women are front and center as the author investigates the lives of people touched by violence. Riveting and hypnotic, this book challenges the way we think about the psyches of violent men. It’s no wonder that Notes has already been optioned for a TV series adaptation.