Danya Kukafka isn't exactly new to the literary scene — she published her first book, "Girl in Snow," back in 2017; however, her 2022 release, "Notes on an Execution," is what's really put her on the literary map. A gripping, unique look at the psyche of a serial killer told through the perspectives of three women whose lives have become permanently altered by his actions, this novel is a fascinating addition to the thriller genre, which has become somewhat monotonous.
In an interview with Write or Die Magazine, Kukafka explained that this book was largely born out of her own contempt for crime stories that glorify serial killers and erase their victims' from the narrative. Speaking of popular crime shows (such as "Law & Order: SVU" and "Criminal Minds") specifically, she said, "I felt like, this cannot possibly be the whole story. We see this narrative over and over again. The show opens on the dead body, the detectives come in, they solve the murder, justice is served. Even as a teenager I had the thought, like, what about everybody else?"
"Notes on an Execution" aims to answer this question by focusing on the lives that are impacted by acts of violence rather than the violent acts themselves.
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