The Execution of Noa P. Singleton

Starred review from April 8, 2013
At the start of attorney Silver’s searing debut, Noa Singleton, a convicted murderer on Pennsylvania’s death row scheduled to be executed in six months, receives an offer of help from the most unlikely of sources—her pregnant victim’s mother, Marlene Dixon. A high-powered Philadelphia lawyer, Marlene has changed her views on the death penalty and will champion a petition to commute Noa’s sentence to life in prison—if Noa reveals what drove her to kill her one-time University of Pennsylvania classmate. But is this a good-faith offer, or just an attempt by a grief-stricken and guilt-ridden mother to exact some final revenge? The appealing but morally anorexic Noa is left to wonder as she proffers tantalizing peeks of her past (or are they self-serving fictions?), from memories of her narcissistic, manipulative mother to the ex-con father she would have been better off never meeting. This devastating read stands less as a polemic against the death penalty than as a heartbreaking brief for the preciousness of life. Agent: Richard Pine, Inkwell Management.

June 1, 2013

For the past decade, Noa P. Singleton, now 35, has been sitting on death row in Pennsylvania for the murder of wealthy Sarah Dixon, after having suffered the lifelong misfortune of being surrounded by selfish people with suspicious pasts and hidden motivations. Now, six months before Noa's execution, Marlene, the victim's mother and a successful lawyer, files a clemency petition for Noa--but why? Meanwhile, inexperienced attorney Oliver Stansted begins to find evidence that may save Noa as readers try to decide whether she is truly guilty or innocent. Silver carefully considers all of her characters' motivations, and the truth of what really happened is revealed in a stunning climax. VERDICT In this compelling debut by an award-winning writer and lawyer, the story of Noa's life is told through flashbacks and her own memories. A clever examination of the nature of destiny and the choices we make, this thought-provoking book is reminiscent of John Grisham's The Confession in its exploration of the death penalty. Silver has successfully written a suspenseful, absorbing tale. This is a special treat for mystery fans. [The author is speaking at the LJ/Random House author breakfast at BEA.--Ed.]--Mariel Pachucki, Seattle

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