"There were two types of killers on the Row, Packer had decided after years of study. There were the cold-blooded killers who would do it again if given the chance, and there were those who simply made mistakes and would never dream of shedding more blood. Those in the first group should be gassed quickly. Those in the second group caused great discomfort for Packer because their executions served no purpose. Society would not suffer or even notice if these men were released from prison. Sam was a solid member of the second group. He could be returned to his home where he would soon die a lonesome death. No, Packer did not want Sam Cayhall executed." 
 Fresh out of law school, Adam Hall decides to represent his grandfather on a death penalty case. Adam only recently discovered that he is the grandson of the infamous Sam Cayhall - the Ku Klux Klan member who bombed a law firm in 1967 that killed two Jewish kids. 20 years later, Sam Cayhall's appeals have run out and Adam decides to step in and try to save his grandfather. 
 "Don't get me wrong, Adam. I'm opposed to the death penalty. I'm probably the only fifty-year-old white woman in the country whose father is on death row. It's barbaric, immoral, discriminatory, cruel, uncivilized - I subscribe to all the above. But don't forget the victims, okay. They have the right to want retribution. They've earned it." 
 I have mixed feelings about the characters in this book. Adam Hall and Sam Cayhall aren't particularly likeable, but they aren't despicable either. Although Sam has a pretty violent and nasty past, The Chamber makes you question whether or not he truly deserves to be executed. You also get a glimpse of how prison staff members are affected by the execution of one of their inmates, and how family members of death row inmates cope with the situation. 
 "The fact that I'm really a Cayhall? I don't plan to tell anyone, but I'll be surprised if it's a secret much longer. When it comes to death row inmates, Sam's a famous one. The press will start some serious digging pretty soon." 
 Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Chamber. It was thought-provoking and pages flew by quickly. I only wish I knew what happened to Rollie Wedge, Sam's accomplice........