Salvation on Death Row - by John T Thorngren (Paperback)

About the Book

Convicted of capital murder in 1980, Pamela Perillo sat on Texas's Death Row awaiting lethal injection. But in 2000, she was resentenced from death to life in prison. Pamela's story is one of imprisonment but it's also a story of hope--of finding the Christian faith and creating a meaningful life.

Book Synopsis

"Some true stories move us. Pamela's story changes us." -- Dale S. Recinella, Chaplain for Florida's Death Row and author of Now I Walk on Death Row

Pamela Perillo was set to die on March 24, 1996.

Convicted of capital murder in 1980, Pamela sat on Texas's Death Row awaiting lethal injection. But less than two days before her scheduled execution, she was given a second chance, and in 2000, she was resentenced: from death to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Her first chance at new life had come shortly after her arrest, when Pamela embraced the Christian faith and began bringing her fellow inmates to redemption in Christ.

That's why although Pamela's story is one of imprisonment--first by abuse and addiction and ultimately behind the locked doors of the criminal justice system--it's also a story of hope--of finding a new path in faith, of taking courage from the promise of salvation, and of praying for parole after decades of incarceration.

Salvation on Death Row combines true-crime reporting with a powerful spiritual memoir, reminding us that every life is a journey, every person is capable of change, and every individual can make a positive impact on the world.

The author's proceeds from Salvation on Death Row will benefit Patriot PAWS service dogs.

Review Quotes

"...A strong theme weaves throughout the book of the value of all people and the beauty of redemption and relying on God in uncertainty, even unto death. [...] The memoir is well written, making a complicated storyline understandable while keeping the reader interested. The first-person point of view drives the narrative, and fascinating details about the legal system generate interest when the story idles in court. Honesty shines through, introducing even the most broken people in a way that the reader can identify with."

-- (02/26/2018)

It seems to me that people that have been delivered from drug abuse need to have their story told in order to say there is hope and that victory is possible. This is a great story with a wonderful conclusion: The only good answer is the Lord!

-- (07/05/2017)

Pam Perillo spent years on Death Row and invites the reader into its reality. She shares her painful childhood with us, and it opens our eyes to her journey to the row...Pam is an example of perseverance against all odds. A transformed woman with a second chance at life.

-- (07/05/2017)

Through a dramatic first-person narrative that refuses to be set down, John Thorngren propels the reader through the agony, the horror, and the hope that is the life of Pamela Perillo. The pitched battle between the bitter deceptions and failings of our broken world and the beckoning Grace of restoration and redemption carve the contours of this incredible woman's life all the way to the Texas death house. Some true stories move us. Pamela's story changes us.

-- (06/06/2017)

About the Author

John T. Thorngren, a Texas writer and graduate of the University of Texas, has enjoyed a myriad of life experiences working from basements to boardrooms. He is a songwriter published in Southern Gospel and an author of several patents, technical articles, and a nonfiction book on probability and statistics. John and his wife of more than five decades live in Shady Shores, Texas, where their livestock freely roam the grounds. After his first heart attack at an early age and two subsequent heart attacks followed by two open-heart surgeries, John believes that God has a purpose for every life.