"Dead Man Walking" by Sister Helen Prejean was first published in 1993. It is a work of non-fiction. The author is a Roman Catholic nun, one of the sisters of Saint Joseph Medaille.
She was a spiritual advisor to two convicted murderers who were waiting death sentence. The present book is based on her experiences while she was working as a spiritual advisor.
The book is set at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. The author explores the serious moral issues that are related to the capital punishment.