This is the first Karin Slaughter book I have read, but it definitely won’t be the last. It’s my favourite book of the year so far.
The story is gripping from the very beginning and it doesn’t let you go until the last page. It is horrifying revelation after horrifying revelation. Just when you think that these people cannot withstand any more, another terror is revealed. It’s a visceral experience to walk with Leigh and Callie through the pages of this book and that’s brought to life so well by the great writing. The fact that it is set now, during what we are a living through collectively via Coronavirus, made it all the more gripping - this could be happening around the corner from me, it normalises the abnormal which is truly awful. The setting also gave Slaughter the opportunity to introduce some societal and political observations that are familiar and enriched the book for me, grounding it in a reality I recognise.
My favourite character was Callie, the sister whose life had taken the darker turn after the events that open the story. Her fallibility and complete self-awareness of who she was and her total acceptance who and what she was, was great and heart-breaking in equal measure.
I highly recommend reading this, so long as you have a) a strong stomach as there are many triggering topics, and b) the time to finish it in one go because you won’t be able to put it down.
The story is gripping from the very beginning and it doesn’t let you go until the last page. It is horrifying revelation after horrifying revelation. Just when you think that these people cannot withstand any more, another terror is revealed. It’s a visceral experience to walk with Leigh and Callie through the pages of this book and that’s brought to life so well by the great writing. The fact that it is set now, during what we are a living through collectively via Coronavirus, made it all the more gripping - this could be happening around the corner from me, it normalises the abnormal which is truly awful. The setting also gave Slaughter the opportunity to introduce some societal and political observations that are familiar and enriched the book for me, grounding it in a reality I recognise.
My favourite character was Callie, the sister whose life had taken the darker turn after the events that open the story. Her fallibility and complete self-awareness of who she was and her total acceptance who and what she was, was great and heart-breaking in equal measure.
I highly recommend reading this, so long as you have a) a strong stomach as there are many triggering topics, and b) the time to finish it in one go because you won’t be able to put it down.