Crime Thriller Explores Family Relationships

Do you ever get totally sucked into a book and end up reading it in just a couple of days? This is what happened to me with Karin Slaughter's "The Good Daughter". It drew me in quickly and I just had to keep reading. A thriller that touches on sexual assault, a home invasion, and a school shooting, it isn't "light" reading, but it was quick paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I would definitely recommend it, but be forewarned, there are grisly details and tough situations.

The main character, Charlie (Charlotte) Quinn is a lawyer, who was the victim of a home invasion as a teenager. The crime, which left her mother dead, was never solved. Twenty-eight years have passed, and Charlie is still struggling to come to terms with how it affected her family. Unexpectedly caught up in another tragedy, Charlie is forced to face her past.

Growing up in a small town, I appreciated some of the relationships that were mentioned, whether it was a teacher who used to be neighbor or a police officer who used to be a jock in high school. Knowing these characters had a history made it more realistic to me. Even if you didn’t get all the details of these connections, that these characters would know the history of the main character’s family tragedy and interpret it in their own way made it believable.

Part cold case, part thriller, the story moves quickly and keeps the surprises coming. Interesting twists and turns with some characters keep the reader intrigued and wondering what will come next. Told from different points of view as it progresses, the novel creates a more complete picture of not only past events, but current mysteries. The reader learns more about Charlie’s family, her parents’ relationship, and her relationship with her sister. She also struggles to remember the past and what happened when tragedy struck.

I have read several novels by Slaughter, mostly from her Will Trent series, about a Georgia Bureau of Investigations Special Agent and the crimes that he and his partner, Faith Mitchell, investigate. They are fast-paced crime dramas, but also studies in character development. As the series progresses more details are revealed about character Will Trent and his past.

Whether you are looking to get into a series or read one of her stand-alone mysteries, I recommend Karin Slaughter as an author who will keep you intrigued right up to the last page.

You can see more of her books here: www.karinslaughter.com