Remember Andrea Oliver from Pieces of Her? Well, Andrea takes the lead role in this latest as a newly minted US Marshall. (Note - this can absolutely be read as a stand alone.)
The book opens with a heartbreaking scene - the murder of a teen in 1982. And then flips to the present where Andrea arrives at her first job - protecting a judge who has been receiving death threats. Both events take place in the same town. And Andrea herself has a connection to things as well.
Slaughter employs a plot device that I love - the back and forth of a past and present narrative. Just as the reader is lost in the past putting together the clues, the timeline flips to the present. Guaranteed to keep me reading until late at night.
Slaughter's plotting is brilliant and the journey to the final answers is a deliciously devious road to travel. (I do have to say that the past timeline broke my heart.)
I liked seeing this 'new' Andy. She's been thrown into the lion's den with this first assignment. She's also been paired up with the veteran Marshall Bible. They play off each other really well. I hope we get to see more this pair in the future.
Karin Slaughter is a brilliant crime writer and this latest is more evidence of that.
Ah, another Karin Slaughter book. Love those. I realize that I never read PIECES OF HER or haven't yet. May try that one first, but this one is on my list as well. Thanks, as always, for 'pre-reading' for me! Ha!
ReplyDeleteHaven't read her books in a while, but this does look good.
ReplyDeleteKay you could read this as a stand alone, but it's nice to have the backstory. LOL- Pre-read.
ReplyDeleteHarvee, I have her on my must read list.