Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

How can love rip a family apart?  Karin Slaughter has that twist in her novel.
Lydia and Claire, two sisters left to figure out their lives after their oldest sister disappears and their parents fall into their own despair, end up with a problem that bring them back together after twenty years.
The problem is still their missing sister.  
Lydia is my favorite character.  She's the one that fought hard to correct her life, the addictions, the search for something right in her life, and dealing with the estrangement of her family. Her boyfriend of ten years doesn't sound so enticing on the outside, past criminal convictions, but loves her and really loves her!
Claire acts too perfect, the rich husband, has everything material, and doesn't see the truth.
That is, until it all unravels.  Claire's husband is murdered, evidence of her missing sister surfaces along with letters her father wrote to the missing sister (never delivered, of course), and letters from her mother to Lydia, also never delivered.
The proof of the sister's disappearance definitely points to one person, but who else is involved?  Local police?  The FBI? family members?  This is where the real love breaks free of the lies and repairs tattered relationships!

Happy reading,
Dawn

Indelible by Karin Slaughter

As we expect, Karin Slaughter has nailed another romantic suspense with a complex plot and love seeping in-between the sheets.

Here we have the police chief, Jeffrey Tolliver, divorced from the medical examiner, Sara Linton.  If they had a romance, married, then ended the romance, what could possibly renew the fire?

Another catastrophe!

Jeffrey’s police force is held hostage at the police station.  Unfortunately, Sara had come to the station for work on a case.  They’re part of the group of the hostages, and the police are being killed off one by one.

In the midst of the tense situation, Jeffrey’s and Sara’s past is played out. I’m not too much in favor of stories going back-and-forth, but Slaughter pulled it off.  She kept the reader in-tune with what’s happened, what’s happening, and how Sara and Jeffrey manage to re-ignite the passion they once felt and never completely lost.

 

Happy reading,

Dawn

Triptych by Karin Slaughter

Serial murders in Atlanta are something new, but the fact that the victims are prostitutes and low in social ranking typically are not high on the police radar.

This changes idea with Officer Angie Polaski.  Angie is a beautiful and tough cop and considers the atrocities done on the victims inexcusable. 

Another officer, Mike Ormewood, doesn’t see the problem as one needing high priority.  He has other problems of his own.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation sends their man, Agent Will Trent.  Trent has a steady and hidden personality, a tough nut for Angie to crack.

In walks the next most important person, Jon Shelley, in the solving of the murders.  Actually, he walks out of the state prison after paying his dues for a murder.

Jon develops a crush on Angie, Mike hates Jon, Trent has a conflict with Mike’s personality, and Angie’s curiosity about Trent leads to a deep interest.

What a dilemma.  It’s nearly as much a mystery to solve the murders as it is who will end up dating who.

I loved this story.  It had a unique development of the plot and the characters mixed in turbulence similar to a blender.  The only thing I didn’t like was the title of the story.  Triptych?  I looked up the title and found it to define an artistic picture split into three frames.  I seriously did not want to think hard and figure the meaning and how it related to the story other than a character having a triptych on their wall, which ultimately was mentioned once and had little to do with the novel.  Choosing this story had only to do with the fact that the author has always given me a great read!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Broken by Karen Slaughter

There’s a possibility of multiple matches in Broken, as long as they live past the knife. 

Special Agent Will Trent is sent to Georgia to assist in a probable triple homicide.  Each victim was stabbed in the back of the neck.  The murderer likes to set up their work as a suicide, but Will is too smart to fall for that old trick.

Officer Lena Adams, stationed in Georgia, has a professionally dark past along with other force members.  Evidence tampering might be the least of Lena and her partner's worries.  Will studies her and the rest of the police force while Lena tries to investigate the deaths. 

Dr. Sara Linton is called to help and drags her broken heart back to her home base.

Lena’s love life defies her past dark actions.

It’s a curious thing as to whether Will ends up with Sara or Lena.    

Who ends up happy in the end?  Who ends up not being killed and how can the killer evade the facts and evidence discovered? 

Slaughter keeps you guessing on all accounts of the story and the ending surprised me, so be prepared.

Happy reading,

Dawn