Yes, her real name is Slaughter. How fitting that she writes such gruesome thrillers!
Dates Read: March 20 - March 26
Genre(s): thriller, mystery, suspense, police procedural
Rating: 5 stars (it was amazing)
Blurb from Google Books:
More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia's teenage sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss--a devastating wound that's cruelly ripped open when Claire's husband is killed.
The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago...and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.
This is my favorite thriller novel so far and I will definitely be reading more from this author! Karin Slaughter did an amazing job with descriptions, characterization, and suspense. I really cared about the main characters--so much so that I teared up during several parts throughout and even cried at the end. I can't remember the last time I cried reading any book, especially a thriller.
I loved how the father's letters to his missing daughter were interwoven throughout the narrative, making me care about him more, as well. It was interesting to be able to see his insights as the sisters were trying to figure everything out on their own.
And speaking of the sisters, I absolutely love how the two women have to suddenly reappear in each other's lives and how they grow as a family again. They couldn't be more different from each other, but they still have some similar qualities and realize that they're better together. Both of them are strong and outspoken, clever women who will stop at nothing to uncover whatever horrors they must in order to figure out what is going on.
I can't stress enough how great Slaughter is at building suspense. Let me tell you, you will not see most of the twists ahead of time. They lunge out at you like a blood-thirsty animal. You will cringe and you will enjoy it (if you're into cringing and horrifying scenes, I mean!) My heart beat SO hard at every twist and agonizing scene. If you're looking for an unputdownable story, this is it.*
The back of my copy has an excerpt from a NY Times review that says, "A hell-raising thriller...A genuinely exciting narrative driven by strong-willed female characters who can't wait around until the boys shake the lead out of their shoes."
It was EXACTLY that. Powerful. Heartwrenching. Heavy. Beautiful.
Pretty Girls is definitely worth the cringing, and I can't wait to read Karin Slaughter's other novels!
*trigger warnings: vivid descriptions of rape, torture, murder, physical injuries