Criminal
5 Stars

The disappearance and brutal murder of a young college student raises specters from the past for both Will Trent and his boss, GBI deputy director Amanda Wagner. For Amanda, the case evokes memories of the investigation that launched her career 40 years before while for Will, it prompts troubling questions regarding the death of his mother, which may provide important clues to the identity of a deranged killer.

An absolutely spellbinding read.

The mystery provides an excellent backdrop for the insights into the beginning of Amanda's career as a law enforcement officer as well as the revelations concerning her relationship with Will.

The descriptions of the rampant misogynism and racism in the 1970s are both heartbreaking and infuriating, and go a long way toward explaining Amanda's personality. They are all the more troubling considering the current political and social climate in the USA and elsewhere today.

The transitions between the chapters set in the past and those set in the present are seamless, and the manner in which Slaughter has skillfully interwoven the lives of the various female characters mentioned throughout the series within the fabric of Will's life is particularly satisfying.

There are also some minor developments in Will and Sara's relationship, and it is clear that there are still obstacles for them to overcome if they are to have a future together.

In sum, a brilliant addition to the series and I can't wait for the next one.

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Will Trent series #6 ( )

There are two storylines, 30 years apart. To disguise the bad guy, Slaughter has to confuse the reader with some of the names. Which is not a very sophisticated way of keeping a reader engaged. I don't think it would be necessary even, because just the physical descriptions of the persons is enough to male it clear that they are someone different (or, finally, not). ( )

A dense book with the history of Atlanta incorporated into the Will Trent/Faith Mitchell/Sara Linton murder case. And at last we hear about Will's origins, including details about his years living in the Atlanta Children's Home.

The story starts with a young prostitute in mid-1970's Atlanta who reflects on her life and quick fall into heroin and self-hatred as well as the early careers of Amanda Wagner (Will's boss at the GBI) and Evelyn Mitchell (Faith's mother). The horrendous verbal and physical abuse they have to put up with on the police force from other cops is a reminder of how necessary laws are to clamp down on this sort of behavior.

The early days of an Atlanta government icon, Reginald Eaves, are discussed from the firing of the good ol' (white) boys' network and the segregation of the police precinct. In the more modern era, Amanda gives orders and they are obeyed, and Sara is a Grady physician with the respect of her peers though not necessarily her patients. What makes this book gripping and hard to put down is the interweaving of eras and how the individuals are linked. ( )

has been interesting so far ( )