What do you think?
Rate this book
Andrea Oliver #2
La Secte des oubliées
Le nouveau thriller de Karin Slaughter, l’autrice de Son vrai visage , aujourd’hui disponible sur Netflix. Longbill Beach, 1982. Emily Vaughn se prépare pour ce qui promet d’être une soirée inoubliable, la plus belle de toutes : son bal de promo. Mais Emily a un secret. Et à cause de ce secret, elle sera morte d’ici le lever du jour.
Près de quarante ans plus tard, Andrea Oliver, récemment nommée US marshal, reçoit sa première mission : protéger un juge de Longbill Beach menacé de mort. Mais Andrea y voit surtout l’occasion d’enquêter sur la mort d’Emily, qui la hante depuis qu’elle en a appris les circonstances brutales il y a un an. Personne n’a jamais été condamné, et le tueur est toujours en liberté. Il revient à Andrea de le démasquer et de découvrir ce qui s’est réellement passé.
Traduit de l’anglais (Etats-Unis) par Maxime Shelledy et Souad Degachi
À propos de l’autrice
N°1 sur les listes internationales de best-sellers, Karin Slaughter est l’une des autrices les plus populaires et les plus plébiscitées dans le monde. Publiée dans 120 pays et vendue à plus de 40 millions d’exemplaires, elle a écrit de nombreux romans, parmi lesquels figurent les séries Grant County et Will Trent, en cours d’adaptation pour la télévision, ainsi que Son vrai visage , disponible sur Netflix.
Près de quarante ans plus tard, Andrea Oliver, récemment nommée US marshal, reçoit sa première mission : protéger un juge de Longbill Beach menacé de mort. Mais Andrea y voit surtout l’occasion d’enquêter sur la mort d’Emily, qui la hante depuis qu’elle en a appris les circonstances brutales il y a un an. Personne n’a jamais été condamné, et le tueur est toujours en liberté. Il revient à Andrea de le démasquer et de découvrir ce qui s’est réellement passé.
Traduit de l’anglais (Etats-Unis) par Maxime Shelledy et Souad Degachi
À propos de l’autrice
N°1 sur les listes internationales de best-sellers, Karin Slaughter est l’une des autrices les plus populaires et les plus plébiscitées dans le monde. Publiée dans 120 pays et vendue à plus de 40 millions d’exemplaires, elle a écrit de nombreux romans, parmi lesquels figurent les séries Grant County et Will Trent, en cours d’adaptation pour la télévision, ainsi que Son vrai visage , disponible sur Netflix.
583 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2022
7361 people are currently reading
89536 people want to read
About the author
Karin Slaughter
128 books86.5k followersKarin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular storytellers. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty- five novels, including the Edgar nominated COP TOWN and standalone novels PRETTY GIRLS and FALSE WITNESS. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. PIECES OF HER, based on her novel, debuted at #1 worldwide on Netflix as an original series in 2022. Her bestselling thriller series, Will Trent, is now a television and streaming sensation in its 4th season. THE GOOD DAUGHTER will soon be a limited series starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy, and further projects are currently in development for film/TV. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.
Facebook: Facebook.com/AuthorKarinSlaughter
Website: http://www.karinslaughter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinslaugh...
Facebook: Facebook.com/AuthorKarinSlaughter
Website: http://www.karinslaughter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinslaugh...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,805 reviews
September 5, 2022
A Psychopath, a Federal Judge, and a U.S. Marshal cross paths in Girl Forgotten.
3.5 stars
Girl Forgotten centers around the cold case of a brutally murdered pregnant teen in the 1980s coming back into the limelight now that her mother, a federally appointed judge, is receiving death threats.
There are two main storylines: The first involves newly graduated U.S. Marshal Andrea Oliver, assigned to her first federal case: the protection of a federal judge receiving death threats. The second involves Emily, an 18-year-old pregnant teen, murdered on prom night.
Not only was the murder Emily never solved, but the father of her child was also unknown to even Emily.
Narrated by Andrea in the present and Emily in the 1980s, I liked them both, though it took some time for me to connect with Andrea. She grew on me in the end.
Almost all of the side characters in Emily’s narrative were awful, hideous human beings, which made her narrative particularly difficult to read.
Andrea’s new partner, Catfish Bible, yes, that is his name-- well, Catfish is a nickname, was my favorite part of this book.
It took me a while to get into this. Emily's story starts with a bang, but simmers after. The pacing is slow, and the back and forth of the timeline took me some time to adjust to. I finally got hooked around the 40% mark when the storylines start to connect concretely. There are some good twists, and while Emily’s case is resolved, I was left with a few unanswered questions.
I didn’t read Pieces of Her, but I feel like I got the gist from reading Girl Forgotten. I would be up for book #3, especially if it features Catfish-more of him, please!
3.5 stars
Girl Forgotten centers around the cold case of a brutally murdered pregnant teen in the 1980s coming back into the limelight now that her mother, a federally appointed judge, is receiving death threats.
There are two main storylines: The first involves newly graduated U.S. Marshal Andrea Oliver, assigned to her first federal case: the protection of a federal judge receiving death threats. The second involves Emily, an 18-year-old pregnant teen, murdered on prom night.
Not only was the murder Emily never solved, but the father of her child was also unknown to even Emily.
Narrated by Andrea in the present and Emily in the 1980s, I liked them both, though it took some time for me to connect with Andrea. She grew on me in the end.
Almost all of the side characters in Emily’s narrative were awful, hideous human beings, which made her narrative particularly difficult to read.
Andrea’s new partner, Catfish Bible, yes, that is his name-- well, Catfish is a nickname, was my favorite part of this book.
It took me a while to get into this. Emily's story starts with a bang, but simmers after. The pacing is slow, and the back and forth of the timeline took me some time to adjust to. I finally got hooked around the 40% mark when the storylines start to connect concretely. There are some good twists, and while Emily’s case is resolved, I was left with a few unanswered questions.
I didn’t read Pieces of Her, but I feel like I got the gist from reading Girl Forgotten. I would be up for book #3, especially if it features Catfish-more of him, please!
May 19, 2022
I have to admit I was surprised to see Karin Slaughter resurrect Andrea Oliver in this tense thriller, first encountered in Pieces of Her, but her character has been developed and transformed as she completes her training and becomes a US Marshal here, something her parents, Laura and Gordon, are far from happy about. 4 decades ago, at Longbill Beach in 1982, kind, conscientious and hardworking student, 17 year old Emily Vaughn, heavily pregnant, sets out to attend the Prom, despite being ostracised and a pariah in the local community and a school student body that treat her with utter contempt. Barefoot, in pain, she pushes aside all attempts to deter her from going to the prom from the likes of teacher Dean Wexler, this includes threats and physical violence, was it her secrets that resulted in her being murdered later that night?
This is a cold case with links to Andrea's imprisoned birth father, the psychopath Clayton Morrow, aka Nicholas Harp, who is up for parole in 6 months, she plans to secretly investigate the cold case in which he is a suspect. Her first assignment as a Marshal is to help protect a judge, Esther Vaughn, Emily's mother, who has been receiving credible death threats. Her partner and mentor is the experienced Marshal Leonard 'Catfish' Bible, whose relationship with his boss and wife, Deputy Chief Cecilia Compton provide some much needed comic moments in what is otherwise an extremely dark narrative that takes us back to the past. This includes Emily embarking on a Columbo like investigation of the night of which she has no memory, in which she was given an acid tab and left to handle the devastating life altering repercussions, with no idea of how she got pregnant or by whom.
In the present, Andrea looks into Emily's clique of 'friends', Clay, Blake, Nardo and Ricky, all revoltingly nasty pieces of work. She and Catfish come across a harrowing young woman's suicide on a fava bean farm owned by Wexler, running a cult with female 'volunteers' that resemble walking corpses. This is a compulsive read, loaded with suspense and tension, that had me gripped from beginning to end. The author does a wonderful job in depicting a green and apprehensive Andrea slowly coming to terms with her new role as a US Marshal, ably trained and supported by Catfish with his rules. This crime thriller will appeal to fans of Karin Slaughter and other crime and mystery readers too. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
This is a cold case with links to Andrea's imprisoned birth father, the psychopath Clayton Morrow, aka Nicholas Harp, who is up for parole in 6 months, she plans to secretly investigate the cold case in which he is a suspect. Her first assignment as a Marshal is to help protect a judge, Esther Vaughn, Emily's mother, who has been receiving credible death threats. Her partner and mentor is the experienced Marshal Leonard 'Catfish' Bible, whose relationship with his boss and wife, Deputy Chief Cecilia Compton provide some much needed comic moments in what is otherwise an extremely dark narrative that takes us back to the past. This includes Emily embarking on a Columbo like investigation of the night of which she has no memory, in which she was given an acid tab and left to handle the devastating life altering repercussions, with no idea of how she got pregnant or by whom.
In the present, Andrea looks into Emily's clique of 'friends', Clay, Blake, Nardo and Ricky, all revoltingly nasty pieces of work. She and Catfish come across a harrowing young woman's suicide on a fava bean farm owned by Wexler, running a cult with female 'volunteers' that resemble walking corpses. This is a compulsive read, loaded with suspense and tension, that had me gripped from beginning to end. The author does a wonderful job in depicting a green and apprehensive Andrea slowly coming to terms with her new role as a US Marshal, ably trained and supported by Catfish with his rules. This crime thriller will appeal to fans of Karin Slaughter and other crime and mystery readers too. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
August 19, 2022
This second installment of the Andrea Oliver series was decent, but not spectacular. I wasn't a huge fan of Andrea in the first book (Pieces of Her, but time has passed and she is now graduating from the US Marshals program. She has grown a backbone and ambition in the meantime, which I was thrilled to see.
This follows two cases--one is from 1982, a cold case about a pregnant teenager who was murdered. Currently a federal judge has had threats on her life, and she just happens to be the mother of the murdered teenager. Also...Clayton Morrow/Nicholas Harp (Andrea's psycho father who is in prison) might be involved with the teen girl's death, and it would be great to prove that in order to keep him behind bars. Andrea meets up with her new partner, Leonard "Catfish" Bible, and they set out to keep the judge safe, while Andrea investigates the cold case secretly on the side.
I thought that the case in the past was a bit too convoluted, too many characters, and not enough of what happened was explained in the end.
Again this is a straightforward story. A bit slow, but I liked Catfish and the interplay between him and Andrea. Everything unfolded deliberately, there are a couple of decent twists, but there are too many side stories and things that they spend way too much time on (like the girls in the cult) and not enough solving the actual crime(s) they were hired to investigate. Although I wouldn't mind seeing more books featuring Andrea and the US Marshals, I'm just done with this Clay/Nick storyline. Someone needs to kill him in prison so we don't have to hear more about his smarmy character.
I listened to half of this as an audiobook, and Kathleen Early does a great job with her narration, as she did with Pieces of Her (and all of Slaughter's books for that matter). It definitely kept me involved with the story even though it was way too long in my opinion. Compared to some of Slaughter' other books, this one was pretty tame with regards to violent content.
Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it. Worth reading if you're a Slaughter fan or liked the first book in the series.
Want to know what happens in this book? Check out the spoiler post on my blog:Girl, Forgotten Spoilers
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This follows two cases--one is from 1982, a cold case about a pregnant teenager who was murdered. Currently a federal judge has had threats on her life, and she just happens to be the mother of the murdered teenager. Also...Clayton Morrow/Nicholas Harp (Andrea's psycho father who is in prison) might be involved with the teen girl's death, and it would be great to prove that in order to keep him behind bars. Andrea meets up with her new partner, Leonard "Catfish" Bible, and they set out to keep the judge safe, while Andrea investigates the cold case secretly on the side.
I thought that the case in the past was a bit too convoluted, too many characters, and not enough of what happened was explained in the end.
Again this is a straightforward story. A bit slow, but I liked Catfish and the interplay between him and Andrea. Everything unfolded deliberately, there are a couple of decent twists, but there are too many side stories and things that they spend way too much time on (like the girls in the cult) and not enough solving the actual crime(s) they were hired to investigate. Although I wouldn't mind seeing more books featuring Andrea and the US Marshals, I'm just done with this Clay/Nick storyline. Someone needs to kill him in prison so we don't have to hear more about his smarmy character.
I listened to half of this as an audiobook, and Kathleen Early does a great job with her narration, as she did with Pieces of Her (and all of Slaughter's books for that matter). It definitely kept me involved with the story even though it was way too long in my opinion. Compared to some of Slaughter' other books, this one was pretty tame with regards to violent content.
Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it. Worth reading if you're a Slaughter fan or liked the first book in the series.
Want to know what happens in this book? Check out the spoiler post on my blog:Girl, Forgotten Spoilers
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Want to read
January 6, 2022Title:
"Girl, Forgotten"
Me: "Ellias, REMEMBERS!!!!!!!"
ANOTHER KARIN SLAUGHTER STANDALONE HELL YEAH!!!!
Me: "Ellias, REMEMBERS!!!!!!!"
ANOTHER KARIN SLAUGHTER STANDALONE HELL YEAH!!!!
May 3, 2022
3.5 rounded up to 4
The Girl, Forgotten is Emily Vaughn who is murdered in Longbill Beach in 1982. 40 years later her murderer still remains free, the murder unsolved as her former tightknit friendship group closes ranks. However, in the present day, Andrea Oliver, now a US Marshal and on her first case, a mission to protect a judge who is receiving death threats. The judge in question is in fact Emily‘s mother. Andrea is determined to use the opportunity to try to discover the truth about who killed Emily and she has a very personal reason for doing so.
I really like the 1982 start of the novel which shocks you in several ways though it does plateau a bit after that picking up pace later on. Initially, part of the issues for me are that the author keeps diverting from the plot path and we meander along taking an unnecessary amount of time to get from A to B. Fortunately this does improve significantly and something clicks and I’m all in as it becomes gripping.
Andrea as a character really grows on you, she seems to become more confident as she is now standing on her own two feet becoming resourceful and determined . I really like her partner too, Deputy Leonard Bible known as Catfish. I especially like his rules, he’s funny and the injection of his humour into the dark plot is most welcome. The other characters by and large are pieces of work, really awful excuses for human beings but they do make for immersive reading.
As the novel progresses in the multiple layers from both 1982 and the present day start to connect, the tempo increases, there’s plenty of action as well as tension and several good twists and turns. The ending is good too, it’s plausible and nicely set up for book number three and I’d like to see how that plays out.
I think it’s a good idea to have read book one (or to have seen the Netflix adaptation) as it makes more sense. However it’s not crucial.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins UK for their much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
The Girl, Forgotten is Emily Vaughn who is murdered in Longbill Beach in 1982. 40 years later her murderer still remains free, the murder unsolved as her former tightknit friendship group closes ranks. However, in the present day, Andrea Oliver, now a US Marshal and on her first case, a mission to protect a judge who is receiving death threats. The judge in question is in fact Emily‘s mother. Andrea is determined to use the opportunity to try to discover the truth about who killed Emily and she has a very personal reason for doing so.
I really like the 1982 start of the novel which shocks you in several ways though it does plateau a bit after that picking up pace later on. Initially, part of the issues for me are that the author keeps diverting from the plot path and we meander along taking an unnecessary amount of time to get from A to B. Fortunately this does improve significantly and something clicks and I’m all in as it becomes gripping.
Andrea as a character really grows on you, she seems to become more confident as she is now standing on her own two feet becoming resourceful and determined . I really like her partner too, Deputy Leonard Bible known as Catfish. I especially like his rules, he’s funny and the injection of his humour into the dark plot is most welcome. The other characters by and large are pieces of work, really awful excuses for human beings but they do make for immersive reading.
As the novel progresses in the multiple layers from both 1982 and the present day start to connect, the tempo increases, there’s plenty of action as well as tension and several good twists and turns. The ending is good too, it’s plausible and nicely set up for book number three and I’d like to see how that plays out.
I think it’s a good idea to have read book one (or to have seen the Netflix adaptation) as it makes more sense. However it’s not crucial.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins UK for their much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
September 25, 2022
Glad we got more Andrea!
I read Pieces of Her in 2019 and I remember thinking reading more books with Andrea and Mike in it was something I was down with.
Thankfully, Karin Slaughter felt the same way.
Andrea drove me crazy in Pieces of Her. She was so lost and I was annoyed by her actions. By the end of it, she grew on me and in Girl, Forgotten, she has matured.
The novel begins with Andrea's graduation as a US Marshall. Of course, her mother is not happy about it, and let's just say that I would never want to upset Laura Oliver.
For her first assignment, Andrea is sent to Longbill Beach to protect a judge who has received death threats. She gets a new partner, "Catfish" Bible. Yet, Andrea has another assignment and it is to find out the killer of the judge's daughter, Emily Vaughn.
Emily was a teenager who was murdered in 1982 on prom night. Emily was part of a group nicknamed the clique. The other girl in the group was Ricky. Her twin Blake, Nardo, and Clay Morrow complete the ensemble. Andrea has a connection to Clay, one that she wishes didn't exist.
When Emily was murdered, she was pregnant. Her child survived the attack but she didn't. Forty years later, it is up to Andrea to find out the truth. There were so many candidates for the attack. Any member of the clique, Jack Stilton (police chief's son) or Dean Wexler, their teacher.
Karin Slaughter's books are not easy to read. There is violence against children and women in most of her books. The scene in this book with the doctor had me fuming, to say the least. So many abusers in different skins. So be aware before you decide to jump in.
I love Bible as Andrea's partner. He was funny and supportive and I love his relationship with his boss and his wife too. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, I liked how Andrea has matured. The two years in between books have really helped her. I do root for her and Mike's relationship to be successful.
I can't end my review without saying how much I enjoyed Kathleen Early's narration. She is one of my favorite narrators.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by William Morrow/Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I read Pieces of Her in 2019 and I remember thinking reading more books with Andrea and Mike in it was something I was down with.
Thankfully, Karin Slaughter felt the same way.
Andrea drove me crazy in Pieces of Her. She was so lost and I was annoyed by her actions. By the end of it, she grew on me and in Girl, Forgotten, she has matured.
The novel begins with Andrea's graduation as a US Marshall. Of course, her mother is not happy about it, and let's just say that I would never want to upset Laura Oliver.
For her first assignment, Andrea is sent to Longbill Beach to protect a judge who has received death threats. She gets a new partner, "Catfish" Bible. Yet, Andrea has another assignment and it is to find out the killer of the judge's daughter, Emily Vaughn.
Emily was a teenager who was murdered in 1982 on prom night. Emily was part of a group nicknamed the clique. The other girl in the group was Ricky. Her twin Blake, Nardo, and Clay Morrow complete the ensemble. Andrea has a connection to Clay, one that she wishes didn't exist.
When Emily was murdered, she was pregnant. Her child survived the attack but she didn't. Forty years later, it is up to Andrea to find out the truth. There were so many candidates for the attack. Any member of the clique, Jack Stilton (police chief's son) or Dean Wexler, their teacher.
Karin Slaughter's books are not easy to read. There is violence against children and women in most of her books. The scene in this book with the doctor had me fuming, to say the least. So many abusers in different skins. So be aware before you decide to jump in.
I love Bible as Andrea's partner. He was funny and supportive and I love his relationship with his boss and his wife too. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, I liked how Andrea has matured. The two years in between books have really helped her. I do root for her and Mike's relationship to be successful.
I can't end my review without saying how much I enjoyed Kathleen Early's narration. She is one of my favorite narrators.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by William Morrow/Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
July 11, 2022
EXCERPT: She wanted to make plans.
In two weeks, Emily would be eighteen years old. In another two months, she would be a mother. She would get a job. She would move out of her parents' house. Gram would understand, and what she didn't understand, she would forget. Dean Wexler was right about one thing: Emily had to grow up. She had more than herself to think of now. She had to get away from Longbill Beach. She had to start planning her future instead of letting other people plan it for her. More importantly, she would give her baby girl everything that Emily had never had.
Kindness. Understanding. Security.
Emily closed her eyes. She conjured the image of her baby girl joyfully floating around inside of her body. She took a deep breath and started to recite the mantra, this time from a place of love rather than duty.
'I will protect - '
The sound of a loud snap made her eyes open.
Emily saw black leather shoes, black socks, the hem of a pair of black pants. She looked up. The sun flickered as a bat swung through the air.
Her heart clenched into a fist. She was suddenly, inescapably, filled with fear.
Not for herself - for her baby.
Emily curled inward, arms wrapped around her belly, legs pulled up tight, as she fell to the side. She was desperate for another moment, another breath, so that her last words to her little girl would not be a lie.
Someone had always planned to hurt them.
They had never been safe.
ABOUT 'GIRL, FORGOTTEN': A small town hides a big secret…
Who killed Emily Vaughn?
A girl with a secret…
Longbill Beach, 1982. Emily Vaughn gets ready for the prom. For an athlete, who is smart, pretty and well-liked, this night that should be the highlight of her high school career. But Emily has a secret. And by the end of the evening, that secret will be silenced forever.
An unsolved murder…
Forty years later, Emily’s murder remains a mystery. Her tight-knit group of friends closed ranks; her respected, wealthy family retreated inwards; the small town moved on from her grisly attack. But all that’s about to change.
One final chance to uncover a killer…
US Marshal Andrea Oliver arrives in Longbill Beach on her first assignment: to protect a judge receiving death threats. But, in reality, Andrea is there to find justice for Emily. The killer is still out there – and Andrea must discover the truth before she gets silenced, too…
MY THOUGHTS: Quietly stunning. It's the characters: Andrea; Bible - her partner; Esther - the Judge and Emily's mother; Emily herself whose presence is still felt forty years after her murder; and the 'clique': Nardo who is crooked, a con-artist; Blake - a chancer now deceased; Ricky - Blake's twin; and Clay Morrow - wealthy, arrogant and selfish. But for some unfathomable reason, everyone loved Clay. And hanging around on the fringes, but never quite accepted into the fold, was Cheese - Jack Stilton, the Police Chief's son.
Emily was much like her mother, Judge Esther Vaughn, in that they both excelled at everything they did and had no concept of how to deal with failure. Judge Vaughn is a complicated woman; imposing, imperious, intelligent and indomitable. Not a woman to be crossed. Emily's pregnancy could hardly have come at a worse time for the Judge who is busy brokering her next step up the career ladder.
Told over two timelines, 1981 and forty years later, this is a harrowing tale of intrigue and subterfuge. Forty years on, and people are still hiding the truth. With the Judge succumbing to cancer, her husband severely disabled by a stroke, and Andrea detailed to guard them after the Judge received death threats, it seems like there's no better time to find out if her own father, Clay Morrow, is guilty of murdering Emily.
There are layers and layers of lies for Andrea to wade through. Everyone, it seems, still has things to hide. Andrea is lucky to have Bible, an experienced Marshal at her side. He's a man who makes up the rules as he goes along, but he is wise and thoughtful, and never oversteps the mark. Mike, a US Marshal from Andrea's past, and who featured quite prominently in the first book of this series, Pieces of Her, makes a return appearance.
Now, I have to admit to not having enjoyed Pieces of her anywhere near as much as Girl, Forgotten and, as happens with books that I haven't really enjoyed, I could remember nothing of the plot of the first book. But as you can tell, it really made no difference to my enjoyment of Girl, Forgotten.
The plot is complex, but engrossing. Emily was, at times, astute, at others, incredibly naive. It didn't stop me wanting justice for her. I loved the way she played 'Columbo'. That was a great touch. The thread involving the cult is almost secondary, but weaves into the main story with the involvement of two of the main characters. I don't usually read anything involving cults, but I am glad I decided to override this preference in favour of Karin Slaughter's writing. It was a good choice.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
#GirlForgotten #NetGalley
I: @karinslaughterauthor @harpercollins
T: @SlaughterKarin @HarperCollins
#contemporaryfiction #crime #cultfiction #familydrama #detectivefiction #historicalfiction #murdermystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 120 countries with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her eighteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novels Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programing. A native of Georgia, Karin Slaughter lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent series, Grant County series, and standalone novel Cop Town are all in development for film and television.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers UK, Harper Fiction via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
In two weeks, Emily would be eighteen years old. In another two months, she would be a mother. She would get a job. She would move out of her parents' house. Gram would understand, and what she didn't understand, she would forget. Dean Wexler was right about one thing: Emily had to grow up. She had more than herself to think of now. She had to get away from Longbill Beach. She had to start planning her future instead of letting other people plan it for her. More importantly, she would give her baby girl everything that Emily had never had.
Kindness. Understanding. Security.
Emily closed her eyes. She conjured the image of her baby girl joyfully floating around inside of her body. She took a deep breath and started to recite the mantra, this time from a place of love rather than duty.
'I will protect - '
The sound of a loud snap made her eyes open.
Emily saw black leather shoes, black socks, the hem of a pair of black pants. She looked up. The sun flickered as a bat swung through the air.
Her heart clenched into a fist. She was suddenly, inescapably, filled with fear.
Not for herself - for her baby.
Emily curled inward, arms wrapped around her belly, legs pulled up tight, as she fell to the side. She was desperate for another moment, another breath, so that her last words to her little girl would not be a lie.
Someone had always planned to hurt them.
They had never been safe.
ABOUT 'GIRL, FORGOTTEN': A small town hides a big secret…
Who killed Emily Vaughn?
A girl with a secret…
Longbill Beach, 1982. Emily Vaughn gets ready for the prom. For an athlete, who is smart, pretty and well-liked, this night that should be the highlight of her high school career. But Emily has a secret. And by the end of the evening, that secret will be silenced forever.
An unsolved murder…
Forty years later, Emily’s murder remains a mystery. Her tight-knit group of friends closed ranks; her respected, wealthy family retreated inwards; the small town moved on from her grisly attack. But all that’s about to change.
One final chance to uncover a killer…
US Marshal Andrea Oliver arrives in Longbill Beach on her first assignment: to protect a judge receiving death threats. But, in reality, Andrea is there to find justice for Emily. The killer is still out there – and Andrea must discover the truth before she gets silenced, too…
MY THOUGHTS: Quietly stunning. It's the characters: Andrea; Bible - her partner; Esther - the Judge and Emily's mother; Emily herself whose presence is still felt forty years after her murder; and the 'clique': Nardo who is crooked, a con-artist; Blake - a chancer now deceased; Ricky - Blake's twin; and Clay Morrow - wealthy, arrogant and selfish. But for some unfathomable reason, everyone loved Clay. And hanging around on the fringes, but never quite accepted into the fold, was Cheese - Jack Stilton, the Police Chief's son.
Emily was much like her mother, Judge Esther Vaughn, in that they both excelled at everything they did and had no concept of how to deal with failure. Judge Vaughn is a complicated woman; imposing, imperious, intelligent and indomitable. Not a woman to be crossed. Emily's pregnancy could hardly have come at a worse time for the Judge who is busy brokering her next step up the career ladder.
Told over two timelines, 1981 and forty years later, this is a harrowing tale of intrigue and subterfuge. Forty years on, and people are still hiding the truth. With the Judge succumbing to cancer, her husband severely disabled by a stroke, and Andrea detailed to guard them after the Judge received death threats, it seems like there's no better time to find out if her own father, Clay Morrow, is guilty of murdering Emily.
There are layers and layers of lies for Andrea to wade through. Everyone, it seems, still has things to hide. Andrea is lucky to have Bible, an experienced Marshal at her side. He's a man who makes up the rules as he goes along, but he is wise and thoughtful, and never oversteps the mark. Mike, a US Marshal from Andrea's past, and who featured quite prominently in the first book of this series, Pieces of Her, makes a return appearance.
Now, I have to admit to not having enjoyed Pieces of her anywhere near as much as Girl, Forgotten and, as happens with books that I haven't really enjoyed, I could remember nothing of the plot of the first book. But as you can tell, it really made no difference to my enjoyment of Girl, Forgotten.
The plot is complex, but engrossing. Emily was, at times, astute, at others, incredibly naive. It didn't stop me wanting justice for her. I loved the way she played 'Columbo'. That was a great touch. The thread involving the cult is almost secondary, but weaves into the main story with the involvement of two of the main characters. I don't usually read anything involving cults, but I am glad I decided to override this preference in favour of Karin Slaughter's writing. It was a good choice.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
#GirlForgotten #NetGalley
I: @karinslaughterauthor @harpercollins
T: @SlaughterKarin @HarperCollins
#contemporaryfiction #crime #cultfiction #familydrama #detectivefiction #historicalfiction #murdermystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 120 countries with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her eighteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novels Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programing. A native of Georgia, Karin Slaughter lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent series, Grant County series, and standalone novel Cop Town are all in development for film and television.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers UK, Harper Fiction via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 24, 2022
3.5 ⭐
IMHO, better than the first, Pieces of Her and for the murder mystery, you don't need to read the first. (I read book #1 four years ago, I remember nothing!)
Two timelines and two perspectives. In Girl, Forgotten, Andrea Oliver, a new US Marshal is partnered with Deputy Bible to protect a federal judge from credible death threats. Andrea's also trying to solve a cold case where a pregnant high schooler Emily Vaughn of Longbill Beach, MD was fatally attacked after prom in 1982.
If you haven't read any Karin Slaughter, prepare yourself for a compelling, dark, and tough story. The characters in 1982 make me sick. They are just awful AWFUL people! The story and characters have so much depth, especially from Emily's perspective. But after 14 hours (of 15 h 45m), I want to be done and move on to something lighter. The way Slaughter tells the story of Andrea's father is very clever and because of this, I'll have to bump my rating up.
Kathleen Early is a wonderful narrator, in particular, her expression as poor Emily. I don't know what it is, is it HD audio or do I have dog hearing now that I can hear the swallowing and gulping...drive me crazy!😖
IMHO, better than the first, Pieces of Her and for the murder mystery, you don't need to read the first. (I read book #1 four years ago, I remember nothing!)
Two timelines and two perspectives. In Girl, Forgotten, Andrea Oliver, a new US Marshal is partnered with Deputy Bible to protect a federal judge from credible death threats. Andrea's also trying to solve a cold case where a pregnant high schooler Emily Vaughn of Longbill Beach, MD was fatally attacked after prom in 1982.
If you haven't read any Karin Slaughter, prepare yourself for a compelling, dark, and tough story. The characters in 1982 make me sick. They are just awful AWFUL people! The story and characters have so much depth, especially from Emily's perspective. But after 14 hours (of 15 h 45m), I want to be done and move on to something lighter. The way Slaughter tells the story of Andrea's father is very clever and because of this, I'll have to bump my rating up.
Kathleen Early is a wonderful narrator, in particular, her expression as poor Emily. I don't know what it is, is it HD audio or do I have dog hearing now that I can hear the swallowing and gulping...drive me crazy!😖
August 23, 2022
Oh My Goodness, this was an amazing book! It can be read as a stand alone if you are worried you missed book one in the series. A mystery of a young girl murdered in Small town USA in Longbill Beach, 1982. I loved the time period and the nostalgia of time gone by. This was a difficult time for pregnant teens that were often ostracized in the community, especially for Emily Vaughn, a senior in High School.
Who killed Emily Vaughn? Still no answer to that question 40 years later. She was the daughter of the Judge who is now receiving death threats. Andrea Oliver, the US Marshal, has relocated to the town to offer protection for the judge and her husband.
Andrea's main interest is tied to her dad, Clayton Morrow, who is spending time in prison for several crimes and thought to be the culprit in the murder of Emily. When Emily was in high school, she was known for her clique she hung out with Clay, Blake, Nardo, and Ricky. Their teacher at the time was Dean Wexler, who took Emily home one night from a party where she was incoherent. Her grandmother, a sweet old soul, worried about her dress on the wrong side out, no panties and unconscious...plus being brought home by a teacher.
When Emily finds out she is pregnant later, she can't believe it when she has never had sex with anyone. The night of her prom she is found bludgeoned almost to death, but put on life support for her baby to survive. This is an emotional roller coaster told from Emily's POV and I loved her character and felt sorry for her.
When another girl is found dead by suicide and looks like she has been starved, Andrea begins to investigate it and finds a cult tied to the clique 40 years later. This is a heart-racing book that kept me on edge for a definite answer on who killed Emily. I felt so much pain for her and Andrea's desperate search for clues to her father's part in it.
The language is rough listening to it on an audio, but nonetheless one of my favorites for this year!
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing- Audio for this title in exchange for my review.
Who killed Emily Vaughn? Still no answer to that question 40 years later. She was the daughter of the Judge who is now receiving death threats. Andrea Oliver, the US Marshal, has relocated to the town to offer protection for the judge and her husband.
Andrea's main interest is tied to her dad, Clayton Morrow, who is spending time in prison for several crimes and thought to be the culprit in the murder of Emily. When Emily was in high school, she was known for her clique she hung out with Clay, Blake, Nardo, and Ricky. Their teacher at the time was Dean Wexler, who took Emily home one night from a party where she was incoherent. Her grandmother, a sweet old soul, worried about her dress on the wrong side out, no panties and unconscious...plus being brought home by a teacher.
When Emily finds out she is pregnant later, she can't believe it when she has never had sex with anyone. The night of her prom she is found bludgeoned almost to death, but put on life support for her baby to survive. This is an emotional roller coaster told from Emily's POV and I loved her character and felt sorry for her.
When another girl is found dead by suicide and looks like she has been starved, Andrea begins to investigate it and finds a cult tied to the clique 40 years later. This is a heart-racing book that kept me on edge for a definite answer on who killed Emily. I felt so much pain for her and Andrea's desperate search for clues to her father's part in it.
The language is rough listening to it on an audio, but nonetheless one of my favorites for this year!
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing- Audio for this title in exchange for my review.
August 29, 2022
4.5 stars
Karin Slaughter has wowed me yet again! I was not the biggest fan of Pieces of Her, it was my least favorite of her books, but I loved where she took Andrea in this book. The central mystery is "Who killed Emily"?
It was Prom Night in 1982. Emily has a secret. A secret which will result in her death. Forty years later, Andrea Oliver, newly qualified as a US Marshal, is sent to Longbill Beach to investigate death threats being made against a judge. But Andrea has been haunted by Emily's death. There were no convictions and one of the suspects hits close to home.
Karin Slaughter writes grisly and brutal books, but this one was on the tamer side for her which will make this book more appealing to most readers. With all of her books, this was well written and perfectly plotted. The characters were an interesting bunch and it was hard to find any to like. Slaughter pulled no punches as the plot unfolded proving she is still on the top of her game!
I enjoyed the mystery and how things unfolded. I had a hard time putting this one down and can't wait to read this next book in the series.
*Traveling Friends buddy read
Karin Slaughter has wowed me yet again! I was not the biggest fan of Pieces of Her, it was my least favorite of her books, but I loved where she took Andrea in this book. The central mystery is "Who killed Emily"?
It was Prom Night in 1982. Emily has a secret. A secret which will result in her death. Forty years later, Andrea Oliver, newly qualified as a US Marshal, is sent to Longbill Beach to investigate death threats being made against a judge. But Andrea has been haunted by Emily's death. There were no convictions and one of the suspects hits close to home.
Karin Slaughter writes grisly and brutal books, but this one was on the tamer side for her which will make this book more appealing to most readers. With all of her books, this was well written and perfectly plotted. The characters were an interesting bunch and it was hard to find any to like. Slaughter pulled no punches as the plot unfolded proving she is still on the top of her game!
I enjoyed the mystery and how things unfolded. I had a hard time putting this one down and can't wait to read this next book in the series.
*Traveling Friends buddy read
July 11, 2022
Well this somewhat pains me to write, but this is not going to be my favorite novel that Karin Slaughter has put out. I don’t think I’ve reacted to one of her books like this since Pieces of Her which….makes sense, considering this is its sequel.
Look, a ton of people will have this book on their radar because of the Netflix show, so I will write this as if you’ve either read the first in this new series and/or watched the first season. So all of you review skimmers, this is your first an only warning: there will be spoilers for Pieces of Her below! Continue at your own risk.
Things to keep in mind if you only watched the show:
• Jasper has not met Andrea in book one and meets her for the first time briefly in book 2
• Nick is not a fugitive in the books, but has been imprisoned since Laura turned him in after Oslo
• Laura has not signed out of Witness Protection in the books; she is still enrolled and Michael Vargas is her agent
It’s been two years since Andy’s life changed forever. Ever since a gunman walked into that diner, and after feeling helpless at every turn while following the disjointed roadmap of her mother’s past, Andrea Oliver has decided she will not fall into that position again. She’s joined the Marshal program, much to the disapproval of her parents Laura and Gordon, and has cultivated the skills and instincts she was previously lacking. The annoying, stunted Andy is no more—replaced by a capable and independent Andrea.
For the most part this is a good thing. It’s so much easier to become invested in her investigation(s) now that she isn’t a wide-eyed baby lamb just trying not to get accidentally murdered. But in practice there’s an obvious drawback; Laura Oliver’s role has been massively reduced in this sequel. She’s honestly not around for more than some glorified cameos at the very beginning and end. And despite Andrea’s newfound freedom, it’s hard to imagine the Laura Oliver from book one being fine with sitting back and letting her only, precious daughter try her hand at a dangerous profession while there’s still people out there that want her dead. No, old Laura would give her a half hour head start and then Kool-Aid man back into Andrea’s life whether or not she needs (or wants) her mother there.
But its not just the Oliver women standing beneath the spotlight this time. A large portion of the plot is revealed through flashbacks to an early 1980s murder case that Andrea is looking into. And I have to say, these flashbacks are not a fun, nostalgia-filled romp, but instead almost exclusively contain cruelty and violence. It’s not exactly the kind of violence you may be expecting from the author of Pretty Girls or The Good Daughter, but more akin to Slaughter’s other historical crime novel, Cop Town. I mean, it was the Reagan era. It’s not like everyone was having A Great Time. But I’ll throw in a few content warnings from both timelines here, out of context, so you can decide if it’ll work for you:
I’m a little on the fence with whether I want the author to continue with this series. On one hand, I love the Will Trent books and don’t want her to stop writing them, but I also understand why after ten in a series she would want to branch out to something new. The deciding factor is likely going to come down to whether or not Andrea Oliver is a strong enough character to carry a series on her own. I think the jury is still out on that, and I would like to see more of a role for Laura, Gordon and Mike going forward, along with some newly introduced characters like “Catfish” Bible. You know who I am tired of hearing about, though? Fucking Nick. I do not care about this man, no matter how ~important~ he may be to Laura and Andy’s character arcs. He always dregs up these unnecessary political tangents but doesn’t fill a role outside of a vaguely menacing Big Bad they’re always watching out for. If the way this book ends is any indication, he is not done with the Olivers yet. So blah, fine. Whatever.
All that to say…….yeah, you should probably read this if you liked the first book. I will be buying it, if only to be a completionist. Because even though it’s not her best, a so-so Karin Slaughter novel still stands several heads above the standard thriller sitting next to it on the shelves.
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
Look, a ton of people will have this book on their radar because of the Netflix show, so I will write this as if you’ve either read the first in this new series and/or watched the first season. So all of you review skimmers, this is your first an only warning: there will be spoilers for Pieces of Her below! Continue at your own risk.
Things to keep in mind if you only watched the show:
• Jasper has not met Andrea in book one and meets her for the first time briefly in book 2
• Nick is not a fugitive in the books, but has been imprisoned since Laura turned him in after Oslo
• Laura has not signed out of Witness Protection in the books; she is still enrolled and Michael Vargas is her agent
It’s been two years since Andy’s life changed forever. Ever since a gunman walked into that diner, and after feeling helpless at every turn while following the disjointed roadmap of her mother’s past, Andrea Oliver has decided she will not fall into that position again. She’s joined the Marshal program, much to the disapproval of her parents Laura and Gordon, and has cultivated the skills and instincts she was previously lacking. The annoying, stunted Andy is no more—replaced by a capable and independent Andrea.
For the most part this is a good thing. It’s so much easier to become invested in her investigation(s) now that she isn’t a wide-eyed baby lamb just trying not to get accidentally murdered. But in practice there’s an obvious drawback; Laura Oliver’s role has been massively reduced in this sequel. She’s honestly not around for more than some glorified cameos at the very beginning and end. And despite Andrea’s newfound freedom, it’s hard to imagine the Laura Oliver from book one being fine with sitting back and letting her only, precious daughter try her hand at a dangerous profession while there’s still people out there that want her dead. No, old Laura would give her a half hour head start and then Kool-Aid man back into Andrea’s life whether or not she needs (or wants) her mother there.
But its not just the Oliver women standing beneath the spotlight this time. A large portion of the plot is revealed through flashbacks to an early 1980s murder case that Andrea is looking into. And I have to say, these flashbacks are not a fun, nostalgia-filled romp, but instead almost exclusively contain cruelty and violence. It’s not exactly the kind of violence you may be expecting from the author of Pretty Girls or The Good Daughter, but more akin to Slaughter’s other historical crime novel, Cop Town. I mean, it was the Reagan era. It’s not like everyone was having A Great Time. But I’ll throw in a few content warnings from both timelines here, out of context, so you can decide if it’ll work for you:
I’m a little on the fence with whether I want the author to continue with this series. On one hand, I love the Will Trent books and don’t want her to stop writing them, but I also understand why after ten in a series she would want to branch out to something new. The deciding factor is likely going to come down to whether or not Andrea Oliver is a strong enough character to carry a series on her own. I think the jury is still out on that, and I would like to see more of a role for Laura, Gordon and Mike going forward, along with some newly introduced characters like “Catfish” Bible. You know who I am tired of hearing about, though? Fucking Nick. I do not care about this man, no matter how ~important~ he may be to Laura and Andy’s character arcs. He always dregs up these unnecessary political tangents but doesn’t fill a role outside of a vaguely menacing Big Bad they’re always watching out for. If the way this book ends is any indication, he is not done with the Olivers yet. So blah, fine. Whatever.
All that to say…….yeah, you should probably read this if you liked the first book. I will be buying it, if only to be a completionist. Because even though it’s not her best, a so-so Karin Slaughter novel still stands several heads above the standard thriller sitting next to it on the shelves.
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
October 12, 2022
Leave it to Karin Slaughter to help nudge me out of my EPIC reading slump.
I went to see Ms. Slaughter on her book tour for this. Guess what? She's hilarious. Her comedic timing is perfection. Who knew?
She said "Girl, Forgotten" isn't really a sequel to "Pieces of Her." Through the production of the "Pieces" Netflix adaptation she started to wonder what would have happened to Andrea, and thus this book baby was born.
My thanks to fellow GR user and friend/cousin-in-law Melissa for sending me a copy. :)
I went to see Ms. Slaughter on her book tour for this. Guess what? She's hilarious. Her comedic timing is perfection. Who knew?
She said "Girl, Forgotten" isn't really a sequel to "Pieces of Her." Through the production of the "Pieces" Netflix adaptation she started to wonder what would have happened to Andrea, and thus this book baby was born.
My thanks to fellow GR user and friend/cousin-in-law Melissa for sending me a copy. :)
May 31, 2022
In Pieces of Her Andrea Oliver discovered the identity of her psychopathic father Clayton Morrow (aka Nick Harp) and uncovered her mother’s long held secrets about him. Having been in jail for the last thirty three years he now has a chance of parole at his next hearing, unless he can be charged with further crimes.
Andrea is now a newly graduated US Marshall and has been assigned to a team protecting a federal judge who has been receiving death threats. The judge, Esther Vaughan, is currently at her summer home in Longbill Beach in Delaware, the same town where Andrea’s father grew up. Forty years ago the judge’s daughter Emily was murdered. She was part of a high school friendship clique that including Clayton Morrow. The group had been close until a drug fuelled party lead to Emily becoming pregnant without knowing how that had happened. Clayton had always been one of the main suspects as both the father of her baby and also her killer. Now Andrea has been tasked with taking another look at the events surrounding Emily’s death to determine if enough evidence can be found to charge him.
It was good to meet Andrea again now that she has been able to move on with her life. She is more confident and resilient than when she was still living above her mother’s garage, not sure what to do with her life. Andrea has been partnered with an older Marshall, Leonard ‘Catfish’ Bible who delights in educating his new green partner. In addition to guarding the judge, they also become suspicious about a local fava bean farm and the female ‘volunteers’ working there. Dual time lines allow us to not only follow the current day events but also go back to 1982 and be introduced to Emily and her clique, none of whom turn out to be very nice people at a time when Emily needed a friend. Although this means that the plot develops slowly while background is filled in, events soon accelerate as long simmering tensions rise to the surface and merge together to make a gripping and compulsive thriller.
With thanks to Harper Collins UK via Netgalley for a copy to read
Andrea is now a newly graduated US Marshall and has been assigned to a team protecting a federal judge who has been receiving death threats. The judge, Esther Vaughan, is currently at her summer home in Longbill Beach in Delaware, the same town where Andrea’s father grew up. Forty years ago the judge’s daughter Emily was murdered. She was part of a high school friendship clique that including Clayton Morrow. The group had been close until a drug fuelled party lead to Emily becoming pregnant without knowing how that had happened. Clayton had always been one of the main suspects as both the father of her baby and also her killer. Now Andrea has been tasked with taking another look at the events surrounding Emily’s death to determine if enough evidence can be found to charge him.
It was good to meet Andrea again now that she has been able to move on with her life. She is more confident and resilient than when she was still living above her mother’s garage, not sure what to do with her life. Andrea has been partnered with an older Marshall, Leonard ‘Catfish’ Bible who delights in educating his new green partner. In addition to guarding the judge, they also become suspicious about a local fava bean farm and the female ‘volunteers’ working there. Dual time lines allow us to not only follow the current day events but also go back to 1982 and be introduced to Emily and her clique, none of whom turn out to be very nice people at a time when Emily needed a friend. Although this means that the plot develops slowly while background is filled in, events soon accelerate as long simmering tensions rise to the surface and merge together to make a gripping and compulsive thriller.
With thanks to Harper Collins UK via Netgalley for a copy to read
November 14, 2022
Karin Slaughter never fails to hook me with her dark tales! While I’m sad that I have to wait for another book in the fantastic Will Trent and Sara Linton series, it was nice revisiting the characters first introduced in Pieces of Her (now a limited series on Netflix). This sequel starts off with high suspense and keeps building as the plot goes back and forth between past and present. It’s dark and perfectly plotted…and I’ve got to say I absolutely loved the character, Bible. He’s a badass U.S. Marshal with tons of witty lines.
Here’s hoping there will be a third book in the series!
Thank you so much to my GR friend, Melissa, for sending me a copy of the ARC. She knows how much I love Karin Slaughter, and I truly appreciate it! 🤗
Here’s hoping there will be a third book in the series!
Thank you so much to my GR friend, Melissa, for sending me a copy of the ARC. She knows how much I love Karin Slaughter, and I truly appreciate it! 🤗
August 4, 2022
Karin’s done it once again!! Before I get into it, just a heads up this is a sequel to Pieces Of Her, and not only does it feature characters from the first book, it’s also very similar in vibes and overall tone (more slow burn mystery than outright thrilling thriller), but it can still be read as a standalone!!
The story follows Andrea Oliver, a newly graduated member of the U.S. Marshals, assigned to help protect a federal judge that has been receiving death threats. At the same time, she’s trying to solve the cold case of Emily Vaughn, a pregnant teenager who was brutally murdered forty years prior. We follow both Andrea’s POV as she tries to protect the judge and solve Emily’s murder, and Emily’s as we learn what happened in the months leading up to her death.
This was a multi-layered mystery with many twists and turns, and as always, Karin pulled the rug out from under me many times. It’s dark, twisty, emotional, timely, and completely unputdownable, so basically everything you can count on in a Karin Slaughter book!
The story follows Andrea Oliver, a newly graduated member of the U.S. Marshals, assigned to help protect a federal judge that has been receiving death threats. At the same time, she’s trying to solve the cold case of Emily Vaughn, a pregnant teenager who was brutally murdered forty years prior. We follow both Andrea’s POV as she tries to protect the judge and solve Emily’s murder, and Emily’s as we learn what happened in the months leading up to her death.
This was a multi-layered mystery with many twists and turns, and as always, Karin pulled the rug out from under me many times. It’s dark, twisty, emotional, timely, and completely unputdownable, so basically everything you can count on in a Karin Slaughter book!
June 12, 2022
Karin Slaughter is just one of those authors who you know won’t let you down, Her books are always wonderfully written, with multiple characters that could possibly be responsible for the crimes. I felt very much attached to the both Emily and Andrea in this story, they had so much depth to them that you Can be forgiven for believing them to be real. I stayed up into the small hours to finish this, as each chapter ending just left me needing more.
Andrea Oliver, the daughter from Pieces of Her, returns in Girl, Forgotten. She has just finished her gruelling training to become a US Marshall. Her family connections see her immediately shipped off on her first assignment in Longbill Beach. She meets her new partner Bible (who was hilarious!) and their job is o protect an elderly judge who has been receiving death threats. Andrea has a second secret assignment, but o find out who killed the judge’s pregnant teenage daughter in 1982. It is widely thought that it was the first murder committed by Clayton Morrow, Andrea’s father.
Girl, Forgotten is told in 2 different time periods and 2 points of view. We learn about Emily, the murdered teen in 1982. Who was the father of her baby and who would want to kill her. Then we have Andrea in the present, learning the ropes on the job as a US Marshall. This town has a lot of secrets, and they do not like outsiders.
Another fantastic Karin Slaughter book, highly recommend. Published June 23rd.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK for my advanced copy of this book to read
Andrea Oliver, the daughter from Pieces of Her, returns in Girl, Forgotten. She has just finished her gruelling training to become a US Marshall. Her family connections see her immediately shipped off on her first assignment in Longbill Beach. She meets her new partner Bible (who was hilarious!) and their job is o protect an elderly judge who has been receiving death threats. Andrea has a second secret assignment, but o find out who killed the judge’s pregnant teenage daughter in 1982. It is widely thought that it was the first murder committed by Clayton Morrow, Andrea’s father.
Girl, Forgotten is told in 2 different time periods and 2 points of view. We learn about Emily, the murdered teen in 1982. Who was the father of her baby and who would want to kill her. Then we have Andrea in the present, learning the ropes on the job as a US Marshall. This town has a lot of secrets, and they do not like outsiders.
Another fantastic Karin Slaughter book, highly recommend. Published June 23rd.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK for my advanced copy of this book to read
August 24, 2022
A really good follow up from Pieces of Her; the mystery was gripping and kept me invested; enjoyed this one.
January 4, 2023
No one does it like Karin 🥹
August 14, 2022
I mostly love Karin Slaughter books and I liked pieces of her but I have no idea why she thought Andrea was a strong enough character to hold a sequel or interesting enough to warrant one. I liked the flashbacks to past and present but the past didn’t really flesh out any of the characters, it was too broad strokes to really care or understand them. The inclusion of a cult was a bit of nothing, maybe to tie in with the first one? Didn’t really seem necessary. Was also quite tame in terms of violence / upset as her other books, not a lot of tension either. It was a fine book but I guess reading her books for over 20 years has given me certain expectations. Petty point - Andrea is very annoying. For the diner scene at the end, she hasn’t taken her work phone with her even though it’s the climax with all the arrest warrants etc. She responds with “Uh” in response to being greeted by three different characters because she’s surprised to see them and therefore is too slow to articulate a response. When she was running around being dumb in pieces of her, it seemed like a genuine human response to a normal person finding themselves in an extraordinary situation. I know she’s meant to be new at the job but her floundering around was getting tiresome. Also not sure how I felt about Catfish Bible… bit of a caricature.
Plot for my memory - The incredibly annoying Andrea is somehow a federal marshal. Gets assigned to a judge who is getting death threats. Judge’s daughter was murdered in the 80s after getting pregnant after a rape. May possibly have been murdered / raped by Andreas crazy father (just to tie them in it seems). She’s investigating (badly) both events. There’s also a weird bit where two of the characters from the past are keeping and starving women in a sort of cult but it doesn’t go into it much. Andrea bumbles about until being handed the answers. Turns out boy rapes girl, boy’s girlfriend kills girl. Nothing to do with the dad. Everyone is generally awful. At the end, Andrea’s dad calls, I assume to set up book three.
Plot for my memory - The incredibly annoying Andrea is somehow a federal marshal. Gets assigned to a judge who is getting death threats. Judge’s daughter was murdered in the 80s after getting pregnant after a rape. May possibly have been murdered / raped by Andreas crazy father (just to tie them in it seems). She’s investigating (badly) both events. There’s also a weird bit where two of the characters from the past are keeping and starving women in a sort of cult but it doesn’t go into it much. Andrea bumbles about until being handed the answers. Turns out boy rapes girl, boy’s girlfriend kills girl. Nothing to do with the dad. Everyone is generally awful. At the end, Andrea’s dad calls, I assume to set up book three.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2022
Newly appointed US Marshall, Andrea Oliver, had arrived in Longbill Beach to join her partner, Leonard 'Catfish' Bible, in their quest to protect a judge, who had received credible death threats. Judge Esther Vaughn was in her eighties, and Andrea knew the home she and her wheelchair bound husband lived in, was the one where their daughter Emily Vaughn had lived, with them, forty years prior. Although Andrea's job was protection, she also wanted to solve the forty year old murder of Emily back in 1982.
Emily was seventeen and a 'good girl'. But she belonged to a clique of friends who were always together - three boys and two girls. The usual monthly party the five friends held, at one of the homes and without parents, was a blackout situation for Emily. She couldn't remember anything after arriving there. But something had obviously happened, something devastating - and a few months later, Emily was dead. What had happened? Who had done it to her? It was the night of the prom - it should have held good memories for everyone...
Girl, Forgotten is the 2nd in the Andrea Oliver series by Karin Slaughter and it was gripping, intense and brutal. I loved the character of Bible - he was experienced, funny and supportive. I chuckled often at things he said. Andrea's character is a much stronger one in Girl, Forgotten and I can see good things for her future. A great finish which will lead straight into #3. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the UK publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Emily was seventeen and a 'good girl'. But she belonged to a clique of friends who were always together - three boys and two girls. The usual monthly party the five friends held, at one of the homes and without parents, was a blackout situation for Emily. She couldn't remember anything after arriving there. But something had obviously happened, something devastating - and a few months later, Emily was dead. What had happened? Who had done it to her? It was the night of the prom - it should have held good memories for everyone...
Girl, Forgotten is the 2nd in the Andrea Oliver series by Karin Slaughter and it was gripping, intense and brutal. I loved the character of Bible - he was experienced, funny and supportive. I chuckled often at things he said. Andrea's character is a much stronger one in Girl, Forgotten and I can see good things for her future. A great finish which will lead straight into #3. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the UK publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2022
Brilliant!
Finally!
A book by Karin Slaughter that captivated me from the start and did not give me a moment of boredom (well, last time I read one of her books was in 2018 - The Good Daughter). I did not want to put this one down. It was that compulsive.
The writing is terrific and so is the storyline.
I also enjoyed the timeline structure (now & then).
There were heartbreaking and disturbing moments, but nothing gory (in my opinion).
Here the protagonist is investigating a 40 years cold case. Her very first assignment.
There are some excellent twists.
I played the audiobook as I read. I found the narrator’s voice very boring at normal speed (it was sooo slow in some parts, perfect for putting me to sleep), so I had to speed up to match my reading.
I have always preferred books written in 3rd person, and because most of the books that I have read this year to date were written in first person, I found refreshing. It’s not always that I like being in someone’s head.
Now I want to read the first book “Pieces of Her”, before watching the Netflix adaptation.
PS in the book there is a mention of John the Apostle whereas the audiobook mention John the Baptist (no big deal, of course).
Finally!
A book by Karin Slaughter that captivated me from the start and did not give me a moment of boredom (well, last time I read one of her books was in 2018 - The Good Daughter). I did not want to put this one down. It was that compulsive.
The writing is terrific and so is the storyline.
I also enjoyed the timeline structure (now & then).
There were heartbreaking and disturbing moments, but nothing gory (in my opinion).
Here the protagonist is investigating a 40 years cold case. Her very first assignment.
There are some excellent twists.
I played the audiobook as I read. I found the narrator’s voice very boring at normal speed (it was sooo slow in some parts, perfect for putting me to sleep), so I had to speed up to match my reading.
I have always preferred books written in 3rd person, and because most of the books that I have read this year to date were written in first person, I found refreshing. It’s not always that I like being in someone’s head.
Now I want to read the first book “Pieces of Her”, before watching the Netflix adaptation.
PS in the book there is a mention of John the Apostle whereas the audiobook mention John the Baptist (no big deal, of course).
September 30, 2024
Firstly I would like to thank netgalley for a copy of this book to read,And Hapercollions,and one of my favourite authors, Karin Slaughter.
This is the second book in this series,I wasn't so keen on the first book as I'm so used to reading her other wonderful series, and it took a while getttng used to new characters. Andrea Oliver joins the us Marshall newly recruited with a partner named Bible. She investigates a case where her father could be involved,will she find the truth? as it involves a case forty years ago a girl called Emily coming from a privileged background looking forward to her future she finds herself pregnant, who is the father? Who kills her? A great read looking forward to reading more of her books.Highly recommended..
This is the second book in this series,I wasn't so keen on the first book as I'm so used to reading her other wonderful series, and it took a while getttng used to new characters. Andrea Oliver joins the us Marshall newly recruited with a partner named Bible. She investigates a case where her father could be involved,will she find the truth? as it involves a case forty years ago a girl called Emily coming from a privileged background looking forward to her future she finds herself pregnant, who is the father? Who kills her? A great read looking forward to reading more of her books.Highly recommended..
October 5, 2025
De las novelas que más me han gustado de esta autora.
El estilo narrativo es similar al de otras novelas suyas, capítulos largos y ritmo sostenido son ser lento. En esta ocasión la trama se desenvuelve en dos planos temporales, uno en el presente protagonizado por Andrea Oliver y otro cuarenta años antes cuando una adolescente, Emily, fue asesinada. Ambos planos suscitan interés y mantienen la intriga. La verdad es que me tuvo muy enganchada.
Toca temas que remueven. Es cierto que en los ochenta se culpabilizaba siempre a las mujeres de su propia violación. No es menos cierto que en ese aspecto hemos avanzado, pero en algunas de las cuestiones que salen a relucir podríamos decir aquello de entonces como ahora. Eso sin contar el peligro de involución al que nos enfrentamos ahora mismo en las sociedades occidentales.
Los personajes bien trazados. Slaughter ha retratado perfectamente a Emily, la víctima, sus miedos, sus dudas, su manera de llegar a culpabilizarse, así como su empeño por conocer la verdad.
Igualmente bien retratados sus padres y su grupo de amigos.
La protagonista del presente, Andrea Oliver, es una vieja conocida de otra novela de esta autora. Me ha gustado la evolución experimentada por este personaje.
El desenlace correcto, pero algo precipitado.
En conclusión. Un thriller bien desarrollado, marca de la casa. Engancha y de los que más me han gustado de esta autora. Recomendable.
El estilo narrativo es similar al de otras novelas suyas, capítulos largos y ritmo sostenido son ser lento. En esta ocasión la trama se desenvuelve en dos planos temporales, uno en el presente protagonizado por Andrea Oliver y otro cuarenta años antes cuando una adolescente, Emily, fue asesinada. Ambos planos suscitan interés y mantienen la intriga. La verdad es que me tuvo muy enganchada.
Toca temas que remueven. Es cierto que en los ochenta se culpabilizaba siempre a las mujeres de su propia violación. No es menos cierto que en ese aspecto hemos avanzado, pero en algunas de las cuestiones que salen a relucir podríamos decir aquello de entonces como ahora. Eso sin contar el peligro de involución al que nos enfrentamos ahora mismo en las sociedades occidentales.
Los personajes bien trazados. Slaughter ha retratado perfectamente a Emily, la víctima, sus miedos, sus dudas, su manera de llegar a culpabilizarse, así como su empeño por conocer la verdad.
Igualmente bien retratados sus padres y su grupo de amigos.
La protagonista del presente, Andrea Oliver, es una vieja conocida de otra novela de esta autora. Me ha gustado la evolución experimentada por este personaje.
El desenlace correcto, pero algo precipitado.
En conclusión. Un thriller bien desarrollado, marca de la casa. Engancha y de los que más me han gustado de esta autora. Recomendable.
October 16, 2022
Couldn't put the book down until I finished it! Well worth sacrificing sleep so I could finish it!
This phenomenal thriller digs into murder, secrets, volatile family relationships and high school friendships from 40 years ago.
Incredible character development with unforeseen sharp twists and turns.
Highly recommend!
This phenomenal thriller digs into murder, secrets, volatile family relationships and high school friendships from 40 years ago.
Incredible character development with unforeseen sharp twists and turns.
Highly recommend!
August 7, 2024
I did not review this at the time, I have come back to it 6 months later. I said at the time it was bloody brilliant, which of course it would have been, but this is now probably 100 books later.
I remember watching Andrea Oliver learning on the job quick smart from her new partner, with the nick name of Bible, and that was awesome. He was imparting her advice and wisdom and teaching which she was very lucky to receive. She's a natural, but of course still needs guidance as she is quite wild and reckless.
She is sent to look out for a judge receiving death threats, but really is on the search for the killer of a girl who had the world at her feet decades early, she is on the search for Emily. She lands in a town of rednecks and awful folk who HATE outsiders and Andrea needs to infiltrate this. She's in deep, but she's amazing.
I love all things KS, she is Queen after all, but I will not forget to review again. My words are clutching here, though I've done my best to capture some of it. I've certainly reminded myself I need to get my hand on everything I can by this author!
An audiobook via the Libby platform and my public library, an absolute cracker which I sure do recommend.
I remember watching Andrea Oliver learning on the job quick smart from her new partner, with the nick name of Bible, and that was awesome. He was imparting her advice and wisdom and teaching which she was very lucky to receive. She's a natural, but of course still needs guidance as she is quite wild and reckless.
She is sent to look out for a judge receiving death threats, but really is on the search for the killer of a girl who had the world at her feet decades early, she is on the search for Emily. She lands in a town of rednecks and awful folk who HATE outsiders and Andrea needs to infiltrate this. She's in deep, but she's amazing.
I love all things KS, she is Queen after all, but I will not forget to review again. My words are clutching here, though I've done my best to capture some of it. I've certainly reminded myself I need to get my hand on everything I can by this author!
An audiobook via the Libby platform and my public library, an absolute cracker which I sure do recommend.
July 20, 2023
5/5 🌟
I enjoyed this book as much as the first!!
Andrea is graduating from FLETC, The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, GA. (This was about a couple of miles from my house when I lived in Brunswick. The Southeast part of Georgia on the coast. Her mom, Laura is not happy that her daughter is now a pig.
Andrea is sent to Delaware with her partner Bible. Bible is married to the Deputy Chief of the U. S. Marshals and as such is both Bible’s and now Andrea’s boss. There job is to watch over a judge that was appointed by Reagan that is receiving death threats. While Emily is there, she wants to discover who killed the judge’s pregnant teenage daughter, Emily, while she was in high school.
Emily was part of the clique that consisted of Rikki, Rikki’s twin brother Blake, Nardo, Cheese aka Jack Singleton and the police chief, and last but not least Clayton or Clay Marrow, Andrea’s biological father. Grouped with the clique is Coach Dean Wexler who “was the cool teacher” that the boys loved. But Wexler actually took his cues from Clay.
The secrets that unfold are unbelievable including the discovery of who was the father of Emily’s baby. Emily had been drugged and raped and she didn’t remember what happened for the entire night.
Warnings ⚠️: talk of the rape, starvation, suicide, depression, abuse, slave like conditions for women working on a farm, violence and death.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first!!
Andrea is graduating from FLETC, The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, GA. (This was about a couple of miles from my house when I lived in Brunswick. The Southeast part of Georgia on the coast. Her mom, Laura is not happy that her daughter is now a pig.
Andrea is sent to Delaware with her partner Bible. Bible is married to the Deputy Chief of the U. S. Marshals and as such is both Bible’s and now Andrea’s boss. There job is to watch over a judge that was appointed by Reagan that is receiving death threats. While Emily is there, she wants to discover who killed the judge’s pregnant teenage daughter, Emily, while she was in high school.
Emily was part of the clique that consisted of Rikki, Rikki’s twin brother Blake, Nardo, Cheese aka Jack Singleton and the police chief, and last but not least Clayton or Clay Marrow, Andrea’s biological father. Grouped with the clique is Coach Dean Wexler who “was the cool teacher” that the boys loved. But Wexler actually took his cues from Clay.
The secrets that unfold are unbelievable including the discovery of who was the father of Emily’s baby. Emily had been drugged and raped and she didn’t remember what happened for the entire night.
Warnings ⚠️: talk of the rape, starvation, suicide, depression, abuse, slave like conditions for women working on a farm, violence and death.
May 22, 2023
⭐⭐⭐/5 - I've realized that police procedural novels aren't my thing. The premise of Karin Slaughter's latest sounded so good.. but something about it just fell flat.
Follow Me On Instagram! || More Bookish Posts Here
THOUGHTS:
- For some reason, the ending of this one just didn't feel satisfying. Justice was served in some capacities, but I think I'm more interested in the truly unhinged characters? People's everyday treachery isn't as fun to read? Probably because we hear about crooked politicians every day on the news, so nothing shocks me anymore.
- The pacing of Girl, Forgotten is actually pretty good. I never felt bored with reading, more just that I kept wanting more every time something was revealed. Not every thriller will have that same fast pace - but I think I just have a style that I like, and these don't work for me.
- This isn't a romance, but I could easily see it developing into a series.
***This was a BOTM pick last February that I just hadn't gotten to, and even though I didn't love this one, I've still loved most my Book of The Month picks recently. Learn more about a Book of The Month Club subscription here. (It's not a referral link, just FYI. 😊 I wrote a blog post on why I truly think Book of the Month Club is the best book subscription box!)
NOTES:
- CWs: S3xual assault (not detailed on the page but alluded to), cults, self-harm, etc.
- Small town setting
- Felt like more of a mystery than a thriller
- A small romance subplot exists, but it's not the main focus, and there isn't any smut. There are some s3xual situations discussed, but not in a romantic way.
Follow Me On Instagram! || More Bookish Posts Here
THOUGHTS:
- For some reason, the ending of this one just didn't feel satisfying. Justice was served in some capacities, but I think I'm more interested in the truly unhinged characters? People's everyday treachery isn't as fun to read? Probably because we hear about crooked politicians every day on the news, so nothing shocks me anymore.
- The pacing of Girl, Forgotten is actually pretty good. I never felt bored with reading, more just that I kept wanting more every time something was revealed. Not every thriller will have that same fast pace - but I think I just have a style that I like, and these don't work for me.
- This isn't a romance, but I could easily see it developing into a series.
***This was a BOTM pick last February that I just hadn't gotten to, and even though I didn't love this one, I've still loved most my Book of The Month picks recently. Learn more about a Book of The Month Club subscription here. (It's not a referral link, just FYI. 😊 I wrote a blog post on why I truly think Book of the Month Club is the best book subscription box!)
NOTES:
- CWs: S3xual assault (not detailed on the page but alluded to), cults, self-harm, etc.
- Small town setting
- Felt like more of a mystery than a thriller
- A small romance subplot exists, but it's not the main focus, and there isn't any smut. There are some s3xual situations discussed, but not in a romantic way.
March 16, 2025
Picking up four years after Andy, I mean Andrea, learned about her mom’s past, her uncles, and most surprisingly, her dad, she is now a US Marshall. Her first assignment is to protect a judge who has received death threats.
Simple, eh? Unfortunately, no.
Andrea’s dad, Nick, is in jail and is the suspected killer of Emily Vaughn. So, Andrea splits her time between protecting the judge and learning about prom of 1982. Can she handle both cases without being shot, stabbed, or raped? Only time will tell.
Enjoy other books by Megan E. Abbott, Keith McCarthy, or Anne Frasier. -Dana S.
Simple, eh? Unfortunately, no.
Andrea’s dad, Nick, is in jail and is the suspected killer of Emily Vaughn. So, Andrea splits her time between protecting the judge and learning about prom of 1982. Can she handle both cases without being shot, stabbed, or raped? Only time will tell.
Enjoy other books by Megan E. Abbott, Keith McCarthy, or Anne Frasier. -Dana S.
November 23, 2024
“You can’t go to the prom. What would people think?”
When I reviewed PIECES OF HER, the debut novel in a new series introducing Andrea Oliver, a young woman with a troubled past and a less than loving relationship with her mother, I didn’t pull any punches:
“For Karin Slaughter's sake, I fervently hope that PIECES OF HER is that rock-bottom effort which will make anything else she produces look better by comparison.”
I’ll admit it took a great deal of self-persuasion to pick up the next novel in the series, GIRL, FORGOTTEN, in which Oliver, now a newly minted US Marshall is assigned to the protection of a federal judge in the face of death threats. But all’s well that ends well. Karin Slaughter rewarded my courage with a brilliant thriller that unfolded along two timelines separated by forty years and all is DEFINITELY forgiven. I’m back on the “looking forward to further Karin Slaughter novels” list.
The first case, obviously, was the resolution of the death threat issue with respect to the judge but it was the historical case that really put GIRL, FORGOTTEN over the top. Slaughter developed the stone cold case of the rape and murder of a late 20th century teen girl with a veritable bucketful of accompanying bells and whistles – teen cliques, friendships, and the intensity of young love; misogyny; date rape and statutory rape; abortion; the miserable treatment of pregnant teens as little as forty years ago; and, believe it or not, cults and human trafficking. Emily Vaughn, the pregnant teen whose murder was to wait four decades for a solution definitely stole the show. A thoroughly brilliant bit of characterization!
Well done, Karin Slaughter. Definitely recommended. When is the sequel coming? The circumstances of the ending and the intentionally frayed endings on some of the undone knots make it crystal clear that one is in the works!
Paul Weiss
When I reviewed PIECES OF HER, the debut novel in a new series introducing Andrea Oliver, a young woman with a troubled past and a less than loving relationship with her mother, I didn’t pull any punches:
“For Karin Slaughter's sake, I fervently hope that PIECES OF HER is that rock-bottom effort which will make anything else she produces look better by comparison.”
I’ll admit it took a great deal of self-persuasion to pick up the next novel in the series, GIRL, FORGOTTEN, in which Oliver, now a newly minted US Marshall is assigned to the protection of a federal judge in the face of death threats. But all’s well that ends well. Karin Slaughter rewarded my courage with a brilliant thriller that unfolded along two timelines separated by forty years and all is DEFINITELY forgiven. I’m back on the “looking forward to further Karin Slaughter novels” list.
The first case, obviously, was the resolution of the death threat issue with respect to the judge but it was the historical case that really put GIRL, FORGOTTEN over the top. Slaughter developed the stone cold case of the rape and murder of a late 20th century teen girl with a veritable bucketful of accompanying bells and whistles – teen cliques, friendships, and the intensity of young love; misogyny; date rape and statutory rape; abortion; the miserable treatment of pregnant teens as little as forty years ago; and, believe it or not, cults and human trafficking. Emily Vaughn, the pregnant teen whose murder was to wait four decades for a solution definitely stole the show. A thoroughly brilliant bit of characterization!
Well done, Karin Slaughter. Definitely recommended. When is the sequel coming? The circumstances of the ending and the intentionally frayed endings on some of the undone knots make it crystal clear that one is in the works!
Paul Weiss
January 18, 2023
Newly graduated U.S. Marshal Andrea Oliver (that's right the rather insecure and lost supporting protagonist daughter from "Pieces of Her" is now a U.S. Marshal), is set upon her first assignment in the protection of a federal judge receiving death threats.
However, she also has been enlisted by her "evil" uncle, to investigate the death of the daughter of that very federal judge. Which may have implications towards her equally as evil father.
Now if that doesn't make any sense then be forewarn that even though this book could stand alone it would not be half as interesting and fun if you haven't read "Pieces of Her" first.
This story actually has two lead protagonist (voices). Andrea (part of her transformation has included dropping the nickname Andy) the U.S. Marshal and flash backs to the the early 1980's, for the judges daughter Emily.
This is a fantastic mystery thriller that will keep you interested until the very end. However, like most of Slaughters novels this one is very graphic and includes scenarios of rape and graphic murder.
5 stars!
However, she also has been enlisted by her "evil" uncle, to investigate the death of the daughter of that very federal judge. Which may have implications towards her equally as evil father.
Now if that doesn't make any sense then be forewarn that even though this book could stand alone it would not be half as interesting and fun if you haven't read "Pieces of Her" first.
This story actually has two lead protagonist (voices). Andrea (part of her transformation has included dropping the nickname Andy) the U.S. Marshal and flash backs to the the early 1980's, for the judges daughter Emily.
This is a fantastic mystery thriller that will keep you interested until the very end. However, like most of Slaughters novels this one is very graphic and includes scenarios of rape and graphic murder.
5 stars!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,805 reviews