Criminal

Will Trent #6

by Karin Slaughter

Someone you want to forget is waiting for you.

1974: In the blistering heat of an Atlanta summer, a killer prowls the street, searching for the weak, the vulnerable and the lost.

40 years later, a young woman is found brutally murdered in a sordid high-rise apartment. The specifics of her death are detailed and macabre, but for Special Agent Will Trent they are startingly familiar, and can only mean one thing.

Desperate to deny this might be happening to him, he is forced to return to the home he grew up in, to the grimy crime-ridden streets, to a childhood he has spent the best part of his adult life trying to avoid.

As the body count rises, and the tension on the inner-city streets starts to simmer, Will becomes convinced that the clue to the killings now, and in 1974, may lie in his own past; a past that he hates yet feels responsible for.

And that the killer is much, much closer to him than anyone thought possible.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

448 pages, Paperback

First published July 3, 2012

About the author

Karin 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...

Reviews

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes it’s criminal what a woman has to do.”

4.5 stars

Criminal is the 6th book in the Will Trent series. It is also my favorite book in the series (so far)!

Chapters alternate between the past in the 1970s, to the present. The past covers Amanda and Evelyn’s time as rookie police officers. In addition to fighting criminals, they have to battle constant sexism, as they are seen as less than by their fellow officers on the force. The 1970s Atlanta Police Force is divided by race, sex, and gender. The politics of the time force Amanda and Evelyn to comply, until they reach their breaking point. Their mindset had me fuming, and some of the words and thoughts that came out of their mouths had my mouth hanging open in shock, but I understand that their thoughts and beliefs were a reflection of the times.

Amanda and Evelyn are put on a case investigating the rape of a prostitute. Their exploration leads them to the most dangerous man they have ever encountered, a serial killer who rapes, abuses, and kills women all in the name of God. The killer has an inherent link to Will Trent.

In the present, 2 weeks after the events of Fallen, Will is shaken when he learns that his father has been released from prison. When a woman is kidnapped who happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to Will’s mother, he is ready to confront his father one final time, potentially putting his new relationship with Sara and his career in the GBI at risk. In becoming unhinged, Will is intensely vulnerable, and a new side to his character is revealed.

There is a high level of suspense and tension in both the past and present narratives. The killer is quite brutal with his victims, and the details of what he did to them are quite sickening.

There were so many things that I loved about this book, but what I loved the most was seeing how Amanda and Evelyn didn’t back down. They evolved, despite their fear, and there are flashes of who they will become. They develop a network of women who were not powerful in the 1970s, but who become extremely powerful and influential in the present, showing just how far they have come.

The final scene gave me the chills and made me appreciate Angie just a tiny bit!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criminal by Karin Slaughter is a 2012 publication.

I was making great progress with this series, but got sidetracked somewhere along the way, but hopefully, I can get back on track now.

Wowza!! This is an amazing installment in this series and might be one of the best so far.

Will and Amanda’s backstories are examined as we trip back in time to the mid-seventies when Will’s father is making a name for himself, and not in a good way.

This story explains how and why Amanda knows Will so well, and explains what exactly went down with Will’s parents.

I will never think of Amanda in the same way again after reading this installment. Karin Slaughter did an amazing job of building suspense, and giving us a much better and deeper understanding of the conflicted and flawed characters we have come to care about.

The attention to details, especially in describing the climate and atmosphere of the 1970’s, was impressive.

The Will and Angie saga is also on the menu and Sara is caught in the middle as Will struggles with his past and how to move forward with Sara. These characterizations never cease to amaze me!

The revelations and shock waves come slowly at first, but the last quarter of the book had me spellbound. The final chapter holds a jaw dropping twist that left me in complete shock. I can’t wait to see how everyone deals with the fallout from here on out.

This is an awesome series!

4.5 stars

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a lot of reviews and a lot of people said that this was their favorite book in the series. I will have to disagree on that. To me it was very slow. I do love Will Trent and he is my favorite character and the only reason I gave it 4 stars is because I really learned a lot more about Will Trent and loved this part of the story.

The story keeps going from the year 1975 to the present. It changes back and forth and if you didn't keep an eye on it, it could get a little confusing. We learned a lot also about a case that happened in 1975 with Amanda and Evelyn Mitchell. We got to learn more about Amanda also. Back in that day, woman didn't really have a place on the police force. I did like the book close to the end, the last 100 pages. It did shock me when I found out who the victim and killer were. Only Karin Slaughter can come up with an awesome ending like this. Sometimes I don't know how she comes up with her ideas. I sure do love reading her books and have become addicted reading them.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars.

The Past Never Stays in the Past..

Will Trent’s past has been kept tightly under wraps. Lock and Key actually. He remembers it though he hardly ever talks about it. It turns out he has his reasons.

Will’s father has been in prison for his entire life. Till now. Unfortunately for Will, his boss Amanda Wagner kept that little fact from him. He discovers it for himself when he turns on the news and discovers that a young college girl has gone missing and when he is kept from investigating the case - for a very good reason.

Forty years earlier, Amanda Wagner and Evelyn Mitchell were cops in Atlanta’s Police Department. Both investigated a truly brutal crime involving the disappearance and death of young women. Though they are hindered at every turn, they persevere. What they find is horrifying and Detectives Wagner and Mitchell barely make it out alive.

The way Karin Slaughter intertwines these storylines is nothing short of brilliant. I was mesmerized, waiting with bated breath, at how the storyline that took place in 1975 impacted Will Trent and Amanda Wagner’s relationship.

I must say that I am liking the development of Will Trent’s character. How he is being drawn out of his shell and letting others in, like Faith Mitchell and even Sara Linton (though my feelings haven’t really changed there). I do think both deserve happiness.. though for me, there will only truly ever be one man for Sara (sorry Will Trent fans!). I like Will a lot.. I think he stands on his own really well - I just wish that KS had created someone “new” for him, but alas, life goes on, I look forward to seeing where all of the characters go from here on out.

Published on Goodreads on 2.17.20.

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cannot believe I finished this, but the 7th Will Trent book is somehow not sitting on my shelves.
Fortunately, this is a problem I know how to solve.

[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure what else I can say about Will Trent. I love who he is.



I should have been prepared for what was revealed in Criminal but I wasn’t. I shed tears for Will, felt anger towards Amanda and I really wanted to scratch out Angie’s eyes. Grrrr she makes me so angry.

There is so much that is revealed and a lot to process. I really had to pay attention.

The story is told between the past which is in the mid-70’s and the present. The past reveals things about Amanda and Evelyn and other’s that explains Will’s younger life. Some of the connections were a little surprising and some I had started to piece together. Parts were rather gruesome. There were some religious references and Shakespeare too. Have you ever heard of Ophelia?

I will be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of the back in forth in time but there really was no other way to do it. The reader needed all this information and Karin Slaughter gave it to us. Every little bit. I was going a little cross eyed and it did slow me down a bit but it was so worth it in the end.



And sweet Sara, she really is Will’s angel. Things are far from easy for these two. For every wonderful moment they share they both have to continue to fight the uncertainty. Will needed to let Sara all the way in.



That is it for now. I’ve already started Unseen which is book #7. I might take my sweet time with this one. The next one isn’t out until the summer of 2016!

Such a fantastic series and I highly recommend it to all my friends.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year I started listening to the Will Trent series and have been reading them in order. Wow, this was a fantastic story going back and forth from the current (the book was written in 2012) time to the 1970's (not something I normally enjoy) but here it really worked for me. The difficulties of women and minorities breaking into the workforce in all areas of policing is described so well. The book has been out for a dozen years, so I have nothing new to add to the reviews other than my thoughts. Slaughter has a real gift for good writing that holds my attention and the last quarter of the book I could not put down. The twists and turns were great as was the back story for the 2 main characters. The last chapter was a chief's kiss. I already have the next book downloaded. The book is about a serial killer as a fyi.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book in the Will Trent series so far, Criminal is a masterpiece. Finally, the reader gets to find out how Will was brought into the world, who his parents are and how Amanda is linked to his life from the beginning. There are so many stunning revelations, I can't even begin to imagine the breadth of Karen Slaughter's brilliant mind. Slaughter is virtuosic with the pen. She leaps and bounds and ties knots in our hearts. Will Trent is such a magnificent creation. I will have to read it again to try and catch her in the sleight of hand, the magic of her art.

[*TANYA* · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book in the series thus far. FANTASTIC! The intricacies of this story was off the charts!! VERY EMOTIONAL!!! Heart wrenching!! On to the next one!!!

[Wendy Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars I eagerly anticipate every single book by Karin Slaughter, and she's never let me down when it comes to Will Trent and Sara Linton--and after last year's fantastic Fallen, I was really excited to read her new book. Criminal is, however, my least favorite book by this author yet, and the first book in the Georgia series that I've rated less than 4 stars. After thoroughly enjoying each of the previous (12?) novels in this series, it's something of a shock to find myself with such mixed/negative feelings about this one.

The two things that normally make Karin Slaughter books so damned good are crackling, suspenseful mysteries and strong characters that you passionately care about. In Criminal, those elements are woefully obscured by the book's structure (too many POVs, many of which are too long for secondary characters), too much focus on Amanda Wagner's past (which sounded like such a great idea, except that she's much less compelling and sympathetic as a young rookie), and a serious lack of time spent on the central characters we've come to know. The starts and stops of the many, many characters POVs make for a jumbled narrative and a frustrating reading experience, and they detract from both the cleanness of the plotting and any emotional response we might've had to the characters. I'm frankly very surprised that a Slaughter book would be this messy.

Eventually, the central mystery is an interesting one, if a bit on the predictable side. The little we see of the Will/Sara/Angie dynamic continues to be fascinating. The flashback sections that took place in the 70s did provide a few good things: it was kind of neat to see Evelyn Mitchell's early career since we all know how it later turns out, a bit about Will's early beginnings, and through Amanda, it was interesting to read about how female police officers were treated back then. But the issues of discrimination, as well as so many others, were done with a much less expert hand than I'm used to seeing in Slaughter's books. Even the level and detail of the violence, which the author's been criticized for and I've never had a problem with before, seemed unnecessarily extra brutal and verging on salacious here. For the first time in reading this author's work, I felt serious twinges of distaste as I read about women being sewn to mattresses, women with their mouths and eyelids sewn shut or open, etc, etc; it's not what happens, as I've read similar levels of violence or worse, it's the repetitive way these things are presented to us, without the appropriate subsequent gravity and care to balance it out. When I think about the awful thing that happens to Lena's sister in the very first Slaughter book, (a blind woman is savagely attacked in a public restroom, and the killer opens up a wound in her torso and rapes it while she's still conscious, and how well the author handled both the procedural and emotional effects of that, I am especially surprised at how clumsily heavy-handed this new book seems to be.

So I would just say that if you're considering reading this series, definitely don't start with this one. They should be read in order anyway (I put the order in my review of the first book, Blindsighted), and the others are much, much better. I'm still a big fan of this author's work, but for the first time, I'm going to be anticipating the next one with muted expectations. Fingers crossed she returns to her usual excellent form next year.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

1974/75 and Amanda Wagner and Evelyn Mitchell were new to the police force, at a time when the male cops were dead against female cops, suggesting lolly pop ladies would be the best they could do. As they began in the criminal element of homicide, the two women put up with bullying and racism from their peers with grim determination; it was a wonder they didn't toss it in.

Present day and Special Agent Will Trent had just begun a fledgling relationship with Sara Linton. But Will's past had more than damaged him, and when his home as a child - the orphanage where he'd lived - was somehow involved in current events, Amanda Wagner - now Will's boss - did all in her power to keep him away from the case. Sara didn't know which way was up with Will and even talking to Faith Mitchell - Will's partner and Evelyn Mitchell's daughter - didn't help.

Criminal is the 6th in the Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter and is set in two time frames. The past shows the reader why Amanda is like she is; how she and Evelyn fought against racism where it was blacks against whites; and how they grew up, much quicker than they would have liked to. It also shows why Will is so incredibly messed up! I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

[Scott Archer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slaughter needs to rethink the series going forward. I had many problems getting through this book.

1. The actual criminal plot takes forever to get moving. Too much of the first half is devoted to the ongoing personal sagas that are pretty much identical for each character as in earlier novels (e.g. Will's inability to articulate or share problems with Sarah, Will's dyslexia, Will's absurd attachment to his witch of an ex-wife). It's like a broken record. A good police thriller should at least devote half of the novel focusing on the investigation and story. This book is only about 20% focused on the crime. The rest of the book is devoted to the soap opera among the characters and Ms. Slaughter impressing us with her knowledge of Atlanta roads, buildings and news events.

2. The author knows Atlanta inside and out. So do I. I live in these same neighborhoods. But much of what she shares is unrelated to the story. It is just filler. Did she really need to weave in the story of Atlanta's "Runaway Bride"? And did I really need a description of the linoleum pattern on the floor in some 1970's apartment of one of the characters? Enough already.

3. The back and forth between the 1970's and current time was confusing and just not necessary. I really think Slaughter did this just to work in more tangential stories about Atlanta in the 70's.

4. Slaughter needs to focus on one or two central characters in each book. This book moves from the POV of Will to Sara to Faith to Amanda to Evelyn to Angie and so on. And if there were not enough female characters to keep track of, Slaughter then introduces the POV of a half dozen or more female prostitutes and their histories. I just could not keep them all straight and by the time the book returned to a character, I had forgotten what was going on with them.

5. If you have not read the other Slaughter books, you will not have a clue about these characters. No attempt is made to bring the reader up to speed, or let you know that Sara and Will are a couple, or the familial relation between Faith and Evelyn, etc.

6. Some of the police behavior is this book was truly unbelievable and unprofessional: One police officer goes to a dangerous building with her partner to interview a drugged out dangerous pimp. The officer allows her partner to be sexually molested by the pimp without intervening, but then she finally musters up the courage to hit the pimp with her purse, a tactic she had to resort to because she never loads her gun as her husband doesn't approve of guns in the house.

Gimme a Break. A police officer would lose his or her badge if such an event ever happened. Yet in this novel thee is no investigation, discipline or even any criticism. Instead the characters just joke about it.

Also, I work in a field where I am around Atlanta police officers. The officers I deal with speak to each other in a professional manner, especially at crime scenes and when actually performing their job duties. Good friends on the force may tease each other, but I just do not believe that police officers are so rude and aggressive with each other at crime scenes, etc. Slaughter is falling into the old cliched plot device that requires all cops in police procedurals to behave and act rudely to each other. Its like Slaughter has been reading one too many Harry Bosch or Mikey Haller novels and is employing the rude dialogue seen in Connelly's books.

I wanted to give this 1 star but did not want to be the only reviewer marking it that low. I have liked some previous books by Slaughter, but she is developing some bad habits. This book was an annoying stinker.

[SVETLANA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third book from the Will Trent series.

Will is a brilliant agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. From previous books, we know that he had a childhood in foster care with abuse, but this is the first book where we find out what happened to his parents.
The story has 2 timelines. Evelyn Mitchell and Amanda Wagner, who the reader knows from previous books, are in both timelines.

In the one that happened in 70's we learn a lot about the racial and gender discrimination in those years in police and in society. Evelyn Mitchell and Amanda Wagner are new hires in police and are met with rude male colleagues who sometimes act violently. The city encounters a few murders of young women, but detectives take it easy as all girls are drug addicts and prostitutes. Only Evelyn and Amanda are consistent with their investigations and are sorry for the murdered girls.

In the second timeline, the MO of that old crime appears again when 3 girls go missing and are later found killed.

Amanda, who is Will's mentor tries to keep him away from investigations and he takes it very hard.
His girlfriend Sara is on his side and helps him to live through this hard time and believe in their love for each other.

The story is full of details of the past and makes the reader better understand Will and his past. It is a bit slow, but generally, it is a very good read.

[Jonetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a college student goes missing and Amanda Wagner refuses to let Will Trent participate, ensuing events resurrect the case that launched her career and expose the roots of his parentage.

The story transitions between the present and 1974/1975. Whatever I previously thought about Amanda Wagner and Evelyn Mitchell was upended here. Their early obstacles faced as the first women in a police department run rampant with sexism and racism were daunting. The fact that they not only persevered but succeeded is more than admirable. That first case was awful because of the nature of the crimes, the underbelly of the part of the city they were investigating and the rotten politics of their own department. Now, the man they captured for the crimes has been released from prison and young women are disappearing again.

This was a tough story on so many levels, most especially the 1974/1975 issues that we find appalling today. However, I really liked how it all unfolded and I wouldn't have appreciated it as much without that background. And, I now understand Amanda's relationship with Will, its origins and reasons behind the current dynamics. Sara also plays an important role and I loved how their relationship evolved. The narration was solid, never overpowering the story, which would have been easy to do.

Another outstanding story in the series.

[Eline Van Der Meulen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tot ongeveer iets over de helft van het boek, vlotte het niet echt om heel veel te lezen. Tot het dan wel echt spannend werd en alles een pak duidelijker werd. De ene na de andere onthulling volgde en ook de echte actie kwam erin."
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2021...

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You know how it is with men.
Sometimes it's criminal what a woman has to do."

This was hovering at a four star for most of the book due to the fact that I was not too keen on the 70's theme. But, it had to be done to get to the in's and out's of the matter. Will's background, Amanda and Evelyn's early years in the Police Force.

No one wanted Will, either. He'd spent most of his early life being checked in and out of the children's home like a dog-eared library book ...

This book has a dual perspective. We are in the present day with Will and Sara and we are in the past, 1974/5 with Amanda, Evelyn and a host of other characters. Honestly, for most of the book when we were in the 70s, I wasn't that interested. The story was good but I want to be with Will and Sara.

Will stared into her eyes, wishing he could read her mind. He didn't understand Sara Linton. She was kind. She was honest. She wasn't storing up information to later use against him. She wasn't jabbing her thumb into open wounds. She wasn't like any woman he'd met in his life.

There is a lot going on in this book. A lot of information to keep up with. We see a younger version of Amanda. Did it change my opinion of her. Yes, I suppose it did. She has to be a tough nut to survive in a "man's world" but there were some moments where I could see the "softer side" of her.

She is still a bitch though.

"I should have left you to rot in that basement."

"I have a feeling that by the end of this day, we're both going to wish you had."

Don't want to say too much. Better off going in blind. The story will weave it's way into you.

Could she love this man?
Could she see herself being part of his life?

I sure could. I love Will.

The Klan still controlled the Atlanta Police Department when men like Duke Wagner and Bubba Keller joined.

Anyway, better shut up. This is a great series and the author has said there is more Will Trent to come! Ahem!

"Our Father ..."

It's quite gruesome at times.

What about Angie, I hear you say? She is still in the picture .. but not in the picture, if you get my drift.

They'd been connected to each other for nearly three decades. Their anger was like a magnet between them. Sometimes it pulled them together. Most times it pushed them apart.

Off to start the next one ...

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was like an amazing and crazy rollercoaster ride - only better. It took off right from the first page and kept up the excitement right up to the last word on the last page. Karin Slaughter is a master storyteller and when I read her books I feel as though I’m watching a movie. A creepy, gory, shocking movie but with characters that I have grown attached to and want the best for. This book was perfection. She doesn’t leave any loose ends and just leaves me wanting to read more. Another excellent book by an incredible author!

[D.B. Woodling · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sheer fact that Will Trent survived birth is a miracle in itself. Dyslexic, uncertain, and orphaned from day one, he is banished to a rudimentary orphanage. Will beats the odds and becomes a gifted agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Refusing to cut ties completely with his drug-addicted wife or end his obsession with his mother’s violent death, Will seems incapable of outrunning his past.

Forty years following the kidnapping, rape, and murder of several Atlanta prostitutes, the horror begins again with the abduction and slaughter of Georgia Tech sophomore Ashleigh Snyder. When boycotted from the case by his superior, GBI Deputy Director Amanda Wagner, Will’s instincts convince him that his permanently-estranged and recently-paroled father is responsible, and now Will’s own self-doubt and loathing intensify.

The novel, though occasionally tedious and lackluster, does awaken readers to the sexist battles endured by female law enforcement officers some four decades ago. It also enlightens us to the racist behaviors one would not expect among the “Brothers-in-Blue,” both black cops and white cops intentionally interfering with one another’s urgent radio transmissions.

All-in-all, Criminal is a tantalizing read and Slaughter, much like her strong female characters, doesn’t leave the ghoulish carnage to the boys.

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might just be my favorite in the series!

I really enjoyed the back story, getting to see where Amanda and the girls started, how they had to fight to get acknowledgment. I must say the research Slaughter put in to make this book so amazing was just astonishing. You get to live in 1975, that's how good the portrayal is.

This series is really one of my all time favorites! Slaughter kind of dedicate each book to a different character and we get to know the in-depth story about them. This book focused on Amanda and Will. And boy was it good to get to know and love these characters even more - lets be honest we all loved Will, Amanda was not so easy to like let alone love. But Criminal shows us we can love the villain if provided an excellent back story.

I can't wait to see where Slaughter will take us next!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criminal by Karin Slaughter is a fabulous continuation in the Will Trent series the characters jump right out at you & the pace never misses a beat. I love this series & she never disappoints.

we also learn more about Will his birth & we also find more out about his uncle & father which blew me for 6.

Lucy Bennett was found dead in an apartment in Atlanta she was a drug addict & prostitute her pimp Juice gave her anything she wanted as long as she did her thing..

Her blood stained body bears a startling resemblance to a woman found dead 40 years earlier soon Will returns to the home he grew up in & the past that could hold the clue to the killings.

We see Sara's & Wills relationship grow stronger & Angie still trying to get in the way.

This was the best in the series so far the characters never seem to lose their genuine appeal.

5 big stars for Miss Slaughter .

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 apprehend the criminal stars

Just when I thought I was getting to know these characters, Karin Slaughter gives me a whole backstory! This one takes us back to the 70s when Evelyn and Amanda first join the police force. Facing unbelievable discrimination, they earn a spot for themselves with the Atlanta Police Department.

That timeline alternates with a more recent timeline and we learn about Will's past while they hunt a dangerous criminal. I finally understand the relationship between Will and Amanda now.

The final scene in this one was chilling and left my jaw dropping! I'm loving this series and I'm glad to know I have a few more to read.

[Stephanie ~~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just freaking WOW!

This book took all the loose ends from the past Will Trent mysteries and tied them together, giving us a full picture of Will and his past, Amanda and hers. If you haven't read any of the Will Trent mysteries, you don't have to read them in order, but it helps.

In Criminal, we have two timelines going on. One follows a string of bruuuuuutal murders in 1975, and another occuring in the present day. I won't go into details to spoil the story, but I had to take breaks with this book so as not to lose my shit. These were beyond my comprehension brutal, and I felt so close to both Amanda and Will, this book literally brought me close to tears a couple of times.

If you're looking for the best mysteries EVER, read Karin Slaughter. She will never steer you wrong.

[Jess Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Will Trent 🥺

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I am most likely in the minority here, but this book was just okay for me. It did not move as fast as previous books in this series. Plus, I wanted more of Will and Sara.

This book does give us a lot of information on the back stories of several characters: Amanda, Evelyn and Will. We, the reader, are shown how Amanda and Evelyn started their careers as police officers. How their friendship evolved, how the investigated their cases, what it was like to be a woman officer in the Seventies. We also learned more about what happened to Will's Mother and of course, his father.

The book begins when female college student goes missing. Amanda tells Will he is not on the case and to stay away. Perplexed, he agrees and takes Sara on a walk to show her where he grew up in an attempt to open up to her, unexpectedly he runs into Amanda at his own group home.

The past and present collide in this book. I think the information provided is important but it just did not hook me as much as the previous books did. I am thankful for the backstories but this book just wasn't a page turner for me. Liked it - didn't love it.

I'm still going to dive in the next book in the series!

See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was ready to give up on this series and then the author goes and writes THIS book.

The link between Amanda and Will has always been a mysterious one with only little crumbs dropped in previous books but this one shows the path of these crumbs right to the gingerbread house.

A big part of the story takes place in the past where Amada was still a fresh-faced young woman. I really enjoyed getting to know this Amanda and her struggles as one of the few women “allowed” on the police force in the 1970’s. I particularly loved her partner Evelyn with her ballsy approach to the sexism, patriarchy, and danger the work involved.

If that was not enough Will’s father also takes center stage. After decades of incarceration, he is released from prison and all hell is about to break loose.

The mystery around Will’s mother is also revealed and its more horrific than I had anticipated.

All in all, a highly satisfying addition to the series and one that convinced me without a doubt to continue reading.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Karin slaughter books,for me this one was lacking I would give it a 3.5 rating.it was slow and not so keen going back in time.and missed the gritty parts of the book.wanted to know about will and sara lets hope it gets back on track in her next book.

[Elaine and Tess the Springer. I won’t be on GR for a bit. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit slow at times but just hang in there because the pace picks up when you realise the gist of where the story is going.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for Criminal: Will Trent Series, Book 6 (audiobook) by Karin Slaughter read by Kathleen Early.

I think this might be my favorite book in the series. We get to learn so much about Will’s backstory. This book is in two timelines. Our current time with Will and the Atlanta police department in the mid 70’s. In both stories they are trying to solve murders.

[Priskah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,0 ✨✨✨

(Audiobook)

Wow! What an emotional roller coaster this sixth installment of the Will Trent series was.
I liked it a lot.💔😭
Also, I was appalled by the way women were treated in the 1970s Police Force. Dreadful and toxic working environment. 💀☢️☣️
I hope those days are long gone.👊🏼💜

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story 5 stars**
Audio 4.5 stars**
Narrator Kathleen Early