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Grant County #6
Beyond Reach
Sara Linton--resident medical examiner/pediatrician in Grant County, Georgia, --has plenty of hardship to deal with, including defending herself in a heartbreaking malpractice suit. So when her husband, Police chief Jeffery Tolliver, learns that his friend and coworker detective Lena Adams has been arrested for murder and needs Sara's help, she is not sure she can handle the pressure of it all.
But soon Sara and Jeffery are sitting through evidence, peeling back the layers of a mystery that grows darker by the day--until an intricate web of betrayal and vengeance begins to unravel. And suddenly the lives of Sara, Lena, and Jeffery are hanging by the slenderest of threads.
But soon Sara and Jeffery are sitting through evidence, peeling back the layers of a mystery that grows darker by the day--until an intricate web of betrayal and vengeance begins to unravel. And suddenly the lives of Sara, Lena, and Jeffery are hanging by the slenderest of threads.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2007
2671 people are currently reading
19980 people want to read
About the author
Karin Slaughter
127 books85.4k 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,971 reviews
December 1, 2016
This is the 6th and last book of the Grant County Series, and OMG it was so gut wrenching, even though I was prepared for it because I read the Will Trent Series first. You will not want to do this because there are major spoilers, make sure you read this series first. If you haven't read this series yet I highly recommend it. It is so good. I will admit though that this series is not for the faint of heart.
When Detective Lena Adams is arrested in her home town in Georgia, her boss, police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver, goes to help her and takes his wife medical examiner Sara Linton with him. Sara has problems of her own: she is being sued for medical misdiagnosis after the death of a young patient. His parents, overwhelmed by debt, are looking for someone to pay. Jeffrey and Sara have recently been accepted into an adoption programme.
Lena, who always seems to be in trouble, has been discovered by the local police sitting on the ground on the perimeter of a high school sports field, with her foot on a fuel can. On the fifty yard touch line is a burning Cadillac and investigators can see a body, beyond saving, charring on the back seat. When Lena won’t answer questions or indeed speak at all, she is taken to the hospital, and at the same time charged with obstructing the law. Soon after Jeffrey and Sara arrive, Lena absconds, setting off a chain of events that places them all in great danger.
When Detective Lena Adams is arrested in her home town in Georgia, her boss, police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver, goes to help her and takes his wife medical examiner Sara Linton with him. Sara has problems of her own: she is being sued for medical misdiagnosis after the death of a young patient. His parents, overwhelmed by debt, are looking for someone to pay. Jeffrey and Sara have recently been accepted into an adoption programme.
Lena, who always seems to be in trouble, has been discovered by the local police sitting on the ground on the perimeter of a high school sports field, with her foot on a fuel can. On the fifty yard touch line is a burning Cadillac and investigators can see a body, beyond saving, charring on the back seat. When Lena won’t answer questions or indeed speak at all, she is taken to the hospital, and at the same time charged with obstructing the law. Soon after Jeffrey and Sara arrive, Lena absconds, setting off a chain of events that places them all in great danger.
May 21, 2025
WOW! I feel like I have been hit by a freight train - that's how fast paced this book was. But it was good - really good.
Lena has a disposition which, more often than not, lands her in trouble. But never before like this.....
Slaughter must be one of the best ever writers. I even love her acknowledgements - 'Sue Kurylowicz was the winner of the 'Get Slaughtered' contest, granting her the dubious honour of having her name appear in this book. Sue, honey, you DID ask to be bad....' and It's not many people who will keep listening when you begin a conversation with 'So, I want to burn someone alive....'
Thank you Karin Slaughter for another fantastic journey through the darker side of life. I didn't think I was going to bond with this book to begin with as a lot of it is centred around the methamphetamine industry, but she had me after the first couple of pages.
Lena has a disposition which, more often than not, lands her in trouble. But never before like this.....
Slaughter must be one of the best ever writers. I even love her acknowledgements - 'Sue Kurylowicz was the winner of the 'Get Slaughtered' contest, granting her the dubious honour of having her name appear in this book. Sue, honey, you DID ask to be bad....' and It's not many people who will keep listening when you begin a conversation with 'So, I want to burn someone alive....'
Thank you Karin Slaughter for another fantastic journey through the darker side of life. I didn't think I was going to bond with this book to begin with as a lot of it is centred around the methamphetamine industry, but she had me after the first couple of pages.
March 23, 2014
I should also add that this book is called SKIN PRIVILEGE in the UK and other territories. My US publisher felt that Beyond Reach would be a better title, so we went with that here. Same book, same story, same words except for that color/colour thing.
November 17, 2019
4 Stars
I am not really sure what to say here. Just call me devastated.
Admittedly, I was prepared having read “The Last Widow” with Sara Linton and Will Trent before the entire Grant County series... All I can say is No, just no. My heart has been ripped out of my chest and nothing will ever be the same again.
That is all.
Thank you to my local library for providing me with a copy of this book. I think I’ll be taking a break from Karin Slaughter books for a while.
Published on Goodreads on 11.17.19
I am not really sure what to say here. Just call me devastated.
Admittedly, I was prepared having read “The Last Widow” with Sara Linton and Will Trent before the entire Grant County series... All I can say is No, just no. My heart has been ripped out of my chest and nothing will ever be the same again.
That is all.
Thank you to my local library for providing me with a copy of this book. I think I’ll be taking a break from Karin Slaughter books for a while.
Published on Goodreads on 11.17.19
August 14, 2021
Great. Now, I have to read all of the Grant County books.
Karin Slaughter does not care about my book-buying budget.
Karin Slaughter does not care about my book-buying budget.
June 18, 2011
I don’t know how to review this book. I have to give it full marks, even though every cell in my body screams at me not to.
Sara Linton and Jeffrey Tolliver are well known to Slaughter’s fans. Slaughter has taken the American crime forensic genre and made it her own.
Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs are running to stand still to keep up with her.
They can’t. They won’t. No-one will.
It takes a special author to shock a reader for 7 sequential books. Slaughter does it without flinching and without resorting to sensationalism. And she is never boring.
Join the ride as Sara and Jeffrey follow his fellow detective, Lena, to hell. Unraveling the horrors of small town America is Slaughter’s specialty. She doesn’t disappoint.
Her characters are flawless and flawed.
And the ending – I still can’t speak about it.
Read it.
Sara Linton and Jeffrey Tolliver are well known to Slaughter’s fans. Slaughter has taken the American crime forensic genre and made it her own.
Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs are running to stand still to keep up with her.
They can’t. They won’t. No-one will.
It takes a special author to shock a reader for 7 sequential books. Slaughter does it without flinching and without resorting to sensationalism. And she is never boring.
Join the ride as Sara and Jeffrey follow his fellow detective, Lena, to hell. Unraveling the horrors of small town America is Slaughter’s specialty. She doesn’t disappoint.
Her characters are flawless and flawed.
And the ending – I still can’t speak about it.
Read it.
November 11, 2017
God damn it. I want to punch Karin Slaughter in the face right now. Seriously, I do!
This book is the finale book in the Grant County Series. Holy Crap! I guess this series had to end one way or another.
Lena, once again, is up to her eyeballs in trouble. Her bad decision making and self destructing ways lead her down a path that in turns leads Jeffery and Sara down the same path.
Lena has been arrested for Murder and needs help. Sara is up to her eyeballs in stress as she is being sued by a former patients parents. But she welcomes going out of town with Jeffrey to help Lena as a way of escaping her own worries for awhile. Little does she know that Lena has stumbled into a MESS and not a little mess either but a huge one full of organized crime, drugs,an incarcerated ex-boyfriend, and lots of fire. They appear to have bitten off more than they can chew in this book and right when we see Sara and Jeffrey in a happy place.
This book begins with a bang and it end with one also. I wont give it away but it was a sad ending to a series I grew to love.
Karin Slaughter continues to be my favorite Author. Holy Hell, this was a rough one! Loved it. She officially ripped out my heart and stomped on it and boy what a ride. Another great read. She knocked it out of the ballpark with this finale.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
This book is the finale book in the Grant County Series. Holy Crap! I guess this series had to end one way or another.
Lena, once again, is up to her eyeballs in trouble. Her bad decision making and self destructing ways lead her down a path that in turns leads Jeffery and Sara down the same path.
Lena has been arrested for Murder and needs help. Sara is up to her eyeballs in stress as she is being sued by a former patients parents. But she welcomes going out of town with Jeffrey to help Lena as a way of escaping her own worries for awhile. Little does she know that Lena has stumbled into a MESS and not a little mess either but a huge one full of organized crime, drugs,an incarcerated ex-boyfriend, and lots of fire. They appear to have bitten off more than they can chew in this book and right when we see Sara and Jeffrey in a happy place.
This book begins with a bang and it end with one also. I wont give it away but it was a sad ending to a series I grew to love.
Karin Slaughter continues to be my favorite Author. Holy Hell, this was a rough one! Loved it. She officially ripped out my heart and stomped on it and boy what a ride. Another great read. She knocked it out of the ballpark with this finale.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
August 30, 2015
Words sort of fail me right now. The entire book is one huge tension-filled ride and just when you think it's safe to breathe...the world collapses.
I think that's all I'll say about the book. It's brilliantly written, no matter how upset I am about the series end.
I think that's all I'll say about the book. It's brilliantly written, no matter how upset I am about the series end.
April 11, 2010
Having worked in a bookstore for a few years, I happened upon the first book in this series not so very long ago, and quickly found myself devouring all of the subsequent novels, as they were well-written and suspenseful, with the benefit of having truly fleshed-out characters. I enjoyed them so much that I even recommended them to several of the store's more frequent customers, and they, too, became fans of this series.
I looked forward to Beyond Reach for quite some time, and picked it up as soon as it was released. Most of the book featured what had, at that point, been trademarks of Ms. Slaughters' - an intricate plot carried along by well-developed characters to whom the readers could relate, or at the very least, find interesting and compelling.
And then, there were the last two pages. I've read all of the reviews admonishing those who gave this book a low rating, on the grounds that these are, of course, Ms. Slaughters' characters, and she can do with them whatever she so chooses. I agree with that, to an extent. The problem lies in the fact that fans of this series had been made to invest in certain characters and relationships, and have followed them as problems and issues were confronted and resolved, resulting in character growth and more enriched connections and dynamics. To all of a sudden bring such a devastating conclusion to an aspect of this particular series that had just reached a truly significant turning point - what could even be described as something of a pay-off for all of those who had faithfully followed the maturation of the relationship in question - seemed entirely unnecessary. I have never subscribed to the notion that events such as the one that transpired here are all well and good in that it keeps readers on their toes and shifts storylines into new, exciting dimensions. Instead, it always feels cheap and manipulative and disrespectful to fans, and that is, unfortunately, the case here.
Prior to this point, I had believed Ms. Slaughter to be an author who was confident enough in her own storytelling abilities that she wouldn't feel the need to resort to cheap tricks in an effort to build up so-called suspense. I'm disappointed that she chose to irrevocably disabuse me, and everyone else who was displeased with the ending, of that notion. I absolutely hated the ending, and have not been able to attribute anything even remotely positive to what transpired, in terms of future plots. All I know is that Beyond Reach was the last Karin Slaughter book that I will read.
I looked forward to Beyond Reach for quite some time, and picked it up as soon as it was released. Most of the book featured what had, at that point, been trademarks of Ms. Slaughters' - an intricate plot carried along by well-developed characters to whom the readers could relate, or at the very least, find interesting and compelling.
And then, there were the last two pages. I've read all of the reviews admonishing those who gave this book a low rating, on the grounds that these are, of course, Ms. Slaughters' characters, and she can do with them whatever she so chooses. I agree with that, to an extent. The problem lies in the fact that fans of this series had been made to invest in certain characters and relationships, and have followed them as problems and issues were confronted and resolved, resulting in character growth and more enriched connections and dynamics. To all of a sudden bring such a devastating conclusion to an aspect of this particular series that had just reached a truly significant turning point - what could even be described as something of a pay-off for all of those who had faithfully followed the maturation of the relationship in question - seemed entirely unnecessary. I have never subscribed to the notion that events such as the one that transpired here are all well and good in that it keeps readers on their toes and shifts storylines into new, exciting dimensions. Instead, it always feels cheap and manipulative and disrespectful to fans, and that is, unfortunately, the case here.
Prior to this point, I had believed Ms. Slaughter to be an author who was confident enough in her own storytelling abilities that she wouldn't feel the need to resort to cheap tricks in an effort to build up so-called suspense. I'm disappointed that she chose to irrevocably disabuse me, and everyone else who was displeased with the ending, of that notion. I absolutely hated the ending, and have not been able to attribute anything even remotely positive to what transpired, in terms of future plots. All I know is that Beyond Reach was the last Karin Slaughter book that I will read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2019
Why? Oh why, did the series have to end on such a cataclysmic event? If I hadn't already learned that Jeffrey was killed, I would have really been upset. Lena's story ends tragically too as she still can't cut the ties between her Nazi skinhead boyfriend and herself. Sara and Jeffrey's dreams of adopting a child and having a family and living happily ever after are gone with his tragic death.
In a way I understand. Jeffrey is a hero, he can't not stand up for what's right and helping people, even Lena. His tragic death is inevitable and comes with the life of an upstanding policeman against ancient and deadly evil. But even though I understand it, I don't have to l like it.
In a way I understand. Jeffrey is a hero, he can't not stand up for what's right and helping people, even Lena. His tragic death is inevitable and comes with the life of an upstanding policeman against ancient and deadly evil. But even though I understand it, I don't have to l like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 22, 2018what the actual fuck, Slaughter. what the actual fuck. no rating for you.
June 6, 2024
Reading this outstanding series has been a slow progression, I have read them over a couple of years. Wanting to listen to them on audio for ease of reading, this final instalment was on MP3 disc, stretching the read over a couple of weeks in the car, and by inter library loan via my public library. Thus my desire to read it, I will stop at nothing! Will Trent is up next, so I was very eager. I will say with certainty it was very hard limiting each session to less than 30 minutes.
These Grant County books are far from a slow burn. Becoming invested over the years was a great reading journey, following the select few characters which are portrayed ever so intricately by the author, who really is a master at what she does. Lena, her Uncle Hank, Jeffery the Chief of Police and his wife Sara. Each of these have a distinct story to tell with their upbringing, their mistakes and nuances, all bought together seamlessly, this is all show don't tell to perfection.
This story is non stop from the beginning as Lena is arrested, involved in a deadly incident with a woman being burned alive. Jeffery and Sara are drawn in, Sara assists the untrustworthy local police with more than one autopsy while Jefrey tries to locate Lena after absconding from her hospital bed. The local police are sure Lena is involved and we see in equal measure how much she is loved yet barely tolerated by those closest to her.
his experience was tense, gut-wrenching, propulsive and heartbreaking in so many scenes. All characters good and bad are flawlessly presented to the captivated reader and we see how much Sara is coming to terms with the many rocky roads her and Jefrey have faced along the way. He never waivers and is a great support to her current situation as she faces a law suit in the death of a friend’s child and patient of her practice.
At all stages I was left wondering, I failed many times, but will always remember where I was when I listened to the last couple of minutes of this book. I am not being melodramatic to state that I am so sad this series is over, and how it came to its conclusion. As dark as this is, I have faith in the author that she will continue to deliver. I am very much quietly shocked with the conclusion and cannot stop thinking about it.
I am very much looking forward to Will Trent and to see what comes next.
I listened to this via Audio CD and my local library. Well narrated by Joyce Bean. I really enjoyed the accents and each character well distinguished.
These Grant County books are far from a slow burn. Becoming invested over the years was a great reading journey, following the select few characters which are portrayed ever so intricately by the author, who really is a master at what she does. Lena, her Uncle Hank, Jeffery the Chief of Police and his wife Sara. Each of these have a distinct story to tell with their upbringing, their mistakes and nuances, all bought together seamlessly, this is all show don't tell to perfection.
This story is non stop from the beginning as Lena is arrested, involved in a deadly incident with a woman being burned alive. Jeffery and Sara are drawn in, Sara assists the untrustworthy local police with more than one autopsy while Jefrey tries to locate Lena after absconding from her hospital bed. The local police are sure Lena is involved and we see in equal measure how much she is loved yet barely tolerated by those closest to her.
his experience was tense, gut-wrenching, propulsive and heartbreaking in so many scenes. All characters good and bad are flawlessly presented to the captivated reader and we see how much Sara is coming to terms with the many rocky roads her and Jefrey have faced along the way. He never waivers and is a great support to her current situation as she faces a law suit in the death of a friend’s child and patient of her practice.
At all stages I was left wondering, I failed many times, but will always remember where I was when I listened to the last couple of minutes of this book. I am not being melodramatic to state that I am so sad this series is over, and how it came to its conclusion. As dark as this is, I have faith in the author that she will continue to deliver. I am very much quietly shocked with the conclusion and cannot stop thinking about it.
I am very much looking forward to Will Trent and to see what comes next.
I listened to this via Audio CD and my local library. Well narrated by Joyce Bean. I really enjoyed the accents and each character well distinguished.
December 21, 2020
My first Karin Slaughter read is the sixth in the Grant County series but easily read as a stand-alone book.
WOW, I did not expect that ending!! This book has all the criminal elements, drug-making, and selling, murder, arson, robbery, blackmail, and pretty much anything you can think of. Jeffrey Tolliver, the chief of police in Heartsdale, is dragged into this steaming pot of crime elements when Lena Adams, one of his Constables, mysteriously turns up in the middle of it all - as the main suspect. Caught red-handed at the crime scene and refusing to talk things look grim.
But as we know in all good thrilling books, things are never quite what they seem and, of course, you're only a handful of pages into the book when this happens. So, unless some unscrupulous publisher has decided to rip you off with an eighty-page novel followed by 400+ pages of excerpts from upcoming publications, you can be fairly certain that things are going to change several times before the truth is discovered. Congratulations Random House, you are not one of those aforementioned publishers and this book does continue to keep you guessing for many pages to come.
Jeffrey knows Lena far too well to believe she has done what the Reece police are accusing her of but he is also well aware that Reece is the town of her childhood, one with a murky past and one that Lena has always tried to overcome. Sara, Jeffrey's wife, also knows Lena fairly well but she is not as trusting as her husband and has always viewed Lena as a considerably lesser person of values, one that does things slightly unconventionally.
As with many towns and neighborhoods worldwide, Reece is inundated with drugs, predominantly meth, and has a police force seemingly unable to combat it. Violent local gangs are at the fore but Lena's past in this town has pulled her right in. Her ex-lover is in prison, her mother and sister have passed many years ago and her Uncle, who looked after her when she was young, is one of the townspeople hooked on meth. Lena is in way over her head.
I believe I have set the scene of this novel as best I could without giving too much away but I can also say it has an ending that I did not see coming. Thrilling to the last page, Skin Privilege will not be my last Karin Slaughter read.
WOW, I did not expect that ending!! This book has all the criminal elements, drug-making, and selling, murder, arson, robbery, blackmail, and pretty much anything you can think of. Jeffrey Tolliver, the chief of police in Heartsdale, is dragged into this steaming pot of crime elements when Lena Adams, one of his Constables, mysteriously turns up in the middle of it all - as the main suspect. Caught red-handed at the crime scene and refusing to talk things look grim.
But as we know in all good thrilling books, things are never quite what they seem and, of course, you're only a handful of pages into the book when this happens. So, unless some unscrupulous publisher has decided to rip you off with an eighty-page novel followed by 400+ pages of excerpts from upcoming publications, you can be fairly certain that things are going to change several times before the truth is discovered. Congratulations Random House, you are not one of those aforementioned publishers and this book does continue to keep you guessing for many pages to come.
Jeffrey knows Lena far too well to believe she has done what the Reece police are accusing her of but he is also well aware that Reece is the town of her childhood, one with a murky past and one that Lena has always tried to overcome. Sara, Jeffrey's wife, also knows Lena fairly well but she is not as trusting as her husband and has always viewed Lena as a considerably lesser person of values, one that does things slightly unconventionally.
As with many towns and neighborhoods worldwide, Reece is inundated with drugs, predominantly meth, and has a police force seemingly unable to combat it. Violent local gangs are at the fore but Lena's past in this town has pulled her right in. Her ex-lover is in prison, her mother and sister have passed many years ago and her Uncle, who looked after her when she was young, is one of the townspeople hooked on meth. Lena is in way over her head.
I believe I have set the scene of this novel as best I could without giving too much away but I can also say it has an ending that I did not see coming. Thrilling to the last page, Skin Privilege will not be my last Karin Slaughter read.
June 25, 2023
4.5★
When Detective Lena Adams received a phone call from an old friend to say Lena's Uncle Hank was in a bad way, Lena begrudgingly made the journey to her old home town of Reece, Elawah County. What she found at Hank's house was much worse than she'd imagined. Why was Hank using again? He'd been clean for so long; what had caused him to slip back? But Lena had no idea what returning to Reece would do to her - and to her boss, Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver and his wife, Doctor Sara Linton.
When Jeffrey and Sara arrived at the one horse town, Jeffrey immediately knew he didn't like the Sheriff. Jake Valentine had nothing going for him - he didn't even collect clues from a crime scene. But his arrest of Lena at the scene of a brutal killing, and Lena's refusal to speak, left them all frustrated. What had she become involved in? The deeper they dug into the situation, the more Jeffrey didn't like what was going on. Could he discover the answers before the killer struck again?
Skin Privilege/Beyond Reach is the 6th and final in the Grant County series by Karin Slaughter and it is breathtaking in its intensity! Fast paced, electric and gobsmacking, filled with corruption, drugs and horror, with a shattering ending, I found this particular episode probably the best in the series. Recommended.
When Detective Lena Adams received a phone call from an old friend to say Lena's Uncle Hank was in a bad way, Lena begrudgingly made the journey to her old home town of Reece, Elawah County. What she found at Hank's house was much worse than she'd imagined. Why was Hank using again? He'd been clean for so long; what had caused him to slip back? But Lena had no idea what returning to Reece would do to her - and to her boss, Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver and his wife, Doctor Sara Linton.
When Jeffrey and Sara arrived at the one horse town, Jeffrey immediately knew he didn't like the Sheriff. Jake Valentine had nothing going for him - he didn't even collect clues from a crime scene. But his arrest of Lena at the scene of a brutal killing, and Lena's refusal to speak, left them all frustrated. What had she become involved in? The deeper they dug into the situation, the more Jeffrey didn't like what was going on. Could he discover the answers before the killer struck again?
Skin Privilege/Beyond Reach is the 6th and final in the Grant County series by Karin Slaughter and it is breathtaking in its intensity! Fast paced, electric and gobsmacking, filled with corruption, drugs and horror, with a shattering ending, I found this particular episode probably the best in the series. Recommended.
September 19, 2015
Let's just say if I had been heavily invested in these books and these characters, this author would probably have lost a fan for life.
He was smiling again, that half-smile that could infuriate her and make her love him at the same time.
Ah, well, back to Will Trent and to see how that all pans out.
April 20, 2020
"De ontknoping is ronduit spannend en de serie wordt met een knaller van formaat afgesloten!"
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
July 2, 2024
Whew! I finally got around to finishing the Grant County series. This last entry had much less Sara than I wanted, but it makes sense that Lena and Jeffery get more of the shine. If I could describe the book in two words, I would choose panic-inducing. It’s not so much the mystery aspect that is pretty easy to figure out from the get-go; it’s the classic Karen Slaughter downtrodden character arcs. Just when you think someone cannot suffer enough, more terse and unrelenting catastrophes are thrown their way.
The story is simple. A car is found engulfed in flames on the 50-yard line at the local high school. Lena, our tortured police detective, is involved, but she is not talking about the victim, who was trapped inside the vehicle. Jeffery and Sara come to the rescue. From here, we follow the investigation to the thrilling end. The pages flew by, and it touches on all the necessary small town happenings to the thrilling conclusion. It’s not complex, but it’s not supposed to be. We get to be a fly on the wall as certain character arcs end. Saying more would be a spoiler.
Overall, the series was exciting. It’s incredibly dark and unsettling, but that’s sort of Karen’s brand of writing. I’d probably recommend starting with some of her stand alone novels (looking at you, The Good Daughter), but if you are in the mood for a police procedural with tortured characters that are injected into uncouth situations, this series is for you.
Question to anyone who has read the Will Trent series: Does it pick up after this and carry on? I feel like if I Google the information, it will spoil things.
📝 | Series Ratings | 📝’s
Blindsided: 4/5
Kisscut: 4/5
A Faint Cold Fear: 3/5
Indelible: 3/5
Faithless: 2/5
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
❖ Cutting Crew – I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 3 out of 5 ❖
The story is simple. A car is found engulfed in flames on the 50-yard line at the local high school. Lena, our tortured police detective, is involved, but she is not talking about the victim, who was trapped inside the vehicle. Jeffery and Sara come to the rescue. From here, we follow the investigation to the thrilling end. The pages flew by, and it touches on all the necessary small town happenings to the thrilling conclusion. It’s not complex, but it’s not supposed to be. We get to be a fly on the wall as certain character arcs end. Saying more would be a spoiler.
Overall, the series was exciting. It’s incredibly dark and unsettling, but that’s sort of Karen’s brand of writing. I’d probably recommend starting with some of her stand alone novels (looking at you, The Good Daughter), but if you are in the mood for a police procedural with tortured characters that are injected into uncouth situations, this series is for you.
Question to anyone who has read the Will Trent series: Does it pick up after this and carry on? I feel like if I Google the information, it will spoil things.
📝 | Series Ratings | 📝’s
Blindsided: 4/5
Kisscut: 4/5
A Faint Cold Fear: 3/5
Indelible: 3/5
Faithless: 2/5
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
❖ Cutting Crew – I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 3 out of 5 ❖
January 6, 2022
Slaughter writes great flawed characters. Reading her books is like watching a reality show of people picking the worst options and doing everything they can to ruin their relationships. To accompany those characters are some seriously scuzzy characters getting in the way. This is some scum that you will love to hate.
This story is much like the other Grant County books – so if you enjoyed those, you will like this one. Slaughter continues to shock and sometimes disgust with graphic depictions of bad behavior. But, hey, we all like to get a bit grimy when escaping into books from time to time, don’t we?
While not every book in this series or in the authors repertoire has been a hit for me, I do find some gems and enjoyable getaways. This was one that kept me interested and will help to make me keep coming back for more.
This story is much like the other Grant County books – so if you enjoyed those, you will like this one. Slaughter continues to shock and sometimes disgust with graphic depictions of bad behavior. But, hey, we all like to get a bit grimy when escaping into books from time to time, don’t we?
While not every book in this series or in the authors repertoire has been a hit for me, I do find some gems and enjoyable getaways. This was one that kept me interested and will help to make me keep coming back for more.
December 31, 2024
I started the Will Trent series first, which was a spin off from the Grant County series. It took a long time to get here, but I finally know what happened to Jeffrey. It wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped it was going to be, mostly because all the references to it in all the other books built up a lot more plot than I got in the end.
Also, no matter how pathetic Lena and her circumstances are made, she is still infinitely unlikeable. She is possibly one of my least favorite characters in all the books I’ve read.
Also, no matter how pathetic Lena and her circumstances are made, she is still infinitely unlikeable. She is possibly one of my least favorite characters in all the books I’ve read.
March 26, 2019
How did I not get into Karin Slaughter books in my teen years? Where was I? Was I living under a rock, was I trying too hard to be into chick-lit?
First off I didn't know this was a DAMN series and I frankly don't care!! I'll read them backwards. I'm glad Slaughter doesn't go too in depth about their pasts because what was happening to Jeffrey, Sara, and Lena at this moment was enough for me to be hooked.... It took me 3 days to finish, which lately being in a reading funk, says a lot about how I devoured the story.
The story starts out with Lena being in trouble. She is in an Escalade with some very scary masked men and another woman. They make Lena drive to the high school football field, inject meth in the blond woman's arm to subdue her, pour lighter fluid on her and set the woman and car on fire while Lena watches. Intense beginning right?
Sara is in a malpractice suit that impacts her way of thinking and halts her reason and confidence.
Jeffrey and Sara (who can't stand Lena) come to Lena's rescue as she's hospitalized after this viscous attack. Lena says nothing to anyone, tricks Sara, and escapes. This is where the fun begins people!
The small town turns out to be worse than anyone can imagine. The skin heads, the crackheads, the meth heads, and the crooked officers.... Enter young newly appointed Sheriff Jake Valentine! He seems to want to help but doesn't do things the way Chief Jeffrey Tolliver deems fit. The suspicions grow, the old boyfriends come back, and everyone in between is being found dead.
Anyway, I appreciate Slaughter's ending because life can't be so happy go lucky. I can see why fans would want to yell at her. I honestly didn't see it coming!!!! It was a WTF moment... it could have happened throughout the book and just waited until the end. The ending was a fiver because if you can't close your mouth after that ending it has to be that good. On to book #5! LOL...
First off I didn't know this was a DAMN series and I frankly don't care!! I'll read them backwards. I'm glad Slaughter doesn't go too in depth about their pasts because what was happening to Jeffrey, Sara, and Lena at this moment was enough for me to be hooked.... It took me 3 days to finish, which lately being in a reading funk, says a lot about how I devoured the story.
The story starts out with Lena being in trouble. She is in an Escalade with some very scary masked men and another woman. They make Lena drive to the high school football field, inject meth in the blond woman's arm to subdue her, pour lighter fluid on her and set the woman and car on fire while Lena watches. Intense beginning right?
Sara is in a malpractice suit that impacts her way of thinking and halts her reason and confidence.
Jeffrey and Sara (who can't stand Lena) come to Lena's rescue as she's hospitalized after this viscous attack. Lena says nothing to anyone, tricks Sara, and escapes. This is where the fun begins people!
The small town turns out to be worse than anyone can imagine. The skin heads, the crackheads, the meth heads, and the crooked officers.... Enter young newly appointed Sheriff Jake Valentine! He seems to want to help but doesn't do things the way Chief Jeffrey Tolliver deems fit. The suspicions grow, the old boyfriends come back, and everyone in between is being found dead.
Anyway, I appreciate Slaughter's ending because life can't be so happy go lucky. I can see why fans would want to yell at her. I honestly didn't see it coming!!!! It was a WTF moment... it could have happened throughout the book and just waited until the end. The ending was a fiver because if you can't close your mouth after that ending it has to be that good. On to book #5! LOL...
September 5, 2020
4.25 Concluding Stars
This has been a fantastic series orchestrated by Karin Slaughter. She has created realistic flawed characters that I both love and hate in the same series! Sometimes even in the same book!
This one has a lot of Lena and boy, is she one of those characters! I want to have a lot of sympathy for her after what she's been through, but she cannot stay out of trouble! This book explores her hometown and the unsavory characters there -- much as the last one explored Jeffrey's hometown. No wonder they both left!
Dr. Sara Linton is an equally flawed character, but my heart broke a bit for her with the malpractice suit. And that ending, oh my! I won't say anymore. Even though I knew it was coming, it was haunting. I have heard the author explain why she took this course, but doesn't mean I like it!
I will be off to read the Will Trent series now and there are a ton of books in that one. Thank you to my lovely local library for an e-book to read.
This has been a fantastic series orchestrated by Karin Slaughter. She has created realistic flawed characters that I both love and hate in the same series! Sometimes even in the same book!
This one has a lot of Lena and boy, is she one of those characters! I want to have a lot of sympathy for her after what she's been through, but she cannot stay out of trouble! This book explores her hometown and the unsavory characters there -- much as the last one explored Jeffrey's hometown. No wonder they both left!
Dr. Sara Linton is an equally flawed character, but my heart broke a bit for her with the malpractice suit. And that ending, oh my! I won't say anymore. Even though I knew it was coming, it was haunting. I have heard the author explain why she took this course, but doesn't mean I like it!
I will be off to read the Will Trent series now and there are a ton of books in that one. Thank you to my lovely local library for an e-book to read.
December 8, 2016
In this final addition to the, "Grant County" series, Lena leads Jeffery and Sarah into a deadly situation and as usual she is in over her head. Jeffery knows that Lena took a trip to her home town to find out why she had been unable to reach her uncle who had in fact raised her and her sister. When Jeffery is unable to reach her days later, he and Sarah are off to the next county to see what gives. Upon their arrival they learn Lena is in the hospital and being held for questioning, her uncle is missing and the local bar he owns has been closed by the authorities. As soon as they are allowed to visit Lena, she starts acting more crazy than usual, begs them to leave town and promptly executes a desperate escapes. Shortly after her escape the local PD find a murdered woman who has been burned alive in a car. Jeffery will not stop until he finds out what deep trouble Lena has gotten herself into now. Secrets about Lena's childhood and her connection to a long running drug ring are revealed. Great characters, great narration, and a perfect jumping off story to start KS's next, the "Will Trent" series. One of my favorites.
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January 5, 2021Audio 4.25 Stars
Story...not rating because I'm too effing pissed off and heartbroken. I'm glad this series is over. It really needed to end.
Story...not rating because I'm too effing pissed off and heartbroken. I'm glad this series is over. It really needed to end.
August 24, 2023
Lots of twists and turns, a decent read - Karin Slaughter literally living up to her name.
Five stars.
Five stars.
January 12, 2023
I can't get too much into this without massive, series-ruining spoilers, so let me just say - Karin Slaughter really knows how to end a series. Just imagining reading this at the time - and knowing the next book to be released would be the first Will Trent book - makes we wonder how any of her established fans were able to stand it.
This is a book that pulls out all the stops; we dive into the past of a major character, and there's misdirection and mystery galore. You're never quite sure who you can trust, but by the end all the buried secrets are thoroughly brought to light.
As much as these characters have irritated the shit out of me as the series went on, I was absolutely determined to make it through and get to the reread of the Will Trent series - I've never properly gone through every novel, and I'm glad I persisted. She may be ruthless, but Karin Slaughter writes a properly captivating book.
This is a book that pulls out all the stops; we dive into the past of a major character, and there's misdirection and mystery galore. You're never quite sure who you can trust, but by the end all the buried secrets are thoroughly brought to light.
As much as these characters have irritated the shit out of me as the series went on, I was absolutely determined to make it through and get to the reread of the Will Trent series - I've never properly gone through every novel, and I'm glad I persisted. She may be ruthless, but Karin Slaughter writes a properly captivating book.
February 12, 2018
Finished re-reading (listening to) this 6th book in Karin Slaughter's Grant County series.
I loved the story and only gave it 4 stars because of the shocking ending. I do understand why the author ended the book the way she did but that doesn't change how I feel about it.
Looking forward to carrying on with the next book which starts the "Will Trent" series.
I loved the story and only gave it 4 stars because of the shocking ending. I do understand why the author ended the book the way she did but that doesn't change how I feel about it.
Looking forward to carrying on with the next book which starts the "Will Trent" series.
October 20, 2007
I don't even want to give this book a full star. She has lost a fan. I always loved her ending making you want more but all I found with the ending of this book was an end. I will not be buying the next book in the Grant County Series. I equate the ending of this book with this if JK Rowling had killed off Harry Potter in the 4th book why read the rest the main character is gone. What is the use. I was never able to connect with Lena or Sara but I did connect with Jeffrey. I hope she rethinks here decision. I could even stand a "Bobby Ewing Dream Chapter" just to have the character back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2023
Trigger warnings: drug abuse, addiction, white supremacists, Nazi symbolism, murder, fire, immolation, car accident, death of a child, mentions of rape (in the past), death of a loved one (in the past), mentions of abortion, explosions, homophobia, racism,
25/6/2023
Good LORD that ending.
22/2/2018
On reread, I think I'm bumping this up to 4 stars. Having read things in order, there are a lot of little threads that finally get pulled together in this, the last book of the Grant County series, and those threads made a lot more sense now that I've actually read the series in order rather than all over the damn place.
This was possibly the most confronting book in the series simply because the discussion of meth addiction is SO RELENTLESS, and because the initial death that starts everything off is so completely horrifying. And even knowing what was coming, that ending totally blew my mind because while I knew what was coming, I'd forgotten the HOW and y.i.k.e.s.
I'm looking forward to getting stuck into rereading the Will Trent books now!
3/7/2016
3.5 stars.
Somehow when I devoured the Grant County books a couple of years ago, I missed out on this one. I'm still not sure HOW I did that, considering this one ends with a super major massive plot point that has massive ramifications for the subsequent books. So I knew about the super major massive plot point? But I'd never actually read about it happening.
Anyway.
Ultimately, this one was a bit of a let down for me. It's so ridiculously Lena-focused, and she drives me nuts. And because I knew from the get go what was going to happen, I was basically disappointed when it kept NOT happening because I was constantly anticipating it.
On the whole, I enjoy this (slightly disturbing) series. But this one seemed pretty disjointed, and the story never really flowed for me. So I WANTED to love it. But I just...didn't. I mean, it was good. But it wasn't what I was anticipating, knowing what the super major massive plot point was.
25/6/2023
Good LORD that ending.
22/2/2018
On reread, I think I'm bumping this up to 4 stars. Having read things in order, there are a lot of little threads that finally get pulled together in this, the last book of the Grant County series, and those threads made a lot more sense now that I've actually read the series in order rather than all over the damn place.
This was possibly the most confronting book in the series simply because the discussion of meth addiction is SO RELENTLESS, and because the initial death that starts everything off is so completely horrifying. And even knowing what was coming, that ending totally blew my mind because while I knew what was coming, I'd forgotten the HOW and y.i.k.e.s.
I'm looking forward to getting stuck into rereading the Will Trent books now!
3/7/2016
3.5 stars.
Somehow when I devoured the Grant County books a couple of years ago, I missed out on this one. I'm still not sure HOW I did that, considering this one ends with a super major massive plot point that has massive ramifications for the subsequent books. So I knew about the super major massive plot point? But I'd never actually read about it happening.
Anyway.
Ultimately, this one was a bit of a let down for me. It's so ridiculously Lena-focused, and she drives me nuts. And because I knew from the get go what was going to happen, I was basically disappointed when it kept NOT happening because I was constantly anticipating it.
On the whole, I enjoy this (slightly disturbing) series. But this one seemed pretty disjointed, and the story never really flowed for me. So I WANTED to love it. But I just...didn't. I mean, it was good. But it wasn't what I was anticipating, knowing what the super major massive plot point was.
September 16, 2007
Great writing by Slaughter as always... but man, the ending!! I was literally heartbroken!! I cannot believe Karin Slaughter did that!!!
I highly recommend first time readers of this series (Grant County) to start from the beginning because you gotta understand the complexity of these characters. There's just so much to Lena Adams, Sara Linton, and Jeffrey Tolliver that you can't really get from just reading this book.
A must-read for suspense-thriller fans!! The ending... still gets to me!
I highly recommend first time readers of this series (Grant County) to start from the beginning because you gotta understand the complexity of these characters. There's just so much to Lena Adams, Sara Linton, and Jeffrey Tolliver that you can't really get from just reading this book.
A must-read for suspense-thriller fans!! The ending... still gets to me!
March 15, 2016
Story was kind of average. But the terrible ending brought this to 1 star.
I can’t trust this author to give me a good feeling at the end or emotional justice. I want closure and questions answered. In this book questions were not answered. Things were not resolved. Future threats still exist. And worst of all something horrible happens to a main character.
During the book, I was curious about what was going on and what would happen. On hindsight, I regret reading this.
The author’s mechanics were confusing. One chapter was current day Jeffrey and Sara. The next chapter was titled Lena but did not say when that was. I was confused until I figured out that the Lena chapters were back in time a week or so. I wish the author would have said “One week earlier”, or “10 days earlier” in the title for each Lena chapter. Chapters alternated this way through most of the book.
I was confused about the bad guys’ motivations for killing people. For example, a meth addict gets meth from a dealer. The addict knows about the dealer and bad guys. So after a while the bad guy says this addict knows too much, lets kill him. The addict had not talked to an authority or given evidence.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 573 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: one. Setting: current day mostly Georgia. Copyright: 2007. Genre: suspense, crime fiction.
I can’t trust this author to give me a good feeling at the end or emotional justice. I want closure and questions answered. In this book questions were not answered. Things were not resolved. Future threats still exist. And worst of all something horrible happens to a main character.
During the book, I was curious about what was going on and what would happen. On hindsight, I regret reading this.
The author’s mechanics were confusing. One chapter was current day Jeffrey and Sara. The next chapter was titled Lena but did not say when that was. I was confused until I figured out that the Lena chapters were back in time a week or so. I wish the author would have said “One week earlier”, or “10 days earlier” in the title for each Lena chapter. Chapters alternated this way through most of the book.
I was confused about the bad guys’ motivations for killing people. For example, a meth addict gets meth from a dealer. The addict knows about the dealer and bad guys. So after a while the bad guy says this addict knows too much, lets kill him. The addict had not talked to an authority or given evidence.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 573 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: one. Setting: current day mostly Georgia. Copyright: 2007. Genre: suspense, crime fiction.
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