Last Breath

The Good Daughter #0.5

by Karin Slaughter

Protecting someone always comes at a cost.

At the age of thirteen, Charlie Quinn’s childhood came to an abrupt and devastating end. Two men, with a grudge against her lawyer father, broke into her home—and after that shocking night, Charlie’s world was never the same.

Now a lawyer herself, Charlie has made it her mission to defend those with no one else to turn to. So when Flora Faulkner, a motherless teen, begs for help, Charlie is reminded of her own past, and is powerless to say no.

But honor-student Flora is in far deeper trouble than Charlie could ever have anticipated. Soon she must ask herself: How far should she go to protect her client? And can she truly believe everything she is being told?

Razor-sharp and lightning-fast, this electrifying story from the #1 international bestselling author will leave you breathless. And be sure to read Karin Slaughter’s extraordinary new novel The Good Daughter—available August 22, 2017.

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

Audiobook

First published July 11, 2017

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

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...

I had just started reading THE GOOD DAUGHTER, when I happened to come across this prequel to the novel. I decided to stop reading TGD and read this first. I'm happy that I did.

Protecting someone always comes at a cost.

Charlie Quinn was just thirteen years old when a sudden act of violence changed her life forever. In many ways she blamed her lawyer father for what happened. However, she still ends up becoming a lawyer herself. But she's not going to be like her father. Charlie wants to make a difference and really help people.

The book opens as Charlie is at a career women speaking event with the Girl Scouts. It seems like most of the girls don't care that she's there. She's also not feeling well. Suddenly, she knows she's about to be sick and bolts for the bathroom. It's there that one of the girls decides to talk with her. As the girl, Florabama Faulkner (Flora) starts to talk about her life, Charlie feels a kinship with her. At first, Flora is hesitant to say what she really wants to say, but finally blurts it out....

"I want to be emancipated"

Flora tells Charlie about everything that's going on. Charlie feels for this seemingly fragile, young, and lonely girl. She wants to help her. People like Flora Faulkner are one of the main reasons Charlie chose to move back to Pikerville, instead of working at some hotshot firm in some big city.

But not everything is what it seems. Normally as a defense lawyer, she knows more about her clients, their friends, and family etc. than they knew about themselves. But this time, Charlie isn't sure just what she's gotten involved in.

I thought this was a really good prequel. I found the plot really interesting and it really helped give some insight into some of the characters especially, Charlie Quinn.

At 176 pages this was a nice quick read. I don't think it's absolutely necessary to read it before reading THE GOOD DAUGHTER but I think it adds a little something.

Now, I'm really excited to get back to THE GOOD DAUGHTER!

[PirateSteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prequel to "The Good Daughter", an introduction to some of the characters and a fun little legal thriller all on it's own .... with Thin Mints and Tagalongs.



page 15
Attorney Charlotte (Charlie) Quinn meets Honor-Student, Girl Scout Flora
"What's your name?'
"Flora Faulkner," she said. "My mom named me Florabama, because I was born on the state line, but I go by Flora."
"Charlie smiled, but only because she knew that she was going to laugh about this later with her husband. "There are worse things that you could be called."
"Flora looked down at her hands. "A lot of the girls are pretty good at thinking of mean things."

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually do not like to read novella's but I just loved this one. It was the best one that I read. Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite authors. This novella is only 176 pages long. The characters were well crafted and the plot was amazing. Charlie is a very realistic main character. We wonder, as she does, what is really going on. The plot was very well crafted. The layers of deceit and manipulation were so well designed, Slaughter had me wondering what was going on until the very end. I am really looking forward to reading the first book The Good Daughter.

Flora lives with her grandparents and she's asking Charlie to help her to emancipate. Something about Flora reminds Charlie of her own hard childhood so she agrees to help. Next thing she knows she's neck deep in something she doesn't understand. Lawyer Charlotte Quinn wasn't planning to do any more pro bono work: she already has a client who owes her two grand. But Florabama Faulkner's appeal for help strikes a chord with Charlie. This girl lost her mother at a young age too, and she has hopes of doing what would make her mother proud: going to college. Flora's grandparents seem intent on working their way through Flora's trust fund until there's nothing left. Charlie duly checks what she needs to, and finds that not everything is quite as it has been presented, and no one involved is whom they at first seemed.
But honor student Flora is in far deeper trouble than Charlie could ever have anticipated. Soon she must ask herself: How far should she go to protect her client? And can she truly believe everything she is being told?

We finally will have a potential new series that features a new occupation, a female lawyer. After reading the prequel, I am quite fascinated by the character of Charlie Quinn. She is a complete different person compared to Sara Linton, which makes things much more interesting. She also is married.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose “Last Breath” by Karin Slaughter to listen to while driving a day trip with the hubbie. My experience with Slaughter has been a solid enjoyable thriller/suspense writer. I was a bit hesitant because Ms Slaughter does like a good blood bath in her stories. But, it was a freebie for me on audible, and I needed a bit over 4 hour story, so here we are.

It's only a short story, and I learned it’s a prequel to “The Good Daughter”. Both my husband and I were engaged from the start. I sort of figured out what was going on fairly early, but my husband didn’t.
I was a bit disappointed in Slaughter until the very end, I mean the very end. The cliff hanger was on par for her.

The basic story line: Charlie Quinn lost her mother at the age of 13. She worked hard to become a lawyer which she wanted at age 13. While attending a Career Day at a high school, Charlie meets a 15-year-old girl who needs help. This girl also lost her mother in a tragic accident and is being raised by her grandparents. Charlie slowly begins to suspect that the teen might not be totally honest with her.

It's a quick 4 hours of Charlie learning about the teen and her situation. Charlie doesn’t know who to believe.

Glad I got it. Not sure I’d pay for it though….it is worth a library loan!

[*TANYA* · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick glimpse into a major character of The Good Daughter. I cannot wait to read that book!!!

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re Read December 2023
Audio 4 stars**
narrator Kathleen Early

3.75 stars**

Another fantastic read by Karin slaughter. This one was on the shorter side but still really good.

In "Last Breath" we see Charlie at the beginning of her career as a defense lawyer where she meets a young girl who is need of her help. This case touches Charlie's heart since her motherless client reminds her of the loss of her own mother.
She finds herself caught in this case full of twist and turns where she doesn't know where it will take care.

It was good seeing this side of Charlie the one where she's not jaded by her life and seeing her and Ben so happy early on in their marriage. With the ending I would of preferred something different but I understand you can't win them all. As for the last line of the book if you read "The Good Daughter" first you know how that ends for her. I'm thinking imo is better to read "The Good Daughter" first then this one.❤️

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last Breath is the prequel to The Good Daughter, the 2017 released standalone by Karin Slaughter and introduces the character of twenty-eight-year-old defence attorney Charlie Quinn. Having shunned the big bucks of the Atlanta and New York law firms after gaining a degree from Duke University Charlie Quinn has returned to her hometown of down at heel Pikeville to help the ordinary people who need representation and whose voices often go unheard. Happily married for five years to Ben Bernard, a lawyer at the district attorney’s office, she is trying not to be just like her father, Rusty Quinn, with his reputation for defending the badass felons in a community with a significant meth problem and is still admirably unjaded by her work. Having seen the ramifications of her father’s clientele choice with the murder of her mother and sister at the age of thirteen Charlie has been forced to grow up fast.

Career day at the Girl Scouts and a rare bit of downtime from the office brings its own headaches for Charlie when morning sickness and the prospect of an unplanned pregnancy is matched only by the heartbreakingly earnest pleas of fifteen-year-old Florabama (Flora) Faulkner with her desire to be emancipated. Just a month shy of turning sixteen and the legal age to be emancipated in the state of Georgia it seems the girl has done her research, readily offering up evidence of the ability to support herself without additional state support, working shifts at a diner and with a place to stay with her friend Nancy Patterson’s parents. With Flora having witnessed her mother’s death as an eight-year-old in a fatal car accident and with the trucking company having set up a trust fund on her behalf she has been placed in the custody of her grandparents who between alcohol, addiction to pain medication and what appears to be defrauding her trust are maxing out on their meal-ticket granddaughter and sending Flora’s dream of college up in smoke. However with Flora reluctant to disclose everything or implicate her grandparents in the eyes of the law, Charlie is left to come to her own conclusions and feels compelled to act. As she heads to the insalubrious cinder-block apartments that are home to Leroy and Maude Faulkner, and meets the equally questionable Patterson parents Charlie is tasked with the hard part of sussing out the truth behind the claims and with deceit, manipulation and obfuscation in no short supply she has her hands full.

At 136 printed pages Last Breath is a satisfying mix of solid character development, insight into Charlie’s complicated family background and her desire to stay true to her mother’s refrain of being useful, making informed choices and striving for her goals. Not only does Last Breath illustrate Charlie’s fierce love for her mother and her social conscience but it also sheds light on her insecurities about possible parenthood and her ability to detect bull from her clients. Whilst I liked the character of Charlie and found her a compassionate, realistic and practical ally for her clients, the character of Flora was far less impressive, being the epitome of a wide eyed innocent babe who had obviously reaped the rewards of her Girl Scout lessons! Nevertheless in a pleasantly complicated novella with the truth hidden under a murky array of allegations and rumour, Charlie needs every bit of her street smart background to see the bigger picture and separate the truth from the lies. Despite Charlie seeming somewhat gullible, Last Breath shows her characters determined work ethic and willingness to put herself on the line and adds colour to not only her origins but the community that she works amongst. Flawed but gutsy and with a realistic expectation of today’s teenagers, I look forward to seeing Charlie over the course of a full length novel and her husband and father both taking greater shape. It certainly looks like Pikeville has a big enough caseload to keep Charlie and Rusty very busy! My dismay, however, is that Last Breath seemed as much concerned with motherhood as mounting a legal defence and given this novella was not marketed as women’s fiction I felt a little let down.

Best joke goes to Rusty Quinn with, “what does a thesaurus eat for breakfast?” and Charlie’s quick and humorous retort, “a synonym bun”... well I laughed.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Last Breath by Karin Slaughter was a nice prequel to The Good Daughter that basically ends on a cliffhanger. Unfortunately for me, I read them pretty far apart so I don't really remember what happens in The Good Daughter in association with what happens in Last Breath. I would recommend reading this either right before TGD, or right after if you are going to read it at all.

What it's about: Charlie Quinn is a lawyer whose mother was brutally murdered when she was just 13. She ends up feeling sorry for a girl named Flora Faulkner because like her, she is motherless. But Flora is in a lot more trouble than Charlie thought and Charlie might not actually be able to help.

At 176 pages it is a very short novella that doesn't have to try too hard to hold your attention. I was interested in what was happening, and it felt like a tamer version of a full-length Slaughter novel.

Final thought: I wouldn't say you are missing a whole lot if you don't read this, but I would still read it if you are a fan of KS.

[Pisces51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

LAST BREATH (KINDLE SINGLE) [2017}
Related to: The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
My Review 5.0 Stars

This is a prequel to the standalone novel “The Good Daughter” [2017] and I read it prior to the book. This short work introduces Charlie Quinn, Attorney, who is one of the two main protagonists in the novel which follows.

Young Charlie meets honor-student Flora, and the motherless teen begs Charlie for her help. Given Charlie’s personal background of loss it is impossible for her to look away from this young girl who states that she has nowhere else to turn.

I will grudgingly admit that I have read only a couple of Slaughter’s shorts (Kindle Singles). This one is top shelf. It pulls you right in, moves faster than a speeding bullet, and will leave you shaking your head, and thinking well, that was quick, down, and dirty. Seriously, it is a short story at its best.

It may have been promoted due to the coming release of “The Good Daughter”. In any case the short story does not allow time for character studies. We can ascertain what a good person that Charlie Quinn happens to be. I was surprised and enjoyed the surprise plot twist.

PRE-QUEL TO “THE GOOD DAUGHTER”.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last breath by Karin Slaughter is an excellent prequel to her novel 'The Good Daughter'.
Charlie Quinn's childhood ended abruptly when at the age of thirteen two men, with a grudge against her lawyer father, broke into her home changed her world forever.
Now a lawyer herself, Charlie has made it her mission to defend those with no one else to turn to. So when Flora Faulkner, a motherless teen, begs for help, Charlie is reminded of her own past, and is powerless to say no.
Student Flora is in deeper trouble than Charlie imagined and leaves Charlie asking herself how far she will go to protect her client.
Excellent novella and well worth a read.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the prequel to Pretty Girls and found it to be a great introduction to the missing character in that book. So I thought it'd be worthwhile to read Last Breath, the prequel to The Good Daughter, and I was right. Karin Slaughter writes a strong and interesting peek into the life of Charlie Quinn. It's not necessary to read this first, but it is an added dimension to the main event.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Breath is a fairly short novella marketed as the prequel to Karin Slaughter's August 2017 new release: The Good Daughter. If the purpose of this prequel was to get readers eager and ready for the main attraction then job well-done! It's emotional, meaningful, intriguing, thrilling, innocent, dark, and shocking. It does not feel like a short-story. It is a full open and close experience in my opinion. My jaw is still dropped and I'm about to strangle the library user who has got the only copy of The Good Daughter held hostage. I'm ready! Thanks Ms. Slaughter!

My favorite quote:
"Be useful."

[Krystin | TheF*ckingTwist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Blog | Bookstagram

The Good Daughter was one of those books for me, that even though it was 500+ pages, it felt too short. I didn't want it to end.

So with Last Breath, I get just a little bit more time. And time, as they say, will heal a broken heart.

I guess what I'm really saying is that reading Karin Slaughter breaks my heart. SHE'S SO FUCKING GOOD AND I LOVE HER SO MUCH.

This reads like a clear addition to characters who were already vivid and full. It was that extra bit of backstory that completed who Charlie is and why she is.

And, honestly, there is nothing better than a badass bitch lawyer using her brain and her talent to get one up on everyone else using the motherfucking law.

It's not necessary to read this before, or even after, The Good Daughter. But it adds a little something - A little more insight, a little more history, a little more emotional connection to the characters.

Bye Charlie. I'll miss you.



Whatever. Don't judge me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 5 stars

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

Only Slaughter can take 176 pages and give you this roller-coaster ride that I've just experience.

In preparation for her new standalone novel The Good Daughter; Slaughter wrote a little prequel on the what I believe will be the main character.
If this is what The Good Daughter will be like, I'm not sure I'm emotionally ready for it. But I'm intrigued beyond the comprehension of words.

[Selene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great short story to read but without the intensity and family drama so prominent in The Good Daughter.

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook - 04:00 Hours - Narrator: Kathleen Early
2Stars out of 5.0 "It was ok"

I have read/listened to a few 'novellas' by established authors and generally I don't like them. I think they are mostly unsatisfactory 'thought/idea bubbles' that failed to make the grade as full-sized books; or failed to be included in the writing of a full-sized book; or, as I think is the case with this 'prequel', "Last Breath", used to add some extra dimension to a character of a book already written.

Charlotte Quinn ("Chuck" to her ever-loving husband) is the "The Good Daughter" in Karin Slaughter's apparently stand-alone novel of the same name written in 2017. With the release of "Last Breath" as "(The Good Daughter, #0.5"), "The Good Daughter" has become "The Good Daughter, #1", so one can assume (ass/u/me) that the stand-alone is about to become a series - if you get my meaning🙄.

I listened to "Last Breath" because I liked "The Good Daughter" (4Stars), but I was disappointed. I awarded a 2Stars - "it was ok", because it added too little to the character of Charlotte that we didn't already know, or hadn't already guessed, and because the mystery was barely mysterious.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lawyer Charlie Quinn was feeling decidedly unwell when fifteen year old Girl Scout Flora Faulkner offered to help – but once she had recovered and Flora was asking for her help in her capacity as a lawyer, Charlie couldn’t refuse. Her vow since she was thirteen was to always help people in need, and Flora most definitely was one of those…

As Charlie met with the various people in Flora’s life, she was horrified at what was in front of her. But on the other hand, what was the truth? Was Flora in much deeper than she was letting on? How was she to defend this child who wanted to be an adult?

Last Breath is the prequel to Karin Slaughter’s standalone thriller The Good Daughter, and is short, sharp and gritty. Set in the bad parts of town, where drugs and money rule and only people who are smart enough come out on top, Last Breath was a little disappointing, but still worth the read. Recommended.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Charlie as a character but this plot was a bit bland.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an introduction to Charlie from The Good Daughter but, honestly, I don't see the need for it!

[Erin (from Long Island, NY) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great prequel to The Good Daughter! I expected it to be an in-depth introduction to characters, with maybe a brief story or cliffhanger. But I was blown away to delve into an entire story all its own. It’s about a 4 hour audiobook & has made me even more excited to jump into The Good Daughter (an 18 hour audio!) I cant wait to see how this episode in Charlie’s life will affect or have to do with what happens later..
Yeah I gotta say, I really enjoyed this whole prequel thing- id love to see it used more!

[Lorraine Southern · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a prequel to Slaughter's the Good Daughter, I sat on this until I had the latter downloaded and ready to go on my ereader!
This author is up there with the best, she's one of the few whose books I'll buy without even reading the blurb, and this little novella was a great intro to her 3rd standalone novel.
Which I am reading next.
So, no interruptions please for the next 3 or 4 days or so ;)

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining novella. It is fast paced with twists and turns and an unexpected conclusion. Last Breath is an excellent prequel to The Good Daughter, can be read as a stand alone, and it is even better when read after reading The Good Daughter, which is what I did.
It was wonderful to spend a few hours with Charlie again, and I am hoping to see her in future novels.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Karin slaughter.short story part of the characters in her other book the good daughter.love her books still a few to read.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars for Last Breath: The Good Daughter, Book 0.5 (audiobook) by Karin Slaughter read by Kathleen Early.

The lawyer Charlie Quinn has made it her life’s mission to help the vulnerable and abused. She has a chance meeting with a teenage girl who is desperate to be emancipated from her grandparents. It appears that the girl is being taken advantage of and maybe even being abused. But before long Charlie realizes that she’s the one being taken advantage of.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Breath is a prequel to The Good Daughter, a stand-alone (?) novel by American author, Karin Slaughter. Lawyer Charlotte Quinn wasn't planning to do any more pro bono work: she already has a client who owes her two grand. But Florabama Faulkner's appeal for help strikes a chord with Charlie. This girl lost her mother at a young age too, and she has hopes of doing what would make her mother proud: going to college. But her guardians are her grandparents, a couple who seem intent on working their way through Flora's trust fund until there's nothing left. Flora wants Charlie to help her achieve legal emancipation. Charlie duly checks what she needs to, and finds that not everything is quite as it has been presented, and no one involved is quite who or what they at first seem.

This prequel, set thirteen years before The Good Daughter, gives the reader some insight into the main character, Charlie Quinn. It also introduces secondary characters: Charlie’s husband, prosecution lawyer Ben Bernard (sigh), her dad, notorious defense attourney Rusty Quinn, his secretary Lenore, Pikeville cops and the DA. Fast paced with plenty of twists, this is an excellent teaser that will have readers impatient for The Good Daughter.

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this short story, we get to know Charlie, one of the main characters in The Good Daughter. I instantly liked her, and her nerdy husband Ben and of course, Charlie's father Rusty, a lawyer that had no problem representing vile criminals.

When Charlie was thirteen did her life change forever when two men broke into their home. Now, is she working as a lawyer herself and when a young girl called Flora Faulkner begs her to help her is she taken in by the girl's sad story. But, it turns out that not everything is at it seems.

I really liked this short story. Often when I read novellas that take place before or between books do they feel incomplete, like they would have needed to have more meat on their bones to really tell a story. But, Last Breath manages to both introduce Charlie and tell a story that is perfectly told without feeling like it would have needed more pages to flesh out the story. I enjoyed it very much and I was looking forward to reading The Good Daughter as soon as possible after finishing this novella!

PS. I just finished The Good Daugther and it was splendid as well! ;)

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

LAST BREATH is the prequel to THE GOOD DAUGHTER, which will be available on Amazon on August 8, 2017.

LAST BREATH introduces the reader to Attorney Charlie Quinn. When Charlie was a young teenager, her mother was murdered by people with a grudge against her father .. also an attorney.

Because of her loss, she has made it a personal mission to defend those that have no one else to help. When Flora Faulkner, also a motherless teen, begs for help, Charlie cannot say no.

Flora is in deep, deep, trouble .. far more than Charlies could ever have imagined. And how far will she go for her client ...especially as Flora has secrets.

Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite authors and I'm always looking forward to reading a new book. This is a Kindle Single, less than 200 pages, so it's a fast, easy read. The author has packed a lot into these pages. The story line is solid and there's a lot to Charlie. I really look forward to seeing more of her adventures.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
A little background story for the future read of The Good Daughter. A quick read with a good storyline, but most importantly it sets up the main character for the next book.

[Taury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy quick read. I really enjoy all of Karen Slaughter’s books

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

This is the prequel to The Good Daughter and focuses on Charlie assisting a 17-year-old girl that wants legal emancipation from her grandparents. It’s an interesting case and you get a taste of the dark secrets that Charlie still carries with her from childhood when she witnessed the murder of her mother.

This is the only Slaughter book with almost no violence

A solid novella that will make anyone curious to read The Good Daughter