The Kept Woman Review

 

Husbands and wives. Mothers and daughters. The past and the future. Secrets bind them. And secrets can destroy them. The author of Pretty Girls returns with an electrifying, emotionally complex thriller that plunges its fascinating protagonist into the darkest depths of a mystery that just might destroy him. With the discovery of a murder at an abandoned construction site, Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is brought in on a case that becomes much more dangerous when the dead man is identified as an ex-cop. Studying the body, Sara Linton—the GBI’s newest medical examiner and Will’s lover—realizes that the extensive blood loss didn't belong to the corpse. Sure enough, bloody footprints leading away from the scene indicate there is another victim—a woman—who has vanished . . . and who will die soon if she isn’t found. Will is already compromised, because the site belongs to the city’s most popular citizen: a wealthy, powerful, and politically connected athlete protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers—a man who’s already gotten away with rape, despite Will’s exhaustive efforts to put him away. But the worst is yet to come. Evidence soon links Will’s troubled past to the case . . . and the consequences will tear through his life with the force of a tornado, wreaking havoc for Will and everyone around him, including his colleagues, family, friends—and even the suspects he pursues. Relentlessly suspenseful and furiously paced, peopled with conflicted, fallible characters who leap from the page, The Kept Woman is a seamless blend of twisty police procedural and ingenious psychological thriller -- a searing, unforgettable novel of love, loss, and redemption.  Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 36 languages, with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her sixteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novel Pretty Girls. A native of Georgia, Karin currently lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent series, Grant County series, and standalone novel Cop Town are all in development for film and television. Visit her at http://www.karinslaughter.com Review: 4 out of 5 stars.  This is the first Karin Slaughter book I've read. Since I didn't realize it was in the middle of a series I felt a little behind as I was reading. The author does a good job of creating a story that stands alone even as it is part of a series. Apparently there is some backstory on one of complex characters that I missed out on, but I felt like I was able to follow the story. The Kept Woman is fast paced and kept me guessing. I couldn't put it down! The characters were complex and drove the story. What I really liked about the story was how it reflected the state of women today. Especially in light of the election and other current events I found myself comparing events and people in the book to current events. I do not know if this was the authors intention or not, but the book definitely made me think. Which is always a good thing! I didn't give five stars because I did feel a little behind at times, but that may be because I have not read the other books in this series.