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Will Trent #11
After That Night
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2023)After that night, nothing was ever the same again
Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.
Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who's been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper's assault is uncannily linked to Sara's.
And it seems the past isn't going to stay buried forever.
Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.
Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who's been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper's assault is uncannily linked to Sara's.
And it seems the past isn't going to stay buried forever.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published June 22, 2023
About the author
Karin Slaughter
126 books72.1k followersKarin Slaughter is the author of more than twenty instant NEW YORK TIMES bestselling novels, including the Edgar–nominated COP TOWN and standalone novels THE GOOD DAUGHTER, PRETTY GIRLS, and GIRL, FORGOTTEN. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. PIECES OF HER is a #1 Netflix original series starring Toni Collette. The Will Trent Series is on ABC (and streaming on Hulu in the U.S and Disney+ internationally). THE GOOD DAUGHTER and FALSE WITNESS are in development for film/tv. 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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Website: http://www.karinslaughter.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,647 reviews
July 30, 2023
Writing: tbh her worst lol but fine | Plot: okay | Ending: hmmmmmmm
TW: stalking, sexual violence, domestic abuse, graphic descriptions
SYNOPSIS
A recent rape case may have ties to Sara's own rape from 15 years ago. Also, rich white people be wildin.
MY OPINION
GUYS I FINALLY DID IT!!!! I FINISHED AN ENTIRE KARIN SLAUGHTER BOOK!!!!!!! I've had a couple false starts with False Witness: The stunning crime mystery suspense thriller from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of AFTER THAT NIGHT, GIRL FORGOTTEN and PIECES OF HER, Girl, Forgotten, and Pretty Girls but I overcame the odds and finished this one.
My beef with Karin Slaughter was never her prose. I know homegirl can write. My issue was her storytelling is akin to a senior citizen with nowhere to be. Pick up the pace. This time, the storytelling was a lot tighter, but the writing was rather lacklustre. There was lots of awkward: "He opened the door. He pulled out his keys and locked the car. He walked up to Faith and said hi." It low-key felt like she slapped this one together to attract more interest for the Will Trent TV adaptation. Also... I've seen the commercials and TV Will Trent does not seem anything like book Will Trent? Of course this was my first Trent book, so what do I know.
This was truly a middle of the road read. There was some spookiness factor that Slaughter is renowned for, but overall it was pretty tame. I found it wholly predictable (but I read A LOT of this genre, so take that with a grain of salt) and I was waiting for a shocking twisty twist that never came. Also, what in the teenage love story is going on with Sara and Will? They were soooo cheesy together. The dialogue with Eliza felt like it was straight out of a Disney movie. Much corny. And Faith? JFC. She took helicopter mom to a new level: space satellite mom. Even my Filipina mom cut the cord when I was in college. Anyways, if you're looking for 'wow' factor, I heard Pretty Girls is up to the ears in it. But this? Nah this was your run-of-the-mill police procedural with a dash of weird romance.
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM.
My biggest issue with this book was basic police work was left until the last 10% of the book to force suspense. It's my understanding that if you have multiple victims of the same perpetrator, you would try to establish a link between them because that will most likely lead you toward the baddie. Did super agents Faith and Will do this from the jump? Nope. Instead they ran around in a circle until the last 10% when lo and behold, they decided to call the victims' family/friends and ask about their medical history. *Face palm*.
SPOILERS DONE
Again, this is my first Will Trent, so I can't compare this book to the rest of the series. But from reading other reviews, it seems that Slaughter fans will enjoy this latest instalment.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: yes, it's long, but most of the descriptions are focused on things pertinent to the plot/central story, a lil spooky (mostly the texts)
Cons: too much virtue signalling for my tastes, corny romance between Will and Sara, writing was robotic and subpar compared to her other books, extremely predictable, no twist in sight, Faith takes helicopter parent to a new level: space satellite parent
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
TW: stalking, sexual violence, domestic abuse, graphic descriptions
SYNOPSIS
A recent rape case may have ties to Sara's own rape from 15 years ago. Also, rich white people be wildin.
MY OPINION
GUYS I FINALLY DID IT!!!! I FINISHED AN ENTIRE KARIN SLAUGHTER BOOK!!!!!!! I've had a couple false starts with False Witness: The stunning crime mystery suspense thriller from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of AFTER THAT NIGHT, GIRL FORGOTTEN and PIECES OF HER, Girl, Forgotten, and Pretty Girls but I overcame the odds and finished this one.
My beef with Karin Slaughter was never her prose. I know homegirl can write. My issue was her storytelling is akin to a senior citizen with nowhere to be. Pick up the pace. This time, the storytelling was a lot tighter, but the writing was rather lacklustre. There was lots of awkward: "He opened the door. He pulled out his keys and locked the car. He walked up to Faith and said hi." It low-key felt like she slapped this one together to attract more interest for the Will Trent TV adaptation. Also... I've seen the commercials and TV Will Trent does not seem anything like book Will Trent? Of course this was my first Trent book, so what do I know.
This was truly a middle of the road read. There was some spookiness factor that Slaughter is renowned for, but overall it was pretty tame. I found it wholly predictable (but I read A LOT of this genre, so take that with a grain of salt) and I was waiting for a shocking twisty twist that never came. Also, what in the teenage love story is going on with Sara and Will? They were soooo cheesy together. The dialogue with Eliza felt like it was straight out of a Disney movie. Much corny. And Faith? JFC. She took helicopter mom to a new level: space satellite mom. Even my Filipina mom cut the cord when I was in college. Anyways, if you're looking for 'wow' factor, I heard Pretty Girls is up to the ears in it. But this? Nah this was your run-of-the-mill police procedural with a dash of weird romance.
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM.
My biggest issue with this book was basic police work was left until the last 10% of the book to force suspense. It's my understanding that if you have multiple victims of the same perpetrator, you would try to establish a link between them because that will most likely lead you toward the baddie. Did super agents Faith and Will do this from the jump? Nope. Instead they ran around in a circle until the last 10% when lo and behold, they decided to call the victims' family/friends and ask about their medical history. *Face palm*.
SPOILERS DONE
Again, this is my first Will Trent, so I can't compare this book to the rest of the series. But from reading other reviews, it seems that Slaughter fans will enjoy this latest instalment.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: yes, it's long, but most of the descriptions are focused on things pertinent to the plot/central story, a lil spooky (mostly the texts)
Cons: too much virtue signalling for my tastes, corny romance between Will and Sara, writing was robotic and subpar compared to her other books, extremely predictable, no twist in sight, Faith takes helicopter parent to a new level: space satellite parent
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
June 3, 2023
This is a chillingly stomach turning and harrowing addition to Karin Slaughter's GBI Special Agent Will Trent and medical examiner Dr Sara Linton Atlanta based series with its echoes of worrying real life contemporary realities. When Dani Cooper died of her brutal injuries after telling her she had been raped, Sara is determined to get her justice. However, that was easier said than done as 3 years later she is testifying at the civil trial of the alleged rapist, Tommy McAllister, which hinges entirely on her testimony. An anguished Sara learns there are connections between what happened to Dani and the harrowing sexual assault she experienced 15 years ago which left her unable to have children. Furthermore, it appears they were far from the only victims.
There is nothing Sara would not do to stop the terror and emotional quagmire of revisiting what happened to her all those years ago, but she is haunted by Dani, which is how Will and his PTSD suffering GBI partner, Faith Mitchell, end up conducting a below the radar inquiry that ventures on Atlanta PD territory. It speaks volumes about their commitment to the case that they are willing to go behind their terrifying boss, Amanda Wagner's back. This is to bring Will face to face with the trauma of seeing his hated Aunt Eliza, now a dying woman, just so that he can go undercover at an exclusive country club, he is to find himself touching the very limits of what he can cope with. Sara, Will and Faith find themselves on the most twisty and suspenseful of personal inquiries where they encounter the most disturbing of misogyny, a ruthless and powerful rape club with the arrogance to believe they will never have to pay for their heinous crimes, corrupt cops, and more.
This is a nightmare of a case simultaneously drawing attention to just how close Will and Sara's relationship is in the run up to their marriage, they are everything to each other, this bodes well for their future together. Faith finds herself pushed to the brink when all the dreams she has had for her precious son, Jeremy, threaten to splinter apart, and Amanda once again proves just how ferociously able she is once she becomes involved. I am not going to lie, this is a tough read, we are not spared the details of the sexual assaults and the type of people who embark on committing such unspeakable crimes, but it is an important read. I will never forget Sara's conversation at a New York hotel with another rape survivor, Sloan Bauer, and the lens through which much of the world views and treats women who are raped. An unmissable addition to a brilliant series! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
There is nothing Sara would not do to stop the terror and emotional quagmire of revisiting what happened to her all those years ago, but she is haunted by Dani, which is how Will and his PTSD suffering GBI partner, Faith Mitchell, end up conducting a below the radar inquiry that ventures on Atlanta PD territory. It speaks volumes about their commitment to the case that they are willing to go behind their terrifying boss, Amanda Wagner's back. This is to bring Will face to face with the trauma of seeing his hated Aunt Eliza, now a dying woman, just so that he can go undercover at an exclusive country club, he is to find himself touching the very limits of what he can cope with. Sara, Will and Faith find themselves on the most twisty and suspenseful of personal inquiries where they encounter the most disturbing of misogyny, a ruthless and powerful rape club with the arrogance to believe they will never have to pay for their heinous crimes, corrupt cops, and more.
This is a nightmare of a case simultaneously drawing attention to just how close Will and Sara's relationship is in the run up to their marriage, they are everything to each other, this bodes well for their future together. Faith finds herself pushed to the brink when all the dreams she has had for her precious son, Jeremy, threaten to splinter apart, and Amanda once again proves just how ferociously able she is once she becomes involved. I am not going to lie, this is a tough read, we are not spared the details of the sexual assaults and the type of people who embark on committing such unspeakable crimes, but it is an important read. I will never forget Sara's conversation at a New York hotel with another rape survivor, Sloan Bauer, and the lens through which much of the world views and treats women who are raped. An unmissable addition to a brilliant series! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
July 24, 2023
*CRACK* That is the sound of Karin Slaughter hitting it out of the ballpark once again!!!!!
Will and Sara are back, and this time Sara has an unwelcome blast from her past when a young woman who had been brutalized was brought into the ER. Years later, Sara is testifying in court for the young women's parents and finds herself up against Mac and Britt McAllister, two people she went to school with. Later in a restroom, Britt McAllister says something to Sara that will rattle her to her bones and bring back her own brutal attack and rape (not that she has ever forgotten it).
Gripping and shocking from the very first page! The whole gang was back! Woohoo! I loved seeing Will and Sara again working together while in the midst of planning their wedding (I can't wait!). I love both of their characters and look forward to reading more books in this series!
Plus, the supporting characters had a nice amount of page time as well which I loved. I adore them all, especially Faith. Slaughter also has a nice number of characters in this book which had me booing and hissing. I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know how things were going to turn out.
With all of her books, After That Night is well written, well thought out, perfectly paced and riveting. Karin Slaughter does not shy away from brutal scenes or discussions which make her books feel even more real to me. Slaughter not only shows readers the effect that rape has on victims but shows predators as well. Her books may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love them!
I have been reading her books for years and she continues to deliver time and time again! This book had a nice number of twists, turns and revelations in addition to the tension which snowballed as the book progressed.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job.
Well written, gripping, shocking, tense, and hard to put down!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Will and Sara are back, and this time Sara has an unwelcome blast from her past when a young woman who had been brutalized was brought into the ER. Years later, Sara is testifying in court for the young women's parents and finds herself up against Mac and Britt McAllister, two people she went to school with. Later in a restroom, Britt McAllister says something to Sara that will rattle her to her bones and bring back her own brutal attack and rape (not that she has ever forgotten it).
Gripping and shocking from the very first page! The whole gang was back! Woohoo! I loved seeing Will and Sara again working together while in the midst of planning their wedding (I can't wait!). I love both of their characters and look forward to reading more books in this series!
Plus, the supporting characters had a nice amount of page time as well which I loved. I adore them all, especially Faith. Slaughter also has a nice number of characters in this book which had me booing and hissing. I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know how things were going to turn out.
With all of her books, After That Night is well written, well thought out, perfectly paced and riveting. Karin Slaughter does not shy away from brutal scenes or discussions which make her books feel even more real to me. Slaughter not only shows readers the effect that rape has on victims but shows predators as well. Her books may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love them!
I have been reading her books for years and she continues to deliver time and time again! This book had a nice number of twists, turns and revelations in addition to the tension which snowballed as the book progressed.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job.
Well written, gripping, shocking, tense, and hard to put down!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 24, 2023
Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and HarperCollins and one of my favourite authors Karin slaughter for an early copy of her book to read.
Will Trent,Sara Linton,and will partner in crime Faith is Back,A number one series.Sara in court giving evidence on a case when she was working in a hospital a woman died she was raped named Dani cooper the accuser was the son of someone she knew,was he guilty? Sara was also raped years ago he was convicted and many more victims,is there a connection? Will trent and Faith investigate going undercover putting there jobs on the line.This was a banger of a read,and a explosive ending.karin is one of my favourite authors looking forward to the next instalment.if you want to read this series please read the grant county series first then Will trent to get into the fantastic strong characters.ive read most of her books only one to read is cop town looking forward to reading this book. HIGHLY RECOMMEND....
Will Trent,Sara Linton,and will partner in crime Faith is Back,A number one series.Sara in court giving evidence on a case when she was working in a hospital a woman died she was raped named Dani cooper the accuser was the son of someone she knew,was he guilty? Sara was also raped years ago he was convicted and many more victims,is there a connection? Will trent and Faith investigate going undercover putting there jobs on the line.This was a banger of a read,and a explosive ending.karin is one of my favourite authors looking forward to the next instalment.if you want to read this series please read the grant county series first then Will trent to get into the fantastic strong characters.ive read most of her books only one to read is cop town looking forward to reading this book. HIGHLY RECOMMEND....
January 1, 2024
post-release:
5 stars!! would you guys judge me if i said the will trent series is one my comfort reads? lol, i'm arguably very biased, because i am the type of reader that froths will trents whole "looks like they could kill you-could kill you-but is also a cinamon roll" vibe. and the will/sara romance.. don't get me started i love them so much, and i need the wedding featured in book 12. the humour is lowkey good too:
but i can see why people didn't enjoy this plot as much. although the crime in this story is insidious as one would expect from a karin slaughter book, it's also extremely personal to the characters. which means a lot of introspection is happening for them, and it felt like the suspense came later in the story consequently.
spolier:
pre-release:
shut up and take my money
5 stars!! would you guys judge me if i said the will trent series is one my comfort reads? lol, i'm arguably very biased, because i am the type of reader that froths will trents whole "looks like they could kill you-could kill you-but is also a cinamon roll" vibe. and the will/sara romance.. don't get me started i love them so much, and i need the wedding featured in book 12. the humour is lowkey good too:
Faith told them, "Jeremy's running late. I asked him to pick up some donuts."
Will said "Did you-"
"Yes, I told him to get hot chocolate."
but i can see why people didn't enjoy this plot as much. although the crime in this story is insidious as one would expect from a karin slaughter book, it's also extremely personal to the characters. which means a lot of introspection is happening for them, and it felt like the suspense came later in the story consequently.
spolier:
pre-release:
shut up and take my money
September 4, 2023
the setup…
Dr. Sara Linton was the attendant in Emergency when Dani Cooper arrived, an assault victim in deep distress. As she valiantly fights to save her, Sara is the only one to hear pertinent details that confirm she’d been drugged and raped. Now she’s at the alleged rapist’s trial, one she’s been dreading because he’s the son of a former colleague who knows what happened to her fifteen years ago. When she finishes testifying, she later learns that there might be a connection between what happened to Dani and Sara’s rape all those years ago.
the heart of the story…
I’ve read this series in order, including its predecessor, so Sara’s rape fifteen years ago was not a secret. However, that’s about all that was revealed…no details, not even the name of the rapist other than he was captured. This was the story I didn’t even know I wanted! See, everyone else in Sara’s life was as much in the dark about the details as I was because that’s how she chose to deal with it, not wanting to be forever viewed as a rape victim. In sharing her story, she also provided insight about the crowd she hung around with, including her ex. It was not only illuminating but loaded with plenty of suspects for the here and now. Equally compelling was how Will and Faith navigated the political snake pit to investigate without a local invitation and to keep Sara’s confidence.
the narration…
I love how Early handles the storytelling for this series. I’ll never go back to reading because she makes the characters come alive and with distinction. She also makes it hard to find a stopping point.
the bottom line…
This was riveting stuff…Sara’s life fifteen years ago, the horror of what was happening to these women, the misogyny of law enforcement and the revelations in the end. It’s gritty, yes, but it’s the cultural elements impacting women in a really bad way that are hard to stomach. It’s relevant and shines a dark light on issues we continue to face today. On a lighter note, Sara and Will’s upcoming nuptials and continuing affection add some brightness that warmed my heart. I will definitely be listening to this again because I raced through it and know I missed some things. It’s an outstanding story.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Dr. Sara Linton was the attendant in Emergency when Dani Cooper arrived, an assault victim in deep distress. As she valiantly fights to save her, Sara is the only one to hear pertinent details that confirm she’d been drugged and raped. Now she’s at the alleged rapist’s trial, one she’s been dreading because he’s the son of a former colleague who knows what happened to her fifteen years ago. When she finishes testifying, she later learns that there might be a connection between what happened to Dani and Sara’s rape all those years ago.
the heart of the story…
I’ve read this series in order, including its predecessor, so Sara’s rape fifteen years ago was not a secret. However, that’s about all that was revealed…no details, not even the name of the rapist other than he was captured. This was the story I didn’t even know I wanted! See, everyone else in Sara’s life was as much in the dark about the details as I was because that’s how she chose to deal with it, not wanting to be forever viewed as a rape victim. In sharing her story, she also provided insight about the crowd she hung around with, including her ex. It was not only illuminating but loaded with plenty of suspects for the here and now. Equally compelling was how Will and Faith navigated the political snake pit to investigate without a local invitation and to keep Sara’s confidence.
the narration…
I love how Early handles the storytelling for this series. I’ll never go back to reading because she makes the characters come alive and with distinction. She also makes it hard to find a stopping point.
the bottom line…
This was riveting stuff…Sara’s life fifteen years ago, the horror of what was happening to these women, the misogyny of law enforcement and the revelations in the end. It’s gritty, yes, but it’s the cultural elements impacting women in a really bad way that are hard to stomach. It’s relevant and shines a dark light on issues we continue to face today. On a lighter note, Sara and Will’s upcoming nuptials and continuing affection add some brightness that warmed my heart. I will definitely be listening to this again because I raced through it and know I missed some things. It’s an outstanding story.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
August 30, 2023
After reading Karin Slaughter's 'Girl, Forgotten' - I was really hoping this one would be better in terms of the mystery - AND IT WAS!!! So many moving pieces and parts of this story in the seedy world of the quietly rich. I had fun figuring out who the real villain(s) were.
THOUGHTS:
- Karin Slaughter has a talent for writing books that point in the direction of the person(s) committing the crime, but as in real life - these people are hard to catch. You need evidence. No going in guns half-cocked. These cases are so horrendous that people committing the crimes must be locked away tightly. You read every line because you, the reader, become invested in finding those small clues that will lock them away forever. (Because, as we all know - that's how people get caught.. they get lazy and leave something small unattended!)
- Something else Slaughter does well is the creation of the quietly insane unlikeable female. She's unlikeable. She's usually not integral to figuring out the crime until seen in a certain light - and I think that's a hard character to right. They're sociopaths hidden in plain sight. Men are often the ones we look at as committing horrible crimes - but women? We typically tend to put them in the victim box, so when they're the perpetrators, puppeteers, or masterminds behind violent crimes? Shocking.
NOTES:
- CWs: Graphic descriptions of the aftermath of s3xual assault
**Thank you to William Morrow & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
THOUGHTS:
- Karin Slaughter has a talent for writing books that point in the direction of the person(s) committing the crime, but as in real life - these people are hard to catch. You need evidence. No going in guns half-cocked. These cases are so horrendous that people committing the crimes must be locked away tightly. You read every line because you, the reader, become invested in finding those small clues that will lock them away forever. (Because, as we all know - that's how people get caught.. they get lazy and leave something small unattended!)
- Something else Slaughter does well is the creation of the quietly insane unlikeable female. She's unlikeable. She's usually not integral to figuring out the crime until seen in a certain light - and I think that's a hard character to right. They're sociopaths hidden in plain sight. Men are often the ones we look at as committing horrible crimes - but women? We typically tend to put them in the victim box, so when they're the perpetrators, puppeteers, or masterminds behind violent crimes? Shocking.
NOTES:
- CWs: Graphic descriptions of the aftermath of s3xual assault
**Thank you to William Morrow & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
August 24, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded down. It is not completely necessary to have read the Grant County/Will Trent books that precede this one, but it definitely helps to provide both background and context for the plot and characters.
That said, this is an intriguing book, if a bit long. If it weren't for how it was dragged out, I probably would have rated this 4 stars, because the mystery and twist are compelling and well crafted. (But I did pretty much figure out the big twist before the end, because the author very stealthily leaves clues that poked at my brain until the investigators finally cued into them as well).
I really enjoy the characters of Sara Linton and Will Trent, and liked the interplay between the various characters and their investigation into how a present day sexual assault ties back to Sara's assault many years before (and whose perpetrator was captured and jailed).
This is a solid police procedural novel. I listened to it as an audiobook and while parts are difficult to listen to due to the subject matter, they are also excellently portrayed by the narrator, Kathleen Early, who I believe has narrated all of the Karin Slaughter books that I've listened to.
I highly recommend this series to those who like hard hitting police novels. These books don't shy away from tough subjects, so avoid them if you enjoy your mysteries more on the cozy side.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
That said, this is an intriguing book, if a bit long. If it weren't for how it was dragged out, I probably would have rated this 4 stars, because the mystery and twist are compelling and well crafted. (But I did pretty much figure out the big twist before the end, because the author very stealthily leaves clues that poked at my brain until the investigators finally cued into them as well).
I really enjoy the characters of Sara Linton and Will Trent, and liked the interplay between the various characters and their investigation into how a present day sexual assault ties back to Sara's assault many years before (and whose perpetrator was captured and jailed).
This is a solid police procedural novel. I listened to it as an audiobook and while parts are difficult to listen to due to the subject matter, they are also excellently portrayed by the narrator, Kathleen Early, who I believe has narrated all of the Karin Slaughter books that I've listened to.
I highly recommend this series to those who like hard hitting police novels. These books don't shy away from tough subjects, so avoid them if you enjoy your mysteries more on the cozy side.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 29, 2023
Epic! Phenomenal! Outstanding! These are just a few words that come to mind after reading Karin Slaughter’s latest book. She’s done it again - and I’m so glad she did!
After a long wait, August finally came, and Karin Slaughter came to Tulsa. 🖤 Last Saturday I received her latest book at a book signing and immediately started devouring it. (Omg- I have books signed by my fav author now y’all!!). If you’re a longtime fan of Slaughter, you’re gonna love this one. We get to see where Will Trent and Sara Linton are now, updates on faith and her children, and let’s not forget about the cutest four-legged fictional character – Betty!
Will and Sara are making wedding plans, but of course a case comes up that they both need to be involved in. Will and his partner Faith dive into a case that has a direct connection to Sara’s past. In fact, all the suspects are connected to her and one of the worst days of her life. I don’t want to say much more about the plot because I would hate to ruin it for you dear readers!! I will say that Karin’s writing style is still witty, gory, and makes you feel like you’re watching a movie. She combines the perfect amount of technical speak (medical and police) to keep you intrigued while also being realistic in the characters behavior.
If you’re new to Will and Sarah-no worries! This book will fill you in on all you need to know about their past, to understand what’s unraveling in the current day. It’s full of twists and thrills. The dialog is smooth and the characters are well structured. The ending is fire! 🔥🤯
Don’t sleep on this one or else you’ll have FOMO!
P.S. Karin- if you read this review, thanks for having Sara get in her BMW 💞 you keep me reading!
After a long wait, August finally came, and Karin Slaughter came to Tulsa. 🖤 Last Saturday I received her latest book at a book signing and immediately started devouring it. (Omg- I have books signed by my fav author now y’all!!). If you’re a longtime fan of Slaughter, you’re gonna love this one. We get to see where Will Trent and Sara Linton are now, updates on faith and her children, and let’s not forget about the cutest four-legged fictional character – Betty!
Will and Sara are making wedding plans, but of course a case comes up that they both need to be involved in. Will and his partner Faith dive into a case that has a direct connection to Sara’s past. In fact, all the suspects are connected to her and one of the worst days of her life. I don’t want to say much more about the plot because I would hate to ruin it for you dear readers!! I will say that Karin’s writing style is still witty, gory, and makes you feel like you’re watching a movie. She combines the perfect amount of technical speak (medical and police) to keep you intrigued while also being realistic in the characters behavior.
If you’re new to Will and Sarah-no worries! This book will fill you in on all you need to know about their past, to understand what’s unraveling in the current day. It’s full of twists and thrills. The dialog is smooth and the characters are well structured. The ending is fire! 🔥🤯
Don’t sleep on this one or else you’ll have FOMO!
P.S. Karin- if you read this review, thanks for having Sara get in her BMW 💞 you keep me reading!
June 24, 2023
EXCERPT: Good morning Dani I really enjoyed the other night . . . not often I get to be with someone who's smart as well as beautiful . . . rare combination.
???
I've got the contact info for the Stanhope campaign if you're still interested in volunteering?
Who is this?
Funny! I know they are looking for canvassers are you still interested in helping? I could pick you up on my way to campaign HQ if you want?
I'm sorry I think you have the wrong person
You're on Juniper in the Beauxarts bldg right?
No I moved in with my boyfriend.
I love your sense of humour, Dani. Really want to spend more time with you. I know you love taking in the view of the park from your corner bedroom. Maybe you can introduce me to Lord Pantaloons.
How do you know about my cat?
I know everything about you.
Srsly did Jen put you up to this? Yr creeping me out.
I keep thinking about that mole on your leg and how I want to kiss it . . . again . . .
Who the fuck is this?
Do you really want to know?
This isn't funny. Tell me who the fuck you are.
There's a pen and paper in the drawer beside your bed. Make a list of everything that terrifies you. That's me.
ABOUT 'AFTER THAT NIGHT': After that night, nothing was ever the same again …
Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.
Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who's been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper's assault is uncannily linked to Sara's.
And it seems the past isn't going to stay buried forever …
MY THOUGHTS: Long-winded with a touch too much technical medical stuff, but totally engrossing.
I haven't read a Will Trent book in a while and I didn't realise until I started this how much I had been missing out on, so I have some catching up to do. It would be possible to read this as a stand-alone, but it's a stellar series and, in all probability, you're going to want to read the whole series so why not just start at the beginning.
Karin Slaughter manages to combine all the nuances of everyday life with a cracker of a crime novel. Sara and Will's wedding day is enticingly close: can Will dance? Does Sara have pearls to wear with her wedding dress? Can Faith change her son's mind about his career choice? You know the stuff . . .
Will and Faith are already on boss Amanda's sh*tlist when they decide to go rogue and investigate a case without her authorization after a rape victim dies under Sara's care and utters a plea for Sara to make sure her rapist is caught with her dying breath.
The plot is complex but riveting. There is a sense of despair as the rapist appears to get away with his crime, but Sara, Faith and Will are spurred on by another very similar crime and an apparent connection to Sara's rape many years earlier.
Slaughter has drawn some magnificent characters from the wealthy, arrogant, entitled to the doggedly determined to the greedy and corrupt.
I laughed at the crime board covering Faith's fridge door and kitchen cabinets. I cried at the pain and trauma of the rape victims. I was awed by the twists Slaughter incorporated into the plot.
This is not an easy read, but Karin Slaughter's books never are. It is an excellent read and was very nearly a five star read for me but I do admit to glazing over at the sheer amount of technical medical information and terminology in parts.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#AfterThatNight #NetGalley
I: @karinslaughterauthor @harperfiction
T: @SlaughterKarin @HarperFiction
#contemporaryfiction #crime #mystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Karin Slaughter is the author of more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels. 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.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperCollins via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of After That Night by Karin Slaughter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
???
I've got the contact info for the Stanhope campaign if you're still interested in volunteering?
Who is this?
Funny! I know they are looking for canvassers are you still interested in helping? I could pick you up on my way to campaign HQ if you want?
I'm sorry I think you have the wrong person
You're on Juniper in the Beauxarts bldg right?
No I moved in with my boyfriend.
I love your sense of humour, Dani. Really want to spend more time with you. I know you love taking in the view of the park from your corner bedroom. Maybe you can introduce me to Lord Pantaloons.
How do you know about my cat?
I know everything about you.
Srsly did Jen put you up to this? Yr creeping me out.
I keep thinking about that mole on your leg and how I want to kiss it . . . again . . .
Who the fuck is this?
Do you really want to know?
This isn't funny. Tell me who the fuck you are.
There's a pen and paper in the drawer beside your bed. Make a list of everything that terrifies you. That's me.
ABOUT 'AFTER THAT NIGHT': After that night, nothing was ever the same again …
Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.
Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who's been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper's assault is uncannily linked to Sara's.
And it seems the past isn't going to stay buried forever …
MY THOUGHTS: Long-winded with a touch too much technical medical stuff, but totally engrossing.
I haven't read a Will Trent book in a while and I didn't realise until I started this how much I had been missing out on, so I have some catching up to do. It would be possible to read this as a stand-alone, but it's a stellar series and, in all probability, you're going to want to read the whole series so why not just start at the beginning.
Karin Slaughter manages to combine all the nuances of everyday life with a cracker of a crime novel. Sara and Will's wedding day is enticingly close: can Will dance? Does Sara have pearls to wear with her wedding dress? Can Faith change her son's mind about his career choice? You know the stuff . . .
Will and Faith are already on boss Amanda's sh*tlist when they decide to go rogue and investigate a case without her authorization after a rape victim dies under Sara's care and utters a plea for Sara to make sure her rapist is caught with her dying breath.
The plot is complex but riveting. There is a sense of despair as the rapist appears to get away with his crime, but Sara, Faith and Will are spurred on by another very similar crime and an apparent connection to Sara's rape many years earlier.
Slaughter has drawn some magnificent characters from the wealthy, arrogant, entitled to the doggedly determined to the greedy and corrupt.
I laughed at the crime board covering Faith's fridge door and kitchen cabinets. I cried at the pain and trauma of the rape victims. I was awed by the twists Slaughter incorporated into the plot.
This is not an easy read, but Karin Slaughter's books never are. It is an excellent read and was very nearly a five star read for me but I do admit to glazing over at the sheer amount of technical medical information and terminology in parts.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#AfterThatNight #NetGalley
I: @karinslaughterauthor @harperfiction
T: @SlaughterKarin @HarperFiction
#contemporaryfiction #crime #mystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Karin Slaughter is the author of more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels. 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.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperCollins via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of After That Night by Karin Slaughter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
August 16, 2023
After That Night is the 11th installment in the Will Trent series, and it just reaffirms just why Karin is my favorite author of all time.
The story follows Will, Sara, and Faith as they essentially go rogue to try and solve a case that has direct ties to what happened to Sara while she was working at Grady.
This is probably Karin’s least graphically violent book, but HOLY SHIT it might be her heaviest yet!! Due to the nature of the main plot/investigation, there is a near constant focus on rape/sexual assault. CONSTANT. So keep that in mind if you decide to dive in.
As always I do recommend reading her books in order to get all the context/past characterizations/character development, but this book is probably the least spoiler-y of them all, and the things that are brought up are things you’ll learn pretty early on in the series.
Thank god Karin is so good at writing banter between the characters, because if not this would probably be the most depressing book ever written 😅 but, thankfully there are plenty of little quips, bickering, and witty banter sprinkled throughout. There were also a few bits that made me tear up because they were just so freaking sweet. These characters mean everything to me and I hope it never ends.
No one does it like Karin. I will never stop screaming her praises from the rooftops.
The story follows Will, Sara, and Faith as they essentially go rogue to try and solve a case that has direct ties to what happened to Sara while she was working at Grady.
This is probably Karin’s least graphically violent book, but HOLY SHIT it might be her heaviest yet!! Due to the nature of the main plot/investigation, there is a near constant focus on rape/sexual assault. CONSTANT. So keep that in mind if you decide to dive in.
As always I do recommend reading her books in order to get all the context/past characterizations/character development, but this book is probably the least spoiler-y of them all, and the things that are brought up are things you’ll learn pretty early on in the series.
Thank god Karin is so good at writing banter between the characters, because if not this would probably be the most depressing book ever written 😅 but, thankfully there are plenty of little quips, bickering, and witty banter sprinkled throughout. There were also a few bits that made me tear up because they were just so freaking sweet. These characters mean everything to me and I hope it never ends.
No one does it like Karin. I will never stop screaming her praises from the rooftops.
June 12, 2023
After That Night is the highly anticipated eleventh book in the award winning Will Trent series featuring GBI Special Agent Will Trent and Medical Examiner Dr. Sara Linton. It's the story fans of the series may not have realized they've been waiting for - the gruesome, heartbreaking story of Sara's attack fifteen years ago. Through alternating chapters of past and present and a multifaceted plot line, readers are pulled back into the darkness alongside Sara as she learns the truth of that heinous night that changed the course of her life. After That Night is an explicit, shocking and emotionally charged addition to the Will Trent series - a series with an ongoing character story arc which is why I recommend reading the series in order for the character and relationship development. Having said that, Karin Slaughter delivers a complete story with needed background information in each book.
Dr. Sara Linton's on duty in the emergency room when rape victim Dani Cooper is brought in barely clinging to life, having been horribly beaten and violated. Tending the broken woman as she lies dying in the ER sends Sara spiraling back into the nightmare of her own brutal assault fifteen years prior. Cooper's dying plea for justice is heard only by Sara, and later she's called to testify in a civil court case against a well-known, wealthy surgeon's son who's accused of the crime. After her testimony, Sara's cornered in the ladies room by the accused's mother who verbally lashes out at Sara in a spiteful drunken rage with taunts about Sara's past attack being connected to Cooper's . . . a revelation that renders Sara speechless. Her attacker was convicted so how can her case possibly be connected to Dani Cooper's? If it proves to be true will learning the whole abhorrent truth finally set Sara free . . . or destroy her all over again? Sara turns to fiance GBI Special Agent Will Trent for support and with assistance from Will's partner Faith Mitchel, they begin looking for any link between past and present.
Slaughter's a master at setting a torrid pace plummeting characters and readers reeling through one perplexing revelation after another as After That Night races toward a blistering climax. Sugar coating nothing, the author's signature multidimensional scenes are graphic and painfully detailed, but like a wreck on the highway it's impossible to look away or stop reading. Fortunately, Slaughter tempers some of the horror with deeply personal, intimate and sometimes humorous scenes between Sara and Will that afford readers mini-breaks to regroup. Characters are so well defined and developed, so believable that readers absorb every hit personally. Many series favorites like Faith Mitchell play major roles in this raw, gritty story all delivering star performances. As a fan of the series, I enjoyed seeing Faith's son Jeremy clash with his mom over the direction his future may take as he manages to steal some scenes in this one in support of Sara.
After That Night is a gripping, tautly plotted, gut wrenching story that this reader couldn't put down. I tore through the pages of this emotionally powerful story seeking answers with a prayer on my lips and a burning desire for revenge for every woman who's ever suffered at the hands of a monster in my heart. Again, I find myself in awe of Slaughter's brilliant story telling skills especially her ability to finesse weary, storm battered characters through insanely entangled plot lines with the shock factor. While After That Night isn't an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, it's a must read for fans of the series and one I highly recommend to all readers who enjoy masterfully rendered suspense thrillers. It just doesn't get any better than this five star story.
Many thanks to William Morrow Publ. for a complimentary advanced readers' copy of this book. After That Night is scheduled for release in the US on August 22, 2023. My review originally published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is also available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.
Dr. Sara Linton's on duty in the emergency room when rape victim Dani Cooper is brought in barely clinging to life, having been horribly beaten and violated. Tending the broken woman as she lies dying in the ER sends Sara spiraling back into the nightmare of her own brutal assault fifteen years prior. Cooper's dying plea for justice is heard only by Sara, and later she's called to testify in a civil court case against a well-known, wealthy surgeon's son who's accused of the crime. After her testimony, Sara's cornered in the ladies room by the accused's mother who verbally lashes out at Sara in a spiteful drunken rage with taunts about Sara's past attack being connected to Cooper's . . . a revelation that renders Sara speechless. Her attacker was convicted so how can her case possibly be connected to Dani Cooper's? If it proves to be true will learning the whole abhorrent truth finally set Sara free . . . or destroy her all over again? Sara turns to fiance GBI Special Agent Will Trent for support and with assistance from Will's partner Faith Mitchel, they begin looking for any link between past and present.
Slaughter's a master at setting a torrid pace plummeting characters and readers reeling through one perplexing revelation after another as After That Night races toward a blistering climax. Sugar coating nothing, the author's signature multidimensional scenes are graphic and painfully detailed, but like a wreck on the highway it's impossible to look away or stop reading. Fortunately, Slaughter tempers some of the horror with deeply personal, intimate and sometimes humorous scenes between Sara and Will that afford readers mini-breaks to regroup. Characters are so well defined and developed, so believable that readers absorb every hit personally. Many series favorites like Faith Mitchell play major roles in this raw, gritty story all delivering star performances. As a fan of the series, I enjoyed seeing Faith's son Jeremy clash with his mom over the direction his future may take as he manages to steal some scenes in this one in support of Sara.
After That Night is a gripping, tautly plotted, gut wrenching story that this reader couldn't put down. I tore through the pages of this emotionally powerful story seeking answers with a prayer on my lips and a burning desire for revenge for every woman who's ever suffered at the hands of a monster in my heart. Again, I find myself in awe of Slaughter's brilliant story telling skills especially her ability to finesse weary, storm battered characters through insanely entangled plot lines with the shock factor. While After That Night isn't an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, it's a must read for fans of the series and one I highly recommend to all readers who enjoy masterfully rendered suspense thrillers. It just doesn't get any better than this five star story.
Many thanks to William Morrow Publ. for a complimentary advanced readers' copy of this book. After That Night is scheduled for release in the US on August 22, 2023. My review originally published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is also available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 7, 2024
3.5 stars for merit, less than that on personal feeling. General spoilers below, though you can tell most of what’s discussed by reading between the lines of the dust jacket.
My overall feeling: I don’t need for absolutely everything to be connected.
Over the course of 20+ years, Slaughter has slowly unveiled a lot of shocking information, or revelations about previously unknown facts that lend extra weight and poignancy to the history and relationships we know. She’s done it with incredibly hard scenarios, even circling back with dead characters, and most of the time it’s been done with a judicious, compassionate eye.
But I just couldn’t buy into the number of threads binding everything together in this novel, nor do I think they add significant layers to the existing story. To name just a few, over the years, we went from Faith’s dedication to her job as a cop/GBI agent back to her mom Evelyn’s job as a cop and now Faith’s son Jeremy getting involved in the investigation. Amanda’s ties to Faith and Evelyn have always felt strong, but I didn’t love Criminal’s deep dive into her past, and I have very mixed feelings on Amanda’s ongoing interference in Will’s childhood, career, and present life. It’s all just too conveniently—and not always convincingly—tied together.
Most of all, however, I feel such unease about taking one of the most defining, heart-wrenching moments in Sara Linton’s life—her rape when she was a young doctor—and turning it into part of a organized conspiracy 16 books later. The main plot, centered around a group of men who have a ridiculously regimented rape club, introduces and assembles whole new characters and histories and feels like a lurid CSI: Georgia episode. Does it do her a disservice to relegate this experience to a footnote in their games? Does it change how we look on violent crimes against women? Do her pain and altered life trajectory have further meaning because they’re now been made to be part of a bigger story? The fact is, finding meaning in crime in real life is often a futile exercise. What happens to victims of crime is often all the more tragic precisely because it is so random.
This retconning of Sara’s history feels lacking in genuine purpose and feeling. It really upsets me, actually, even as I appreciate how Slaughter continues to build on Will and Sara together and can acknowledge the technical skill in how the plot unfolds. I don’t know. I feel very unsettled and disappointed, in part because I just went through and reread the entire Grant County and Will Trent series, which are still overall unbeatable thrillers in terms of writing and plotting and character development.
Sara is an incredible character. I have not been a fan of how she, who has always been a main character and driving force of these books, has been sidelined in the titles for presumably marketing reasons--they are just as much her books as they are Will’s (and several of the titles refer directly to her). But I didn’t expect that any Slaughter book’s content would ever do the same to Sara's history. Before this book, Sara had come to terms with what had happened to her, and was at peace with the fact that those who knew her did not see her as a victim, but as the tough, kind, intelligent person that she is.
Sara fought hard not to let that one moment define her. But here we are, forcing her to relive her trauma yet again.
My overall feeling: I don’t need for absolutely everything to be connected.
Over the course of 20+ years, Slaughter has slowly unveiled a lot of shocking information, or revelations about previously unknown facts that lend extra weight and poignancy to the history and relationships we know. She’s done it with incredibly hard scenarios, even circling back with dead characters, and most of the time it’s been done with a judicious, compassionate eye.
But I just couldn’t buy into the number of threads binding everything together in this novel, nor do I think they add significant layers to the existing story. To name just a few, over the years, we went from Faith’s dedication to her job as a cop/GBI agent back to her mom Evelyn’s job as a cop and now Faith’s son Jeremy getting involved in the investigation. Amanda’s ties to Faith and Evelyn have always felt strong, but I didn’t love Criminal’s deep dive into her past, and I have very mixed feelings on Amanda’s ongoing interference in Will’s childhood, career, and present life. It’s all just too conveniently—and not always convincingly—tied together.
Most of all, however, I feel such unease about taking one of the most defining, heart-wrenching moments in Sara Linton’s life—her rape when she was a young doctor—and turning it into part of a organized conspiracy 16 books later. The main plot, centered around a group of men who have a ridiculously regimented rape club, introduces and assembles whole new characters and histories and feels like a lurid CSI: Georgia episode. Does it do her a disservice to relegate this experience to a footnote in their games? Does it change how we look on violent crimes against women? Do her pain and altered life trajectory have further meaning because they’re now been made to be part of a bigger story? The fact is, finding meaning in crime in real life is often a futile exercise. What happens to victims of crime is often all the more tragic precisely because it is so random.
This retconning of Sara’s history feels lacking in genuine purpose and feeling. It really upsets me, actually, even as I appreciate how Slaughter continues to build on Will and Sara together and can acknowledge the technical skill in how the plot unfolds. I don’t know. I feel very unsettled and disappointed, in part because I just went through and reread the entire Grant County and Will Trent series, which are still overall unbeatable thrillers in terms of writing and plotting and character development.
Sara is an incredible character. I have not been a fan of how she, who has always been a main character and driving force of these books, has been sidelined in the titles for presumably marketing reasons--they are just as much her books as they are Will’s (and several of the titles refer directly to her). But I didn’t expect that any Slaughter book’s content would ever do the same to Sara's history. Before this book, Sara had come to terms with what had happened to her, and was at peace with the fact that those who knew her did not see her as a victim, but as the tough, kind, intelligent person that she is.
Sara fought hard not to let that one moment define her. But here we are, forcing her to relive her trauma yet again.
June 15, 2023
A disturbing story, but the best crime novel I have read this year. Only, I have read this book out of sequence, and it would have been even better to read the series in order.
Sara Lincoln, a medical examiner, attends to Dani Cooper who is brought into hospital in a critical condition. In a heart-breaking moment, Dani implores her to find whoever sexually assaulted her before she passes away. The evidence against Tommy McAllister is circumstantial, and hence it is a civil trial, where Sara testifies. Tommy’s dad Mac McAllister was Sara’s classmate, getting a one-up over her by winning a key scholarship. In the restroom, Britt McAllister, Mac’s wife, seeming intoxicated and barely coherent tells Sara that what happened to Dani and Sara (many years back) are connected. Sara was raped 15 years back, a janitor Jack Allen Wright was arrested and served prison term. Sara finds the trauma she has lived with ever since that night rushing back full force to overpower her once again. Will Trent, who is engaged to Sara and Faith Mitchell pursue an investigation on their own. They uncover a sinister and nauseating plot where victims are chosen & sexual assaults planned & executed.
While the underlying theme is very disturbing, this story combines a strong plot with gradual & methodical build-up, great characters and good procedural work exceptionally well. This story explores the consequences of a regressive view of women, violence and the resultant scars as well as Beartown by Fredrick Backman did, in a very different style and context. The trauma & inner turmoil of the victims, especially Sara, is extremely well-written and moving.
A book I strongly recommend. I must read the other books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and the author for a free electronic review copy.
Sara Lincoln, a medical examiner, attends to Dani Cooper who is brought into hospital in a critical condition. In a heart-breaking moment, Dani implores her to find whoever sexually assaulted her before she passes away. The evidence against Tommy McAllister is circumstantial, and hence it is a civil trial, where Sara testifies. Tommy’s dad Mac McAllister was Sara’s classmate, getting a one-up over her by winning a key scholarship. In the restroom, Britt McAllister, Mac’s wife, seeming intoxicated and barely coherent tells Sara that what happened to Dani and Sara (many years back) are connected. Sara was raped 15 years back, a janitor Jack Allen Wright was arrested and served prison term. Sara finds the trauma she has lived with ever since that night rushing back full force to overpower her once again. Will Trent, who is engaged to Sara and Faith Mitchell pursue an investigation on their own. They uncover a sinister and nauseating plot where victims are chosen & sexual assaults planned & executed.
While the underlying theme is very disturbing, this story combines a strong plot with gradual & methodical build-up, great characters and good procedural work exceptionally well. This story explores the consequences of a regressive view of women, violence and the resultant scars as well as Beartown by Fredrick Backman did, in a very different style and context. The trauma & inner turmoil of the victims, especially Sara, is extremely well-written and moving.
A book I strongly recommend. I must read the other books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and the author for a free electronic review copy.
November 9, 2023
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ about my first impression
let me start this review with a warning. you have to know that around here? the expectations are always madly high, especially when it comes to this woman's books. cause i swear to you, i don't think i've ever read a book by her where i thought: “hey let's see what happens, hoping for the best (fingers crossed)”. no babes, not around here. it’s always something that goes along like this: “it’s going to be her best book trust me, i can’t fcking wait to read more about her characters and be able to cry and scream and giggle in my room while i read it”. that’s right, this girl right here is not ashamed to admit that she thought that she was going to be reading the seventh wonder of the world (silent laugh). so maybe (and just maybe) that's why i was a tiny bit disappointed with my reading after all, however i still consider this to be an awesome and well written book, especially bc ever since i found out that we would get to know more about one of my favorite characters, i was sold for good like there was no turning back (sara linton, you’ll always be famous in my shiny galaxy).
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱ about the characters
will trent is an extraordinary and formidable character. the way he grows and evolves throughout the series is insane to say the least. first of all, you need to know that will had a shitty childhood full of neglect, abuse and mistreatment, in addition to having to deal with a dyslexia diagnosis without the necessary support and care that he should’ve been provided for. but he still manages to be the most intelligent and generous character you’ll ever have the pleasure to read about it. i want to wrap him in bubble wrap, put him gently in a glass jar and store it in a enchanted flower garden - away from all the evil in the universe. i've always been a big fan of his character and it's really exciting to see how far he has come, he managed to build a safe and loving haven full of affection and understanding with sara (unlike any relationship he's ever had in his life). and he deserves to keep it that way (fight me, karin).
about the beautiful sara linton. let me pause real quick. (audible loving sigh). when she was introduced to us as a regular character in the series, my heart knew that i was destined to love her forever. c’mon. she’s charming, intelligent, enchanting, funny, gorgeous, empathetic, generous, kind, loving, witty - like what else can this woman be please (!!!). from the very moment that i discovered that this book would feature her as one of the main characters, i practically climbed the walls of my room trying to contain my excitement since i’ve always had this enormous admiration for her character and her entire trajectory. this woman is made of steel stg. so, obviously, when the opportunity to learn more about her surged, i couldn't miss it (i would die if that happened fr). seriously, girlies, i'm obsessed with her. and to top all that, she’s the most perfect romantic partner for will, it's everything he deserves and i couldn’t imagine someone better for him even if i tried my hardest.
i don't even know what to say about faith mitchell. and it’s funny since, the first time she was introduced as a character, i thought that i wasn't going to like her very much (dummy and naive yeah that’s me). little did this girlie pop knew that when she finished faith's first book, she would spend the rest of the series picking up any crumbs the author threw at her away - my eyes would sparkle when faith’s name was mentioned. her sibling dynamic with will is just brilliant, it's certainly one of the series' greatest moments of comic relief. and her relationship with her son jeremy got me bawling my eyes out sometimes. she’s simply an exceptional human being, woman and mother.
and a honorable mention to amanda because she is like a mother to me. and her relationship with will made me cry like a child in the last few books.
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ about the romance
will and sara have my whole heart and soul and endless support for the rest of the foreseeable future. it’s not even funny, i swear, it's simply impossible not to hardcore love them and worship the ground they walk on - and this goes for them as separate individuals and for them as a couple. the delicate way in which sara understands and accepts will for who he is by far one of the most beautiful things ever to be written. and will (ily my sweet child), he has this huge respect and devotion towards sara (and every woman in his life fyi), he’s always trying to protect her, but never ever (not even for a single moment) to the cost of diminishing her as a woman or disrespecting her wishes as a person. and now a cliché bc it’s routine at this point: will and sara, despite all their differences and different upbringings, manage to complete and complement each other so well in a unique, special and passionate way that will have you in awe.
and a quick thing about faith and aiden: i have never asked you for anything, karin, but i’m begging you rn to let this couple happen (pretty please ma’am). she deserves every single drop of happiness and love (!!) and that's all i’m going to say. i’m warning you, i don't want to hear about faith self-sabotaging later - leave my baby alone.
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱ about my final thoughts
by now, it’s no secret that i love this series and this author, seriously, i’m guessing that about 10% of everything i babble about in a day or two is about her fr. no one writes a good thriller like her, no one can write such amazing and fascinating characters in great details and depth like her and no one can write about victims in the empathetic and respectful way that only she knows how. karin has already written many many books with different important themes, including this one whose main subject revolves around sexual abuse, a heavy topic, but nonetheless extremely crucial and important to talk and spread awareness about. but let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the reason i didn't rate this as five stars. it has nothing to do with the characters, nor the suspense itself, because both were incredible as always. but compared to her previous books (meh sound), i felt that the story was rushed at the very end, it lacked that classic build up of suspense yk the one that gives you goosebumps and wide eyes stares. furthermore, i also have the feeling that she wanted to bring to life as many plots as possible, which gave her book a slightly messy and all over the place kind of look. despite this, i still highly recommend this book (and the whole series as a matter of fact) to everyone who enjoys a crime thriller like me (jumps excitedly) since it’s always an extremely well-written book with a fascinating story what will keep you hooked from the very start until the last word.
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ about my favorite quotes
people had endless amounts of compassion for women who were the right kind of victim - sympathetic, stoic, slightly tragic. britt was too angry, too cruel, for anyone to feel anything but a sense of karma that she was getting what was coming to her.
i had this idea that i was a strong person. he shattered that. it was actually a murder, really, because i was never me again after he raped me. i’ve never felt completely safe. i’ve never been able to completely trust someone. even my husband, who i trust the most in the world - that's only ninety-nine percent. that one percent is gone forever.
"does it bother you that i can't give you children?" "no." he liked emma and isabelle, but he liked it when they left, too. "does it bother you that my brain isn't wired for puns?" "i adore the way your brain is wired."
” your shoes are really expensive. and you wear nice things. which is great. you work hard. you deserve to spend your money how you want. but i don't want people to look at your engagement ring and wonder why i didn't buy you something that you would be proud to wear." "i've never been more proud than when you put your mother's ring on my finger. your heart is in that glass. your history. it pains me to be without it." she sounded so damn earnest. "will, i don't want to wear a ring for other people. i want to wear your ring for you."
”she called it a profound opportunity, because change tells you who you really are. and she was right. after that night, my entire life changed. the person i was going to be was gone. i had two choices. i could disappear along with her, or i could fight to get back the parts of her that mattered. i’m not saying that i’m grateful for that lesson. i’m really not. but i’m grateful that it made me the kind of woman who knows how to love you." will felt a lump in his throat. he watched betty settle back on her pillow. his eyes had started to water. "you know this is gonna be forever, right?" "i do.”
”you always tell me that you learn how to do stuff by doing it." "i was talking about your fucking laundry, not risking your life."
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ before writing this review 𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱
it wasn’t bad at all but i know the author can do a lot better than this 😭😭 and the potential was there
maybe rtc
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ pre-reading 𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱
in my thriller/mystery era you guys 🧌
let me start this review with a warning. you have to know that around here? the expectations are always madly high, especially when it comes to this woman's books. cause i swear to you, i don't think i've ever read a book by her where i thought: “hey let's see what happens, hoping for the best (fingers crossed)”. no babes, not around here. it’s always something that goes along like this: “it’s going to be her best book trust me, i can’t fcking wait to read more about her characters and be able to cry and scream and giggle in my room while i read it”. that’s right, this girl right here is not ashamed to admit that she thought that she was going to be reading the seventh wonder of the world (silent laugh). so maybe (and just maybe) that's why i was a tiny bit disappointed with my reading after all, however i still consider this to be an awesome and well written book, especially bc ever since i found out that we would get to know more about one of my favorite characters, i was sold for good like there was no turning back (sara linton, you’ll always be famous in my shiny galaxy).
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱ about the characters
will trent is an extraordinary and formidable character. the way he grows and evolves throughout the series is insane to say the least. first of all, you need to know that will had a shitty childhood full of neglect, abuse and mistreatment, in addition to having to deal with a dyslexia diagnosis without the necessary support and care that he should’ve been provided for. but he still manages to be the most intelligent and generous character you’ll ever have the pleasure to read about it. i want to wrap him in bubble wrap, put him gently in a glass jar and store it in a enchanted flower garden - away from all the evil in the universe. i've always been a big fan of his character and it's really exciting to see how far he has come, he managed to build a safe and loving haven full of affection and understanding with sara (unlike any relationship he's ever had in his life). and he deserves to keep it that way (fight me, karin).
about the beautiful sara linton. let me pause real quick. (audible loving sigh). when she was introduced to us as a regular character in the series, my heart knew that i was destined to love her forever. c’mon. she’s charming, intelligent, enchanting, funny, gorgeous, empathetic, generous, kind, loving, witty - like what else can this woman be please (!!!). from the very moment that i discovered that this book would feature her as one of the main characters, i practically climbed the walls of my room trying to contain my excitement since i’ve always had this enormous admiration for her character and her entire trajectory. this woman is made of steel stg. so, obviously, when the opportunity to learn more about her surged, i couldn't miss it (i would die if that happened fr). seriously, girlies, i'm obsessed with her. and to top all that, she’s the most perfect romantic partner for will, it's everything he deserves and i couldn’t imagine someone better for him even if i tried my hardest.
i don't even know what to say about faith mitchell. and it’s funny since, the first time she was introduced as a character, i thought that i wasn't going to like her very much (dummy and naive yeah that’s me). little did this girlie pop knew that when she finished faith's first book, she would spend the rest of the series picking up any crumbs the author threw at her away - my eyes would sparkle when faith’s name was mentioned. her sibling dynamic with will is just brilliant, it's certainly one of the series' greatest moments of comic relief. and her relationship with her son jeremy got me bawling my eyes out sometimes. she’s simply an exceptional human being, woman and mother.
and a honorable mention to amanda because she is like a mother to me. and her relationship with will made me cry like a child in the last few books.
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ about the romance
will and sara have my whole heart and soul and endless support for the rest of the foreseeable future. it’s not even funny, i swear, it's simply impossible not to hardcore love them and worship the ground they walk on - and this goes for them as separate individuals and for them as a couple. the delicate way in which sara understands and accepts will for who he is by far one of the most beautiful things ever to be written. and will (ily my sweet child), he has this huge respect and devotion towards sara (and every woman in his life fyi), he’s always trying to protect her, but never ever (not even for a single moment) to the cost of diminishing her as a woman or disrespecting her wishes as a person. and now a cliché bc it’s routine at this point: will and sara, despite all their differences and different upbringings, manage to complete and complement each other so well in a unique, special and passionate way that will have you in awe.
and a quick thing about faith and aiden: i have never asked you for anything, karin, but i’m begging you rn to let this couple happen (pretty please ma’am). she deserves every single drop of happiness and love (!!) and that's all i’m going to say. i’m warning you, i don't want to hear about faith self-sabotaging later - leave my baby alone.
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱ about my final thoughts
by now, it’s no secret that i love this series and this author, seriously, i’m guessing that about 10% of everything i babble about in a day or two is about her fr. no one writes a good thriller like her, no one can write such amazing and fascinating characters in great details and depth like her and no one can write about victims in the empathetic and respectful way that only she knows how. karin has already written many many books with different important themes, including this one whose main subject revolves around sexual abuse, a heavy topic, but nonetheless extremely crucial and important to talk and spread awareness about. but let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the reason i didn't rate this as five stars. it has nothing to do with the characters, nor the suspense itself, because both were incredible as always. but compared to her previous books (meh sound), i felt that the story was rushed at the very end, it lacked that classic build up of suspense yk the one that gives you goosebumps and wide eyes stares. furthermore, i also have the feeling that she wanted to bring to life as many plots as possible, which gave her book a slightly messy and all over the place kind of look. despite this, i still highly recommend this book (and the whole series as a matter of fact) to everyone who enjoys a crime thriller like me (jumps excitedly) since it’s always an extremely well-written book with a fascinating story what will keep you hooked from the very start until the last word.
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ about my favorite quotes
people had endless amounts of compassion for women who were the right kind of victim - sympathetic, stoic, slightly tragic. britt was too angry, too cruel, for anyone to feel anything but a sense of karma that she was getting what was coming to her.
i had this idea that i was a strong person. he shattered that. it was actually a murder, really, because i was never me again after he raped me. i’ve never felt completely safe. i’ve never been able to completely trust someone. even my husband, who i trust the most in the world - that's only ninety-nine percent. that one percent is gone forever.
"does it bother you that i can't give you children?" "no." he liked emma and isabelle, but he liked it when they left, too. "does it bother you that my brain isn't wired for puns?" "i adore the way your brain is wired."
” your shoes are really expensive. and you wear nice things. which is great. you work hard. you deserve to spend your money how you want. but i don't want people to look at your engagement ring and wonder why i didn't buy you something that you would be proud to wear." "i've never been more proud than when you put your mother's ring on my finger. your heart is in that glass. your history. it pains me to be without it." she sounded so damn earnest. "will, i don't want to wear a ring for other people. i want to wear your ring for you."
”she called it a profound opportunity, because change tells you who you really are. and she was right. after that night, my entire life changed. the person i was going to be was gone. i had two choices. i could disappear along with her, or i could fight to get back the parts of her that mattered. i’m not saying that i’m grateful for that lesson. i’m really not. but i’m grateful that it made me the kind of woman who knows how to love you." will felt a lump in his throat. he watched betty settle back on her pillow. his eyes had started to water. "you know this is gonna be forever, right?" "i do.”
”you always tell me that you learn how to do stuff by doing it." "i was talking about your fucking laundry, not risking your life."
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ before writing this review 𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱
it wasn’t bad at all but i know the author can do a lot better than this 😭😭 and the potential was there
maybe rtc
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📑 ꒱ pre-reading 𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 📇 ꒱
in my thriller/mystery era you guys 🧌
August 21, 2023
After That Night is Karin Slaughter's 11th Will Trent novel, and this is the work of a thriller writer in complete control of plotting, pacing and characterization. Beginning to end, Slaughter keeps the tension taut and the pacing propulsive. This roller-coaster ride kept me riveted, terrified, and ultimately satisfied.
September 10, 2023
A new Will Trent book is always a treat for me.
I have made no secret that Will is one of my favorite male characters with his 6'3" height, lean body, three-piece suits, dyslexia, and as the proud owner of Betty (his Chihuahua dog).
What is not to like?
Now back to what the novel is about....
After That Night brings more heartache for Sara Linton. If you follow this series, you know that Sara is currently Will's fiancee and that about 15 years ago, she was raped at Grady's while she was a resident. This event changed her future. Instead of becoming a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, she moved back home and joined the local pediatrician.
A few years back, she moved back to Atlanta after another shocking event in her life, and during one of her ER shifts, she tried to save the life of a young woman, Dani Cooper, who had been brutally attacked. Before dying, Dani whispered that she was raped. Only Sara heard her. At present, Sara is testifying about the case fulfilling the promise she made to Dani and herself that she was going to do anything to make the man who attacked her pay.
To her surprise, the attacker's mother tells Sara that her rape and the attack on Dani are all linked!
"Don't you remember the mixer?"
This statement will shock her to her core and will make Will and his partner Faith Mitchell, start their own investigation into the matter before presenting the case to Amanda, their boss.
A lot of intrigue in this one as well as women's violence although not as graphic as other books I read by her.
I liked how solid Will and Sara have become as a couple. Also, how Will has learned how to engage with Faith. He knows when she needs time or when he needs to press for her to open up.
Was I shocked by the ending? Nope, not at all. The clues were all there.
I can't wait for the next book. Probably a murder during Sara and Will's wedding. One can only hope...
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I have made no secret that Will is one of my favorite male characters with his 6'3" height, lean body, three-piece suits, dyslexia, and as the proud owner of Betty (his Chihuahua dog).
What is not to like?
Now back to what the novel is about....
After That Night brings more heartache for Sara Linton. If you follow this series, you know that Sara is currently Will's fiancee and that about 15 years ago, she was raped at Grady's while she was a resident. This event changed her future. Instead of becoming a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, she moved back home and joined the local pediatrician.
A few years back, she moved back to Atlanta after another shocking event in her life, and during one of her ER shifts, she tried to save the life of a young woman, Dani Cooper, who had been brutally attacked. Before dying, Dani whispered that she was raped. Only Sara heard her. At present, Sara is testifying about the case fulfilling the promise she made to Dani and herself that she was going to do anything to make the man who attacked her pay.
To her surprise, the attacker's mother tells Sara that her rape and the attack on Dani are all linked!
"Don't you remember the mixer?"
This statement will shock her to her core and will make Will and his partner Faith Mitchell, start their own investigation into the matter before presenting the case to Amanda, their boss.
A lot of intrigue in this one as well as women's violence although not as graphic as other books I read by her.
I liked how solid Will and Sara have become as a couple. Also, how Will has learned how to engage with Faith. He knows when she needs time or when he needs to press for her to open up.
Was I shocked by the ending? Nope, not at all. The clues were all there.
I can't wait for the next book. Probably a murder during Sara and Will's wedding. One can only hope...
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
August 4, 2023
Thank you Harper Collins Australia for sending me a copy of this book for review.
This is my first Karin Slaughter and definately wont be my last.
In this book I got to learn alot of the background of the characters. Its mainly about Sara. Karin's writing style just like Michael Connelly says is crime fiction at its best. I really enjoyed it since it involved medical and detective characters. I found the medical terminology interesting . It has a past and present timeline of when Sara was raped 15 years ago to now when she and others are determined to connect and solve some similar cases. I read this as a standalone and Im aware that Will and Sara are recurring characters and had no problem with it at all.
This is my first Karin Slaughter and definately wont be my last.
In this book I got to learn alot of the background of the characters. Its mainly about Sara. Karin's writing style just like Michael Connelly says is crime fiction at its best. I really enjoyed it since it involved medical and detective characters. I found the medical terminology interesting . It has a past and present timeline of when Sara was raped 15 years ago to now when she and others are determined to connect and solve some similar cases. I read this as a standalone and Im aware that Will and Sara are recurring characters and had no problem with it at all.
June 24, 2023
This series always pushed the bundaries of believability,but this one is ridiculous.Drawn out,predictable,repetitive,boring,lots of filler,plot holes.
The absolute "perfection" of Will and Sara is irritating too.
First 9 books were great,now they're a chore to read.
Done with this series.
The absolute "perfection" of Will and Sara is irritating too.
First 9 books were great,now they're a chore to read.
Done with this series.
February 26, 2024
Another fabulous entry in the Will Trent and Sara Linton series, After That Night, puts Sara in the middle of a murder trial and investigation that may have a connection to her past. This tenuous connection takes Sara on a long, harrowing trip back to the worst thing that ever happened to her and a time and place she never wanted to revisit. It's a good thing she's got a marvelous support group in Will, Faith, Tessa and Amanda, to be there for her and help her untangle the web of lies that surround her.
August 17, 2023
I don’t think Karin could ever let me down. This book was such a fantastic installment to the Will Trent series.
Can we take a moment for that line from Sara towards the end of the book MADE MY JAW DROP!! But honestly 👀 I didn’t see twist.
Please on please let the next Slaughter book be the 12th installment. Could even be titled Something Borrowed or idk but IM READY FOR MR AND MRS WILLBUR TRENT
Can we take a moment for that line from Sara towards the end of the book MADE MY JAW DROP!! But honestly 👀 I didn’t see twist.
Please on please let the next Slaughter book be the 12th installment. Could even be titled Something Borrowed or idk but IM READY FOR MR AND MRS WILLBUR TRENT
October 29, 2023
After that Night by Karin Slaughter reads more like SVU in book form than a psychological thriller. A drama mystery. I really enjoy Karin Slaughter when HF gets to be too much or I need a break. This book was fast paced, easy to get into. A nice read to take the reader into a corrupt world of the rich and the police who try to bring them down.
October 4, 2023
4⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Will Trent #11
Others in the series ~ books 1-11
Setting ~ Atlanta, Georgia
Publication date ~ August 22, 2023
Page Count ~ 428 (19 chapters + p & one week later)
Audio length ~ 16 hours 34 minutes
Narrator ~ Kathleen Early
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ police procedural, r@pe, suicide, loooooong chapters
If you've been reading this series then you know Sarah was r@ped 15 years ago, and now she has to relive it. She's joined by Will and his partner, Faith, along with their boss, Amanda, as they investigate more current assaults that are happening.
Typical Slaughter ~ dark and gritty, with a shocking conclusion. A bit longer than it needed to be, though.
Narration notes:
Kathleen did a great job. She had nice distinct voices for many characters.
Series notes:
Shockingly I am going to say this is fine as a standalone, but if you want to read them all then I highly suggesting reading the Grant County series first, then Will Trent.
TV show notes:
I liked the show, my hub even watched with me, but Will is not what I picture him to be at all.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Will Trent #11
Others in the series ~ books 1-11
Setting ~ Atlanta, Georgia
Publication date ~ August 22, 2023
Page Count ~ 428 (19 chapters + p & one week later)
Audio length ~ 16 hours 34 minutes
Narrator ~ Kathleen Early
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ police procedural, r@pe, suicide, loooooong chapters
If you've been reading this series then you know Sarah was r@ped 15 years ago, and now she has to relive it. She's joined by Will and his partner, Faith, along with their boss, Amanda, as they investigate more current assaults that are happening.
Typical Slaughter ~ dark and gritty, with a shocking conclusion. A bit longer than it needed to be, though.
Narration notes:
Kathleen did a great job. She had nice distinct voices for many characters.
Series notes:
Shockingly I am going to say this is fine as a standalone, but if you want to read them all then I highly suggesting reading the Grant County series first, then Will Trent.
TV show notes:
I liked the show, my hub even watched with me, but Will is not what I picture him to be at all.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
June 22, 2023
After That Night is the eleventh book in the Will Trent series by best-selling American author, Karin Slaughter. Three years after Sara Linton desperately tries to save the life of an accident victim in the ED at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, she’s testifying in a civil court in a compensation suit for the young woman’s wrongful death.
As her treating doctor, Sara was the only one who heard Danielle Cooper’s claim that she was raped, and her plea to please stop him. All the evidence pointed to Tommy McAllister, med student at Emory and son of two wealthy doctors, a couple who use their influence to engage effective representation to save their son’s reputation. After all, they’ve done it before.
But, having completed her testimony, Sara encounters Tommy’s mother in the bathroom, tearful, distraught and clearly under the influence of a substance. Britt McAllister’s words reveal that she knows what her son has done; moreover, she links Dani’s assault to the one that Sara endured fifteen years earlier. And yet, she believes she can rehabilitate her son.
Some of what Britt has said leads Sara to believe that this is not a singular event, that other perpetrators are involved, and that other young women are in danger. Apparently it relates back to a Friday night mixer Sara attended before her attack, where her then beau and his gang of med student friends, who included the McAllisters, were in the habit of getting drunk and obnoxious. But Sara identified the man who assaulted her. He went to prison.
How can it possibly be linked to the attack on Dani Cooper, twelve years later? As she and Will and Faith puzzle over Britt’s words, Will says: “When two things are connected, you investigate both things. So, in order to look at what Tommy’s been up to, we’d have to look into what happened to you. And if we’re good at our jobs and find the connection that Britt is talking about, that means there’s a criminal prosecution, and if there’s a criminal prosecution—”
Which is how they find themselves conducting their own investigation, very much under the radar of the Atlanta Police Department, without the knowledge of their truly scary GBI boss, Amanda Wagner. And all this, as Sara’s family and friends make preparations for her wedding to Will. But the last thing, surely, that Sara wants to do is to resurrect the awful incident that completely changed her life fifteen years earlier? Then another young woman goes missing…
Even as Slaughter gives the reader an, at times, quite confronting read, a tension-filled narrative that twists and surprises before the final dramatic climax, she uses the (often dark) humour in dialogue, Faith Mitchell’s especially, and in Will’s inner monologue, to lighten the mood: “Amanda walked around her desk and sat down beside him. He often forgot how tiny she was. Sitting on the edge of the chair, she looked small enough to fit in his pocket, if he was the type of man who would put a live scorpion in his pocket.”
All the regulars (except Lena) feature in this instalment, with all their best qualities as well as their flaws and insecurities on display. Will shows a real talent for ad-libbing, and copes well with the prospect of dancing at his wedding. That she will, with each new novel, surpass her previous work is by now a given: Karin Slaughter never disappoints.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.
As her treating doctor, Sara was the only one who heard Danielle Cooper’s claim that she was raped, and her plea to please stop him. All the evidence pointed to Tommy McAllister, med student at Emory and son of two wealthy doctors, a couple who use their influence to engage effective representation to save their son’s reputation. After all, they’ve done it before.
But, having completed her testimony, Sara encounters Tommy’s mother in the bathroom, tearful, distraught and clearly under the influence of a substance. Britt McAllister’s words reveal that she knows what her son has done; moreover, she links Dani’s assault to the one that Sara endured fifteen years earlier. And yet, she believes she can rehabilitate her son.
Some of what Britt has said leads Sara to believe that this is not a singular event, that other perpetrators are involved, and that other young women are in danger. Apparently it relates back to a Friday night mixer Sara attended before her attack, where her then beau and his gang of med student friends, who included the McAllisters, were in the habit of getting drunk and obnoxious. But Sara identified the man who assaulted her. He went to prison.
How can it possibly be linked to the attack on Dani Cooper, twelve years later? As she and Will and Faith puzzle over Britt’s words, Will says: “When two things are connected, you investigate both things. So, in order to look at what Tommy’s been up to, we’d have to look into what happened to you. And if we’re good at our jobs and find the connection that Britt is talking about, that means there’s a criminal prosecution, and if there’s a criminal prosecution—”
Which is how they find themselves conducting their own investigation, very much under the radar of the Atlanta Police Department, without the knowledge of their truly scary GBI boss, Amanda Wagner. And all this, as Sara’s family and friends make preparations for her wedding to Will. But the last thing, surely, that Sara wants to do is to resurrect the awful incident that completely changed her life fifteen years earlier? Then another young woman goes missing…
Even as Slaughter gives the reader an, at times, quite confronting read, a tension-filled narrative that twists and surprises before the final dramatic climax, she uses the (often dark) humour in dialogue, Faith Mitchell’s especially, and in Will’s inner monologue, to lighten the mood: “Amanda walked around her desk and sat down beside him. He often forgot how tiny she was. Sitting on the edge of the chair, she looked small enough to fit in his pocket, if he was the type of man who would put a live scorpion in his pocket.”
All the regulars (except Lena) feature in this instalment, with all their best qualities as well as their flaws and insecurities on display. Will shows a real talent for ad-libbing, and copes well with the prospect of dancing at his wedding. That she will, with each new novel, surpass her previous work is by now a given: Karin Slaughter never disappoints.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.
August 22, 2023
I am annoyed. I have been reading Karin Slaughter books for almost 20 years now and loved the majority of them. They've been going downhill for a while (Silent Witness was lazy, False Witness seemed like it relied on shock value and Girl, Forgotten was meh) but this one, this one! The giant, glaring plot hole that propels this one forward had me wanting to rip my hair out.
A lot of emphasis is put on the fact that Sara had gone to court for her 15 year old rape and assault, the guy was charged and served his sentence. But she didn't tell anyone she became pregnant due to the rape, had an ectopic pregnancy, a partial hysterectomy and can no longer have children as a result. She is terrified of this getting out, of having to relive this trauma in open court, of having to explain herself to strangers.
Except she already did. In the first book of the Grant Country series, she leaves the court transcript for Jeffrey to read as a way of telling him. Page 275 to 276 of the paperback edition of Blindsighted, published in 2001, reads as follows:
Q: Could you tell me what happened subsequent to the rape?
A: I became pregnant from this contact, and subsequently developed an ectopic pregnancy, which is to say that an egg was implanted in my fallopian tube. There was a rupture which caused bleeding into my abdomen.
Q: What effect, if any, has this had on you?
A: A partial hysterectomy was performed wherein my reproductive organs were removed. I can no longer have children.
There was also no mention of her being drugged prior to the assault, so this has just been retconned in to fit the story. In addition to this, Will's aunt is called Elizabeth, not Eliza, in the book Criminal (2012), which deals with his past and she is introduced. And Faith is well and truly there, an integral part of the team, and she is aware of this aunt, but she somehow managed to forget that in this book? She is also aware of Sara's past to some extent, though I don't know that she was sure whether the rape case Sara was involved in was her own. Lazy, lazy writing. I cannot know these characters better than their author, surely?
This whole plot was basically like a redo of Pretty Girls, but with Sara and Will chucked in there to make it, what, more impactful? That book already hit pretty hard, but it started a trend of ever-increasingly graphic descriptions of rape, and it morphed into more of those descriptions coming from the perpetrators.
The thing I loved about Slaughter was the empathy she showed with these characters - they experienced trauma, sure, it's a crime novel, but they also went through the aftermath and were seen dealing with the ripple effect of that damage. Lena was by far the most polarising character in the Grant County series. She was traumatised, unstable and hanging on by her fingertips. But her experiences, while graphic, were not excessively overwritten to the point of being gratuitous. Kisscut was one of the most uncomfortable books to read, as she is dealing with the repercussions of her kidnapping and rape, but it never tips over into shock value.
By this book, I'm reading men talking about gagging some b!tch with their c0ck and in False Witness, we're treated to countless repetitions of things the rapist and pedofile said during the act.
I kept going to see if it would improve. It didn't. KS has been my go-to for crime novels for a long time, but I am beginning to lose faith in her output. It's a shame.
A lot of emphasis is put on the fact that Sara had gone to court for her 15 year old rape and assault, the guy was charged and served his sentence. But she didn't tell anyone she became pregnant due to the rape, had an ectopic pregnancy, a partial hysterectomy and can no longer have children as a result. She is terrified of this getting out, of having to relive this trauma in open court, of having to explain herself to strangers.
Except she already did. In the first book of the Grant Country series, she leaves the court transcript for Jeffrey to read as a way of telling him. Page 275 to 276 of the paperback edition of Blindsighted, published in 2001, reads as follows:
Q: Could you tell me what happened subsequent to the rape?
A: I became pregnant from this contact, and subsequently developed an ectopic pregnancy, which is to say that an egg was implanted in my fallopian tube. There was a rupture which caused bleeding into my abdomen.
Q: What effect, if any, has this had on you?
A: A partial hysterectomy was performed wherein my reproductive organs were removed. I can no longer have children.
There was also no mention of her being drugged prior to the assault, so this has just been retconned in to fit the story. In addition to this, Will's aunt is called Elizabeth, not Eliza, in the book Criminal (2012), which deals with his past and she is introduced. And Faith is well and truly there, an integral part of the team, and she is aware of this aunt, but she somehow managed to forget that in this book? She is also aware of Sara's past to some extent, though I don't know that she was sure whether the rape case Sara was involved in was her own. Lazy, lazy writing. I cannot know these characters better than their author, surely?
This whole plot was basically like a redo of Pretty Girls, but with Sara and Will chucked in there to make it, what, more impactful? That book already hit pretty hard, but it started a trend of ever-increasingly graphic descriptions of rape, and it morphed into more of those descriptions coming from the perpetrators.
The thing I loved about Slaughter was the empathy she showed with these characters - they experienced trauma, sure, it's a crime novel, but they also went through the aftermath and were seen dealing with the ripple effect of that damage. Lena was by far the most polarising character in the Grant County series. She was traumatised, unstable and hanging on by her fingertips. But her experiences, while graphic, were not excessively overwritten to the point of being gratuitous. Kisscut was one of the most uncomfortable books to read, as she is dealing with the repercussions of her kidnapping and rape, but it never tips over into shock value.
By this book, I'm reading men talking about gagging some b!tch with their c0ck and in False Witness, we're treated to countless repetitions of things the rapist and pedofile said during the act.
I kept going to see if it would improve. It didn't. KS has been my go-to for crime novels for a long time, but I am beginning to lose faith in her output. It's a shame.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2023
Getting a new Karin Slaughter book every year is always super exciting for me but getting a new Will Trent book makes it all the better. This series is hands down one of the best crime fiction series around and every time a new book is released they get better. A question I always get when a new book in this series is released is can it be read on its own? Yes, technically you can because the author does an excellent job of providing any pertinent background information but the series as a whole is so incredibly good I always say read the whole thing if you have time.
If you’ve read the author before you know she is unflinchingly dark in the stories she writes and this was particularly harrowing as it deals with brutal instances of sexual assault. It’s definitely difficult to read about at times but at the same time I couldn’t stop reading because the writing is so damn good. As disturbing as certain scenes are to read I always feel like her books are such important reads as she gives a voice to voiceless women and she does so with a particular brand of care and consideration. Her writing is so bold that it’s not the type of book you finish and forget about. I finished yesterday and still cannot get the characters out of my head. Speaking of the characters it was so amazing to be back in this world and see what Will, Sara, Faith and Amanda were up to. I have such a strong attachment to this group of people and it’s always a treat to check in with them. If you like your thrillers dark this one is a must read, so well written, so disturbing and so gripping. Highly recommended.
If you’ve read the author before you know she is unflinchingly dark in the stories she writes and this was particularly harrowing as it deals with brutal instances of sexual assault. It’s definitely difficult to read about at times but at the same time I couldn’t stop reading because the writing is so damn good. As disturbing as certain scenes are to read I always feel like her books are such important reads as she gives a voice to voiceless women and she does so with a particular brand of care and consideration. Her writing is so bold that it’s not the type of book you finish and forget about. I finished yesterday and still cannot get the characters out of my head. Speaking of the characters it was so amazing to be back in this world and see what Will, Sara, Faith and Amanda were up to. I have such a strong attachment to this group of people and it’s always a treat to check in with them. If you like your thrillers dark this one is a must read, so well written, so disturbing and so gripping. Highly recommended.
April 3, 2023
I literally screamed with excitement when I realised the Queen of crime thrillers Karin Slaughter was bringing out the 11th thriller in the series featuring GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton. God, I love this series, the characters, the plots, and the explicit crime scenes make this series a MUST read. When you read a Karin Slaughter novel, you know you’re getting a first-class thriller, and After That Night is definitely a brilliant addition to the series. It’s dark, horrifying, gritty and yet it’s one of those books you just can not put down!
Whilst on call in the ER. Sara battles to save Dani Cooper, a young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that her assault is similar to Sara’s own violent attack Fifteen years previously, with the help of Will Trent and his detective partner Faith, they discover shocking facts that link to other heinous attacks against women that remain unsolved. After That Night is very much Sara’s story. As Sarah looks back on her horrific attack, all clues lead back to the present day.
It was great to meet up again with Sara, Will and his partner, Faith. Their characters have continued to grow and mature throughout the series. I liked that although the plot is horrifying, there are gentle, sensitive, and sometimes humorous scenes between Sara and Will that give the reader time to draw breath. Slaughter deftly weaves together the plot line, eliciting morbid fascination on the one hand and empathy on the other. As to the perpetrator, they have to be one of the most depraved, stomach churning monsters I have EVER come across in fiction!
I should warn you the story is harrowing, which some readers may find particularly distressing. The descriptions are graphic, but they convey the devastation of Sara’s assault. Fans of the series will be aware there’s a realism to Slaughter plots that means they often make for an uncomfortable and horrifying read, and this one is no different. After The Night pulls no punches It’s powerful, shocking, bleak BUT utterly gripping, in my humble opinion I think it’s Karin Slaughters best book yet.
You can follow me at
http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
Or read more of my reviews on my Instagram page at
https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
Whilst on call in the ER. Sara battles to save Dani Cooper, a young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that her assault is similar to Sara’s own violent attack Fifteen years previously, with the help of Will Trent and his detective partner Faith, they discover shocking facts that link to other heinous attacks against women that remain unsolved. After That Night is very much Sara’s story. As Sarah looks back on her horrific attack, all clues lead back to the present day.
It was great to meet up again with Sara, Will and his partner, Faith. Their characters have continued to grow and mature throughout the series. I liked that although the plot is horrifying, there are gentle, sensitive, and sometimes humorous scenes between Sara and Will that give the reader time to draw breath. Slaughter deftly weaves together the plot line, eliciting morbid fascination on the one hand and empathy on the other. As to the perpetrator, they have to be one of the most depraved, stomach churning monsters I have EVER come across in fiction!
I should warn you the story is harrowing, which some readers may find particularly distressing. The descriptions are graphic, but they convey the devastation of Sara’s assault. Fans of the series will be aware there’s a realism to Slaughter plots that means they often make for an uncomfortable and horrifying read, and this one is no different. After The Night pulls no punches It’s powerful, shocking, bleak BUT utterly gripping, in my humble opinion I think it’s Karin Slaughters best book yet.
You can follow me at
http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
Or read more of my reviews on my Instagram page at
https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
May 16, 2023
All your Christmas's come together when you hear there is a new book from Karin Slaughter, even more so when its a new Will Trent.
This time a woman comes into the ER which has a striking resemblance to Sara's attack 15 years ago.
As Will, Faith, Sara and Amanda with Faith;s son Jeremy, investigate, they uncover a disturbing. and personal case. Be prepared for some graphic and disturbing sections, that can be difficult to read at times. But as always they are executed brilliantly.
Another edge of your seat nail biter that will keep you guessing till the end.
Thank you to Karin Slaughter, the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This time a woman comes into the ER which has a striking resemblance to Sara's attack 15 years ago.
As Will, Faith, Sara and Amanda with Faith;s son Jeremy, investigate, they uncover a disturbing. and personal case. Be prepared for some graphic and disturbing sections, that can be difficult to read at times. But as always they are executed brilliantly.
Another edge of your seat nail biter that will keep you guessing till the end.
Thank you to Karin Slaughter, the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2023
3.5 / 5
I’ve not read a Karin Slaughter book or the Will Trent series but I’m mixed about this book. Whilst the writing was impactful i didn’t know the book was going to be showcasing a SA story line.
The book does have difficult parts where it is graphic and detailed which is why I’ve lowered the rating because I would have thought a warning would be provided at the start to prepare readers on the emotional journey they will go through. The plot fluctuates between Sara, Will and Faith and the perspective of the victims. One of the victims: Dani Cooper dies from the injuries sustained, where her last breath she had revealed she was SA’d. Sara at the time was the attending doctor in the ER ward, covering a shift, she had seen the injuries on Dani, and fought to save her life. From then on Sara was committed to find justice for Dani to stop the experience she had gone through herself. 3 years later Sara is on the trail testifying again Tommy McAllister the defendant accused for her crime. After the trial, Sara starts to explore more around Dani’s death asking Will for assistance to help find out more. They then uncover a web of information linking some of Sara’s ex- colleagues.
This book is complex, multilayered and thriller esc. But the book is detailed on all accounts which I did not expect. It makes you feel uncomfortable as you go through and understand the experiences of the survivors, which unfortunately reflects the current state. But personally I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone because it is graphic. The book doesn’t hold back and there is profanity/ explicit language used, which I can see can be quite offensive. Read at your own risk is all I have to say on this one.
I’ve not read a Karin Slaughter book or the Will Trent series but I’m mixed about this book. Whilst the writing was impactful i didn’t know the book was going to be showcasing a SA story line.
The book does have difficult parts where it is graphic and detailed which is why I’ve lowered the rating because I would have thought a warning would be provided at the start to prepare readers on the emotional journey they will go through. The plot fluctuates between Sara, Will and Faith and the perspective of the victims. One of the victims: Dani Cooper dies from the injuries sustained, where her last breath she had revealed she was SA’d. Sara at the time was the attending doctor in the ER ward, covering a shift, she had seen the injuries on Dani, and fought to save her life. From then on Sara was committed to find justice for Dani to stop the experience she had gone through herself. 3 years later Sara is on the trail testifying again Tommy McAllister the defendant accused for her crime. After the trial, Sara starts to explore more around Dani’s death asking Will for assistance to help find out more. They then uncover a web of information linking some of Sara’s ex- colleagues.
This book is complex, multilayered and thriller esc. But the book is detailed on all accounts which I did not expect. It makes you feel uncomfortable as you go through and understand the experiences of the survivors, which unfortunately reflects the current state. But personally I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone because it is graphic. The book doesn’t hold back and there is profanity/ explicit language used, which I can see can be quite offensive. Read at your own risk is all I have to say on this one.
October 9, 2023
Another easily enjoyable read from this author which is the most recent book of the Will Trent series. I’ve read them all so getting into these plots and already knowing the characters makes it more enjoyable. The story line is brutal and the bad characters are deplorable, but if you can cope with that the ride is a non stop roller coaster.
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