Book Review – The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn’s happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville’s notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father’s footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it’s a case that unleashes the terrible memories she’s spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won’t stay buried forever.

My Opinion:

I did it! I finally read my first Karin Slaughter book and it was fantastic! It left me wondering why in the world I hadn’t picked up one of her books sooner. She comes highly recommended and when I saw her newest book, The Good Daughter, is book one of a new series, I knew this would be the perfect place to start.

When the book opens it’s 1989. Samantha and Charlotte Quinn love track and are practicing the baton pass off. The girls are begrudgingly adjusting to life in their new home. Their mom Gamma, a very domineering women, is doing her best to hold the family together, while their dad Rusty is often gone. Rusty is commonly know as the Attorney for the Damned, he represents those who no one else will represent. One day, one of Rusty’s clients shows up at the door of the Quinn’s home and life as they know it will never be the same.

Fast forward twenty-eight years and we find Charlotte (Charlie) has followed in her father’s footsteps and is an attorney herself. Charlie’s life has been spinning out of control lately and she has been making one bad decision after another. Her latest bad decision has landed her at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Kelly Wilson, a high school student, has committed an unthinkable crime and Charlie was there to witness it. Now Kelly needs Charlie’s dad Rusty to represent her.

From the outside looking in this story would appear to be about Kelly Wilson’s crime. While her crime is a large part of the story, there’s a whole lot more going on. Underneath it all it’s really a story of a fractured family and figuring out how to move forward without always looking at the past.

From the very first page I was captivated. I absolutely love Karin Slaughter’s writing style. She pulled me right in and I couldn’t help but to become completely absorbed into this book. It’s a complex, twisty story with deeply hidden secrets for your reading pleasure!

This may have been my first Karin Slaughter book, but it won’t be my last. I’m looking forward to playing catch up and reading many, many more.

My Rating: 5/5

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Series: None

Publisher: William Morrow

 Publication Date: 8/8/2017

Pages: 528 (Kindle)

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Happy Reading!