Blog Tour & Review: The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Title:The Good Daughter

Author:Karin Slaughter

Published:August 2017, William Morrow

Format:Hardcover, 528 pages

Source:Publisher via TLC Book Tours

The stunning new novel from the international #1 bestselling author — a searing, spellbinding blend of cold-case thriller and psychological suspense.

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…

Packed with twists and turns, brimming with emotion and heart, The Good Daughter is fiction at its most thrilling.

My thoughts:So, I am still relatively new to Karin Slaughter’s books – I know that may be unfathomable to some of you, but I’ve only read one full-length novel prior to this one (Pretty Girls – which I loved!) and two of her novellas (Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes – the prequel to Pretty Girls, and Last Breath – the prequel to this book). So, now that I’ve finished this book, I will just say this…I NEED MORE KARIN SLAUGHTER IN MY LIFE!!!

Before I get into my thoughts on this book, let me just address the prequel question. Do you have to read Last Breath before reading this book? No, absolutely not. Does the book add anything to the reading experience? Yes, I think it does – it gives some background to Charlie’s character and her relationship with her husband. I’ll leave it there for you to decide.

So, on to my thoughts about The Good Daughter … this story will suck you in right from the first page, so I suggest starting this when you are able to set aside a bit of time, because you aren’t going to want to put this down once you start reading it. It will consume you as you delve deeper into the story. It’s told in such a way that pulls at your emotions, and grabs hold of you, but be forewarned – this is a dark, brutal, twisted tale. It’s definitely not for those of the faint of heart!

I loved the way the story would alternate between the past and the present – the past story line giving us the glimpses of just what the two sisters went through when their lives were torn apart. Boy those chapters were disturbing, yet so intense. As each sister tells their version of the night, parts are told over and over again, but – we are getting two different versions, so to be able to put the entire picture together was quite a clever way to tell this part of the story – and much needed for the overall storyline.

The character development in this book is top-notch. The characters are flawed, yet they are easy to relate to and ones you want to root for. They are complex and yet credible. Even the setting was remarkly vivid. It seemed to be the kind of place that is both stifling and at the same time the type of town where everyone knows you and your business. Or so you think! What I found is that nothing is as it seems – isn’t the typical in these kinds of reads…there are always secrets hiding somewhere deep down!You just need to know where to look.

I feel this is very much a character-driven story as much as anything else. Yes, there is a lot going on, but at the very heart of it, we have the two sisters coming to terms with what happened to them all those years ago when this crime that happens in the present brings them together again. While there is some repetition as the story is told, from each point of view, we gain just a little more knowledge of the events. We have to revisit to go forward. 

This book is raw and visceral, intense and emotionally draining at times, but it is one hell of a good story that will keep you hooked until the very last page. I certainly did not see all the threads weaving together as it did in the end, but man, was it phenomenal the way it did! I cannot wait to read more from this author – Karin Slaughter you truly are a master story teller!!!

About the Author:Karin Slaughter is
one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published
in 36 languages, with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe,
her sixteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as
well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novel Pretty Girls. A native of Georgia, Karin currently lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent series, Grant County series, and standalone novel Cop Town are all in development for film and television.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook  | Instagram 

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Be sure to check out all the other stops on the blog tour and follow the tour on Twitter (hashtags:  #TLCBookTours & #TheGoodDaughter).