Book Introduction
The book today is The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter.
Overall rating: 4/5
What’s it About?
"The Silent Wife" by Karin Slaughter is the tenth book in the Will Trent series, intertwining past and present to deliver a wonderful crime narrative. During Will Trent and Sara Linton’s investigation into a murder, an inmate named Daryl Nesbitt claims he was wrongfully convicted of a similar, brutal, crime. Will and Sara revisit cases from almost a decade previous, including one involving the late Jeffrey Tolliver, Sara's former husband and the Grant County Police Chief, whose actions are now in question. As they deep dive the murderer’s trail, they uncover the connections between old and new cases, suggesting the serial killer might’ve been free and active for years.
The book alternates between the current investigation and flashbacks to the original case, providing insight into the complexities of Sara's relationship with both Jeffrey and Will. This book delves into themes of justice, betrayal, and the personal toll of law enforcement work, with the author’s signature blend of emotional depth and suspense. The investigation tests professional boundaries and capabilities while also challenging the morality and relationships between characters.
What I Liked
I enjoyed the refreshing reality that Karin Slaughter writes in. It felt like a true story, with depth of characters and well-written dialogue. The switching between past and present adds a fantastic aspect to the investigation (and character relationships), showing how the serial killer and characters evolved over time.
The author is from the same part of Georgia (Atlanta) where the series takes place. And yes, this is towards the end of the series but it isn’t difficult to dive in as a standalone novel like I did. There’re some interpersonal relationships that are a bit confusing at first, but nothing that breaks the narrative.
Lastly, while I did figure out who the killer was about 55% through the story, I must say, I was doubtful occasionally leading up to climax of the book until it was undeniable (in my opinion). Well done Karin.
What I Didn’t Like
This is not my mainstay genre as anyone who follows the What the Book series should know by now, and the whole past and present love triangles and such weren’t a highlight for me. They don’t hurt the story and probably enhance it—it’s just not my thing.
I’m sure the reality of people in the policing world involves swearing like sailors but it just doesn’t sit right with me. Further, the colorful characters and their emotions affecting their ability to do their jobs, and by extension, the serial workplace dating rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I’m coming from a high horse here but that’s just not logical or ethically sound. To be clear, it doesn’t hurt the narrative, far from it, but I just don’t like how the characters repeatedly break boundaries like that.
Conclusion
I’d say this is similar to the Bones book series and similar books, but I am admittedly limited in knowledge for the genres of police procedural and suspense thrillers. Let me know in the comments if I’m on or off base here. The book’s engaging from emotional, logical, and casual perspectives. I’d have to rate it a 4/5 overall. Well-written, worth a read, but just not my favorite genre or style to read.
Stay Tuned
I hope you enjoyed this webisode, let me know what you thought of it and if you’ve read The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter, let me know in the comments what your takeaways were. Don’t forget to check out the other webisodes and full-length podcasts available on Substack and Spotify! You can find links to them all by going to craigtstewart.com
And with all that said, have a good one folks!
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