The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter, a review

The Silent Wife’s Back-of-Book Description

“If you’re into mystery thrillers, then you’re into Karin Slaughter.” —THESKIMM

 

He watches. He waits. He takes. Who will be next . . .

 

The New York Times bestselling author of Pieces of Her and The Last Widow returns with another electrifying thriller.

 

Investigating the killing of a prisoner during a riot inside a state penitentiary, GBI investigator Will Trent is confronted with disturbing information. One of the inmates claims that he is innocent of a brutal attack for which he has always been the prime suspect. The man insists that he was framed by a corrupt law enforcement team led by Jeffrey Tolliver and that the real culprit is still out there—a serial killer who has systematically been preying on women across the state for years. If Will reopens the investigation and implicates the dead police officer with a hero’s reputation of wrongdoing, the opportunistic convict is willing to provide the information GBI needs about the riot murder.

 

Only days ago, another young woman was viciously murdered in a state park in northern Georgia. Is it a fluke, or could there be a serial killer on the loose?

 

As Will Trent digs into both crimes it becomes clear that he must solve the cold case in order to find the answer. Yet nearly a decade has passed—time for memories to fade, witnesses to vanish, evidence to disappear, and lies to become truth. But Will can’t crack either mystery without the help of the one person he doesn’t want involved: his girlfriend and Jeffrey Tolliver’s widow, medical examiner Sara Linton.

 

When the past and present begin to collide, Will realizes that everything he values is at stake . . .

My Thoughts

Some of you may remember my review of The Last Widow a couple of months ago, a thriller by the same author, Karin Slaughter. After I was finished with it I somehow found out that the next book involving these characters – Will Trent and Sara Linton – was out and available!  So I ordered it from my local book store and read it as soon as I finished the others in my queue.

And a long way back, in a book review of The Kept Woman, is when I mentioned being a big fan of this author’s series on the character Will Trent. I have read all of them leading up to this, the 10th book, and have loved every single one! That being said, she does a wonderful job of making them all stand on their own for first-time readers, in case you haven’t read them all. I repeat – you don’t have to have read the other books to fully enjoy this as a single story.

Anyways! Before I go any further I just want to mention that this book has some uncomfortable plot points – it’s very heavy on the topic of rape and sexual abuse. Of course, those topics are going to make most people uncomfortable in general, but I know some might find it traumatizing to read about; if that’s you, then you might want to avoid this book.

All that being said, the story, while gruesome and uncomfortable at times, was really, really good! There’s mystery, suspense, and even hints of romance.

The story is non-linear (meaning some of it takes place in the present and some in the past) and told from a couple of different points of view. The non-linear aspect feels like a new method for this author (I could be wrong, though – I’m not an expert on her work) but I enjoyed it. It really added to the suspense of it all.

She did a really great job with her character descriptions and development. I felt like they were all real, well-rounded people. Even short-lived characters felt whole. Same with the settings – they all felt complete and easy to picture.

One thing to note, though is that I was able to predict the outcome a little over halfway through. But…it’s hard to know if this is because I’m just so dang good at predicting plots!? Or if she got a little too ‘forshadowy’ and gave too much away.

Either way, I didn’t feel completely let down by it. It was still a good book worth reading. Her writing alone is enjoyable and action-packed!

Favorite Quotes From The Silent Wife

“…people were people and you never knew what they were really thinking until they showed you.”

 

“[She] hadn’t been this manic since she’s tried coke those three hundred times in college.”

 

“The great thing about not learning from your mistakes…is that you get to keep making them.”

 

“I hate men who wear hats to make up for not having a personality.”

 

“…kicking yourself about the past would only trip you up in the future.”

 

“You’re not happy unless you’re in a constant state of limerence.”

 

“It was easier to lie if you never looked for the truth.”

In Conclusion

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I adore Karin Slaughter and all her books, especially these characters. The Silent Wife was no different – it gets 4.5 stars for me. 

If you’re itching for a suspenseful crime thriller, definitely add this to your list! Be mindful, though, it is a little gory and gruesome at times. And again, it’s also heavy on the topics of rape and sexual assault.  Those things are going to make people uncomfortable for sure, but if it’s unbearable for you to read about then maybe sit this one out.

While I have read all the other books involving these main characters, you don’t have to – it reads just fine as a standalone crime thriller/suspense, so I would still recommend this for anyone who likes that genre. Go check it out!

Thanks so much for reading this review of The Silent Wife – there are plenty more reviews to check out here.  Be sure to share this site with other readers and consider pinning one of the quotes below to your favorite quote or book board!

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