I first heard of Karin Slaughter from an interview gone wrong with Ian Rankin back in 2007. I won't repeat all that went on but the upshot was that Karin was one of those writers who wrote graphic violence. Now, my library caters to the cozy readers. If there's a cat in the mystery, it's stocked. The most graphic books they carry are written by Patterson and Sandford, so I was surprised to run across one of Ms. Slaughter's books in the paperback rack last year.
That book was the first in her Grant County series, "Blindsighted". And while the book was good, there wasn't any graphic violence that I couldn't live with. I've read far worse. While "Blindsighted" was a good read, I didn't go in search of more books in the series. The characters were interesting but they just didn't appeal to me.
Then last week I picked up "Fractured" and couldn't read it fast enough. While I didn't know it at the time this book is the third in Slaughter's Will Trent series. Again, not any of the graphic violence that I'd been led to expect, just a deep emotional ride of a story. But what really struck me about this book was the two main characters, Will Trent and Faith Mitchell. Both of these characters have issues that they're dealing with but neither uses them as a crutch. They don't blame their past or their handicaps for their failures in life, they use them to solve the case. A refreshing change from many of the crime books out there.
But for me, the real revelation was in the writing. I'd read once that you should put everything you have into the book you're writing, hold nothing back for the next one, and this book does it perfectly. It made me realize that by putting it all out there you satisfy the reader. When the book was done, it was done. No cliffhangers involving the characters personal life or the storyline. If there's never another book in the series, it doesn't matter, this one was complete. And if she puts another one out there, hell, yes, I'll read it.
This book was a great read and I highly recommend it as a reader. And as a writer, it made me realize that what I've been trying to accomplish with my character, Rachael Reilly, can be done and successfully. I learned that I don't have to keep to a strict genre pattern in my story, just because that's how it's always been done.
6 comments:
With a name like that, she'd have to be a little gory.
Perfect name for a crime writer, isn't it?
I think people tend to forget that when they read, their imagination is fully engaged and they sometimes see more than the writer actually writes.
Of course that can have the opposite effect too. I remember reading a book where the protag was using a chainsaw to defend himself and cut off the guy's arm. I was in stitches when I read that because I've never know a chainsaw that wouldn't stall when it hit something as hard as a bone. A chainsaw is the last thing I'd use as a weapon, they're undependable at best. Either they won't start or they stall out at a critical moment.
And wouldn't a stalling chainsaw add to tension and bring a bit of humour to the situation?
In the right story, it could, but this author was going for super suspense. The protag had been shot at, knifed, beat up and chased from the house to the garage where he had a choice between a rake and the chainsaw. all of this in one chapter.
I like suspense but this wasn't it. The sad thing is all I can remember about the book is that particular chapter because it was so unbelievable.
My partner loves these books. She's got them all. Never read any myself yet but perhaps I will one day.
I think you'd like Will Trent, Gary. He reminds me of all those western heroes who just keep going when everyone around said there's no point.
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