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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, this was a very solid read. Because of how everyone talks about this author in general, I was expecting a *little* more of a twist at the end. It didn't absolutely floor me like I expected it to. But, I still really enjoyed it!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of After That Night by Karin Slaughter.
I love the Sara Linton and Will Trent series and what a brilliant addition to the series this one is. A gripping story line with a past and present crime intertwining. The characters are so brilliantly written it really feels like you know them.
You could read this as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the whole series you certainly won’t be disappointed, extremely tired maybe but not disappointed.
I love the Sara Linton and Will Trent series and what a brilliant addition to the series this one is. A gripping story line with a past and present crime intertwining. The characters are so brilliantly written it really feels like you know them.
You could read this as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the whole series you certainly won’t be disappointed, extremely tired maybe but not disappointed.
Well worth the wait! The twisted logic and plot kept me on my toes. Many of the characters are from Sara's med resident days in Atlanta. The crimes are shocking and far-reaching, not for the faint hearted. I loved this addition to the series.
This was incredibly good but nauseating. The depravity was out of this world. Karin did it again!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Definitely the worst Trent book I’ve read. Nearly a DNF. I thought I had read them all but I must’ve missed something big about this aunt because the absolute rage they had toward a dying old lady was psychotic. I mean I understand she didn’t adopt him but really?
This book made me wish the relationship wasn’t part of the story at all. Will and Sara are so cringey especially the sexual talk. Gag.
The story was so, so slow I wished I wasn’t listening so I could skim over parts. I swear if I had to hear that stupid effing “it’s me” poem one more time, I was going to lose my mind. There was a lot of repetition. Like a lot. “002”, could we not just say “2”? (Probably more annoying because I was listening to audiobook). What was supposed to be the big twist was easy to see a mile away. Faith was a complete lunatic over her GROWN son. Why did Brit say anything? Why would someone show a rape video to a complete stranger? Why would these people keep talking to someone they couldn’t even remember from med school? And just seriously, everyone is a rapist??
This book made me wish the relationship wasn’t part of the story at all. Will and Sara are so cringey especially the sexual talk. Gag.
The story was so, so slow I wished I wasn’t listening so I could skim over parts. I swear if I had to hear that stupid effing “it’s me” poem one more time, I was going to lose my mind. There was a lot of repetition. Like a lot. “002”, could we not just say “2”? (Probably more annoying because I was listening to audiobook). What was supposed to be the big twist was easy to see a mile away. Faith was a complete lunatic over her GROWN son. Why did Brit say anything? Why would someone show a rape video to a complete stranger? Why would these people keep talking to someone they couldn’t even remember from med school? And just seriously, everyone is a rapist??
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Writing: The writing is tight and well edited. It feels like this should be cost of admission for books published by major publishing houses, but given some of what I've read recently, it's worth the stars. I liked that Slaughter didn't dwell in the dark the way she has done in some of the other books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: I love Will and Sara, so this was a fun read for me. I love the shorthand they've created between one another. Given both of their pasts, their intimacy and honestly with one another feels well earned. Amanda continues to be one of my very favorite characters, and I loved her arc in this book.
Plot: It's been probably five years since I read The Silent Wife, and the rest of the Grant County/ Will Trent series books. The urge to go back and re-read was strong, and there's part of me that wonders if this novel is something of a retcon for Sara's character. Obviously the big points stay the same, but it feels like the timeline doesn't quite work anymore (more on this behind the spoiler tag). The third act was a bit predictable, but still highly enjoyable.
Setting: It's Atlanta, it's a real place, and one Slaughter is clearly familiar with.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: As I mentioned above, the third act was pretty predictable (details behind the spoiler tag). I'll accept this for a romantic suspense/ romantic thriller, but for a "hard" mystery/thriller I expect a bit more. Though perhaps after 30 years of reading mysteries there's just not much that surprises me any more.
Timeline - Looking back at the publication order of the books, Sara's rape would have taken place before 2001, so we've already got a timeline issue, since After That Night was published in 2023, and by all indications is set contemporaneously (or certainly not in 2017-18) given the use of technology. So, is Sara in her mid-late 30s in 2023, meaning she would have been 12-15 years old in 2001? There are some indications that Slaughter knows she's painted herself into a corner where she references Sara skipping a grade, and finishing undergrad in three years, but there's still no way to make that math math.
Predictability - Obviously Slaughter projected that Jeremy would end up acting as Will's "son" with the chapter transition between 14 and 15, so much of chapter of 15 felt a little like "can we just get there already?!" The mysterious "A" in the company name, as well as the inability to match all of the original group members (some of whom basically never appear on page) also tipped me to the fact that Britt was clearly more involved than she was letting on.
Writing: The writing is tight and well edited. It feels like this should be cost of admission for books published by major publishing houses, but given some of what I've read recently, it's worth the stars. I liked that Slaughter didn't dwell in the dark the way she has done in some of the other books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: I love Will and Sara, so this was a fun read for me. I love the shorthand they've created between one another. Given both of their pasts, their intimacy and honestly with one another feels well earned. Amanda continues to be one of my very favorite characters, and I loved her arc in this book.
Plot: It's been probably five years since I read The Silent Wife, and the rest of the Grant County/ Will Trent series books. The urge to go back and re-read was strong, and there's part of me that wonders if this novel is something of a retcon for Sara's character. Obviously the big points stay the same, but it feels like the timeline doesn't quite work anymore (more on this behind the spoiler tag). The third act was a bit predictable, but still highly enjoyable.
Setting: It's Atlanta, it's a real place, and one Slaughter is clearly familiar with.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: As I mentioned above, the third act was pretty predictable (details behind the spoiler tag). I'll accept this for a romantic suspense/ romantic thriller, but for a "hard" mystery/thriller I expect a bit more. Though perhaps after 30 years of reading mysteries there's just not much that surprises me any more.
Timeline - Looking back at the publication order of the books, Sara's rape would have taken place before 2001, so we've already got a timeline issue, since After That Night was published in 2023, and by all indications is set contemporaneously (or certainly not in 2017-18) given the use of technology. So, is Sara in her mid-late 30s in 2023, meaning she would have been 12-15 years old in 2001? There are some indications that Slaughter knows she's painted herself into a corner where she references Sara skipping a grade, and finishing undergrad in three years, but there's still no way to make that math math.
Predictability - Obviously Slaughter projected that Jeremy would end up acting as Will's "son" with the chapter transition between 14 and 15, so much of chapter of 15 felt a little like "can we just get there already?!" The mysterious "A" in the company name, as well as the inability to match all of the original group members (some of whom basically never appear on page) also tipped me to the fact that Britt was clearly more involved than she was letting on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Stalking
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Torture
Sad to see one of your favorite writers just publishing without passion and with callousness. Karin Slaughter has lost her mojo! She needs to take a year off and come back with something innovative and captivating. She also needs a new editor—it was too long and boring. I only liked the final twist and confrontation.
Publishing the same recycled story with cardboard villains and endless plotholes is not it. Even the prose was weird and felt lazy.
Publishing just because you have to push sales and pump up the TV series/movie is not gonna work for long.
Slaughter is a great writer—I love her and her work, but ever since "Pieces of Her," the quality has been on a major decline. I think the only book I have enjoyed since 2018 is "False Witness."
Publishing the same recycled story with cardboard villains and endless plotholes is not it. Even the prose was weird and felt lazy.
Publishing just because you have to push sales and pump up the TV series/movie is not gonna work for long.
Slaughter is a great writer—I love her and her work, but ever since "Pieces of Her," the quality has been on a major decline. I think the only book I have enjoyed since 2018 is "False Witness."
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Painfully clunky writing which made it disappointing compared to Slaughter’s other works. Too many characters. Forced myself to finish.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I finished this book in a day. Major, major content warnings for rape and other general unpleasantness, but Slaughter is an expert storyteller. I truly had no idea how it would end and it was more twisted and disturbing than I could have imagined.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Stalking
You need a strong stomach