A review by alindeman
After That Night by Karin Slaughter

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Classic Karin, disturbing and fucked up like no other, highly engrossing, satisfying ending. 
BEWARE MALE-CENTERED WOMEN!!!!!!

Massive TW for SA. Please read all the TW.

Spoiler filled summary:

Sara Linton is a doctor. At the beginning of the book she is working in the ER and is treating a patient who whispers to her that she was raped and you have to find him. She dies. Three years later Sara is testifying in a civil lawsuit. The girl, Dani, died after being raped by a boy named Tommy, who happens to be the son of two of Sara’s former medical colleagues. The suit hinges on Sara’s testimony. She has been worried sick over this case, obviously because she wants “justice” for Dani, but also because she herself was raped 15 years ago and assumes the prosecutor will bring it up, but he doesn’t. Afterwards, in the bathroom, Sara runs into Tommy’s mom, Britt, Sara’s former colleague. She is one nasty, callous rich bitch. But she’s drunk or high and starts word vomiting to Sara about how she knows her son is guilty, how she can’t stop “them”, how Mac (her husband) is always involved, but how she can still save her son. She then tells Sara that this is all connected to what happened to her 15 years ago. WHAT?? Thus begins the off the books case investigating Sara’s rape with Dani’s rape. This is led by Sara’s fiancée, Will, who is an FBI agent, along with Will’s partner and Sara’s friend Faith. At first there are too many variables and not enough connections. Everything seems to revolve around a group of 5-7 men from Sara’s medical school days, including an ex boyfriend, Tommy’s father Mac, and a man that killed himself 8 years prior, Cam. They later add a new rape case to the board, a woman named Merrit, who was raped two weeks before Sara. Basically they figure out that these group of men have formed a team to stalk, harass, kidnap, and rape women. A new present day victim comes to light too. Eventually they go on the books with the case, looping in Will and Faith’s boss. In one of the ending scenes, Sara confronts Britt, trying to get her to turn on Mac under the guise of protecting Tommy. She reveals a shit ton of information about the crimes. Toward the end of the conversation, it hits Sara that Britt is speaking and using phrases that are eerily similar to one of the users on the private chat website they found. I called this! Britt is actually the ring leader. She was not just passively aware of what was happening, she was actively participating. Sara stupidly speaks this aloud and Britt attacks her with a tennis racket, then snatches the gun Sara brought. Holding the gun to her own head, she confesses to all. She picks the victims, she assigns everyone their roles, and she participates in the stalking and harassment. All because she wants to keep Mac married to her. All as a “present” to Mac, a way to make her more special than any woman he could leave her for. YUCKKKKKK. She also confesses to Sara that she is why Sara was raped. Up until now Sara’s rape never fit in because she ID’d him and he went to prison, it didn’t fit the pattern. But Britt reveals she egged him on to be violent towards her, going as far as leaving handcuffs in his locker, and closing down all but one of the bathrooms to leave Sara cornered. All because Sara was being offered the fellowship Mac wanted. Sara covers the mic of her live wire and instructs Britt how to properly shoot the gun after she pulls the trigger but it doesn’t fire. Britt kills herself. Basically everyone involved gets some sort of jail time, except Sara’s ex bf Mason, who knew about everything but didn’t participate. 
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