The Silent Wife: A Novel

4.5 stars. The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter is a twisted mystery that is quite compelling. Although this newest release is the tenth installment in the Will Trent series, it can be read as a standalone. GBI Investigator Will Trent, his partner Faith Mitchell, and his girlfriend, Medical Examiner Sara Linton are investigating a murder that occurred during a prison riot. In the course of their examination of the scene and the deceased, prisoner Daryl Nesbitt claims to have information about a cell phone ring. However, before he will give up the details, Daryl insists that he was framed for a series of attacks and murder that occurred eight years earlier. He will give them the information about the cell phone ring in exchange for them investigating the cold case. Will and Sara decide to take a second look and they are stunned to discover several other murders that are shockingly similar that have occurred in the intervening years. Convinced a serial killer has been operating under the radar, they are soon looking at old cases in hopes of unmasking a murderer. Eight years ago, Sara’s ex-husband Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver and his officers are investigating the savage attack on college student Beckey Caterino and the horrific murder of another student. He is under intense pressure to find the person responsible, but there is scant evidence. After another victim is discovered, a new sense of urgency finally leads to a possible suspect. Although they do not have enough evidence to arrest the person for the attacks, they manage to get a conviction for another crime, leaving the other cases officially open. Jeffery is not certain they have the right person for the attacks but when no new leads turn up, he is forced to let it go. In the present, Will, Faith and Sara are caught off guard after they are provided with information that links several other possible murders with the cases from eight years ago. As Will and Faith dig into this new evidence, they are absolutely horrified at what they discover. Sara’s expertise proves to be invaluable, but will they locate the prolific killer before this person strikes again? Seamlessly shifting back and forth in time, The Silent Wife is an absolutely riveting police procedural. Will, Faith and Sara are multi-faceted characters that are easy to like and relate to. Will and Faith make steady progress in their investigation and Sara’s assistance is vital as she looks at old cases that were ruled accidental. With a series of unanticipated plot twists, Karin Slaughter brings this intriguing mystery to a diabolical conclusion. Old and new fans of the Will Trent series are going to LOVE this latest addition! I received a complimentary copy for review.

'The Silent Wife' is the tenth book in the Will Trent series by internationally bestselling author, Karin Slaughter, slated for release on August 4th, 2020. Her previous novel, 'The Last Widow,' was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller. She's sold over 35 million copies across 120 countries worldwide.. and believe it or not, this is the first of them I've read. You have to forgive me, her first novel was being published in 2001.. at a time things in my life were getting just a bit wild. That only really began to come to a halt last year and now I'm just getting to a lot of great authors who were breaking at a time reading was just not happening. That being said, I've heard a ton of praise for her work and she absolutely lives up to the hype. The story follows Will Trent, a GBI investigator with demons of his own to wrangle, as he ends up at a state prison to look into a murder that occurs there during a riot. While he and his co-workers are beginning to piece together what might have happened and who may have been involved, another prisoner reaches out with information to trade. Claiming his innocence, the prisoner offers them a plethora of details in exchange for his request that they investigate a death that seems to mimic one he was accused of eight years earlier. He insists that the young woman who was brutally attacked and left for dead is the work of another and that he believes he has proof the attacker is still active. Slaughter's pacing is superb. She does a wonderful job of shifting between non-linear timelines and multiple narrators, giving the reader both the backstory and the current lay of the land simultaneously. Both timelines move with a steady, parallel rhythm that continues forward smoothly. Transitions are seamless, characters have their own distinct voices, and they're all fascinating in their own right. I definitely have a soft spot for characters like Will and I can see why he'd be part of a series with such longevity. I'm certainly interested in going back and reading some of the other titles. His childhood was rough and his relationships as an adult have mostly been toxic too. It's easy to see how badly he could have turned out, if not for second chances and a grim determination to make something of himself. He's still a little broken.. and he's not the only one. His girlfriend Sara has had some tough moments too. She didn't get the difficult start Will did, but there's absolutely a point in her life where everything changed for her.. and those changes have affected her daily life in long term ways. Through it all, she remains compassionate and incredibly likeable. None of Slaughter's characters are infallible. In fact, most of them feel very real. I found myself comparing them to people I know. Some of them try the reader's patience far more than others, however, and I had several theories as I made my way through this book. Ultimately, I enjoyed every step of the journey. I'm pretty solidly versed in procedural information and she still pulled out a few things I'd never heard before. There may be some triggers here if you're sensitive to violence. The assaults are vicious. The premeditation and methodology are the stuff of nightmares. But wow, what a read. If you want to pick up an intriguing mystery/suspense novel that will hold your interest all the way through, 'The Silent Wife' is a good choice. (More reviews like this at Betwixt The Sheets.) (I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)

There is an issue with the ebook version. Towards the end of chapter 26 it skips to a different part of the story, then goes back to what was happening in chapter 26. You miss a vital part of the story and how the killer is identified. It's not a download issue but an issue with the ebook. I would not recommend buying this book until the issue has been fixed.