Undone - Karin Slaughter
Readers gravitate to writing genres in much the same way they label themselves wine aficionados, beer drinkers or teetotalers.
"Chaque un a son goût," as the French say - "each to his/her own taste.
" Karin Slaughter's Undone stands out in the oft belittled, by literary types that is, Suspense genre.
If uncertainty and anxiety that is far removed from your life intrigues you then suspense is right up your alley - just make sure that it doesn't dead-end as you are being pursued.
If you haven't tasted a suspense novel yet, UNDONE is the perfect story to take you out of the quotidian and into a dramatic crescendo of a book that is well written and exciting.
Having assiduously avoided suspense, thrillers, sci-fi, horror and the like what is compelling about Undone and Karin Slaughter in general is the location of her novels - Georgia - and being a native she knows the area well.
As an aside, Stephen King transcended horror as well when he penned his autobiographical book about writing shortly after his horrendous accident a few years back.
If the craft of writing sends a warm shiver up your spine then King's book is right on the money.
But back to Undone.
Reviewing a suspense novel without giving away the plot twists and denouement is challenging; however, Karin Slaughter's characters give enough meat for a critic to hang onto and explore.
Sara Linton and Will Trent are the main protagonists in Undone.
Fans of Slaughter's will remember Linton from the Grant County Series and Will Trent from his eponymous series.
However, the reader does not have to have read either series to enjoy the merger.
Trent and Linton come together in this story bringing two strong, vital characters to the fore.
Each has secrets that have shaped who they are and are not run of the mill considering their occupations as Medical Examiner and a Special Agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, respectively.
This could lead to a well-worn story line but Slaughter ensures that it doesn't.
The supporting cast of characters is tight and well developed, each serving a real purpose in advancing the story toward its climax.
Faith Mitchell is Will's professional partner and she's hiding her pregnancy from him but divulging this nugget doesn't give away the true drama of the novel.
The appearance of Delia, who attended medical school at Emory with Sara, establishes the back-story for Linton.
Trent's wife, Angie, serially abandons him while bringing high color and some levity to Will's character.
Pauline McGhee provides the mysterious axis upon which Undone turns.
The concluding line of Undone implies that the saga has only begun for Linton and Trent.
The thought that lingers long after the back cover closes is, will this duo come together like Mork & Mindy, Maddy Hayes and David Addison in Moonlighting and the X-Files' Mulder and Scully? Only Karin Slaughter knows and hopefully she will hear the cry for more from her readers.
About Karin Slaughter Karin Slaughter is a New York Times bestselling author of eight novels (with 17 million copies in print) including The Grant County series.
Her novel, A Faint Cold Fear, was named an International Book of the Month Club Selection.
She is a native of Georgia, where she currently lives.
Ms.
Slaughter is at work on her next novel, which will be published by Delacorte Press in 2010.
Undone Karin Slaughter Delacorte Press Hardcover ISBN 978-0-385-34196-7
"Chaque un a son goût," as the French say - "each to his/her own taste.
" Karin Slaughter's Undone stands out in the oft belittled, by literary types that is, Suspense genre.
If uncertainty and anxiety that is far removed from your life intrigues you then suspense is right up your alley - just make sure that it doesn't dead-end as you are being pursued.
If you haven't tasted a suspense novel yet, UNDONE is the perfect story to take you out of the quotidian and into a dramatic crescendo of a book that is well written and exciting.
Having assiduously avoided suspense, thrillers, sci-fi, horror and the like what is compelling about Undone and Karin Slaughter in general is the location of her novels - Georgia - and being a native she knows the area well.
As an aside, Stephen King transcended horror as well when he penned his autobiographical book about writing shortly after his horrendous accident a few years back.
If the craft of writing sends a warm shiver up your spine then King's book is right on the money.
But back to Undone.
Reviewing a suspense novel without giving away the plot twists and denouement is challenging; however, Karin Slaughter's characters give enough meat for a critic to hang onto and explore.
Sara Linton and Will Trent are the main protagonists in Undone.
Fans of Slaughter's will remember Linton from the Grant County Series and Will Trent from his eponymous series.
However, the reader does not have to have read either series to enjoy the merger.
Trent and Linton come together in this story bringing two strong, vital characters to the fore.
Each has secrets that have shaped who they are and are not run of the mill considering their occupations as Medical Examiner and a Special Agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, respectively.
This could lead to a well-worn story line but Slaughter ensures that it doesn't.
The supporting cast of characters is tight and well developed, each serving a real purpose in advancing the story toward its climax.
Faith Mitchell is Will's professional partner and she's hiding her pregnancy from him but divulging this nugget doesn't give away the true drama of the novel.
The appearance of Delia, who attended medical school at Emory with Sara, establishes the back-story for Linton.
Trent's wife, Angie, serially abandons him while bringing high color and some levity to Will's character.
Pauline McGhee provides the mysterious axis upon which Undone turns.
The concluding line of Undone implies that the saga has only begun for Linton and Trent.
The thought that lingers long after the back cover closes is, will this duo come together like Mork & Mindy, Maddy Hayes and David Addison in Moonlighting and the X-Files' Mulder and Scully? Only Karin Slaughter knows and hopefully she will hear the cry for more from her readers.
About Karin Slaughter Karin Slaughter is a New York Times bestselling author of eight novels (with 17 million copies in print) including The Grant County series.
Her novel, A Faint Cold Fear, was named an International Book of the Month Club Selection.
She is a native of Georgia, where she currently lives.
Ms.
Slaughter is at work on her next novel, which will be published by Delacorte Press in 2010.
Undone Karin Slaughter Delacorte Press Hardcover ISBN 978-0-385-34196-7
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