Which statement by karin slaughter shows a similar central idea

Girl Forgotten centers around the cold case of a brutally murdered pregnant teen in the 1980s coming back into the limelight now that her mother, a federally appointed judge, is receiving death threats.

There are two main storylines: The first involves newly graduated U.S. Marshal Andrea Oliver, assigned to her first federal case: the protection of a federal judge receiving death threats. The second involves Emily, an 18-year-old pregnant teen, murdered on prom night.

Not only was the murder Emily never solved, but the father of her child was also unknown to even Emily.

Narrated by Andrea in the present and Emily in the 1980s, I liked them both, though it took some time for me to connect with Andrea. She grew on me in the end.

Almost all of the side characters in Emily’s narrative were awful, hideous human beings, which made her narrative particularly difficult to read.

Andrea’s new partner, Catfish Bible, yes, that is his name-- well, Catfish is a nickname, was my favorite part of this book.

It took me a while to get into this. Emily's story starts with a bang, but simmers after. The pacing is slow, and the back and forth of the timeline took me some time to adjust to. I finally got hooked around the 40% mark when the storylines start to connect concretely. There are some good twists, and while Emily’s case is resolved, I was left with a few unanswered questions.

I didn’t read Pieces of Her, but I feel like I got the gist from reading Girl Forgotten. I would be up for book #3, especially if it features Catfish-more of him, please!

Me: "Ellias, REMEMBERS!!!!!!!"

ANOTHER KARIN SLAUGHTER STANDALONE HELL YEAH!!!!

This follows two cases--one is from 1982, a cold case about a pregnant teenager who was murdered. Currently a federal judge has had threats on her life, and she just happens to be the mother of the murdered teenager. Also...Clayton Morrow/Nicholas Harp (Andrea's psycho father who is in prison) might be involved with the teen girl's death, and it would be great to prove that in order to keep him behind bars. Andrea meets up with her new partner, Leonard "Catfish" Bible, and they set out to keep the judge safe, while Andrea investigates the cold case secretly on the side.

I thought that the case in the past was a bit too convoluted, too many characters, and not enough of what happened was explained in the end. (view spoiler)[ Was Emily raped or sexually active repeated times while drugged or drunk? If so, how come she never remembered any of it? And if not, why did everyone including the doctor say she was? What happened with the missing time? Was she drugged again? Flashbacks? (hide spoiler)]

Again this is a straightforward story. A bit slow, but I liked Catfish and the interplay between him and Andrea. Everything unfolded deliberately, there are a couple of decent twists, but there are too many side stories and things that they spend way too much time on (like the girls in the cult) and not enough solving the actual crime(s) they were hired to investigate. Although I wouldn't mind seeing more books featuring Andrea and the US Marshals, I'm just done with this Clay/Nick storyline. Someone needs to kill him in prison so we don't have to hear more about his smarmy character.

I listened to half of this as an audiobook, and Kathleen Early does a great job with her narration, as she did with Pieces of Her (and all of Slaughter's books for that matter). It definitely kept me involved with the story even though it was way too long in my opinion. Compared to some of Slaughter' other books, this one was pretty tame with regards to violent content.

Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it. Worth reading if you're a Slaughter fan or liked the first book in the series.

Want to know what happens in this book? Check out the spoiler post on my blog:Girl, Forgotten Spoilers

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

The Girl, Forgotten is Emily Vaughn who is murdered in Longbill Beach in 1982. 40 years later her murderer still remains free, the murder unsolved as her former tightknit friendship group closes ranks. However, in the present day, Andrea Oliver, now a US Marshal and on her first case, a mission to protect a judge who is receiving death threats. The judge in question is in fact Emily‘s mother. Andrea is determined to use the opportunity to try to discover the truth about who killed Emily and she has a very personal reason for doing so.

I really like the 1982 start of the novel which shocks you in several ways though it does plateau a bit after that picking up pace later on. Initially, part of the issues for me are that the author keeps diverting from the plot path and we meander along taking an unnecessary amount of time to get from A to B. Fortunately this does improve significantly and something clicks and I’m all in as it becomes gripping.

Andrea as a character really grows on you, she seems to become more confident as she is now standing on her own two feet becoming resourceful and determined . I really like her partner too, Deputy Leonard Bible known as Catfish. I especially like his rules, he’s funny and the injection of his humour into the dark plot is most welcome. The other characters by and large are pieces of work, really awful excuses for human beings but they do make for immersive reading.

As the novel progresses in the multiple layers from both 1982 and the present day start to connect, the tempo increases, there’s plenty of action as well as tension and several good twists and turns. The ending is good too, it’s plausible and nicely set up for book number three and I’d like to see how that plays out.

I think it’s a good idea to have read book one (or to have seen the Netflix adaptation) as it makes more sense. However it’s not crucial.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins UK for their much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I read Pieces of Her in 2019 and I remember thinking reading more books with Andrea and Mike in it was something I was down with.

Thankfully, Karin Slaughter felt the same way.

Andrea drove me crazy in Pieces of Her. She was so lost and I was annoyed by her actions. By the end of it, she grew on me and in Girl, Forgotten, she has matured.

The novel begins with Andrea's graduation as a US Marshall. Of course, her mother is not happy about it, and let's just say that I would never want to upset Laura Oliver.

For her first assignment, Andrea is sent to Longbill Beach to protect a judge who has received death threats. She gets a new partner, "Catfish" Bible. Yet, Andrea has another assignment and it is to find out the killer of the judge's daughter, Emily Vaughn.

Emily was a teenager who was murdered in 1982 on prom night. Emily was part of a group nicknamed the clique. The other girl in the group was Ricky. Her twin Blake, Nardo, and Clay Morrow complete the ensemble. Andrea has a connection to Clay, one that she wishes didn't exist.

When Emily was murdered, she was pregnant. Her child survived the attack but she didn't. Forty years later, it is up to Andrea to find out the truth. There were so many candidates for the attack. Any member of the clique, Jack Stilton (police chief's son) or Dean Wexler, their teacher.

Karin Slaughter's books are not easy to read. There is violence against children and women in most of her books. The scene in this book with the doctor had me fuming, to say the least. So many abusers in different skins. So be aware before you decide to jump in.

I love Bible as Andrea's partner. He was funny and supportive and I love his relationship with his boss and his wife too. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, I liked how Andrea has matured. The two years in between books have really helped her. I do root for her and Mike's relationship to be successful.

I can't end my review without saying how much I enjoyed Kathleen Early's narration. She is one of my favorite narrators.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by William Morrow/Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

In two weeks, Emily would be eighteen years old. In another two months, she would be a mother. She would get a job. She would move out of her parents' house. Gram would understand, and what she didn't understand, she would forget. Dean Wexler was right about one thing: Emily had to grow up. She had more than herself to think of now. She had to get away from Longbill Beach. She had to start planning her future instead of letting other people plan it for her. More importantly, she would give her baby girl everything that Emily had never had.

Kindness. Understanding. Security.

Emily closed her eyes. She conjured the image of her baby girl joyfully floating around inside of her body. She took a deep breath and started to recite the mantra, this time from a place of love rather than duty.

'I will protect - '

The sound of a loud snap made her eyes open.

Emily saw black leather shoes, black socks, the hem of a pair of black pants. She looked up. The sun flickered as a bat swung through the air.

Her heart clenched into a fist. She was suddenly, inescapably, filled with fear.

Not for herself - for her baby.

Emily curled inward, arms wrapped around her belly, legs pulled up tight, as she fell to the side. She was desperate for another moment, another breath, so that her last words to her little girl would not be a lie.

Someone had always planned to hurt them.

They had never been safe.

ABOUT 'GIRL, FORGOTTEN': A small town hides a big secret…

Who killed Emily Vaughn?

A girl with a secret…

Longbill Beach, 1982. Emily Vaughn gets ready for the prom. For an athlete, who is smart, pretty and well-liked, this night that should be the highlight of her high school career. But Emily has a secret. And by the end of the evening, that secret will be silenced forever.

An unsolved murder…

Forty years later, Emily’s murder remains a mystery. Her tight-knit group of friends closed ranks; her respected, wealthy family retreated inwards; the small town moved on from her grisly attack. But all that’s about to change.

One final chance to uncover a killer…

US Marshal Andrea Oliver arrives in Longbill Beach on her first assignment: to protect a judge receiving death threats. But, in reality, Andrea is there to find justice for Emily. The killer is still out there – and Andrea must discover the truth before she gets silenced, too…

MY THOUGHTS: Quietly stunning. It's the characters: Andrea; Bible - her partner; Esther - the Judge and Emily's mother; Emily herself whose presence is still felt forty years after her murder; and the 'clique': Nardo who is crooked, a con-artist; Blake - a chancer now deceased; Ricky - Blake's twin; and Clay Morrow - wealthy, arrogant and selfish. But for some unfathomable reason, everyone loved Clay. And hanging around on the fringes, but never quite accepted into the fold, was Cheese - Jack Stilton, the Police Chief's son.

Emily was much like her mother, Judge Esther Vaughn, in that they both excelled at everything they did and had no concept of how to deal with failure. Judge Vaughn is a complicated woman; imposing, imperious, intelligent and indomitable. Not a woman to be crossed. Emily's pregnancy could hardly have come at a worse time for the Judge who is busy brokering her next step up the career ladder.

Told over two timelines, 1981 and forty years later, this is a harrowing tale of intrigue and subterfuge. Forty years on, and people are still hiding the truth. With the Judge succumbing to cancer, her husband severely disabled by a stroke, and Andrea detailed to guard them after the Judge received death threats, it seems like there's no better time to find out if her own father, Clay Morrow, is guilty of murdering Emily.

There are layers and layers of lies for Andrea to wade through. Everyone, it seems, still has things to hide. Andrea is lucky to have Bible, an experienced Marshal at her side. He's a man who makes up the rules as he goes along, but he is wise and thoughtful, and never oversteps the mark. Mike, a US Marshal from Andrea's past, and who featured quite prominently in the first book of this series, Pieces of Her, makes a return appearance.

Now, I have to admit to not having enjoyed Pieces of her anywhere near as much as Girl, Forgotten and, as happens with books that I haven't really enjoyed, I could remember nothing of the plot of the first book. But as you can tell, it really made no difference to my enjoyment of Girl, Forgotten.

The plot is complex, but engrossing. Emily was, at times, astute, at others, incredibly naive. It didn't stop me wanting justice for her. I loved the way she played 'Columbo'. That was a great touch. The thread involving the cult is almost secondary, but weaves into the main story with the involvement of two of the main characters. I don't usually read anything involving cults, but I am glad I decided to override this preference in favour of Karin Slaughter's writing. It was a good choice.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#GirlForgotten #NetGalley

I: @karinslaughterauthor @harpercollins

T: @SlaughterKarin @HarperCollins

#contemporaryfiction #crime #cultfiction #familydrama #detectivefiction #historicalfiction #murdermystery #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 120 countries with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her eighteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novels Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programing. A native of Georgia, Karin Slaughter lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent series, Grant County series, and standalone novel Cop Town are all in development for film and television.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers UK, Harper Fiction via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage //sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

Look, a ton of people will have this book on their radar because of the Netflix show, so I will write this as if you’ve either read the first in this new series and/or watched the first season. So all of you review skimmers, this is your first an only warning: there will be spoilers for Pieces of Her below! Continue at your own risk.

Things to keep in mind if you only watched the show:
• Jasper has not met Andrea in book one and meets her for the first time briefly in book 2
• Nick is not a fugitive in the books, but has been imprisoned since Laura turned him in after Oslo
• Laura has not signed out of Witness Protection in the books; she is still enrolled and Michael Vargas is her agent

It’s been two years since Andy’s life changed forever. Ever since a gunman walked into that diner, and after feeling helpless at every turn while following the disjointed roadmap of her mother’s past, Andrea Oliver has decided she will not fall into that position again. She’s joined the Marshal program, much to the disapproval of her parents Laura and Gordon, and has cultivated the skills and instincts she was previously lacking. The annoying, stunted Andy is no more—replaced by a capable and independent Andrea.

For the most part this is a good thing. It’s so much easier to become invested in her investigation(s) now that she isn’t a wide-eyed baby lamb just trying not to get accidentally murdered. But in practice there’s an obvious drawback; Laura Oliver’s role has been massively reduced in this sequel. She’s honestly not around for more than some glorified cameos at the very beginning and end. And despite Andrea’s newfound freedom, it’s hard to imagine the Laura Oliver from book one being fine with sitting back and letting her only, precious daughter try her hand at a dangerous profession while there’s still people out there that want her dead. No, old Laura would give her a half hour head start and then Kool-Aid man back into Andrea’s life whether or not she needs (or wants) her mother there.

But its not just the Oliver women standing beneath the spotlight this time. A large portion of the plot is revealed through flashbacks to an early 1980s murder case that Andrea is looking into. And I have to say, these flashbacks are not a fun, nostalgia-filled romp, but instead almost exclusively contain cruelty and violence. It’s not exactly the kind of violence you may be expecting from the author of Pretty Girls or The Good Daughter, but more akin to Slaughter’s other historical crime novel, Cop Town. I mean, it was the Reagan era. It’s not like everyone was having A Great Time. But I’ll throw in a few content warnings from both timelines here, out of context, so you can decide if it’ll work for you: (view spoiler)[sexism, homophobia, ‘life-prolonging care’, abortion, anorexia, sexual violence, drug use, cults, domestic violence, pregnant medical malpractice, gun violence (hide spoiler)]

I’m a little on the fence with whether I want the author to continue with this series. On one hand, I love the Will Trent books and don’t want her to stop writing them, but I also understand why after ten in a series she would want to branch out to something new. The deciding factor is likely going to come down to whether or not Andrea Oliver is a strong enough character to carry a series on her own. I think the jury is still out on that, and I would like to see more of a role for Laura, Gordon and Mike going forward, along with some newly introduced characters like “Catfish” Bible. You know who I am tired of hearing about, though? Fucking Nick. I do not care about this man, no matter how ~important~ he may be to Laura and Andy’s character arcs. He always dregs up these unnecessary political tangents but doesn’t fill a role outside of a vaguely menacing Big Bad they’re always watching out for. If the way this book ends is any indication, he is not done with the Olivers yet. So blah, fine. Whatever.

All that to say…….yeah, you should probably read this if you liked the first book. I will be buying it, if only to be a completionist. Because even though it’s not her best, a so-so Karin Slaughter novel still stands several heads above the standard thriller sitting next to it on the shelves.

**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!

Who killed Emily Vaughn? Still no answer to that question 40 years later. She was the daughter of the Judge who is now receiving death threats. Andrea Oliver, the US Marshal, has relocated to the town to offer protection for the judge and her husband.
Andrea's main interest is tied to her dad, Clayton Morrow, who is spending time in prison for several crimes and thought to be the culprit in the murder of Emily. When Emily was in high school, she was known for her clique she hung out with Clay, Blake, Nardo, and Ricky. Their teacher at the time was Dean Wexler, who took Emily home one night from a party where she was incoherent. Her grandmother, a sweet old soul, worried about her dress on the wrong side out, no panties and unconscious...plus being brought home by a teacher.
When Emily finds out she is pregnant later, she can't believe it when she has never had sex with anyone. The night of her prom she is found bludgeoned almost to death, but put on life support for her baby to survive. This is an emotional roller coaster told from Emily's POV and I loved her character and felt sorry for her.
When another girl is found dead by suicide and looks like she has been starved, Andrea begins to investigate it and finds a cult tied to the clique 40 years later. This is a heart-racing book that kept me on edge for a definite answer on who killed Emily. I felt so much pain for her and Andrea's desperate search for clues to her father's part in it.
The language is rough listening to it on an audio, but nonetheless one of my favorites for this year!
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing- Audio for this title in exchange for my review.

Karin Slaughter has wowed me yet again! I was not the biggest fan of Pieces of Her, it was my least favorite of her books, but I loved where she took Andrea in this book. The central mystery is "Who killed Emily"?

It was Prom Night in 1982. Emily has a secret. A secret which will result in her death. Forty years later, Andrea Oliver, newly qualified as a US Marshal, is sent to Longbill Beach to investigate death threats being made against a judge. But Andrea has been haunted by Emily's death. There were no convictions and one of the suspects hits close to home.

Karin Slaughter writes grisly and brutal books, but this one was on the tamer side for her which will make this book more appealing to most readers. With all of her books, this was well written and perfectly plotted. The characters were an interesting bunch and it was hard to find any to like. Slaughter pulled no punches as the plot unfolded proving she is still on the top of her game!

I enjoyed the mystery and how things unfolded. I had a hard time putting this one down and can't wait to read this next book in the series.

*Traveling Friends buddy read

The story follows Andrea Oliver, a newly graduated member of the U.S. Marshals, assigned to help protect a federal judge that has been receiving death threats. At the same time, she’s trying to solve the cold case of Emily Vaughn, a pregnant teenager who was brutally murdered forty years prior. We follow both Andrea’s POV as she tries to protect the judge and solve Emily’s murder, and Emily’s as we learn what happened in the months leading up to her death.

This was a multi-layered mystery with many twists and turns, and as always, Karin pulled the rug out from under me many times. It’s dark, twisty, emotional, timely, and completely unputdownable, so basically everything you can count on in a Karin Slaughter book!

Andrea is now a newly graduated US Marshall and has been assigned to a team protecting a federal judge who has been receiving death threats. The judge, Esther Vaughan, is currently at her summer home in Longbill Beach in Delaware, the same town where Andrea’s father grew up. Forty years ago the judge’s daughter Emily was murdered. She was part of a high school friendship clique that including Clayton Morrow. The group had been close until a drug fuelled party lead to Emily becoming pregnant without knowing how that had happened. Clayton had always been one of the main suspects as both the father of her baby and also her killer. Now Andrea has been tasked with taking another look at the events surrounding Emily’s death to determine if enough evidence can be found to charge him.

It was good to meet Andrea again now that she has been able to move on with her life. She is more confident and resilient than when she was still living above her mother’s garage, not sure what to do with her life. Andrea has been partnered with an older Marshall, Leonard ‘Catfish’ Bible who delights in educating his new green partner. In addition to guarding the judge, they also become suspicious about a local fava bean farm and the female ‘volunteers’ working there. Dual time lines allow us to not only follow the current day events but also go back to 1982 and be introduced to Emily and her clique, none of whom turn out to be very nice people at a time when Emily needed a friend. Although this means that the plot develops slowly while background is filled in, events soon accelerate as long simmering tensions rise to the surface and merge together to make a gripping and compulsive thriller.

With thanks to Harper Collins UK via Netgalley for a copy to read

Andrea Oliver, the daughter from Pieces of Her, returns in Girl, Forgotten. She has just finished her gruelling training to become a US Marshall. Her family connections see her immediately shipped off on her first assignment in Longbill Beach. She meets her new partner Bible (who was hilarious!) and their job is o protect an elderly judge who has been receiving death threats. Andrea has a second secret assignment, but o find out who killed the judge’s pregnant teenage daughter in 1982. It is widely thought that it was the first murder committed by Clayton Morrow, Andrea’s father.

Girl, Forgotten is told in 2 different time periods and 2 points of view. We learn about Emily, the murdered teen in 1982. Who was the father of her baby and who would want to kill her. Then we have Andrea in the present, learning the ropes on the job as a US Marshall. This town has a lot of secrets, and they do not like outsiders.

Another fantastic Karin Slaughter book, highly recommend. Published June 23rd.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK for my advanced copy of this book to read

This is the second book in this series,I wasnt so keen on the first book as I'm so used to reading her other wonderful series and it took a while to getting used to new characters. Andrea Oliver joins the us Marshall newly recruited with a partner named Bible,she investigates a case where her father could be involved,will she find the truth? as it involves a case forty years ago a girl called Emily coming from a privileged background looking forward to her future she finds herself pregnant who is the father? Who kills her? A great read looking forward to reading more of her books.Highly recommended..

GIRL, FORGOTTEN is another edgy multi-layered thriller from one of my favorite authors, Karin Slaughter! I always pre-order the audiobook, narrated by Kathleen Early, and once again, the dynamic duo shines for an outstanding, highly entertaining, and engaging written and audio performance. *Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award*

Please let there be another NetFlix episode because this one is on steroids! Slaughter does not hold back with the underbelly of this dark town full of secrets. Gritty, intense, and EVIL!

The sinister factor starts early and builds quickly as the extensive complex investigation gives way to deadly menace and dangerous secrets in this twist-a-minute novel. Fans of kick-ass female investigators will be well satisfied.

We return from the popular Pieces of Her with Andrea Oliver. She is no longer the shy little girl living in her mom's garage. Fans will enjoy seeing how Karin has shaped her into a strong investigator.

Taking place two years after the ordeal of mom Laura and daughter Andrea, Andy has decided to become a US Marshall and make something of her life. Andrea is partnered with an older Marshall, Leonard ‘Catfish’ Bible, who delights in educating his new green partner. (LOVE HIM)! We also check in with Laura, the mom, and Mike, the handler.

The new case takes Andrea to Longbill Beach, Delaware, where her crazy dad, Clay (cult leader-now in prison), is originally from. The psychopath is up for parole. Please do not let him get out!

A cold case from 40 years earlier. Told over two timelines, 1981 and forty years later, this is a haunting tale of dark secrets, lies, and murder.

In 1982, Emily Vaughn was murdered, and they never found the killer. Clay (Nick), Andrea's dad, was a suspect.

Emily's mother, Esther, a presidentially appointed judge, and her husband, Frank, need protection. She is receiving death threats.

EMILY'S FRIENDS:
Emily's friends are all scumbags, liars, abusers, drug dealers, and rapists and treated her terribly! After hearing from all of these so-called friends in her clique, I felt like I needed a shower. Gosh, if these are friends, I would hate to have enemies. Clay, Nardo, Blake, his nasty twin sister, Ricky, and his horrible teacher, Dean Wexler. There is also Jack Stilton, the Police Chief's son (gay) but is he more of an outsider and all Clay's puppets. This poor girl had no one to turn to, not even her controlling mom or abusive dad.

Who killed Emily Vaughn?

Emily was intelligent and had a bright future planned until everything was taken away. She was raped after going to a party. Someone gave her a pill. She remembers nothing. Later she finds out she is pregnant but has no clue when who, or how. She begins playing Columbo and keeping a journal of everything in an attempt to remember. This has ruined her life. Eventually, she winds up brutally murdered. The entire town and her family have turned against her.

THE CULT: There is also another story in addition to the above. A farm where the two guys (Wexler and Nardo) are killing women by starving them, drugs, and sexually abusing them in a cult-like compound and not allowing communication with the outside world or families. Several young women were emaciated, and an unexplained suicide at the farm.

Andrea and the team have their work cut out with layers of bull, and no one is telling the truth with their long-buried secrets.

I listened to this in one sitting. Complex! A high-stakes thriller full of action, twists, and riveting suspense. Everything you have come to expect from KS and more. A lot is going down, and you do not want to miss a thing! Appears we will get another upcoming installment #3 with Clay wanting to see Andrea. Cannot wait.

Not sure about you guys, but I am dying to get back to Will Trent/Sara. Hopefully, mastermind Slaughter can write a cross-over character (s) like (Lisa Gardner with all her rock stars) and somehow bring in Will Trent/Sara joining forces with Andrea/Laura and the gang to bring down the disgusting psychopath, CLAY! Now that will be prime for the big or small screen.

Slaughter fans are going to devour this one! As always, she dazzles!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BlackstoneAudio #WilliamMorrow for an ALC to read, listen to, and review.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Aug 23, 2022
My Rating: 5 STARS
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Emily Vaughn is getting ready for her prom night at Longbill Beach which should be the highlight of her year but she has a secret that will result in her death.

Forty years later, US Marshal Andrea Oliver receives her first assignment. She is to go to Longbill Beach to protect a judge who is receiving death threats. Andrea is well aware of the Emily Vaughn case after learning of it twelve months ago and has been haunted by it ever since. The case remains open as no one was ever convicted so Andrea see’s this as a perfect chance to uncover the truth.

Writing this and thinking more about the story as well as looking at other reviews makes me wonder if I was just having a bad day when I read this. I certainly enjoy this authors books so fully intend to read more.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Harper Collins for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

In October 1982, seventeen-year-old Emily Vaughn is stunned to discover she’s pregnant. She’s never been with a boy, or anyone, like that. But the timing fits a party with her clique where she took a tab, and remembers nothing until much later. But would her friends do something like that? Emily’s future is suddenly looking very different: goodbye college, respect and a career.

But Emily can’t leave it alone: she starts asking questions, and flashes of memory filter in. Her questions get certain people riled up, and she soon discovers who her friends aren’t. But it’s looking more and more like Clayton Morrow is the father of her baby…

Nicholas Harp, formerly Clayton Morrow, is serving a forty-eight-year sentence for conspiracy to commit acts of domestic terrorism, but due for another parole hearing in six months. Andrea and her mother, Laura have already experienced what this dangerous man is capable of when he escaped two years previous, so pinning something else on him would keep them both safe for longer.

Andrea meets up with her new partner, Deputy Leonard Bible aka Catfish in Longbill Beach, Delaware, and even before she’s met the Judge, she has encountered one of the murder victim’s closest friends, another acquaintance and her now-forty-year-old daughter and teenaged granddaughter.

From reading the police file on the murder case, Andrea is aware that, while the Police Chief was convinced that Clayton Morrow murdered Emily Vaughn, several others might have reasonably strong motives for committing the crime. And it seems that the surviving main players have stayed close, so when Catfish drags Andrea out to a reported suicide on a fava bean farm, two more potential suspects for Emily’s murder rear their ugly heads.

What they find there distracts Andrea from her covert mission: skeletal, anorexic volunteers who seem to be part of a cult. Can they be rescued? And is this in any way related to that forty-year-old murder?

The dual time-line narrative relates events from Andrea’s perspective in the present day, and Emily Vaughn’s back in 1981-2. Witness statements taken at the time of Emily’s death add detail. It’s easy enough to believe that those main players are still in and around the small town where they grew up, especially when it becomes apparent how their shiny futures were sabotaged, or circumstances made it advantageous to stay. Grudges, resentments and jealousies have simmered, crystallised, amplified over the intervening years.

Slaughter gives the reader lots of action, and some seriously nasty characters, but also plenty of black humour. Andrea’s conversations with her mother, who believes she is safely in Oregon, bring light relief as the tension ramps up, and Catfish is an utter delight, in particular for his teaching moments with a very green dewsum, his dialogue with the police chief, and his own boss. Plenty of scope is left for further books with this excellent cast of characters. Once again, Slaughter does not disappoint.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK

The character Andrea Oliver is much better suited as a newly qualified US Marshall, investigating an unsolved 40-year-old murder, alongside witness protection duties. It wasn’t just Ms Olivers character that made it, nobody creates and writes small town America characters as well as Karin Slaughter.

My main criticism of this and the reason I am dropping to 4 stars is the pace is a little too slow, not helped by over long chapters. I think there were only 10 chapters in a 400 page book!

Thanks to netgalley and HarperCollinsUK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:
US Marshall Andrea Oliver is tasked with protecting a female judge facing death threats in a seaside town. In reality Andrea is in the small town to solve the murder of Emily a young teen who was killed forty years ago. What can Andrea do to unravel this cold case and find the killer before someone else is harmed?

Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter is a police procedural that is memorable, believable and a world unto itself. It is the sequel to Pieces of Her, a bestselling book that became a Netflix series. The title "Queen of Thrillers" as named by Slaughter fans is well earned. Karin Slaughter's main characters each have a unique voice that stays with the reader for a long time. Those who enjoy her books know that every sentence reveals clues. Fans of Girl, Forgotten are left with a dizzying sense of emotion as they look forward to a sequel.

Girl, Forgotten is available on June 23rd. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, for allowing me to review this thrilling book by the sensational Karin Slaughter.

Love all Karin Slaughters books and this one was no exception.
Told in the past by Emily. A young high school girl with a group of friends who may not be the best for her.
In the present is Andreas pov. A US Marshall who comes to Emily's town and discovers that there's more going on than everyone claims.
The character building was excellent as the story builds to who was actually Emily's friend and who loathed her.
A few twists with a good ending.
If you love KS this is a great suspense.
Highly recommended

“GIRL, FORGOTTEN” is the second book in the US Marshall, Andrea Oliver series, though it isn’t necessary to read the first as this also works superbly as a standalone. However if you have read the first, it’s interesting to see how Andrea has turned her life around, after some major family revelations.

- A small town hides a big secret. Who killed Emily Vaughn? -

What I liked about this book was the dual timelines and reading Emily’s story first hand as it happened in 1982 and her thoughts and emotions as she experiences exceedingly traumatic events. When Andrea arrives in the town forty years later, to protect a judge receiving death threats, her real assignment is to find justice for teenager Emily and uncover the truth about her murder.

I truly felt for Emily, apart from her ‘Gram’, she was so alone and I personally couldn’t imagine going through what she did with no support. You’re not meant to like a lot of the ‘clique’ friends and this throws you off when trying to solve the mystery for yourself. US Marshall Andrea, is determined to uncover the truth many years on and as a lot of the original town members are still residing in Longbill Beach. she can begin to understand how the events unfolded in 1982.

Karin Slaughter always creates storylines that grab your attention immediately. Her characters, whether they play a small or large part, have a distinct personality and for me, instantly come to life enabling you to visualise everyone with clarity.

“Girl, Forgotten” gets its hooks into you and doesn't let go, the explosive storyline hits on subjects of sexual violence and misogyny. And is often her trait, the author covers these in a thriller that is both heart breaking and hard hitting.

Karin Slaughter is an emotively powerful storyteller, whose talent for thriller writing is one of the best I’ve encountered. If I could give “Girl, Forgotten” more then 5 stars I would, I enjoyed it that much and hope anyone else who reads it does too.

#GirlForgotten - 5 plus stars

Thank you to Lex and Tandem Collective UK for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.

If you read Pieces of Her and were left wondering if that was the end of Andrea Oliver’s story, think again. Did you really think Karen Slaughter would do that to us? In Girl, Forgotten, we see Andrea, please don’t call me Andy, as she passes a grueling physical race and graduates from the US Marshal Training Academy. Instead of heading west to her preferred duty assignment, she receives a last-minute switch and heads east. There, she’s assigned to team up with protecting a high-profile judge who has received death threats. Her partner, a long-time pro named Leonard “Catfish” Bible, gleefully shows her the ropes. In return, Andrea displays some skills of her own.

Protecting the judge isn’t the only consideration in this Delaware town. There was an unsolved cold case involving the judge’s daughter who discovered she’d become pregnant at a party and claimed to have no memory of the event. Her parents were not pleased, to put it mildly. Emily was mercilessly ostracized, rejected, and taunted by her classmates and friends. She was brutally murdered on the night of senior prom. Members of the clique that Emily had hung out with were questioned as possible witnesses or suspects, as was a teacher, but no arrest was made. One of those friends was Clayton Morrow, Andrea’s birth father, who is currently up for parole. Andrea has her reasons to want to keep him in prison, so she becomes very invested in finding answers to this mystery. She’s not the only one.

When a young woman is found dead of suicide at the bean farm run by Wexler, the very same teacher who knew Emily and friends 40 years earlier, “Cat” Bible finds his interest piqued. Another former member of the clique is the right-hand man to Wexler, and all the “volunteers” appear to be anorexic and zombie-like in their movements and mannerisms. This rings all kinds of alarms for the Marshals, but the farm owners only add to their suspicions with their lack of cooperation. It raises red flags, but does this mean that what appears to a cult that Wexler is operating is at all related to the murder of Emily Vaughn and the threats against her mother?

I found it extremely beneficial to know Andrea’s backstory, and I’d recommend to readers to read Pieces of Her before diving into this follow-up story. It helps understand the relationship between Andrea and her mother, each woman’s past, and Laura’s history with Andrea’s father. It also explains about Mike, a guy I haven’t mentioned yet. You’ll want to know about him too.

This book starts out rather slowly, but it all comes together quite well. Is it plausible? Well, yes – it’s fiction, so you have to take it with a grain of salt. These two Marshalls accomplish a lot for just two agents, but it makes a good story, and Karin Slaughter always tells a good story.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. My thanks to William Morrow & Company, the author, and to Goodreads for making this copy available to me in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

4 stars.

this loosely ties in to PIECES OF HER as 1/2 of the story focuses around Andrea, the MC/daughter from POH. it’s another dual timelines novel, and i gravitated much more towards the past plot than the present. however, it was nice to see where Andrea’s life continued (and Laura’s!!) and see her personal growth after POH. and per usual, KS delivers so much detail and research in her latest release!

what bugged me the most was the ending—everything wrapped up way too quickly for a 400-page book and only 1/2 of the big “reveal” was flushed out (keeping spoiler free). however, it ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger and will set up nicely for either a 3rd in the “series” or another Netflix season which i would be TOTALLY here for 👀👀👀

FYI you don’t have to read PIECES OF HER first to read this as it is a standalone, but it will tie in better and make more sense if you do.

thanks to William Morrow for the ARC! going to work on a mini review over on my IG in the next few weeks.