After That Night by Karin Slaughter

 

The hardest decision when reading a Karin Slaughter book is whether to stay up all night to finish it or to pause after each chapter to absorb and reflect on what you've just read. Her latest Will Trent book, After That Night, certainly presents that dilemma.

Sara Linton is on call in the ER at Grady Memorial Hospital when a girl, Dani, comes in after a brutal attack. Sara makes a promise to the girl that she will stop the man who'd done this to her. As Sara's fiance, GBI investigator Will Trent and Will's partner Faith investigate, it appears there is a link between the assault and Sara's rape 15 years earlier. To keep her promise, she's going to have to dredge up memories of the worst thing that's ever happened to her. 

It turns out that the car that Dani was driving belongs to the son of one of Sara's med school colleagues from 15 years ago. As both a doctor and the only witness to Dani's dying declaration, Sara is the star witness in the civil trial against him. When the boy's mother, Britt McAllister, confronts Sara in the restroom, Britt tells her that what happened to Dani is linked to a mixer that they all attended on the night of Sara's rape. Now it's up to Sara, Will, and Faith to discover the connection and determine which of Sara's fellow med school colleagues is responsible.

The trio discovers what they describe as a "Rape Club", which is even more horrible and despicable than it sounds. The first emotional impact is reading about the devastating impact that rape has on its victims and the course of their lives. The second impact is realizing that it happens all the time. Slaughter describes these events in unflinching detail and with a great deal of compassion. The characters all feel like real, complicated people. The ability to understand and sometimes relate to them draws your admiration, your sympathy, and your revulsion respectively. The effect on the investigators investigating these crimes is its own sort of devastation.

Will and Faith do a great deal of the leg work without official sanction of the GBI. Since the crimes range back as far as 15 years, hard evidence is in short supply and they know they'll need a strong case before the investigation will be approved. The people being investigated have the resources to make problems go away. Given Sara's relationship with them, she is integral to the investigation. The mystery comes together piece by hard-won piece. When you think you've plumbed the depths of depravity and cruel indifference, Slaughter still has more surprises in store. 

After That Night is an intense page-turner and one of the best books of the year. This is a must-read for any fan of thrillers and suspense novels. Slaughter is as good as they come.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.