/Review

Plot

More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss–a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed. The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago … and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.

Review

*Possible Spoilers*

Holy shit. This book has it all. Twists and turns, mystery, violence, love, hate, and everything in between. It is definitely a difficult read due to the nature of the plot. There is a large amount of discussion on rape, kidnapping, and torture, which although it is a hard topic to read about, it is done masterfully. When you read books you are meant to be given visuals to help transport yourself there, and unfortunately, yet fortunately, this book definitely doesn’t leave anyone guessing.

The strong emotions I felt while trying to get through Pretty Girls was something I won’t forget for some time. The loss of her husband, the difficult to discuss material that was found after his death regarding her missing sister and many others, the reuniting of family, the ultimate retribution. All combine to bring you to reality, where this kind of thing is steadily occurring all over the world. You can’t help but to feel and believe every word that is uttered.

Karin Slaughter has been a top contender for me for a little while, and I’m more than excited to continue with her other works.

Rating: 9/10