Deborah van der LindeI just read Karin Slaughter’s Pretty Girls, and I could not put it down! It kept me on the edge of my seat, and up far later reading than I should have been. Now that I have caught up on my sleep, I find I am eager to share this review with you.
Pretty Girls is a gripping story told about two sisters (well, three, really) who have been divided by tragedy. The oldest sister was kidnapped, and the two younger sisters had a falling out largely due to the impact and aftermath of the kidnapping. The story starts nearly two decades later, when another tragedy brings the estranged sisters together. Claire, the youngest sister, witnesses her husband’s murder. Her normal, reliable, regular, architect husband – or at least that’s how he always appeared. In the aftermath of the murder, Claire discovers that there is far more to her husband than she ever realized. What she discovers causes her to desperately reach out to her estranged sister, and the two of them attempt to figure out what Claire’s husband was hiding, why he was murdered, and what all that has to do with their sister who has been missing for more than twenty years.
This story captivated me from start to finish – it was full of interesting twists and turns. Sometimes I was able to figure out what was happening next, and other times it kept me guessing. I think I read it in nearly two sittings. It was a bit gory by times, but it fit with the story, and did not strike me as too over the top. I was thrilled with how good a job Slaughter did in creating her characters. They were interesting and well developed, with unique personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and flaws. This is a great story for anyone who likes their mysteries with a touch of a thriller in them. It’s also a great choice for fans of The Girl on the Train.
