Wow! What a bloody brilliant introduction to the work of my new favourite crime novelist! And thank god it was, because I have been slowly picking up all her backlog whenever I see them in charity shops and if this had been shit, I probably would have cried. The Good Daughter was an incredibly fast-paced thriller, its look at family dynamics that have been devastated by tragedy, and the twists and turns that come along with that accompany that examination, meaning that over 600 pages felt like little more than 200.
Over the past year or so, as I have gotten into reading more thrillers, I have frankly, been having a bit of a shit time — the highs are great, but the lows are pretty bloody awful and it seems as though, for every well-written mystery/thriller out there, there’s a whole dozen of terrible ones to be found. But, this book (and more importantly, this author and her incredibly large backlog) really succeeded in all of the ways in which those other books always inevitably fail: writing-style, character development, and the amount of suspension of disbelief a reader would require to believe its plot-twists.
Tick, tick, tick. Yes, yes, yes.
Karin Slaughter manages to nail every single one in a way that makes me believe that she is truly a master of the craft, being one of the rare Queens of Crime Fiction; that she is not another one of the innumerable authors who are willing to forgo any writing ability to try their hand at a supposedly easy genre. Because, no matter how much they kid themselves, thriller/mysteries are not an easy genre to write.
I mean, the book was so good that I didn’t look for clues, because I didn’t realise there were any that needed to looked for! Let me tell you, it has been a damn while since I have been so shocked by an ending. Talk about coming out of nowhere! Wow, I just— All I can say is that Karin Slaughter is one of the few who shows just how good a book of this genre can be when someone comes along and nails it.

A dark, violent thriller that dragged me in. A school shooting occurs and Charlie finds herself involved. This is the story of 2 sisters who have had the most violent start to their adolescent years.

I am not used to reading such violent books and found it difficult at times but still had the urge to continue with the story to find out what happened. The character of the school shooter, Kelly Wilson is such a sad case that I felt invested to find out what happens to her.

I possibly would read more Karin Slaughter books as this was very well written and thrilling but definitely need a break from the violence for a while.

Slaughter has written a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you reading all night long. Highly recommended!

Be warned: this book is not for the faint hearted. It contains graphic, disturbing violence in this story of a family struggling with the aftermath of a fatal home invasion. A school shooting brings the past flooding back, uncovering a number of buried secrets.

As you'd expect from Karin Slaughter, this is skilfully written, fast paced and filled with interesting characters. One of those books you just want to closet yourself away with as you discover what really happened in both tragedies.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I found the plot line interesting and I sort of became attached to the characters but for some reason, it didn’t quite set my senses on fire. It’s difficult to put a finger on it as I enjoyed the book but it needed a bit more “ooooh” to keep me on the edge of my seat.

Very dark, possibly a little too dark for me but an excellent book nonetheless. 4* from me. Would recommend. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Absolutely loved this book! A great crime novel with an awful lot of crime and heartache. Karin Slaughter helps you get absorbed and lost within the characters so be prepared to not be able to put this one down!

I have read every Karin Slaughter and have never been let down. Her books are absolutely gripping and I usually cant put them down. They are often edge of your seat stuff! I read The Good Daughter in two days. I am recommending to everyone.

What a ride! Great plot, great characters and very well written. When I downloaded it I was initially a bit daunted at the size, but actually it was an easy read and I felt quite bereft when I finished it. I really enjoyed getting the back story piece by piece - a bit like peeling an onion. Very well deserved 5 stars

Charlie had witnessed her mother shot in front of her and this coloured her life and life decisions which she seemed to be getting so wrong at the moment. One bad decision finds her caught up in a shooting in the local school and as a solicitor she finds herself in an awkward position as her father (Rusty) decides to represent the shooter.
The reader is treated to the present day happenings and also the past events which can be a little drawn out but very necessary to the overall story. As the drama unfurls you get to see Karin Slaughter at her best weaving in facts with clues that were there all along but I definitely didn't expect the ending to play out as it did and I was on the edge of my seat and rushing to the end and yet didn't want it to finish.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Two girls watch their mother murdered, taken into the woods, Charlie runs for her life, Samantha is left to tie. Fast forward 28 years. Charlie has followed her fathers footsteps as a lawyer. The past suddenly catches up with them when Charlie witnesses a murder in a school. Samantha comes home, the past starts to unfold how will this end. Would really recommend this book, the twist at the end keeps you enagaged throughout the book.

Unfortunately, I didn't like this book that much. The first few chapters had me in suspense but it all fell away after that. Parts of the book were repeated two or three times as the story was relayed through difference characters and it all became a bit tedious. I didn't finish the book

This book had me hooked from the first page. The story goes back and forth in time, giving you details from different perspectives to build up the story. It allows you to really get to know the characters and their back-stories which must have been done well because even though they are flawed, I ended up routing for them. A brilliant novel with real shocking twists.

Wow - this was a brilliant and compelling read. We are thrust into the story with a harrowing and violent scene which shapes the future of sisters Charlotte and Samantha's lives. Their world is torn apart when their mother is shot dead, Samantha is left for dead and Charlotte is traumatised for the rest of her life attributable to their father's occupation as a defense attorney who has over many years, aided murderers, rapists, child killers and the likes walk free from court.

The trauma eventually leads to the once inseparable sisters becoming like strangers, until one day, a heinous crime is committed in their home town of Pikesville which unravels so many different strands to the book it is utterly addictive. Charlie is embroiled in a nightmare that brings her own buried feelings back to the surface and so she reaches out to her sister Sam and the sisters are reunited to try and solve the crime together.

This is a compelling read and I absolutely loved it - cannot wait for more from Karin Slaughter! Many thanks to netgalley for my ARC in return for this honest review.

A powerful story. The author demonstrates a real knowledge of her subject matter. Sometimes hard to read because the content is in parts, horrific and violent. What happens in the story leaves the family disjointed and disfunctional. The sisters in the story, unable to maintain a relationship with each other due to their scars
Both physical and mental.
I admired how the author had taken the trouble to gain accurate medical and legal advice for the storyline and this made the story so much more believable and in parts, quite heartbreaking and sad
I loved the book and the last three words of the final chapter are just amazing. They complete the story and if you want to know what they are, you’ll have to read it. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, I didn't like this book that much. I didn't like the main characters, I hated their father and I just wasn't at all interested in what was going on. And that while I enjoyed one of her previous books very much. Oh well...

I love Karin Slaughter novels and this one did not disappoint!

Her books are gripping, full of emotion and the intensity begins with the opening chapter and doesn’t let go until the end.

This is a stand alone novel and I read it in two sittings.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

One of the best psychological books I have read in a very long time.
This book has many depths. It deals with personal and family tragedy which no mater how hard you try to suppress it it can however come back to haunt you when similar events happen later in your life.
This was such the case of Charlie and Sam the central characters in this book.
Set in America it also deals with a school massacre and the effects it has on everyone involved in it.
I loved the book but also found it a little harrowing at times because of the amazing descriptions of events.
The twists and turns kept you on your feet and I certainly did not expect the ending of the book.
Brilliant.

I am so glad I picked this up, it was a wild ride of a book! I went into this pretty blind so that I didn't even know things that were mentioned in the blurb! With thrillers, I find that the most enjoyable way to read them so that everything is a surprise.

The first third of this book was absolutely mental and I was totally invested and shocked by what was happening. Then, I felt it slowed down slightly for the second third and then it picked up again for the final third, obviously, due to the plot resolving and tying up loose ends.


However, I've heard many, many good things about Karin Slaughters books and how they are full of gore and shocks so my expectations were pretty high! So overall I found only the start of the book to be full of gore, with only one or two odd moments of it later on and this wasn't quite enough for me.

My enjoyment was probably also dampened slightly because when the plot was being resolved I got a bit confused. Well done me... but thankfully one of the characters then says "to clarify...." and explains it all again in simple terms to help people like me out! This meant the shock factor was lost on me a little, but that's not the authors fault, it's my stupid self's fault!

This book kept me gripped to the end, and had me finding excuses to pick up my Kindle. It is a good page turner, and provided me with all the things I like in a thriller - believable and likeable characters, back stories that show why the characters are flawed, suspense, and atmosphere.
The sisters Charlie and Sam were damaged by the trauma of a terrible event when they were teenagers. They dealt with the experience in different ways. But both women were strong and determined, and I was cheering them on throughout the book.
Not one for the faint hearted, the book was shocking and tense, and one I would certainly recommend. I am off to buy more of Karin Slaughter’s books, and look forward to her next one. Maybe a follow-on? Thank you #NetGalley. #TheGoodDaughter