I did not realize this was a sequel when I requested it but that was a pleasant surprise. I loved Pieces of Her and was happy to read more. It took me a bit to get into this one but once I did I was hooked. Karin Slaughter never writes a bad thriller.

Karin Slaughter is an author I’ve wanted to read because so many love her books and on paper, she’s exactly who I would enjoy reading. But try as I might, I just couldn’t get into this one. The back and forth timelines were interesting and I enjoyed the past story more than the one in the present. It was a tad gritty for me, and I just found myself holding off on picking it up. But I know it’ll have a great many fans. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when Karin Slaughter announces her next book, it automatically hits my to-read list. From her Will Trent series to her standalone novels, she never disappoints. So it will come as no surprise I was thrilled the follow-up to PIECES OF HER was coming.

GIRL, FORGOTTEN is a taut, carefully crafted investigation into a murder forty years ago. The ties between the past and the present are so expertly woven together that the reader will be on the edge of their seat from beginning to end.

Slaughter has gifted her readers with the evolution of Andrea Oliver, who is now a US Marshal. Being able to revisit this complex and flawed character was so wonderful. I loved how she still has insecurities but is developing the tools she needs to fight back.

With suspense, grit, and an insightful look into the underbelly of human nature, Slaughter has done it again. Would it be wishful thinking that Andrea Oliver will have another book or maybe a series? A girl can dream.

Girl, Forgotten is fantastic! I like to think I usually figure things out as I'm reading, but not in this one. You'll be on the edge of your seat the entire time!

Thank you William Morrow or Custom House for the ARC of Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter. Emily Vaughn has a secret and it gets her killed on prom night of all nights. Decades later, detective Andrea Oliver is sent to Longbill Beach for an assignment. Instead of the actaul assignment her focus is on the Emily Vaughn case. No one was ever convicted or charged so the murderer is still out there. Andrea is bound and determined to find out what happened to Emily on that night. Will Andrea dig too deep though...

Karin Slaughter does it again. I thoroughly enjoy the characters she writes and I never feel like I can guess what's going to happen next in her books. She is a master of thrillers and suspense.

Loved it. Couldn’t put it down. A sequel but could be read alone. Great mystery with twists I did not see coming.

Karin Slaughter has once again given readers a taut thriller with expert characterization. In fact, this novel could serve as an introduction to a series following the career of newly minted US Marshal Andrea Oliver and I think Slaughter’s audience would be extremely happy. Oliver is sent on an assignment to guard a federal judge in the small town of Longbill Beach, but the task is more layered than she could have imagined. The 40 year old unsolved murder of the judge’s daughter and a hometown human trafficking operation are also in play. Slaughter deftly juggles the multiple mysteries while layering Oliver and her fellow characters with realistic talents and foibles.

I am forever a Karin Slaughter fan. Her novels are chock-full of suspense, intrigue, mystery, and prevalent issues. Her characters are so well-developed with varied human characteristics - love the always added humor in many of her characters. Her newest character/series is Andrea Oliver, The truth is I wasn't all in for the 1st of the series, Pieces of Her - the plot was somewhat muddled. Andrea as a character was naïve and seemed to blunder about. But she has matured in this 2nd title, Girl, Forgotten. She is much more focused as a US Marshall. I love her new partner, Marshall, Leonard ‘Catfish’ Bible - he is hilarious and my newest favorite character of Slaughters. I like her love interest, Mike Vargas, as well. Girl, Forgotten is an entertaining read which has inspired and reassured me to follow Andrea Oliver on to her next case - hopefully with a lot more 'Catfish" Bible!

Pieces of Her had me absolutely hooked. I couldn't put it down, and then I still couldn't get enough so I binged the TV show. When I saw a SEQUEL was coming out, I was ecstatic, and it did NOT disappoint.

Andrea is now a US Marshal, still denying her feelings for Mike, and searching for the rapist and murderer of a young girl named Emily Vaughn who died tragically after her high school prom. The book switches between the 1980s, when Emily was a high school student (in a "clique" with none other than Clayton Morrow, aka Nick Harp, aka... well, if you've read Pieces of Her, you know) and the present as Andrea seeks answers. What starts as an investigation into who is sending death threats to judge Esther Vaughn (Emily's mother) turns into so much more and unravels secrets that have been buried for decades.

Girl, Forgotten is not quite as good as Pieces of Her, but it is still a solid follow-up. However, I did have some issues with it, because I guess in the 1980s, it was normal for parents to victim-blame their own daughters? This isn't necessarily a gripe with Slaughter's writing, but more a gripe because it was SO infuriating to listen to Emily's parents disgusting, victim-blaming, misogynistic response to their daughter being assaulted. Also, virtually every character is completely unlikeable aside from Emily, Jack, Andrea, Mike, and Bible. I know that's kind of the point, because at least one of them assaulted Emily, but they're awful, awful people. Kudos to Slaughter, I guess, for really riling up my emotions in this one!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

Karin Slaughter is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are just so complex and thrilling and I find I cannot put them down once I start them. I loved Pieces of Her when I read it a few years back and was ecstatic when I heard there was a sequel coming…it quickly became a highly anticipated read not only for August, but of the summer – and let me just say it totally delivers!

Of course, I’m going to start with my usual two cents about reading this series in order. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, so much happens in Pieces of Her that lays the foundation for Girl, Forgotten, especially when it comes to Andrea and her mother. And it’s just an amazing book on top of that, but that’s up to you…and don’t forget, there is the Netflix series and it is pretty true to the storyline.

While I loved Pieces of Her, I almost loved this more a tad bit more. It’s a very multi-layered mystery with twists and turns that kept me guessing all the way through – and I loved that! While it is dark, it’s not as graphic as some of the author’s previous books, though I will say there is one scene at the doctor’s office with Emily that is just horrific – but more in an old-school, misogynistic behavior way than anything else. It’s cringe-worthy and it just goes to show how well the author is at pointing out society’s bad behaviors.

This book pulled me in right away, and once I started it, I could not put it down. Karin Slaughter’s writing is so captivating that I find myself completely immersed in her stories and this one was no different. I managed to finish this in less than 24 hours. Between the engaging story, the close attention to detail and the fully fleshed out, multilayered characters, I was all in and I loved it. The multiple timelines and two perspectives worked so well here and I found myself equally engaged in it all – I just wanted answers to everything. Even the setting – the small town is itself a character and that plays into the story.

As with most thrillers/mysteries, I’m hesitant to say too much about the plot for fear of giving anything away, but I will say that the characters really do make this book. There are some really good characters and some really bad ones, and I loved that I was all over the place with who I thought had killed Emily Vaughn – never once coming close to figuring out the right person, by the way! And the way this one ends almost leads to me to think that we have not seen the last of US Marshall Andrea Oliver, which makes me one very happy reader!

Bottom line – if you love Karin Slaughter’s books or you love a good small-town mystery full of secrets and suspense, I highly recommend this one.

Girl, Forgotten can be read as a stand-alone but I strongly suggest reading Pieces Of Her first. There is a ton of back story that is only skimmed on in Girl, Forgotten. To really understand Andrea Oliver, you need to read the first book.
Andrea Oliver is one of those complex, strong yet fragile women that Karin Slaughter writes so well. Andrea has her own motives for becoming a baby Marshal, and despite the fact that is makes her mom mad, she is taking it seriously. She makes mistakes and pushes away those that love her. Andrea gets in pretty deep with her first assignment, and kicks some ass. I’m already invested in this character and hope there is more of her to come.
There’s a culty vibe to this book, and a cold case investigation. The narrative jumps from Andrea now, and the cold case victim of the 80s, Emily. Both story lines are riddled with clues that connect them and lead to a big twist that I did not see coming. Karin Slaughter is so damn good at surprises.
I suggest reading this in one sitting. Actually, I know you won’t be able to put it down. You’re going to want answers as quickly as possible.

I enjoyed the set up and mystery in this story. I was fascinated by what happened to Emily and really enjoyed the past storyline. I thought Andrea was a strong, fierce character and I really enjoyed learning about the behind the scenes of the US Marshalls. The story was so well plotted as is usual for a Karin Slaughter book. My only issue was that I did feel confused at times and like I was missing something. I realized after reading that this is book 2 in a series and I do think it would've helped had I read Pieces of her first

DANG! I read the Pieces of Her and thought I was shook, but wow wow wow! I need more in this series. The action is amazing. The characters are compelling. The book takes you in and refuses to release you well after you finish the last word. Slaughter is brilliant.

Girl, Forgotten
by Karin Slaughter
"Pieces of Her" is the first book in this series which I have not read, but I saw the Netflix show. I jumped in to this novel having that as a background and knowing I always love Karin Slaughter books. I was not disappointed. Andrea is now a federal marshall who has just completed her training. She is assigned to the protection duty of a federal judge while also being asked to solve a murder from 20 years ago. The old mystery involves her father. They hope to prove that it was him to ensure that he never leaves prison. Andrea meets up again with Mike while being partnered with a seasoned marshall named Bible. It's an intriguing mystery and I was unable to predict the ending! Great read!

Sequel is an absorbing mystery thriller.

I read Pieces of Her and watched the adaptation on Netflix and never quite liked either so I had a bit of trepidation when I saw this sequel. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this a lot more than the first that featured Andrea Oliver. Andrea's character was much more maturely portrayed and I was able to tolerate her behavior and the plot because of that.

The story takes place two years after the events in book one and has a much better premise. Andrea has just completed US Marshal training, her psychopath father is safely behind bars, and her mother is back home and barely in the picture. Shortly after graduation, Andrea is approached by her uncle because her father is going up for parole and everyone is concerned that this time he might actually get it. The uncle wants Andrea to take an assignment at Longbill Beach, ostensibly to protect a judge who is getting death threats, but really to investigate whether or not Clayton Morrow could have murdered a young, pregnant teenager there when he was in high school. That discovery would definitely prevent his parole.

Told in a dual timeline, one part is the voice of Emily Vaughn who was raped by one of her high school friends and became pregnant. Unable to identify the rapist or name the father of this baby, she tries to do a bit of sleuthing after being shunned by all of the hideous people in the small town of Longbill Beach. She is murdered on the night of Prom and the killer was never apprehended. The second voice is that of Andrea as she arrives in town and starts to look into the events from those 40 years ago and to do her current job with partner Catfish Bible. Met with a wall of silence and the same set of suspects, she also finds that two of them are partners in a successful fava bean company and have a sort of cult thing going on with young female volunteers. So, there's a lot going on in this book, but the author skillfully weaves it together and kept me guessing.

I would have preferred less of the Emily narrative and more focus on Andrea's activities, but it kept my attention and I'm glad I returned for this installment. I suspect there will be another in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I do think it important to have read the first in the series to fully appreciate this one.

Karin Slaughters new novel, Girl, Forgotten is the second installment in the Andrea Oliver series and full of intrigue, murder, hope and redemption.
April 17, 1982, prom night in Long Beach Delaware. This should be a significant occasion for graduating senior, Emily Vaughn, a George Washington University legacy enrollee.
The Vaughn family was also awaiting another significant event. Esther Vaughn, Emily’s mother, was with her husband awaiting a phone call from President Ronald Reagan. The President would hopefully offer Esther a nomination for a federal judgeship.
Moving ahead to current times we find that Esther Vaughn was indeed nominated and then confirmed to the federal judiciary and has served the past forty years in that capacity.
But Emily, poor Emily. She never went to college. Never had a career. On Prom night, Emily was brutally beaten and her naked body thrown into a garbage dumpster in an alley in town. She was left for dead and against overwhelming odds, Emily survived. Rescued from the dumpster, treated by EMTs, she arrived at the hospital alive. She was kept alive for two more months on life support machines. Two months, long enough for the baby she was carrying to be safely delivered. Yes Emily was pregnant that Prom night. Sadly baby girl Vaughn would learn who her mother was - but not know who her father was. No one knew. Not even Emily.
Yes the baby girl survived and is now 40 years old. She and her daughter are living with her grandparents: Franklin Vaughn and Judge Esther Vaughn.
The identity of Emily’s killer has never been determined though there were several suspects. As mentioned the paternity of Emily’s child also has never been determined, though there was speculation surrounding several high school classmates.
Now the United States Marshalls Service enters the picture - not to look into the original investigation of Emily’s death, or to open a new investigation but to provide protection for Judge Vaughn who has received several creditable death threats. Which leads us to Jasper Oliver, US Senator from California. Jasper Oliver in his official Senate duties, oversees the US Bureau of Prisons. In one of these prisons is Nick Harp aka Clayton Morrow, a convicted felon and the former husband of Jasper’s sister and the father of his niece Andrea Oliver. Today is Andrea’s graduation from training at the US Marshall academy. Jasper is here to offer her an assignment to guard Judge Vaughn in Longhill Beach Delaware. What a cushy assignment! Ocean front beach, small town, and partnering with Leonard “Catfish” Bible for half day shifts.
Unappealing idea for Andrea. Longhill Beach is the hometown of Nick Harp. Andrea has only horrible memories and thoughts of her father. The man is an evil cunning manipulator. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit domestic terrorism. He has been denied parole in the past, but Jasper believes he has a good shot of getting paroled at the next meeting which occurs in just six months. Andrea wants nothing to do with Nick and wants to keep him in prison.
In 1982, Nick, Emily, Nardo, Ricky and Blake were seniors together and often hung out together. The Clique as they were known were not always supportive of each other. When Emily admitted she was pregnant, the others treated her with disdain and turned their backs on her. Her claim that she did not know who the father of the child was met with disbelief. Emily claimed that she was drugged at a party, that she totally blacked out and had no memory of any events that night. Her “friends” either didn’t believe her or laughed at her. She was called a slut and even worse her family offered no support.
When her body was found, the police investigated - but not very deeply, The Clique members and young High School teacher, Dean Wexler, were questioned and seemed to be suspects but no evidence was found. Each of them gave a written statement as to their whereabouts on Prom night and what they observed but these statements led to no further investigation.
What can be learned now forty years later. There was no DNA evidence and many things in the town have changed.
Andrea is determined to seek a solution. She is motivated by her desire to solve the crime and hopefully to use the result as a means to keeping her father in prison. Luckily, she had the support of “Bible” and Mike Vargas, her fellow partner and love interest.
Yes the case is solved -but this is a sad story. Too many people gone, too little love and kindness.
Hopefully Andrea will be able to keep her father in prison and away from people he can hurt. We will have to wait for the next Karin Slaughter novel to have some of these questions answered.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #GirlForgotten

I have read and enjoyed many of Karin Slaughter's books. Although I haven't read the first book in the Andrea Oliver series I looked forward to reading the second, Girl, Forgotten. for me, Slaughter's fine writing style saved this book from being set aside while I was only partway through it. I was not drawn to the main character and her character was never developed sufficiently to allow me to increase my interest in her. The story of Emily Vaughn's pregnancy and death serves as the catalyst for the convoluted story of the identification of who impregnated her and who killed her 40 years before. Slaughter relies too heavily on coincidence to make the story realistic enough to appeal to me. Others will disagree and Slaughter fans will likely devour this book.

Girl, Forgotten is the second Andrea Oliver book by Karin Slaughter. I was not fortunate enough to read the ARC of the first in the series, however, if I had, I am not sure I could have finished it. I adore Karin Slaughter, and none of her books’ content has ever bothered me, but Pieces of Her, the first Andrea Oliver book, did me in. I gave up at 75% and could go no further. I am sorry to talk about a different book, but I need to set the scene. When I signed up for the book, I did not realize it was a follow-up to Pieces of Her. That still would not have deterred me from reading; I love almost everything Karin Slaughter. Now, on to the review.

We begin the book in 1982 with a teen talking with her Gram. Gram is knitting a little child’s sweater, but we also find out she had dementia, and she may not even know who she is making it for… or if she is. Emily, it seems, has seen abuse, along with possibly Gram, but we do not find out for a while from who. It is not soon after that we find a possibility. We will learn that many people have done Emily very wrong and hurt her in different ways. By the end of the night, which was to be her prom night, she is found dead. Who could have possibly killed her? Is that vague or more from a list of suspects we have possibly already met?

Cut to forty years later, and US Marshall Andrea Oliver has arrived in Long Beach after a judge has been receiving death threats. We will discover the judge is none other than Emily’s mother. A woman who is no nonsense and is not one to be messed with. Andrea learns of the murder along the way and sets out to find out who is to blame. With a close group of friends who are still tightlipped, and are even closer, this will be a case where Andrea will be thankful for an experienced partner in Bible. But do not think she is solely dependent on a man, she is also a force to be reckoned with.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

GIRL, FORGOTTEN is really smart Karin Slaughter. I hadn't researched the book before I started listening to the audio and then quickly realized we knew these characters - which picks up a few years after PIECES OF HER.
This is partly Andrea's coming of age as a United States Marshal, luckily teamed with an irresistible partner/friend/mentor named Bible, and partly a mystery of an unsolved murder from the 1980s. Tasked with protecting a Federal Court Judge while simultaneously unraveling the secrets of the town that continue to compromise the safety and welfare of women, the book is a fast-paced novel that doesn't shy away from the depravity and danger that threaten young women.