Karin Slaughter’s newest standalone thriller is a gritty, solid read. It was also the first book I’ve read set during the COVID-19 pandemic—which oddly enough felt almost surreal. I enjoyed the many relatable references.

Any potential reader is no doubt already familiar with the general premise so instead of rehashing that I’ll add a content “trigger warning”. It’s important for readers to know that rape is discussed graphically throughout the novel and one victim was a child. Some of the most icky, disturbing lines spoken by the perpetrator during his criminal acts are repeated ad nauseam.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Listen. Karin Slaughter can do no wrong in my mind. I love the Will Trent series and her stand-alones are always amazing. False Witness just continued my love for her books! It was 500 pages of crazy, creepy, emotional, and just plain sadistic, but in all the ways you want a thriller to be. She's one of my favorite authors for a reason, and this book solidifies that!

So many twists here, and several I didn't see coming. Leigh and Calli are sisters dealing with trauma in very different ways: Leigh sublimated it, Calli descended into drugs. But now that's going to be dragged up, thanks to a murder where Leigh has been asked to act as legal counsel for the defendant. That defendant? Someone Leigh and Calli used to babysit for. Someone who knows what happened... the question is how. There was one moment that I definitely did not see coming (Leigh's surprised, too!).

All of the author's books have had that dark, twisted core and this is no different. Definitely not for the squeamish!

eARC provided by publisher.

False Witness is a thriller written by Karin Slaughter with depth and realism. Her characters are people we can identify with. Get ready for a thrilling book.

3.5 well-rounded to 4…..
It’s hard to rate a book that hits on real life situations that inflict so much pain and legality issues that make us cringe and argue our point. I wish I had enjoyed the book….I really wanted to.

When processing my views, I settled on the good. Brilliant writing was key and helped to eliminate underscoring the book. The techniques and challenges of weaving the characters with our society are realistic. As unfortunate as this is, I have a hard time with people losing their moral compass and had rather not know they are out there so maybe this was more about me accepting the truth.

COVID-19, this is to You…go away!!! Leave us to be in our happy little reading corner…safely and healthy. The author’s notes depicting why she slathered us in it was incredible and I wish now it had been in the beginning to prepare me because now I think I could read it again and be okay with it.

When attorney Leigh takes on a new case, her past catches up with her. Andrew, the wealthy client, knows more about her and her sister and intends to use this as a bargaining tool. I disliked him even before I realized he was incapable of caring. There are some wicked characters to deal with and cruel and inhuman scenarios that sadly are real life situations.
All-in-all…I need to be more aware of what I request 😳
That you NetGalley, William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest heartfelt opinion.

This book is quite unique. At first it is too ugly, too insane. You want to quit reading. Then before you know it, you are caught up in the story. This is real life in a way you can't imagine a good ending. It's hard to put down just because you so want to make sure it has a good ending.

Thriller set during the time of Covid featuring protagonists who are products of abuse and neglect. Story does feature graphic content so beware.

Karin Slaughter, queen of suspense, has written another heart pounding, breakneck speed thriller. This plot line had me completely hooked. Leigh, a high end lawyer, is requested to represent someone from her past, Andrew: someone who brings back horrific memories and someone she had hoped to never see again. Leigh soon discovers that Andrew is hiding devastating secrets that will put her life and the lives of those closest to her in serious danger.

As always, Slaughter’s writing is captivating, drawing the reader in until the very last page. The characters were abundantly flawed and very real. My heart went out to Leigh’s sister Callie, a woman with a tragic past and a heart of gold, who was struggling with crippling addiction issues. This touched me deeply. Slaughter knows how to create the perfect amount of drama, tension and empathy and continues to be one of my favorite authors.

Karin Slaughter has done it again! I never worry that her books will get me hooked within the first few pages and False Witness is no exception! Do not hesitate to read this as soon as it is released.

This is a stand-alone title and not part of the author's "Will Trent" series. Two thirty-something sisters have covered up a shocking event from their teens and are dealing with it in different ways. Leigh is a successful lawyer, wife, and mother, while Callie is a drug addict and an alcoholic. Their past is about to be revealed during a murder trial in which Leigh is defending a possible serial killer. The plot is a strong one, but I had trouble with the two lead characters. The trauma of the two sisters is so all-encompassing and constantly discussed, so much so that I began to feel numb to their pain, and shockingly, unsympathetic to their situation. I wanted them to find justice, but frankly, I was just glad when the story ended. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morris and Custom House for providing an ARC.

False Witness another great book by Karin Slaughter. Awesome book. I love everything I have read of Slaughter.

This book started out strong with a prologue that really grabbed me. The story of two sisters dealing with a psychotic rapist who knows their deepest secrets was compelling and kept me reading. The thriller aspect of this novel was strong; it seemed, however, overly long and bloated with deviations from the story. Explanations of the physical aspects and psychology of drug addiction or child sexual abuse took away from the story and had me skimming along to pick up the thread again. An exciting and thrilling read that could use some tightening up.

I know I say this with each new book, but False Witness is arguably Karin Slaughter’s best novel. It’s an unrelenting story tackling the most sensitive topics in a way that only Karin can manage. The cast of characters are fully fleshed out and realistic as always, the pacing is break-neck in its pace, and it’s just overall shocking and gritty and just f-ing awesome. Thank you so much net-galley and Harper Collins for sending me this book in exchange for an honestly review. This was my most anticipated read of the year and DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

A real treat by Karin Slaughter. Possibly the best novel that she has penned so far and admittedly she certainly has more than her share of monumental books to her credit. The theme is one that is not often tackled due to the difficulty of presenting a realistic approach to adult molestation of children subject to their rules. My recommendation is to start it prepared to finish it in one exhausting read and then go ahead and search for her next novel.
Leigh and Callie Collier are sisters but somewhat estranged due to a horrific incident in their childhood. Leigh had gotten herself a job babysitting for the son of a neighbor. The boy's father turns out to be a pervert and one night before driving Leigh home makes a pass at her. She rebuffs the attempt but later without thinking of what happened to her recommends that her younger sister Callie apply for the babysitting job now vacant. Callie gets it and falls into the trap of accepting the father's advances believing that he will leave his wife to run away with her. The entire scenario is also marred by her so called lover's propensity to physically beat her up as part of the play acting done.
Callie has nowhere else to turn and and after one brutal beating begs Leigh's aid in getting out of the trap she finds herself in. Her guilt in allowing her sister to take the job allows her to decide with Callie to try and get evidence on the father and have him arrested, Unfortunately things get out of hand and the man is killed. The girls dispose of the body and when the story of his running away from a bad situation allows the incident to disappear and life goes on. Unfortunately Callie turns into a drug addict due to the guilt haunting her. Leigh, on the other hand pulls herself up by her bootstraps and we find her gainfully employed by a top law firm with possibilities of making partner.
On a Sunday that Leigh is enroute to a play that her daughter is starring in she gets an unexpected call from the managing partner of her firm. She must drop everything and come into the office. A major client is accused of a crime and has demanded that Leigh must defend him. On arrival at the company, it is found that the client is the son of the man she and her sister killed so many years ago. He is not thought to know anything of the murder since he was apparently sleeping through the entire sequence. But - let us see what his reasons are for the choice.
​There is a trial and the description a highlight of the book. In addition an ending not at all telegraphed but certainly one fitting the actions described and allowing for a sigh of relief while the reader begins the search for the next book by Ms. Slaughter.

I enjoyed reading False Witness, as I've enjoyed similar Karin Slaughter books. This one touches on similar themes as her past books. I found it to be engaging and I read it quickly.

My mother-in-law absolutely loves Karin Slaughter so I wanted to give her a try. Just not my cup of tea but not bad.

Young sisters in Atlanta experience a pedophilic rapist as they babysit his son. However the horror is that they are molested by him at different times and neither knows that the other went through the same events. Fast forward over 20 years, and one sister becomes a noted defense attorney with a husband and teenage daughter, and one becomes a desperate junkie. Leigh, the lawyer is tasked with representing the son, now grown up, and charged with serial rape. He knows the sister's secrets-especially about the abrupt disappearance of his father and says he has proof. Will he be able to blackmail her into doing whatever he wants? Will the other sister get sober enough to help Leigh? And how does the covid pandemic affect the characters?
I read this book in 2 days-it truly grabs you until the last page. It is action-packed and has many unexpected twists and consequences, but for me the characters were the important part. You rooted for the sisters who were raised so badly and coped with their circumstances in varying ways. The love and respect that they had for each other shined through every page, and while the novel was a thrill ride, it also had so much depth. Fantastic!

A fabulous stand-alone thriller from Karin Slaughter. I don't want to give away too much of the story, because you'll love learning each detail as the story unfolds.

Wow, I am sort of on the fence about this book Technically, It was well-written and engaging and the description sounded interesting. Actually reading it though was BRUTAL. I almost gave up more than a few times and after reading it, I kind of wish I had. The story just hits on some very heavy topics: assault, assault on minors, abusive parents, addiction… And it isn’t a quick “he was a bad guy, see what he did on chapter one and never hear about it again” type thing, it follows you through the entire book. I was torn between wanting to throw up and cry the whole time. It should probably come with a warning label. I probably won’t recommend this to anyone because it is a TOUGH read. Just be prepared before you read it. I have to go watch some Disney cartoons or something after that or I won’t be sleeping tonight. Or letting my own kids out of my sight ever.

I received an ARC, but my opinions are all mine.

False Witness
A Novel
by Karin Slaughter
William Morrow and Custom House
You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 20 Jul 2021 | Archive Date 14 Sep 2021

I found this book extremely well-written and interesting! I read all of Karin Slaughter's book since introduced them 8 years ago. I think this one is one of her best!! I often recommend them to folks at our library looking for a different author to read. Parts of this book are very disturbing so beware if you are sensitive to issues like that.
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.
5 star