I received an ARC copy of this book (Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter) and I have to say, (Thank You NetGalley!) … this author does not disappoint. A mystery with some sensitive and brutal scenes may not be for everyone but it was a relatable scene-building and character-building exercise that kept me guessing. My only suggestion if you choose to read this…. Keep track of characters. Write them down and pay attention or you’ll lose the plot line.

"A gripping sequel!"

GIRL, FORGOTTEN is another edgy multi-layered thriller from one of my favorite authors, Karin Slaughter! I always pre-order the audiobook, narrated by Kathleen Early, and once again, the dynamic duo shines for an outstanding, highly entertaining, and engaging written and audio performance. *Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award*

Please let there be another NetFlix episode because this one is on steroids! Slaughter does not hold back with the underbelly of this dark town full of secrets. Gritty, intense, and EVIL!

The sinister factor starts early and builds quickly as the extensive complex investigation gives way to deadly menace and dangerous secrets in this twist-a-minute novel. Fans of kick-ass female investigators will be well satisfied.

We return from the popular Pieces of Her with Andrea Oliver. She is no longer the shy little girl living in her mom's garage. Fans will enjoy seeing how Karin has shaped her into a real kick-ass investigator.

Taking place two years after the ordeal of mom Laura and daughter Andrea, Andy has decided to become a US Marshall and make something of her life. Andrea is partnered with an older Marshall, Leonard ‘Catfish’ Bible, who delights in educating his new green partner. (LOVE HIM)! We also check in with Laura, the mom, and Mike, the handler.

The new case takes Andrea to Longbill Beach, Deleware, where her crazy dad, Clay (cult leader-now in prison), is originally from. The psychopath is up for parole. Please do not let him get out!

A cold case from 40 years earlier. Told over two timelines, 1981 and forty years later, this is a haunting tale of dark secrets, lies, and murder.

In 1982, Emily Vaughn was murdered, and they never found the killer. Clay (Nick), Andrea's dad, was a suspect.

Emily's mother, Esther, a presidentially appointed judge, and her husband, Frank, need protection. She is receiving death threats.

EMILY'S FRIENDS:
Emily's friends are all scumbags, liars, abusers, drug dealers, and rapists and treated her terribly! After hearing from all of these so-called friends in her clique, I felt like I needed a shower. Gosh, if these are friends, I would hate to have enemies. Clay, Nardo, Blake, his nasty twin sister, Ricky, and his horrible teacher, Dean Wexler. There is also Jack Stilton, the Police Chief's son (gay) but is he more of an outsider and all Clay's puppets. This poor girl had no one to turn to, not even her controlling mom or abusive dad.

Who killed Emily Vaughn?

Emily was intelligent and planned a bright future until everything was taken away. She was raped after going to a party. Someone gave her a pill. She remembers nothing. Later she finds out she is pregnant but has no clue when who, or how. She begins playing Columbo and keeping a journal of everything in an attempt to remember. This has ruined her life. Eventually, she winds up brutally murdered. The entire town and her family have turned against her.

THE CULT: There is also another story in addition to the above. A farm where the two guys (Wexler and Nardo) are killing women by starving them, drugs, sexually abusing them in a cult-like compound and not allowing communication with the outside world or families. Several young women were emaciated, and an unexplained suicide at the farm.

Andrea and the team have their work cut out with layers of bull, and no one is telling the truth with their long-buried secrets.

I listened to this in one sitting. Complex! A high-stakes thriller full of action, twists, and riveting suspense. Everything you have come to expect from KS and more. A lot is going down, and you do not want to miss a thing! Appears we will get another upcoming installment #3 with Clay wanting to see Andrea. Cannot wait.

Not sure about you guys, but I am dying to get back to Will Trent/Sara. Hopefully, mastermind Slaughter can write a cross-over character (s) like (Lisa Gardner with all her rock stars) and somehow bring in Will Trent/Sara joining forces with Andrea/Laura and the gang to bring down the disgusting psychopath, CLAY! Now that will be prime for the big or small screen.

Slaughter fans are going to devour this one! As always, she dazzles!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BlackstoneAudio #WilliamMorrow for an ALC to read, listen to, and review.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Aug 23, 2022
My Rating: 5 STARS
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How do you make a long drive go by too fast? Listen to Girl, Forgotten! This fantastic, twisty mystery follows a new US Marshall named Andrea as she investigates whether her imprisoned father had anything to do with the death of a pregnant teenager in 1982 in an attempt to keep him in prison. The story unfolds in chapters that alternate between flashbacks of Emily as she deals with her pregnancy and works to find out which boy at a party in 1981 raped her and Andrea as she investigates the murder under the auspices of guarding Emily's mother, a federal judge, from some threats to her life. Are the two crimes connected? Was Emily's daughter fathered by her very own father when he was a teenager? And what is hiding in the undercurrent that runs through the town after a 40-year old crime? I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

Andrea has just completed her training to become a US Marshall. Her first assignment takes her to a town with a connection to her past. A young girl is murdered while Andrea is serving as security for a judge. There has been an unsolved murder in the same town for 40 years. Could this murder be related?

This fast-paced book keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me preview the ARC audiobook. It was perfectly narrated.

Slaughter revisits a character from a previous novel “Pieces of Her”, as she follows now US Marshall Andrea Oliver, who’s on her first job protecting a judge who has been receiving death threats. Well, ostensibly, that’s why Andrea is in Longbill Beach, but she’s really there to find a killer who has gone unpunished for four decades. In 1984, Emily Vaughn went to her prom and never came home again. At least not alive. In the forty years since her death, Emily’s family has moved away and her friends have maintained their silence, but Andrea will not stop until she finds justice for the murdered teen. Slaughter’s novels are dark, gritty, and intense

Definitely read Pieces of Her first. I was pleasantly surprised by the book. I was almost more invested in the characters than I was in the mystery. I can’t wait for the next book. There has to be another one coming. A strong 4 stars!