Karin Slaughter has been a firm favourite of mine for years. I have read every novel she has written and the Grant County/Will Trent novels are my absolute favourites. If you are a regular reader of Slaughter’s work you will know that she never pulls her punches. She is a feminist who tells it how it is when it comes to violent crimes against women, and tempers it by showing at the same time what a loving, power sharing relationship really looks like.

After That Night is a return to the most traumatic event in Sara Linton’s history – one that changed the course of her life. Fifteen years ago, on the verge of a real triumph in her career, Sarah was violently attacked and raped. The perpetrator was found and prosecuted and it is something that she has managed to put behind her, but it has had profound implications for the rest of her life.

Now another young woman, Danni Cooper who is just 17, has come into the ER, also brutally attacked. Sara is the only one who hears her say that she has been raped before she dies on the table. That makes Sara a key witness in the subsequent trial which is a civil trial rather than a criminal one.

The defendant is Thomas Michael McAllister IV, the privileged son of surgeon Mac McAllister and his wife, Britt. Sara knows Mac – he was the other contender for a prestigious prize that Sara was set to benefit from before she was raped. Sara is determined to do right by Danni but she knows that the McAllisters will stop at nothing to protect their son and trashing Sara at the trial is a likely outcome.

But a chance encounter in the ladies at the courtroom leaves Sara reeling. She’s been told that Danni Cooper’s attack has a connection to what happened to her all those years ago…but how could that be the case, especially since her attacker has been locked up ever since?

Sara is about to be married to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Will Trent, a man who would do anything to protect her, and together with his GBI partner, Faith Mitchell, they begin an off the books in depth look into Danni’s case, into the McAllisters and their circle of friends, and to look for other cases that may bear similarities. This was an Atlanta PD case, so they have to tread carefully for two reasons – one not to rile up Atlanta Police but also to make sure their fearsome boss, Amanda Wagner does not catch on to what they are up to.

To conduct their investigations they need to find an undercover way into the privileged white enclaves of the wealthy and entitled and this can only be achieved with the help of a woman Will never wants to see again, far less ask for a favour from. But we already know that Will is prepared to do anything for Sara, even asking for a favour from an aunt who cruelly and without compassion, abandoned him to a life in children’s homes.

Karin Slaughter is especially good at portraying this over privileged, entitled bunch of wealthy mean whose behaviour is beyond the pale. These men are the epitome of arrogance, using their power and wealth to bribe and corrupt; to cover up and most dreadfully to perpetuate their cycle of violence and power control through their sons.

Sara, Will and Faith embark on a dangerous and difficult journey even as they uncover more cases– and even Faith’s son Jeremy gets involved, much to his mother’s consternation.

Make no mistake about it; this is a difficult and often emotional read. As I said earlier, Karin Slaughter does not see her job as covering up the graphic, violent nature of such crimes, rather she wants us to face and understand the sheer horror of what rape survivors have to endure. Her counter balance is the mutual love and support that we see between Sara and Will and also between Faith and Jeremy.

She makes us believe in these characters and because we care about them, our stomachs heave and our teeth clench at the suffering of these women and the conniving of a group who believe women are no more than playthings on whom they can exercise their power and control.

After That Night is full of twists and emotional turns. It is sometimes a hard read and always a powerful one. It is shocking and worse, it is believable, and it has a climax that shocks and stuns.

Karin Slaughter’s writing has depth of characterisation, seriously clever and very tight plotting and I’m somewhat in awe of the way that she continues to develop her characters through a long and exceptionally gripping series of books.

This is a must read for me and for anyone who enjoys hard hitting crime and suspense.

If you have ever read and of the Sara Linton / Will Trent series before you will not be disappointed. As well as dealing with ongoing cases involving the abduction and rape of young women. When Sara Linton discovers there is a link to a brutal attack on herself several years ago it becomes vital to discover who is behind it.

Fast paced and exciting.

After That Night by Karin Slaughter
I give this book 4.75 stars

Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent rape.Now a successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves,she battles to help save a young woman who's also been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper's assault is uncannily linked to Sara's.

This is book 11 in the Will and Sara series.
Taunt,shocking and complex, I was hooked from the first chapter.The writing is brilliant and the author deals with the worst human traits in a hard hitting storyline that is personal to Sara.The book flips back and forwards in time until everything satisfyingly clicks into place.The characters are multi layered and well portrayed throughout the series and I’ve become more and more invested.There’s the perfect mix of personal and professional scenarios and I felt such a wide range of emotions while reading this one. I really can’t recommend this series or this author enough.
With thanks to Netgalley,Karin Slaughter and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my chance to read and review this book

Karin Slaughter is a brilliant crime writer and this was a gritty, page-turning read. The subject matter is dark, but as usual Karin Slaughter adds real depth to her characters and the Will/Sara/Faith relationship adds humour and warmth. Read it in one sitting.

Dani Cooper has a flail chest. CPR would be lethal, which is why Dr Sara Linton has her hand inside her body directly massaging her heart. Dani still dies. She had been admitted to Grady Memorial hospital in Atlanta, after crashing at slow speed directly outside. A flail chest is inconsistent with this and it is much more likely that she had been severely beaten. Plus, she had whispered to Sara that she had been drugged and raped and there is evidence to prove this. The car she was driving belongs to Tommy McAllister, rich, spoilt son of Doctors Mac and Britt McAllister. By coincidence, Sara has a checkered history with this pair going back fifteen years. At that time Sara and Mac were the top paediatric residents at the same hospital and had been in contention for a prestigious fellowship. Sara’s chance of getting this was ruined because she was drugged, raped and stabbed by a cleaner in the hospital, after which she had retreated to her home town. Now she is a senior paediatrician at Grady and a state medical examiner. Despite her evidence the police decide not to prosecute, but Dani’s parents mount a civil case against Tommy with Sara as their main witness. However, this case is dropped due mainly to Mac and Britt buying off the parents. Sara is desolated because she had promised Dani she would get her justice, and enlists the help of her friends, Faith Mitchell and Will Trent, who are special agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Will is also her fiancé. Acting without official authority, they uncover a massive conspiracy and devise an elaborate sting operation to catch the persons involved.
This is the eleventh book in the Will Trent series, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that from reading it. This is one of the best standalones I’ve ever read – all the relevant background is built in, seamlessly, integrally. This is just one of the writing skills employed, apparently effortlessly, by the author. Another skill is the writing itself; powerful descriptions, spot on specialist language, harrowing depictions of assaults (including rapes). However, the major skill is plotting, fitting together events, their connections and consequences, over a fifteen-year period, and revealing, in the tense final confrontation, a dénouement that most readers will not anticipate. A tour de force.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘After That Night’, book 11 in the Special Agent Will Trent and Medical Examiner Sara Lynton series written by Karin Slaughter, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

During a shift in at Grady Memorial Hospital Sara Linton’s expertise is called on to help nineteen-year-old Dani Cooper who’s been brought in after driving into an ambulance outside the hospital. With a final breath Dani manages to tell Sara that she’s been drugged and raped and begs her to get the person responsible. Sara tells her fiancé Will and with the help of his partner Faith Mitchell they start tracking who’s responsible but little do they realise that it’s linked to something that happened to Sara fifteen years ago.

It's been a while since I last read a Will Trent and Sara Linton thriller and I didn’t realise how much I’d missed them until I read ‘After That Night’. Karin Slaughter definitely deserves her reputation as an extremely gifted author as not only has there been plenty of action, drama and suspense, but her characters of Will, Sara and Faith are so believable that they feel more like old friends than fiction. The plot is amazing, strong and well thought-out with unexpected twists and turns that kept my head spinning. The final twist is shocking but fair and just, although maybe not totally lawful. Although one of the longest novels I’ve had the pleasure to read that’s had me so gripped it’s taken over my life for the last couple of days, I can thoroughly recommend it.

After That Night kept me wide-eyed and hooked — from the terrifying prologue to the hugely satisfying ending. It’s smart, sassy, fast-paced, fascinating and seriously disturbing. Featuring special agent Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, this is a horrific story about rape and assault, tempered by glimpses into the personal lives of the main characters as well as fascinating insights into police work and medicine. I loved it!

I haven’t read any of the others I. The series but this didn’t matter as the characters are well described and it is a stand alone plot. The plot is quite disturbing and centres around rape and the ‘rape culture’ as various women are attacked. This brings back Sara’s recollection of when she was raped whilst at medical school. I found it a good read but heavy in some places.

Another brilliant book from Karin Slaughter.
I love this series and just knew this story would pull me in right from the beginning.
This book is centred around rape and when Sara loses a patient who has been brutally attacked, she realises there are similarities with her own experience.
Will and Faith start to investigate but are very much doing this in their own time with Sara’s help.
The group of men that Sara was at Grady with are really awful and the conversations they have while Will is undercover will make your skin crawl.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I absolutely loved.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The dynamic duo Will Trent and Sara Linton return for a rollercoaster of twist and turns in Karin Slaughter newest release. Sara finds herself embroiled back to her past when a young woman is brought into her Emergency room with fatal injuries after a vicious attack . Her dying words urge Sara to "Please...stop him" .Is she willing to revisit her own trauma from fifteen years ago in order to seek justice? No family should have to go through this horror. Again.

Sleek, clever and twisty could not put this down. Slaughter's skill and ability to portray vile characters with a realistic plot will leave you hanging at the edge of your seat. The conversation between two rape victims was particularly well depicted and gave us multiple misconceptions and assumptions that victims of these crimes are faced with.

With over twenty bestselling novels its no wonder Slaughters gets better and better.

The book has themes of rape, abuse and domestic violence .

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.
And it seems the past isn't going to stay buried forever

This is a great story written by a great writer. Well paced, brilliantly planned, and executed. What more can I say? It’s a must-read.

📚📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖📚

📖 Book - After That Night
✍️ Author - Karin Slaughter
📕 Publisher - Harpercollins
🗓 Publication Date - 22nd June 2023


Description
Will Trent and Sara Linton are back! This is the 11th electrifying thriller featuring GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton from the international no.1 bestselling author Karin Slaughter.

After that night, nothing was ever the same again …
Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.

When I requested this from netgalley, I immediately knew I would like it, as I’ve really enjoyed the previous books by Karin Slaughter!
What I didn’t realise was that this was book 11 in a series about policeman Will Trent and Dr Sara Linton. So I thought, ok let’s give it a go, thinking I would feel a bit
Lost in the story BUT I wasn’t. I read this as a stand-alone!
There are a number of triggers in this book. The main one being rape and some of the details were graphic. Just a heads up.

Have you read any of Karina other books ….. if not, check them out! Her books will have you sitting on the edge of your seat!!

#bookstagramshaz #karinslaughter #netgalley #harpercollins

This is a gripping read in the series with featuring Special Agent Will Trent and Dr Sarah Linton. The harrowing, dark disturbing story is told in alternating chapters between past and present. Karin Slaughter does not hold back as she vividly paints the detailed scenes of young woman being drugged and raped, the horror they endure, and Sarah is forced to relive her own gruesome attack which happened fifteen years ago and changed the course of her life.
Sarah, Will and his gritty partner, Faith Mitchell are determined to bring this group of men to justice as they link the past and the present cases together.
Karin Slaughter is a master story teller, in among the horrors of this chilling story we also have some sharp witty humour between Will and his partner Faith, we also see Faith’s son Jeremy playing a role, against his mothers wishes.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC of this book, from one of my favourite authors, in exchange for a review. For fans of the Will Trent series, do not miss this one, you will be gripped from start to finish. A 5 star read.

A new release from Karin Slaughter is a must read, especially when it's a Will and Sarah book. Featuring Will, Sarah and Faith with a supporting cast from the present day and 15 years previously this answers so many questions about the rape that changed Sarah's life and which has been ever present through the Will Trent series and the previous Grant County series. Linking recent rape cases, Sarah is forced to investigate her own, as uncomfortable as it makes her feel. As well as a great story, this seems to pave the way for further adventures with Faith's son, Jeremy determined to join the Police Force, and Sarah and Will's wedding imminent. As always, a fabulous read. #netgalley #afterthatnight

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

sara linton was at the top of her profession but one night it was all gone.... she was brutally raped

15 years later with a course change in her career she is in the emergency department when a young woman is brought in who has brutally been attacked and sara fights to save her.... she whispers he raped me to sara....

and so begins sara nightmare all over again....

now this book was brilliant from the beginning it should also come with a warning... its hard to read in places and may trigger events for some people and at times i even had to put the book down to recover from what i was reading...

but oh my god its one of those books that you cant leave alone for long, its compelling reading at its best ..now going to find a light a fluffy read to get over this amazing book

A huge welcome back to Will Trent and Sara Linton. This is the 11th novel in the series of GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton.
A horrific past event that played a significant part in shaping Sara’s life comes back to haunt her when a young women is bought into the ER.
This book starts 3 year earlier when a young woman’s final words, and a later court appearance bring traumatic events from Sarah’s past back to her current life with Will.
This book delves into the sinister and vulgar world of ‘rape clubs’ where men of all types, but in this instance, people of privilege see rape and attacks on women as sport. An awful subject but well thought out and written by Slaughter.

What a brilliant,  dark, and disturbing read!!

This is the 11th thriller featuring GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton.
It is a gripping and emotionally charged thriller that will leave you gasping for breath. Karin Slaughter has once again proven why she is one of the best writers in the genre with this heart-wrenching tale of betrayal, secrets, and the destructive power of the past.

Sara, who has been haunted by a traumatic event from her past for over 15 years is forced to relive the traumatic events with the death of a young girl who tells her that she was drugged and raped by the son of an old "friend" of Sara's.
After Sara testifies to this, a chance meeting with the boy's mother shakes her to her core.

"You're not listening to me. What happened to you. What happened to Danny. It's all connected"

Was this a once-off event because there are eerie similarities between a few cases where young women have been drugged and raped.

With the help of Will and Faith, they start delving into the past. What demonic secrets will they unearth?

"My mother always says be careful chasing ghosts because you might find demons"

The twists and turns in the story keep you on edge, and the revelations toward the end of the book are jaw-dropping!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Having enjoyed Sara Linton And Will/Faith in previous books, I expected to be into a good story here and I wasn’t disappointed. If you’re pout off by the subject of rape and how it is dealt with and how you might be affected by details with deep inside knowledge, you should avoid this book. It feels so true, that this can only have been written after research with those who have been raped and discussions with those inside and outside of law enforcement. There are some big twists along the way, but you probably know already that those who need to are going to get caught and punished – or do they all? The writer takes us back 15 years to the first of many rape experiences, but this blends well with the present day. Despite the content, this does become a feel good story and the reader is pleased with the progress eventually and the outcomes. I was worried that this book may be too long, but every page is needed as this expect writer shows us her craft. I will read the next Karin Slaughter books, but can we move away from rape and stick with murders?

As I have grown up, my mums favourite author has always been Slaughter. When I first read one of her books I found that it was too gory and police focused for my tastes. However as I have grown up I have loved all of her books I have read since, as my tastes have changed.

I loved this book, and I felt as though I didn't want to put it down throughout. The characters were really interesting, making me want to get to know them more. I think I had already read some of the books with the same characters in it previously, so this has made me more determined to start these from the beginning - I can't wait to explore Slaughter more over the summer!