Karin Slaughter | THE LAST WIDOW

Plot (via Goodreads):

A mysterious kidnapping

On a hot summer night, a scientist from the Centers for Disease Control is grabbed by unknown assailants in a shopping center parking lot. Vanished into thin air, the authorities are desperate to save the doctor.

A devastating explosion

One month later, the serenity of a sunny Sunday afternoon is shattered by the boom of a ground-shaking blast—followed by another seconds later. One of Atlanta’s busiest and most important neighborhood’s has been bombed—the location of Emory University, two major hospitals, the FBI headquarters, and the CDC.

A diabolical enemy

Medical examiner Sara Linton and her partner Will Trent, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, rush to the scene—and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to destroy thousands of innocent lives. When the assailants abduct Sara, Will goes undercover to save her and prevent a massacre—putting his own life on the line for the woman and the country he loves.

Review:

Well, the time has finally come. After fifteen books, I am finally caught up to Karin Slaughter and I am equally devastated and eager for more stories from her. My friend Cindy and I completely demolished the Grant Co. series and the Will Trent series right in time to buddy-read this one and what a way to kick off the story. What I love about Karin's plots is that they are always very intricate and complex, you never know what you're fully in for, and you can never rely on the synopsis because things take such drastic and excited turns in all of her novels. Well, The Last Widow may just be the most complex and tightly-woven story in not only this series, but in Slaughter's entire catalog. The interesting thing with this one was the prologue was extremely fast-paced and really sucked me and I was immediately coming up with my own theories and wondering how this one would tie in with the brilliant cast of characters of the Will Trent series.

There was a return of a few characters that I loved to see back on the pages and definitely some throwbacks to Grant Co. that just made me so reminiscent of the one month it took me to read all six harrowing books. The part that really blew me away is how action-packed and intense this one was. I could barely control my heart racing at a ridiculous pace during most of this one and it definitely had the least amount of slower moments in the entire novel. I will say, the plot to this one became very complicated and complex as it progressed and there were a few times where I had a hard time grasping what was actually happening. Obviously, by the end, Slaughter did a fantastic job of wrapping everything up where it was a very enjoyable reading experience with characters I loved and a plot that is so unlike what it seems that it keeps you on the edge of your seat and will tie in so many great characters and an ever-growing relationship between Sara and Will. I definitely do not recommend reading this one as a stand-alone just based on this fact alone. Next summer, where are you? I am ready for more!

Special thanks to William Morrow for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5