Karin Slaughter has made it on my must-reads list after Pretty Girls sunk its claws into me. I like that her novels are not predictable and hook you within the first few pages of the book. After looking over her titles, I picked up a few, including Kisscut, a book about a teenage quarrel that ends in a shoot-out. I started reading this book and instantly got sucked into this world.

I like to keep track of my books with the help of Goodreads, a site where you can get other book recommendations based on the books you’ve read, connect with friends to see what they are reading; write and read reviews and more. When I went to list this as my “currently reading” title, I realized it stated Grant County Series #2. The very first Popular Answered Question on the site was “Do you need to read the series’ first book to understand the second book?” And the advice from other readers was to read them in order.

I immediately stopped reading this book (even though I was 70 pages in) and went back to the bookstore to buy Blindsighted.

I haven’t read a series in a long time, perhaps since the V.C. Andrews days if the early 90s. But I was intrigued, and ready to dive into Grant County and all the trouble it promised.

As usual Slaughter gets straight to it, and we find ourselves in the middle of the brutal murder of a young college professor. The small Georgia town is turned upside down as Sara Linton, the town’s pediatrician who moonlights as the town’s coroner, tries to uncover the truth behind the murder with the help of her ex-husband and police chief Jeffrey Tolliver and his team. Lena Adams, Grant County’s only female detective is devastated to learn that the victim was her twin sister.

I was sucked into this twisted (and sick world) where another victim is found crucified a few days later. Lena is determined to find the psychopath responsible.

This book is gritty and captivating while equally being disturbing and heavy. I expect the level of detail Slaughter includes to make me want to cover my eyes (which is hard to do when reading a book), yet I found myself doing that often. However, that detail carries over to the forensics and it is just as interesting.

I also love the depth she gives to each character. She weaves all the gory details through strong relationships and interesting characters. The dialogue flows well, and the connections the characters make are believable. That’s what makes you want to turn the pages.

That, and finding out who the killer is.

Blindsighted is fast-paced, gruesome and suspenseful. It is Slaughter’s debut novel and the first in a series of six books. As with Pretty Girls the details of the brutal attacks and murders are pretty graphic and not for the faint of heart. However, if you are looking for a page-turner, this is it!

Looking forward to starting the next book (again) in the series: Kisscut

Five stars!