Karin Slaughter

From the New York Times bestselling author of Pieces of Her and The Silent Wife, an electrifying standalone thriller. Karin Slaughter is back with her first nail-biting standalone since 2018!

A Novel

Unti Karin Slaughter #21

Karen E

Cheri Fuller

4.5 rounded up

I didn't know what to expect going in with False Witness. I've had hit and miss reactions to Ms. Slaughter's books and this one is a definite hit. Nearly a grand slam when I figure in the narration because that was a huge bonus for me.

You can check out the blurb if you want plot specifics - I tend to not rehash the general story in reviews. We've got a pair of sisters who share a shitty mom, a violent past, and a dark secret that threatens to destroy everything in their lives that they care about. 

I mostly loved everything about this book. There was plenty of tense-thrillery goodness but there were also some shockingly touching scenes. I'm not going to lie, I nearly cried three times. This is where the narrator really shone. Before the story really got going, I wasn't sure that I was going to dig the narrator at all. The non-dialogue portions were done in a very boring manner but, wow, did she bring that dialogue to life. If I was ever on the fence about an audiobook, seeing her as the narrator would be the tipping point. Watch for her: Kathleen Early.

Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio ARC!

Trish D

Changing my review bc it was actually a good book now that I’ve processed it lol. Not a fun read for sure. Extremely devastating 

2.5 😭😭😭 i really wanted to like this but god i can’t stop thinking about how if gillian flynn wrote this story it would so much better 🥲😗

Lane Hokanson

This was devastating, captivating, and made me laugh and cry - which is a mean feat for a thriller. Definitely recommend, but please check trigger warnings first.

Alexa M

i really enjoyed this!! yall know i love me some Karin Slaughter. however, i think this is the most predictable KS ive read AND all the legal jargon/ drug facts (?) slowed the pacing of this for me. but i did really like the story and our 2 main characters! and while i understand WHY she included all the COVID shit, it was really fucking annoying to read about like goddamn i dont need to know who is and isnt wearing a mask in every room you walk in omg

Molly Morgan

This book was so damn good. Karin's gritty, thrillers are my favorite types of reads. It is brutal and very real. 

I would absolute recommend this to anyone who loves dark thrillers. I would advise anyone to also check trigger warnings, because it is pretty gruesome.

Siya S

3.5 stars! I love Karin Slaughter to bits, and this one is a solid crime/thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The opening chapter was perhaps the best prologue in the history of prologues — it punched you in the face with that WTF moment when you finally got your perspective adjusted to what was really happening in the scene. I also love how recent this book was — the covid-19 situation, and the social issues that this book portrayed have heightened its thrilling quality of the plot. How the system failed to bring justice in time (delayed processes, prolonged bureaucratic procedures due to the pandemic) could also be an injustice by itself. 

However, a few times I found it a bit lagging — the description of scenes just got drawn out too much, and there's no ultimate surprise waiting at the end. The bad guy was truly evilish and bad and things got quite underwhelming by the end of the book. 

So, in comparison, I still like Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter a lot more than this one.

Sarah

Really liked this book. Look up trigger warnings before you read

Ariel Himboi

I am unbelievably p*ssed off at this god awful attempt at a novel about feminism and covid and sexual assault and drug addiction all wrapped around in a messy, jagged, razed sharp piece of poop, misogynistic and extremely rape and murder fantasy, poor rendition of a thriller crime story. 

Ive been up since last night, it’s 6am, you can find my rants at @sunriseabramtru on twitter but i am SO annoyed, and angry, and incredibly done. With this book. With this author. Everything. 

I liked her other novel, The Good Daughter. But this? Oh my god. 

The woman wrote one paragraph about sexual assault and drug addiction and then wrote eleven about covid and the damn book was entirely covid related the entire time. 

I cant. I hate this book. I hate that I spent so much time reading it with my EYES. If you’re a woman, i highly recommend YOU LOOK AWAY. 

Terrible. I need a nap before I delve into all the issues and … ugh. Just bad. 

Will be updated when i have the energy.

Devin Mainville

I am obsessed with Karin Slaughter and if you are too, you will not be disappointed by False Witness. 

False Witness has a lot of what has stood out in Slaughter’s other stand alone novels (and probably her series, but I haven’t delved too far into those yet) - estranged sisters pulled back into each other’s lives, gruesome violence, twists on twists on twists and heavy commentary on women not being believed about sexual assault. 

Also, shout out to Kathleen Early who narrated the audiobook and gave an amazing voice performance. Each character was clearly defined and articulated, it was like a little radio play!

Unti Karin Slaughter #21 A Novel

Reviews