This book gripped me from the beginning. Well written and I really invested in the characters. Really enjoyed it.

This is book 9 in the Will Trent series and also stars Sara Linton who we first met in the Grant County series. It's not wholly necessary to have read all the previous books to enjoy this one, I haven't, but I would advise that you do try a few as both these characters have backstories that, if known, will allow the reader to better understand them. There is a bit of catch-up to be found in this book, but it's only enough to get an inkling of a feel rather than a deeper understanding which I thing would help.
First a bit of a grumble. I really didn't get on with the beginning of the book. The whole things is told by three main characters - Will, Sara and Faith - and, as they are all together (mostly) at the beginning, there is a LOT of repetition when you see the scene from each pov. Luckily, this doesn't last too long as they all diverge and the narrative settles down. It was annoying at the time though. But please, if you feel the same as me, read through the pain as what eventually follows is worth it!
Rant over!
Sara and Will are enjoying a lazy day with Sara's family when they hear explosions. The race to the source, eager to offer any help they can. On the way, they come across a traffic accident and stop to help there instead. Things go south there quite quickly as Sara is taken, Will is injured, one of the baddies is captured and another interesting face pops up. It is obviously more than just an accident? But what? Meanwhile, there's a task force meeting including the GBI, but not Will himself, regarding a "highly valued" prisoner. Oh and there's also Michelle Spivey, a scientist with the CDC, who had also been abducted a while back. What follow is scary stuff indeed as Will goes undercover and the truth of what is actually happening starts to be unearthed.
Phew... what a story this turned out to be. Scary stuff indeed. More so, with the world as it is today, as it could actually happen! The author took me on a heart stopping ride of peril and danger pitting the wits of the powers that be, each withholding certain information for political reasons! And with a very worthy adversary whose agenda was, well, devastating if it came good.
The research that has obviously been done into certain elements of the story must have been painstaking as it all came across as very real. There is a lot going on, most of which I can't mention here due to spoilers but it definitely opened my eyes to some issues that certain people find themselves facing. But although some are quite shocking and, on the face of things, should be easy to avoid, the whole is delivered in a balanced way with both sides given equal measure to a certain extent.
Will and Sara give exactly what you would expect from them and, what happens to each of them along the way steers their relationship another direction at the end. I love the development the author gives them from their journeys through this book. Other characters, both new and old friends also play their parts well and the whole comes together very nicely at the end.
Pacing is good and there are lighter moments interspersed throughout which keeps the book from getting too dark, especially given the overall storyline.
Once we got over the repetitive start, the story kicked in nicely and held me captive throughout. It would be a shame if the book lost readers due to it which is why I repeat that it IS worth carrying on. I did toy with the idea of quitting at the time but, given the author's reputation and past books I have enjoyed, I did carry on and I am so glad I persevered.
Not the author's strongest book (due mostly to the opening) but a good solid read for me. Given the ending, I am very interested in seeing what's next for Will and Sara. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Karin Slaughter is one of the best thriller writers in the world. Her latest offering confirms this reputation. I have ADORED every book in the Will Trent series.
The Last Widow is a tightly woven narrative featuring an extreme right group and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations.

The minute-by-minute breakdown of the kidnapping of Sara Linton and Will’s race to find her is heart stopping.

What makes this series stand apart from others is Will Trent. His flawed, yet authentic relationships with the women in his circle – lover, boss, partner and ex - are incredibly well thought through and conceived. In The Last Widow the narrative moves on their relationships to perfection.

Like many other fans, I raced through this one into the small hours. Karin Slaughter has delivered another perfect thriller. When is the next one out?

The Last Widow is the ninth book featuring Will Trenton and Dr Sara Linton, who are both members of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), they also happen to be in a personal relationship. This book could easily be read as a stand-alone, but like any long running series their are aspects that you will miss out on. I’m a a huge Karin Slaughter fan and as I would expect she once again delivers a compelling, taut, chilling read. The plot is very current, making it a terrifying but all to credible read

I have enjoyed this authors books and particularly this series. To be honest this one didn’t grab me as much as the others it was quite long and a bit confusing

Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I am so grateful to NetGalley and the Publishers, Harper Collins UK, for providing me with a copy of The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter

Being a huge fan of Karin Slaughter's previous books, I was a tiny bit disappointed with this latest release. I really like the development of Will that we've seen in throughout his series, but the plot line of this book just felt so familiar. The cult ideology has been overused as of late and all the "tactics" that this white supremacist cult used are textbook.

The multiple POV's used for both Will and Sara pulled me out the story, as I found myself reading the same dialogue multiple times for the same scene. However Faith's POV was refreshing as it helped the develop the world around them.

However my favourite part of the book was the development of the characters, how much they have changed from when this book started all those years ago, on the flip side it would be great for Will to finally leave his dark past behind him and finally find happiness.

I have been a huge fan of Karin Slaughter for well over ten years now and she was one of the very first big name authors that got me into the latest crime genre, due to her addictive and compelling stories.
"The Last Widow" is number nine in the Georgia Bureau Investigator Will Trent series and it is possible to read this as a standalone, though to fully understand Will and his unique personality it wouldn't hurt to read some of the previous books, as much for enjoyment as anything else. I have been following the Will Trent series since the Grant County books and have to admit that I do still miss Jeffrey Tolliver, though Will Trent is a very welcome addition and hugely likeable. How Karin has introduced Will into Sara Linton's life has been seamless and he's yet another well developed character that this author is renowned for in her books.
The book opens with the same scenes replayed in full from several characters view points which did slow the progression of the story down in my opinion and I'm not sure if it actually worked. The premise of the story is a white supremacist terror plot involving biological warfare and was an action packed, adrenaline fuelled and gripping thriller. Not typical Karin Slaughter but a very well written, plotted, executed and researched story. The attention to descriptive detail was second to none and it's impossible not to play out each scene in your head with full clarity. I loved the ending involving Will and Sara too and it rounded off a truly exceptional book.
4 stars

This is my third book by Karin Slaughter now and each one is brilliant. Fast paced and riverting read from start to finish. It follows the story of several people whose lives will become entwined together with a viscous mad cult leader with mass suicide on his agenda. Can it get stopped before him and his followers wreak destruction on the world as we know it.

Anyone who is shocked by the nightmare rise of the far right Alt-right and their Nazi ideology should read this well researched addition to the Will Trenton series with Dr Sara Linton, both members of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) by Karin Slaughter. Slaughter pokes beneath the surface to examine the rise of this contemporary phenomena with the authentic creation of the kind of unhinged characters, mainly men, that are part of this unsavoury movement, their arrogance, their need to control women, and the depth of their racism and antisemitism. The survivalist and cultish nature of many such groups attracts young lost, naive young men in search of male role models in their lives, attracted by the glamour of military men, and fighting a cause akin to their very own holy war. The author hones in on critical issues such as the large number of disaffected ex-army men returning from war, the scapegoating of immigrants, the private militias, and the political climate that underpins the growth and legitimisation of the far right. Despite me wanting this story of white supremacist domestic terrorism to have no basis in reality, unfortunately Slaughter's chilling scenarios do not feel that far fetched at all, given what has been happening in our contemporary world.

Michelle Spivey is shopping with her 11 year old daughter, Ashley, when she is abducted. Spivey is a vital scientist working at the Centre for Disease Control, and the authorities are struggling to find her and no-one knows why she has been taken. Will and Medical Examiner Sara are virtually living together, although Sara's mother, Cathy, is having problems accepting Will as part of their family. Whilst they are spending time with Sarah's family, bombs go off at critically important sites in Georgia, including the hospitals, leaving many dead and injured. Will and Sara head towards the scene, only to find themselves held up at a apparent traffic accident scenario that feels off, which culminates in Sara's abduction and Will being injured. A devastated and traumatised Will is helped by his close friends and colleagues, Amanda Wagner and Faith Mitchell, collaborating with the FBI to locate Sara and Michelle. Will goes undercover, as he and the GBI race against time to try and prevent a unknown far right domestic terrorist plot indicated in the chatter picked up by the intelligence agencies.

This is a violent and brutal read, including the horrors of paedophilia, rape, child murders and biological warfare, but none of this factors felt out of place in this compulsive and riveting story. For me, there was only a minor issue in the novel that jarred, and that was the retelling of same scenes from the viewpoints of Will and Sara that served little purpose, but this did not really mar my reading experience. Slaughter could not have written a more relevant and informative novel on the unspeakable nightmare that is the rise of Alt-Right groups in the US and elsewhere. She demonstrates her understanding of the kind of people that run these groups, the militias, the involvement of ex-army men, and the huge numbers that are attracted to such groups and their despicable ideology. A brilliant, if desperately disturbing read, that I highly recommend. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

An abduction with no apparent reason is the starter for this page turner, filled with twists to keep you hooked, and I was hooked from the start and read the whole book in just over a day!
Will Trent and his girlfriend Sarah both work for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and their individual skill sets are put to the test throughout this story. Will’s work partner, Faith and his boss Amanda, both know him equally well and they know each other’s strengths and abilities well.
I love the way Karin Slaughter layers the story together, telling the same time frame more than once but each time from someone else’s viewpoint so that you get a bit more detail added to the picture and the story moves on a little more. I think it’s a great way of adding depth and detail without overwhelming the reader at the same time.
In short, I loved it from start to finish and would definitely recommend it.
My thanks to #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and #KarinSlaughter for allowing me to read and review this book.

What a book, this is possibly my favourite Sara Linton book since Jeffery died.
Sara and Will rush to help when there is an explosion, on the way they come across a road collision and stop to help. Within no time things take a turn for the worse and Sara is kidnapped.
I love the Sara Linton series and I recommend you read them all, but this book would work well as a stand alone. I highly recommend this book.

I have read a few of Karin's books before and really enjoyed them so when i saw this one i couldn't wait to start but unfortunately i struggled so much to get into it that i found myself a few times putting the book down and going to do something else before trying again. It just didn't grip me from the start and so it struggled to hold my attention.
It didn't feel like the same characters as previously, granted i have not read every book in the series but i have read a few of them and it just didn't have the same feel.
A real shame i struggled but overall written well and if you go in with fresh eyes, maybe you'll enjoy it more.

I was so looking forward to a Sara/Will book but for me this was a let down. The story just didn't interest me, it's a far cry from the gore and suspense of earlier novels.

After a few standalone stories from Slaughter it is great to get back to the world of the GBI and the ninth Will Trent book. It many ways this feels much more like early Will as he is left foundering without a safety net and suddenly finds himself without Sara.

The book begins with the abduction of a female scientist in the car park at a shopping mall. The young mother works at the Centre for Disease Control and the whole of Georgia is trying to locate her. A month later there is still no sign of her.

A leisurely Sunday afternoon with Sara’s family is ended abruptly when she and Will both hear a large explosion in the distance. The sound of all the sirens spurs them into action. Realising that is it coming from the University/Hospital area of town they both jump in their vehicles and go to see if they can help. Sara comes across what looks like the immediate aftermath of a serious collision and stops to help but finds herself being taken hostage. By the time Will arrives on the scene he finds himself seriously injured and unable to stop Sara being kidnapped by the group.

Within hours the situation has spiralled out of control. Sara is being held prisoner by a violent and abusive Alt Right group planning to overthrow the government and Will has no alternative but to try and infiltrate the group as an undercover officer.

This is a Will reverting to type and struggling without the support of Sara but also a guy who has grown up a little through his experiences and is prepared to do whatever he has to to save Sara.

As with all of Slaughter’s GBI books it is quite violent and not for the faint hearted but despite this it never feels gratuitous. It always fits with what is going on. There is always a humanity and a depth that keeps you reading.

Supplied by Net Galley and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

This was a gripping, fast paced story that grabbed hold hard and didn’t let go until I had finished the epilogue.
The characters were all really well written, especially Sara and Will, I was at various times worried, frustrated, saddened and intrigued, my emotions were really put through the wringer while I was trying to put the pieces together alongside the characters. This was an uncomfortable read at times, but I couldn’t put it down.
I especially loved the epilogue, I adored both Will and Sara and was so glad that they both made it through to be together.

The Last Widow
Author: Karin Slaughter
Publishers: HarperCollins

The Sara Linton/Will Trent books have been one of my favourite series of the past few years. This one did not disappoint. Covering relevant and contemporary themes including domestic terrorism, racism and paedophilia this is a tense thrilling read and came to a very satisfactory conclusion. I would highly recommend it.

Many thanks to the author, publishers and netgalley for providing me with this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Karin Slaughter has done it again. This was another great read which I raced through with relish. A deeply disturbing book which keeps you desperate to know the end result . What more can you want from a good read?

This opens with the sort of dramatic scene you expect from Slaughter, but the reader soon realises that what appears to be a straightforward kidnapping is going to be something even more sinister.
As the central characters become increasingly involved, the reader closely empathises with their suffering and danger as well as those of the wider public whose safety and future is threatened.
Although it felt quite incredible that two people could virtually alone divert such a massive tragedy Slaughter makes them credible enough for the reader to accept and this makes gripping reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, for the review copy. This is an unbiased review of the author's work and style. If you want plot lines and spoilers please see the publishers blurb and other reviewers' reports.

My, my I had looked forward to reading this. I had heard, from a number of people, how good the author was - maybe I shouldn't have started with this one.
If the chapters hadn't been dated I would have assumed, from the opening chapter, that this story was set in the late seventies early eighties. The relationship between the characters their mores are ridiculously of that period if not earlier. So, for me the volume started badly and unfortunately it didn't get better.
Overall I thought a second rate novel from the mid 20th century with extra violence and expletives. If you want something like, this but written with style I suggest Raymond Chandler - less violence, few expletives and more humour and a better plot.

I absolutely love Karin Slaughter and I adore Will Trent. The series so far has been one of the best I've ever read, so to get a chance to read this before publication, well, I was over the moon. I'm not sure why but for me this story just didn't gel with the others from the series. It didn't feel like the Will Trent I got to know in the previous books. Same with Sarah it just didn't feel right to me. That said it's still a great story a bit too science'y for me but I still couldn't put it down. One thing about Karin Slaughter is she knows how to tell an amazing story that grips you and you just have to find out what's going to happen next. I'm a bit gutted that unlike the other reviews I've left for her this ones not 5 stars from me