A difficult subject but done so well.
Our favourite characters are back with Faith, Will and Sara trying to find those responsible for the rape of a woman. Faith and Will are in trouble at work but commit to helping Sara with the case. As they start to investigate from Faith's kitchen, it becomes obvious that there are more victims, but also, more who are guilty. And Sara's past is at the start of it.
I love all of these characters, all strong in their own way. Slaughter is great.

Long awaited next instalment in the Will Trent/Sara Linton series!

The storyline merges Sara’s history with her current case and what a rollercoaster this is! Difficult to read in places due to the subject matter but gosh…the ending!

I can’t wait for the next instalment to see how the characters move on and pick up the pieces from this!

This I think is part of a series but works as a standalone book. A senstitive subject, well written and draws you in to the lives of the elite. From start to finish the author takes you a long a journey, the question is how will it all end. Sara was attacked 15 years ago, whilst working a similar case appears, can she finally found out the truth.

Another great book by this author and well worth the read. This book kept me enthralled throughout and I love the characters. Will Trent and Sara Linton always bring so much emotion and impact to the stories and this was no different.

It is a full on read but in a good way, it is full of everything you want and need from a book of this genre and more. It kept me up at night reading as I just couldn't put it down. This has impact, this has crime and it has memories and the past coming back to haunt Sara.

What more can I say but Wow! and thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book.

I came very late to Karin Slaughter's writing, happening upon the Grant County series by accident and loving it. I loved the characters of Jeffrey Tolliver and Sarah Linton and I confess, I have still not and will not read that book. I didn't think that anyone could match Jeffrey as a character, (even when he proved to be a bit of a tit at times) but it's fair to say Will Trent really does have a very special appeal, and the relationship, in all senses, between him and Sara has to be one of the best in literature.

Endearing beyond measure and although they seem to be opposites they do make for a brilliant match. And Will is very protective of those he loves, especially Sara, so when a case seems set to hurt her, you know he is going to be pulling out all the stops to set things right. And there is nothing more personal than the case that he and his partner, Faith Mitchell, are about to embark on. An unofficial case, but one that is set to send shockwaves through the local medical community in Atlanta. It's a case which is truly abhorrent, one which began over a decade earlier and one which changed Sara Linton's life irrevocably.

Now anyone who has read books from either of the series will be aware of Sara's past, of the brutal assault which ended her career as a paediatric surgeon before it even began, and it is that assault which forms the backdrop to this particular story. Not and easy read by any stretch of the imagination, and if you are easily upset by stories of sexual assault then I really do advise caution as this is a very dark tale indeed. Karin Slaughter has created a story which feels as though it could have been ripped from the headlines, steeped in misogyny, power plays and truly evil characters who. if you are like me, you will loathe from the very first moment you meet them.

Now one of the issues in this particular case is that neither Will nor Faith has any jurisdiction over the investigation and they are working purely on instinct and a few vicious words uttered to Sara after she stands as witness in a civil trial. They spark all manner of memories, taking us as readers back to the dark night that, at least for Sara, started it all. We experience Sara's visceral reaction to meeting the ghosts of her past, and also are shown the steel of her character as she seeks help from her friends to find justice once and for all. Not necessarily for her - her attacker was found and jailed at the time - but certainly for what she believes to be the others who may have suffered a similar fate.

In fact this whole story revolves around potential rape cases which have either never been reported or which were inadequately investigated. It makes for some very dark scenes, not necessarily gratuitous in nature, but enough to make the skin crawl or the blood boil. I could feel the anger rising the more I read, and the will for the team to come good was perhaps stronger than it has been through any of the prior books. This felt personal, not just for the characters, but for me as a reader too. I'm invested in these people. I don't like to see evil go unpunished, and there really is no better word for them than that. The author has made the distinction quite clear, the dividing line between right and wrong rarely blurred, and yet not without the odd moment of deception, so that when the final reveal comes, it makes what we learn even more impactful, more shocking.

This is perhaps one of the best books in the series, and there have been some crackers before it. Maybe because it is so personal, because it means so much to everyone involved in the case, it stands out from the crowd. The pacing is just right, the tension and apprehension pitched perfectly. The moments of discomfort felt by Will and Sara as they pursue the truth really hit home and it's hard not to draw parallels between the sense of entitlement and abuse caused by those in a position of trust in the book with those recently witnessed in real life. It's not a read for the easily offended. But it also has a sense of hope underpinning it, and those darker moments are offset by a wonderful cast of characters who will do anything for each other.

Most definitely recommended, especially for fans of the series. This one feels like a real turning point. I'm intrigued to see what comes next.

The plot is as deep and dark as it gets, multi-layered with 'who knew what when?' as the strands come together and the finer details get filled in. This is an absolutely compelling, gripping book full of mystery and suspense. Only a few authors can write deeply involving psychological drama of the very highest quality. The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. This was an excellent read.
Thoroughly recommended

A good read. I think I’ll go back and read the other books now though so it all fits in.

Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Wow! Absolutely amazing book. Karin Slaughter never disappoints. Loved the dive back into history intertwined with Will and Sarah's romance. As usual I'm left eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
One of the things I love about Slaughters books is that even the minute details are interesting. Some crime books go into so much detail that I skim it or get bored, but not with Karin Slaughter, I read every word, fascinated and intrigued. Now I need to go catch up on sleep because once again, I couldn't put her book down!

I always enjoy a Will Trent novel. I’ve missed a couple on the way, and I love how Karin doesn’t reintegrate all the past storylines but there’s enough to get the gist if you’ve skipped the previous book - like I had with this one.

Really enjoyed this one. Nuanced story telling with lots of strings to being together. Well written and showed more of some of the smaller characters central role to the ongoing story.

Quite a dark and complex case, well written and would recommend.

I’m a big fan of the Will Trent series of Karin Slaughter’s books, so was pretty excited to get started on this one.
I love seeing Will and Sara’s relationship progress, and how well they fit together.

The case they investigate this time is closer to home and goes back to Sara’s past.

This book does have some parts that could be triggering for some to read, the subject matter is quite tough to read in places, but it was a really good addition to the Will Trent series.

Quite heavy going with vivid descriptions of rape and abuse of women, not really for me
Sara Linton is an ER doctor, she never has recovered from her brutal rape years before despite the perpetrator being imprisoned. She makes a promise to a patient, Dani, who comes in one night, having been brutally raped and mortally injured, that she will do all she can to help find who did this.
Now a medical examiner and engaged to Will Trent who is with the GBI they realise that Dani’s rape could be connected to hers and be part of some dreadful group involved in the serial abuse of women.

With Karin Slaughter you always know what you are getting. A fantastic storyline, twisty plots and some great characters - and this book was no different

Really enjoyable read which you will race through.

Over 20 years in to a pretty stunning career and I can genuinely say that Karin Slaughter is still grabbing my attention on page one and keeping me gripped until I finish each book. Actually, I can do better than that, as After That Night raises the bar even by her standards; I can think of very few writers with an output spanning two decades who can offer such a complex plot which also effortlessly weaves into a lead character's back story from the first book published. Slaughter does this as if this was always her intention and yet, in After That Night, we're given an original and dramatic story that engages and makes us want to read on. She is one of the few modern American crime writers in recent years who, for me, has succeeded in keeping her stories fresh, her characters immensely empathetic, the situations at times grim and distressing but not, I feel, over gratuitous. Definitely not a lighthearted read but from a few pages in one that had me completely enthralled.

Having previously read quite a few of Karin Slaughter’s books I was excited to carry on with the storyline of Sara and Will. And “After That Night” did not disappoint.

I was thoroughly captivated by the storyline and how it brought together Sara’s past and the present. The author has a sensitive way of dealing with the horrible crimes which made this hard hitting read so realistic, without ever glorifying the issues and giving you enough depth about the incidents without being too graphic. Many relevant topics such as rape, sexism, police attitudes and entitlement to name a few were handled superbly.

Whether you read this as a stand alone book or read the series, each one has an amazing storyline which gently drip feeds you information to keep you hooked to the end of the book. I would highly recommend this book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

As usual the author deals with some horrible crimes but in a sensitive way from the victim's point of view. This time it's rape, drugs, abuse both of a young woman 'today' and of her emergency Doctor some 15 years ago, not to mention the power of money. Gripping story, well-developed characters, some humour to lighten the darkness. I'm pretty sure that the reader would benefit from reading the earlier stories in the series first, this is sort of standalone but is weaker if read as such. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Another great book in the series with Sara and Will working together tor evolve the issues. In fact it is number 11 and just as good as number 1 was. It is a captivating story with a lot of intense parts and a plot that is revealed at the correct pace to keep the reader totally enthralled.
Highly recommend this book and it is a book that can be read without reading the other 10 books as it becomes clear all the way through of the background of the previous books..

I haven't read any previous books in this series but it is a good standalone book .This is a harrowing story about rape ,murder and the power and corruption of money .The story is gripping and compelling fast moving a very good read with a massive twist I didn't see coming at the end.Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

I would never intentionally read book 11 in a series where I hadn’t read ever preceding book. I started this book by accident, but I am so so glad that that accident happened.

The characters are incredibly written. I really felt invested in them, feeling joy, compassion, angst, confliction, and a range of other emotions as the story progressed. I can’t even imagine what I would have felt had I read the entire series.

The plot, which delves into the darkest deepest corners of human depravity, is exceptionally compelling and well structured. You feel for the victims, and you despise the crimes and criminals (well hopefully you do).

I must say, I battled with the end a bit, but that just speaks to how gripped and invested I was in the book and the characters. Honestly, this book is good.

I can’t wait for my next fix of Will Trent and Sara Linton.

Absolutely tore through this book.
Such a relevant topic, filled with twists and turns that kept me hooked and with the addtional personal dimension linked ot Will and Sara, this was a really addictive read.
However, it was also , on many levels a hard read. With skillful plotting and beautifully timed revelations, this is a hard hitting book about mysogyny, sexism, police attitudes, bias , entitlement and more. Really, it is a book of ourt times and in order to do justice to the themes, it had to be hard hitting.
That said, this book is never gratuitous. It deals with the issues in a realistic, all too believable way without ever glorifying or being unnecessaraly graphic.
I found this an emotional read. I also found it an empowering read because it made me angry. Angry that in 2023 this sort ofcrap is still going on.
So, 5 bloody big stars from me.