Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.
This is a gritty read. If you’re not familiar with Slaughter then you should be warned that her topics are triggering.

Featuring attacks on women, this isn’t for the faint hearted. If you like powerful and intricate plots then this is for you.

The characters are intricately linked in many different ways. This applies to both the detectives and the criminals. You’ll have to pay attention to keep up with what is going on.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way. I guessed one, finally! But it didn’t detract from the plot at all.

A very good, gripping novel.

I know that After that Night has been written as fiction but it is based on a lot of truths. As a man, I really have a hard time understanding why far too many men have a real problem seeing women as anything other than chattels that they can treat in any way that they want: however sadistic and perverted and murderous that treatment turns out to be.

Would like to say more but then spoilers would be needed and so I will just say that this is a book that is very well worth your time. Do please read it whilst bearing in mind the truth that some men are really as bad as the book and its statistics paint them.

💭 ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
I absolutely adored this one. It has such a quick pace that there is no time to catch your breath. I really enjoyed the medical setting as it gave that bit extra to the story. The character built was amazing and I felt really connected to these characters. It's terrifying, it makes your heart beat faster, but above all it will be very hard to put this book down. I wasn't even bothered by the long chapters like I normally am, because it was that gripping. Definitely a must read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Detectives 🕵🏼‍♀️
Multiple timelines
Thrilling
Continuous suspense
Character built

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 …

𝘍𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘈 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘙, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘎𝘉𝘐 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘪 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢'𝘴.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 …

Five stars for the complex plot that holds the poor old reader hostage! The main character, Sara, was subjected to a terrible ordeal by a man she knew but she never knew why. Fifteen years have passed and she is with the DA's office, still slow!y recovering, supported by her adoring fiancee Will, a cop who know and understands her every mood. When attacks on women start to make a pattern that Sara recognises, she and Will, together with his partner cop Faith, open their own investigation under the radar; there isn't enough evidence to open a case connecting the current cases to Sara's attack. What they uncover is that no case is random. The connections run to some of the now most prestigious names in the surgical and medical world, some of the most highly regarded and affluent in the group of students from fifteen years ago that Sara knew when she was attacked. Get ready to lose your faith in humanity.

Fifteen years ago Sara Linton was raped. It changed her life forever. Three years ago Sara was working in ED when a young woman with severe inuries came in. As Sara battles to save her life the woman whispers to her that she was raped, and asks Sara to stop the man from hurting other women. Sara is determined to keep this promise, even if it means opening up old wounds for herself and her loved ones.

Karin Slaughter does it again, what a read! I've been a fan of this series from the start, and although we're at book number 11 now it isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Keep them coming I say!

This book starts with the civil case of Dani Cooper, and yet another reminder that more often than not people with money are able to buy their way out of facing consequences for their actions. From the off set as a reader I was incredibly frustrated with this, and had an instant and deep seated dislike of the accused and his family. I know that this uber rich protection is something that exists in the real world and it makes my blood boil. So from the very beginning of the book I was really rooting for Sara and Will to nail these guys.

The story unfolds a little differently this time than we usually see, with most of the investigation being done off the books. I liked that this meant things not following the usual pattern, at least in the early stages, and that the team had to try and find a way to get around the money that was protecting the group of people suspected. The crimes at the centre of the story are incredibly disturbing, and as more details unfold things become more and more sickening. Karin Slaughter does a fantastic job of conveying the severity of the crimes and the destruction caused by them without being overly graphic, which is masterful.

In terms of characters it's safe to say that Sara, Will and Faith are all pretty well developed already, but as always there is still forward movement with them all which is good to see. I think there could be some interesting developments in the works for Faith in coming books based of some of the events in this one, which is a brilliant way to keep the series alive.

All up I have no criticism of this. The book had me gripped from start to finish. I highly recommend for anyone who loves a crime novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warnings: Rape, sexual violence, domestic abuse

We're back in Georgia. Three years before Sara treated a woman in the emergency room who had been brutally raped. Unfortunately she died. Three years later her family have taken out a civil case against the rapist. Sara is a key witness. After her testimony, she bumps into the mother of the accused in the restrooms and something the woman says stirs up old memories for Sara and infers that things aren't what they seem.
This leads Sara, Will and Faith to run an off the books case into this. What they discover could be wide ranging, but means dealing with mega rich people who can buy their way out of anything.
Another corker from Karin! Very unputdownable.

As I have come to expect with Slaughter’s books - After That Night is a dark, intense read that kept me hooked from beginning to end. This instalment takes the reader back to a hugely traumatic event in the life of Dr Sara Linton, and having followed her since the beginning of the Grant County series, it was fascinating insight into how she became the person she is in the books. It’s incredible that after so many books, it still feels fresh and revelatory to visit these characters. I loved the development in the relationship between Sara and Will, and catching up with Faith too. The story is harrowing and intense with a chilling undercurrent of depressing relevance. If you’re a fan of Karin Slaughter, After That Night will deliver entirely, and, like me, you’ll be desperate for the next in this sensationally good crime series.

"Sometimes, the world could make you feel so numb that the only emotion that could cut through was pain."

I've been reading this for a long time but that's only because the book contains such dark themes that it chilled me to the bone and I needed to step away from it at times. That being said, I can't deny reality of what this book depicts.

TW: rape (explicit and on page), physical and mental abuse

Dr Sara Linton is having a regular day when Dani Cooper comes in as a patient who just hit her car to the ambulance outside. As Sara is trying to save her, Dani tells her that she's been raped and she escaped. Sara promises to not let the culprit walk free. Cut to 3 years later, when Sara is sitting in the courtroom and her testimony is the main word for the case. But the story gets more harrowing and personal when Sara discovers that this case is linked to her own rape, 15 years ago, and now she is determined to get some answers and deliver on her promise, as there might be more than just these 2 victims.

This was my first Will Trent book so I was discovering all these characters in just this book. But the character development was pretty good and each key person - Sara, Will, Faith, Amanda - were distinct and layered. The way these people tried to solve the case and discover clues by putting their lives on the line was interesting and the book was filled with a lot of medical and police jargons, which the author explains to the T in the book.

Since the case is around rape, needless to say, it was a difficult read. I had goosebumps in a lot of scenes and I couldn't believe the things I was reading. Are people in this world this cruel? this despicable? It was absolutely unsettling and jarring. And to see how people get away with such things just because of privilege and money. I could feel the rage of these characters in such times and also their anguish. What has the world come to, though? If something like this actually happens in today's world.

My problem with the book was the editing. I felt there was too much description of the things that didn't need to be there and this could have been cut short by about 50-60 pages. Also, I wish that the author had put more focus on the mystery rather than the characters and their dynamics but that's a me problem.

This book deals with the subject of rape in an unflinching manner. The author has clearly done her research and writes well, but this is certainly a hard-hitting read in parts. It’s well-paced and kept my interest throughout.

Another strong instalment to the Will Trent and Sara Linton series. If you’re looking for a dark crime novel, this one is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley the publishers, HarperCollins, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 11 in the Will Trent/Sara Linton series but it could easily be read as a standalone plus there are no spoilers if you then want to read the earlier books.
I loved the Jeffrey Tolliver/Sara Linton books but there really wasn't s stand out story in this series. Until now. From page one to the very end I couldn't put this down. I was really intrigued as to why a solved rape case from 15 years ago would be linked to the death of a university student. I was as breathless as the detectives and mentally celebrated each new piece of evidence along with them. However, I could not have even envisaged the final dénouement. I was shocked the core. I am honestly envious of anyone who still has this gripping thriller on their "to be read" list. Read it soon, you won't regret it
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

A life changing trauma fifteen years ago is brought back into Sara's life when a recent case may share a link to it. Sara is forced to look back at her past. With the help of Will and his partner Faith they need to work out just how far the blame goes.

Wow I love this series so much and was really looking forward to reading this. Karin Slaughter is definitely one of my favoruite authors. It was really good. Its very dark and does deal with some very triggering themes but I think it handles it well and shows some interesting persepectives. Esepecially between Sara and Sloane. The plot is a slower burn but it does fit with the story and wow what an ending. I had an idea but how it all came together was brilliant. I do love Will and Sara, their relationship is sweet and real. Plus learning more about his connection to Amanda was really interesting too. A brilliant continuation of the series.

After That Night Karin Slaughter
5 stars

The final truth about Sara’s history

I have always enjoyed Karin Slaughter’s books but last read one in the Sara Linton/ Will Trent series that was written in 2003! However one good thing about this author’s books is that you can read them as a stand-alone and still follow the plot easily.

I did remember that Sara has experienced a traumatic rape 15 years ago but at the start of this book she seems to have put the past almost behind her and is finally preparing for her wedding to her long- time partner Will Trent.

Her calm is shattered however when a young woman, Dani Cooper is brought into ER after suffering a horrific attack very similar to Sara’s. As Dani dies she tells Sara, the Medical Examiner, about her attack which brings the past back to Sara. She is determined to try and find the perpetrator of this attack but in doing so seems to find a link between her own attack and similar ones that also happened in the past.

As she investigates further she finds out the horrible truth about how her own attack and many others have all been orchestrated for many years and are still on-going.

Although this story deals with terrible subjects the writing is sympathetic in the way it deals with such a sensitive subject and you really feel empathy for women who have been subjected to such horrors. Another good book from Ms Slaughter.



Karen Deborah
Net Galley

Unputdownable.

Dr Sara Linton is working A&E when a victim is brought in, having suffered a harrowing ordeal. After she tells Kate she has been raped, Kate promises to bring the perpetrator to justice. However, uncomfortable parallels with her own experiences cannot be ignored, and her fiance, Will Trent, decides to put his police training to use.

But much time has passed and things are not going well.

Harrowing and captivating in equal measure, I couldn't put this one down. Will is autistic and driven, but this is never overplayed, and the characters are well drawn enough to seem absolutely real.

As with much of Karin's work, highly recommended.

After That Night is another gripping read from Karin Slaughter! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves crime reads. I would also recommend reading the Grant County series, and then the Will Trent series, but I think this book could also be enjoyed without reading any of the others.

This story has a fantastic plot, showing us more of Sara’s past and what really happened to her. As always, Karin’s writing is fantastically methodical with a steady build up and strong characters.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC.

One of the the things that I can say about this book is I'm, broken.
The storyline, everything about the book left me emotionally drained but in a good way.
The story starts three years prior a court case.
Dr Sara Linton had a difficult case come into the ER regarding a teenage girl Dani that had said she had been raped but unfortunately Sara couldn't save her life.

Three years later she is testifying for justice against the person who raped and assaulted Dani and she doesn't want to let the parents down.
But something from her past has come to haunt her.
Can she trust everyone around her including Will?

Another cracking thriller by this amazing writer this is Book 11 in the Will Trent Series featuring GBI Special Agent Will Trent and Medical Examiner Sara Linton. Whilst it’s always good to have read previous books in a series this can easily be read as a stand alone. Let me say now that this is not an easy read with the main theme involving multiple rapes, this is hard hitting and at time graphic in its detail of the assaults. However, it isn’t gratuitous, it’s very well written with an excellent and disturbing plot.

Briefly, one evening, whilst on call in ER, Sara is called to try and save the life of Dani Cooper. She has been assaulted and raped and her story, brief as it is, relates so closely to the assault on Sara some 15 years earlier. Making a promise to Dani that she would find the attacker Sara and Will start taking some unconventional steps which very quickly result in confrontation with some of Sara’s former friends and colleagues at her medical school. Mixing more modern police procedural methods, alongside good plain old fashioned foot work to get to the truth, it becomes apparent there is a Rape Club which they need to investigate and stop.

This is a great police procedurals, at times dark, with twists and turns and a shocking climax. I was completely engrossed in the book and stayed up way too late to finish it. Not a light read, it was emotional and harrowing with uncomfortable reveals of ingrained misogyny, police corruption and arrogance based on wealth and privilege. Just a brilliant book.

After That Night is my first introduction to author Karin Slaughter and the Will Trent series. And my only thought after finishing is why have I never read any Karin Slaughter books before.

As this was a tightly plotted story. That grabbed me from the very first page and never let go.

As three years ago Dr Sara Linton whilst covering a shift in the ER attends to a patient. Who has driven a car into an ambulance outside the hospital. That patient is nineteen year old student Dani Cooper. Who in a moment of lucidity is able to tell Sara she's been raped. Before she passes out and later dies from her injuries.

And some three years later Sara now working as a medical examiner for the GBI is a witness in a private case against Dani's alleged abuser. Who has never been formally charged with the assault. Only after taking the stand Sara is confronted by the young mans mother, Britt. Whom she once knew. And who tells her that Dani's assault is connected to Sara and the assault she suffered at the hands of a hospital janitor fifteen years ago.

But how? And why is Britt telling her this now?

That's what Sara's fiancée GBI Agent Will Trent and his partner Faith Mitchell are determined to find out. Even though it's not an official case.

But working with Sara on the down low the three begin to investigate and in doing so they open a can of worms and secrets long buried are brought to the surface.

And with such a sense of realism, fantastic characters, lots of detail and an explosive ending. This was a cracking read. Albeit a tough one at times given the subject matter. Which rightfully Ms Slaughter does not shy away from.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of After That Night, a fantastic story that grabs you from the offset and keeps up your interest till the very end. Part of this is the plot but overwhelmingly it's the characters who are so well drawn and relateable, I absolutely love Sara and Will and Slaughter is as good at relationships as she is at plot.
My only problem with her books is that as a non Americn I feel I miss out out on a lot because of the differences in our use of the English language but that will never be a big enough barrier to stop me reading anything karin Slaughter puts her name to.

Wow, loved this, what a story, it’s just brilliant. It had me hooked from the start and I couldn’t put it down.
I’ve not read any previous books from this series (Trent #11) before but it reads well as a standalone with plenty of backstory to follow.
The writing is brilliant, I loved all the characters and the relationship between Sara and Will. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading. I loved the gripping strong emotional storyline, difficult to read at times but was executed brilliantly, on the edge of your seat reading.
A brilliant suspenseful crime thriller. Definitely recommend reading this one.
Thanks to #NetGallery @HarperCollinsUK @HarperFiction for an eARC of #AfterThatNight in exchange for an honest review.
Book publishes 22 June 2023.

Karin Slaughter has been a firm favourite of mine for years. I have read every novel she has written and the Grant County/Will Trent novels are my absolute favourites. If you are a regular reader of Slaughter’s work you will know that she never pulls her punches. She is a feminist who tells it how it is when it comes to violent crimes against women, and tempers it by showing at the same time what a loving, power sharing relationship really looks like.

After That Night is a return to the most traumatic event in Sara Linton’s history – one that changed the course of her life. Fifteen years ago, on the verge of a real triumph in her career, Sarah was violently attacked and raped. The perpetrator was found and prosecuted and it is something that she has managed to put behind her, but it has had profound implications for the rest of her life.

Now another young woman, Danni Cooper who is just 17, has come into the ER, also brutally attacked. Sara is the only one who hears her say that she has been raped before she dies on the table. That makes Sara a key witness in the subsequent trial which is a civil trial rather than a criminal one.

The defendant is Thomas Michael McAllister IV, the privileged son of surgeon Mac McAllister and his wife, Britt. Sara knows Mac – he was the other contender for a prestigious prize that Sara was set to benefit from before she was raped. Sara is determined to do right by Danni but she knows that the McAllisters will stop at nothing to protect their son and trashing Sara at the trial is a likely outcome.

But a chance encounter in the ladies at the courtroom leaves Sara reeling. She’s been told that Danni Cooper’s attack has a connection to what happened to her all those years ago…but how could that be the case, especially since her attacker has been locked up ever since?

Sara is about to be married to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Will Trent, a man who would do anything to protect her, and together with his GBI partner, Faith Mitchell, they begin an off the books in depth look into Danni’s case, into the McAllisters and their circle of friends, and to look for other cases that may bear similarities. This was an Atlanta PD case, so they have to tread carefully for two reasons – one not to rile up Atlanta Police but also to make sure their fearsome boss, Amanda Wagner does not catch on to what they are up to.

To conduct their investigations they need to find an undercover way into the privileged white enclaves of the wealthy and entitled and this can only be achieved with the help of a woman Will never wants to see again, far less ask for a favour from. But we already know that Will is prepared to do anything for Sara, even asking for a favour from an aunt who cruelly and without compassion, abandoned him to a life in children’s homes.

Karin Slaughter is especially good at portraying this over privileged, entitled bunch of wealthy mean whose behaviour is beyond the pale. These men are the epitome of arrogance, using their power and wealth to bribe and corrupt; to cover up and most dreadfully to perpetuate their cycle of violence and power control through their sons.

Sara, Will and Faith embark on a dangerous and difficult journey even as they uncover more cases– and even Faith’s son Jeremy gets involved, much to his mother’s consternation.

Make no mistake about it; this is a difficult and often emotional read. As I said earlier, Karin Slaughter does not see her job as covering up the graphic, violent nature of such crimes, rather she wants us to face and understand the sheer horror of what rape survivors have to endure. Her counter balance is the mutual love and support that we see between Sara and Will and also between Faith and Jeremy.

She makes us believe in these characters and because we care about them, our stomachs heave and our teeth clench at the suffering of these women and the conniving of a group who believe women are no more than playthings on whom they can exercise their power and control.

After That Night is full of twists and emotional turns. It is sometimes a hard read and always a powerful one. It is shocking and worse, it is believable, and it has a climax that shocks and stuns.

Karin Slaughter’s writing has depth of characterisation, seriously clever and very tight plotting and I’m somewhat in awe of the way that she continues to develop her characters through a long and exceptionally gripping series of books.

This is a must read for me and for anyone who enjoys hard hitting crime and suspense.