Karin Slaughter delivers again with personal, touching thriller, The Good Daughter

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  When on the hunt for a thrilling book I know I will enjoy, the first stop is often Karin Slaughter. She is one of my go-to authors. And deservedly so. Karin Slaughter, Lisa Unger and Lisa Gardner (mentioned in no particular order!) all have the ability to draw up multifaceted, likeable characters with buckets of gumption and ample vulnerability too. Even after the most harrowing danger unfolds on the page, these talented authors seamlessly flip the story on its ear to give the reader some much needed levity in a way of offsetting the gore. Call me crazy but I relish crying one minute and laughing the next, even before the tears have dried!

Specifically regarding The Good Daughter, there is much joy here. The setting in Georgia is not my home town but reading this makes me feel as if it was. The small town environment makes me reflect fondly on growing up in Indiana and the wholesome nature of country people. Not rednecks, as such, but salt of the earth types who strive to live a good, quiet life. This is so perfectly illustrated in The Good Daughter.

The relationship between our main characters, though strained, does reflect real life in a way that anyone with siblings will quickly recognize. At each other's necks arguing then flip the coin and they are taking on the world side-by-side as if best friends. Yup, that's family. Complex and so well recreated here. Plus, the sarcasm is in top form here, not to be missed. The smartness of the banter is, quite possibly, some of the best I've read. I feel I've learned a fair bit at the knee of Gamma and Sam.

I don't want to get into the story but will limit myself to applauding the flashback sequences. We do go back to the same fateful evening a few times but it gets fleshed out with greater detail at each pass. It's a horrible event that is described in sickening detail so if you are squeamish, take it slow. There's too much information in these remembrances to pass by entirely. Also, the build up of the story and the big reveal is done flawlessly. There are more loose threads than you might think hanging out there and they get tied up in a satisfactory way. A really great, touching story I am so pleased to have read. The Good Daughter would make a great beach read for your next holiday!