The Last Widow (Will Trent #9) – Karin Slaughter

Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 448
Release Date: August 20, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter brings back Will Trent and Sara Linton in this superb and timely thriller full of devious twists, disturbing secrets, and shocking surprises you won’t see coming

A mysterious kidnapping

On a hot summer night, a scientist from the Centers for Disease Control is grabbed by unknown assailants in a shopping center parking lot. Vanished into thin air, the authorities are desperate to save the doctor. 

A devastating explosion

One month later, the serenity of a sunny Sunday afternoon is shattered by the boom of a ground-shaking blast—followed by another seconds later. One of Atlanta’s busiest and most important neighborhood’s has been bombed—the location of Emory University, two major hospitals, the FBI headquarters, and the CDC.

A diabolical enemy

Medical examiner Sara Linton and her partner Will Trent, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, rush to the scene—and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to destroy thousands of innocent lives. When the assailants abduct Sara, Will goes undercover to save her and prevent a massacre—putting his own life on the line for the woman and the country he loves. 

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The Last Widow is the 9^th installment in the Will Trent Series, so if you haven’t read the previous novels proceed at your own risk!

Even if you’re only acquainted with Slaughter’s work, you know that she is the benchmark to beat within the genre. Her character development, plotting, and dialogue propel her to the top leaving almost all other authors in the dust.

The Last Widow is a high stakes and action packed story that is, unfortunately, all too relevant. The Last Widow presents readers with a kidnapping, an explosion, and a relevant enemy that hits too close to home. The pacing of the novel is relentless from beginning to end. While Will and Sara have a certain amount of plot armor, I still felt like their emotional wellbeing and relationship were in jeopardy.  You could make the argument: how many times can bad things happen to these characters before readers lose interest? Well, the answer is nine times and counting because I will always come back for more Will Trent.

I live for the few emotional and relationship building moments Will and Sara have in these novels. The Last Widow gives readers two very small moments that I loved! These smaller moments is where Slaughter strives when developing the romantic side of her characters. Though she isn’t always the best at this type of writing, she certainly knows how to pull off beautiful moments.

Overall, The Last Widow is a high stakes action packed story that is all too relevant.

On to the next and most recently published installment, The Silent Wife.

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Have you read The Last Widow? What did you think?