Heart-wrenching, gut-punching, anxiety-inducing and mentally-draining, False Witness is one hell of an intense psychological thriller that grabs hold of you from the start and beats you into an emotional bloody pulp by the end. This may have been my first Karin Slaughter book, but it certainly won’t be my last after this powerful reading experience that delivered a page-turning story filled with thought provoking social issues.
Leigh Collier has bucked the odds, working hard to escape an impoverished childhood to earn a law degree from Northwestern followed by a successful career in Atlanta. Her younger sister Callie has not been as fortunate, stuck in a vicious cycle of addiction that has her daily life revolve around finding her next fix of heroin. Despite these different circumstances at present, the two share a dark secret from their childhood that impacts them tremendously. And when Leigh is specifically requested by an accused rapist to handle his defense, the past comes back to haunt the sisters with unfathomable consequences. Now Leigh is faced with a choice: play ball and risk her career to keep the secret from seeing the light of day…or find a way to turn the tables on this despicable man who seemingly controls her and her sister’s future, breaking the blackmail hold he has on them.
There are two things that make False Witness a remarkable thriller. First, the writing is superb. Karin Slaughter masterfully crafts an unputdownable story that propels the reader forward without mercy. The intensity starts out at a 10/10 and doesn’t let up for a second, which fills the reader with suspense, fear and a thousand other emotions as events play out. Second, the book deep dives into the incredibly grueling topics of sexual abuse and drug addiction. These issues are expertly woven into the storyline, remaining front and center throughout, in a way that really hits the reader hard with an overflow of emotions that is hard to describe. One thing’s for sure, you don’t simply read this book. You feel it and survive it, thinking about it well after you read the last word.
If you pick up this book, and I highly recommend you do, be warned that it is violent and includes graphic descriptions of rape, assault and hardcore drug use. But none of it is gratuitous. It’s all integral to the plot and the key aspect that makes the book so potent. Just be ready for an emotional roller coaster that sinks its claws into you and won’t let go.
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