I loved Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. OK, yes, it was ridiculously gory, extremely graphic, and quite disgusting at times, BUT wow what a page turner. Pretty Girls is very well written, and truly keeps you on your toes. I was hooked from the get-go, and completely captivated by the story.
The plot centers around three pretty — blonde haired, blue eyed — sisters from Atlanta. Julia, Lydia, and Claire. Roughly twenty years ago, Julia (19 years old at the time) disappeared without a trace. Lydia and Claire have been estranged ever since. Presently, their lives couldn’t be any more different, though the common tread is neither Lydia nor Claire have been able to recover from their heartbreaking loss of their big sister.
Lydia and Claire finally reunite after Claire’s husband, Paul, is brutally murdered in present day. Through a series of events, the two sisters start digging around in Paul’s files for reasons I won’t spoil for you. This digging brings to light more secrets than either sister ever expected to uncover. Through their journey, they muddle through a dark, terrible discovery, and ultimately figure out what happened to Julia. And their father….
Sam, the girls father, committed suicide not long after Julia’s disappearance (not a spoiler, BTW!). Woven in between chapters, are letters that Sam has written to Julia after her disappearance. These letters are Sam’s way of grieving, expressing his deep, traumatic loss over his eldest daughter. These letters clue us, as the reader, into what was going on twenty plus years ago. Which adds a new level of interest in the story that was just too juicy to put down.
Ahhh, it was so suspenseful! What I really enjoyed was how intense and gripping this novel was, and how much I felt connected to the characters. I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for your next thriller.
I’m ready for another nail bitter. Do you, fellow bookworms, have any suggestions for my next read?