Fractured (Will Trent, #2)

by Karin Slaughter

When Atlanta housewife Abigail Campano comes home unexpectedly one afternoon, she walks into a nightmare. A broken window, a bloody footprint on the stairs and, most devastating of all, the horrifying sight of her teenage daughter lying dead on the landing, a man standing over her with a bloody knife. The struggle which follows changes Abigail's life forever. When the local police make a misjudgement which not only threatens the investigation but places a young girl's life in danger, the case is handed over to Special Agent Will Trent of the Criminal Apprehension Team - teamed with detective Faith Mitchell, a woman who resents him from their first meeting. But in the relentless heat of a Georgia summer, Will and Faith realise that they must work together to find the brutal killer who has targeted one of Atlanta's wealthiest, most privileged communities - before it's too late.

• ISBN10: 1844138607
• ISBN13: 9781844138609
• Publish Date: 3 July 2008 (first published 1 January 2008)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 23 December 2010
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Cornerstone
• Imprint: Century
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Amanda]

I don’t think this plot line was quite as stunning as the first Will Trent book, but it was still good. Karin Slaughter has a talent for dropping bombshells only to move onto to something else, forcing you to read on until you’re able to further understand the full meaning of the bombshell. We were introduced to Faith Mitchell in this book, and I have to say that I like Faith Mitchell a whole lot more than I like Angie Polaski. I think Faith and Will could make a good team, and I look forward to see them work together again.

Perhaps this book was meant to build and develop the characters rather than focusing on the mystery and plot itself the way that the first Will Trent book did. I still found myself really intrigued by Will Trent, and I feel like there is so much more to learn about him.

See my review in its entirety here.

[ibeforem]

I really loved Triptych when I read it, but it took me some time to warm up to Fractured. Will Trent is a very unconventional main character — after all, he’s a GBI investigator that can’t read. He’s awkward, socially inept, and at times, easily flustered. I tend to waffle back and forth in my belief of the scenario but by the time I get to the end, I have to admit that I feel for him. Slaughter takes his illiteracy and really makes it matter, as his dyslexia leads to him discovering some key facts later than he should. I’m glad she’s decided to give him a partner and really test his comfort zone. I think it makes him more of a fully flushed-out character, and that’s why I root for him in the end.

But enough about Will! The real mystery here, What Has Happened to Emma?, is a good one. Not only is this the story of a brutal kidnapping (or murder? or both?), but much like in Triptych, you’re never completely sure who are the good guys and who are the bad. Also, Slaughter does a good job of telling a story about the foster care system, and how shared upbringings can have very different results. There is not yet a third book in this series, but I hope there will be.