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.
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.
