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Lena Adams, a very flawed cop, is called out in the middle of the night to a small lake where a body has been discovered. It is that of a young woman with what appears to be a suicide note tucked into her shoe at the edge of the lake. But Lena has her doubts even though her chief, Frank Wallace, does not. Sara Linton, Atlanta doctor and part-time medical examiner, is home in this little Georgia town for Thanksgiving, and she has doubts as well. When a young mentally challenged boy is arrested for the murder, her doubts increase and she calls upon the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in the person of Will Trent. Thus all the characters are assembled to tell an engrossing and enigmatic tale. There is back history between these characters who have been featured in earlier novels. But enough information is given to make it clear to the first time reader what that history is without boring those who have read the earlier books. Sara's husband was once chief of police here. Sara blames Lena for his death. Lena considers herself somewhat responsible, and wants out of town, but is loyal to the Chief. Will Trent has worked with Sara before in Atlanta but knows nothing of the situation between Lena, Sara, and Chief Wallace. The most intriguing and captivating fundamental quality of this book is the characterization. These are real people and as we meet them and see them in action, we know they could exist. All of them are flawed but all are decent, intelligent, and virtuous people caught in situations where their flaws create serious problems. Sara allows her hatred of Lena to color her view of the evidence before her. Will is dyslexic and ashamed of it. He tries to hide it and sometimes he misses important information in his investigation. Lena blurs the line between right and wrong and tends to absolve herself and blame others. The police chief is corrupt and an alcoholic. The setting is believable too. This is a small Georgia town where everyone knows everyone else's business. They jump to conclusions and some people are certain that Billie, the mentally challenged boy, could never do anything bad while others are relieved to have him blamed. They take sides with Sara against Lena. It is a strange November in Georgia, cold and rainy most of the time, and the constant rain colors the investigation and the moods of the people involved. The suspense is intense, especially as we move toward the denouement. Anything can happen. Slaughter has killed major characters before so the reader cannot be sure that everyone will survive the murderous rampage that ensues or the rampaging river that could cause the death of one or more people. It is truly white-knuckle time. It should be pointed out that there is graphic violence in this book. It was necessary, I felt, in order to tell the story, but readers who are squeamish might not want to pick this up. There is an especially explicit description of an autopsy room with a somewhat less graphic picture of the autopsy. While this is technically a police procedural, it is far more than that. It is the story of four lives and how they are scarred and devastated by these deaths. It tells of changing relationships, of trust, of misplaced loyalties, and fundamentally of recovery. It is a study of the human condition with a crime at the heart of it. § Sally Fellows is a retired history teacher with a MA in history and an avid reader of mysteries.
Reviewed by Sally A. Fellows, June 2010
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