Newlyweds Sara (forensic pathologist) and Will (GBI agent) have decided to splurge on their honeymoon; they’ve rented a cabin at the exclusive McAlpine lodge, deep in the Appalachian Mountains, for a week of horseback riding, fishing, mountain biking and – as is made abundantly clear – loads of steamy sex. But because this a Karin Slaughter novel and somehow everything always has to tie into the character’s personal lives, during their first night, Mercy McAlpine, the resort’s manager, is found dead.
First of all: Mercy McAlpine is a stupid name.
I was actually quite excited about this book; I love a good locked room mystery and Karin Slaughter is that one author I can’t seem to quit. I always end up forgetting, though, that I don’t actually like her Will Trent novels that much anymore. They were great in the beginning, but by now the characters have worn out their welcome. It doesn’t help that Slaughter seems to focus primarily on the most boring characters when she has such great secondary characters instead, like Will’s outspoken and hilariously tactless partner Faith, or his masochistic boss Amanda. Instead, we get Sara and Will, whose relationship foibles bore me to tears. I will say they get a little better at communicating, but Sara is still a wet rag of a character and Will, who used to be sensitive and smart, is now reduced to a mess of knee-jerk reactions, stupid decisions, and an all-consuming love for his dish towel. I mean wife.
The central murder mystery in the book is engaging enough and it kept me guessing for a long time; I genuinely had no idea who the killer was. And the idea of a murder mystery in a luxurious holiday resort is a fun one to be sure, so I was a little let down by the execution. It just… Wasn’t that engaging. For one, they’re not actually locked in at the resort, meaning the effect is lost somewhat. It’s also getting a bit tiresome that Will and/or Sara’s personal lives keep popping up in these cases; how many skeletons can you have in your closet?
The other problem I had with this novel is just how abjectly cruel it is. Without wanting to spoil too much, think of a crime committed against women or children and it’s in this book. Everyone treats Mercy abjectly terribly; it’s almost a relief when she dies. The ending offers a genuine twist that I didn’t see coming, but there’s something off about it (other than the fact that it’s seriously messed up). I can’t put my finger on it, but I wasn’t convinced. As with every Slaughter book, there’s a lot of rape in it; for once I wish she’d write a book without it. Slaughter has said she writes about it so much because she wants to highlight violence against women, to which I’ve always thought that there are other types of violence against women, so why aren’t you writing about those? I guess I got what I wanted because this book runs the gamut, but the obsession with rape is disconcerting.
There’s also the fact that everyone in this book is constantly throwing up, which is… Weird.
The book has its strengths, though. The cast of characters strike that fine balance between being interesting and being credible (most of them, anyway) and if some of them seem over the top, it’s because some people genuinely are evil. It kept me interested and on my toes. Faith is still the MVP and Will, when he’s not gritting his teeth or balling his fists, is sweet. The murder mystery is quite creative and mostly (if not entirely) plausible, and Slaughter’s prose is taut and mostly stays away from being hokey. It’s a frustrating read, but if you’re looking for a murder mystery that’ll keep you guessing, you could do worse.