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Nimble, imaginative, and brisk plotting saves the day for Slaughter in UNDONE, the latest in her Grant County series. The author combines Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agents Faith Mitchell and Will Trent (FRACTURED, 2008) with Dr. Sara Linton (BEYOND REACH, 2007), a coroner and pediatrician now turned emergency physician. The three connect when the first surviving victim of a serial killer is brought into the ER. Anna has been blinded as well as possibly made deaf and mute by her torturer (we never discover why). The three soon learn that this particular monster snatches up pairs of successful but anorexic business women, an unusual modus operandi. Oh well, they are very small and light. Slaughter's great success with this and previous bestsellers has taken a toll on her writing. She hasn't taken the time to research the details of her story, which are often inaccurate. Frankly, it's odd for a pediatrician to become a coroner or an emergency physician for adults in a large city like Atlanta. Faith, pregnant or not, would not be hospitalized with blood sugar of 150 (even though it sneaks all the way up to 152!). Slaughter needs to hire a medical consultant, at the very least. Two characters are poorly drawn. Unable to read and write, or tell his left from his right, Will could not have passed police academy entrance exams. In contrast, the murderer is the stereotype of the serial killer. Finally, some of the language is off-kilter. What does "winkingly introverted" mean? "Sex in lurid detail" turns out to be tender and romantic. Editor, please! Natalie Ross is an adequate performer on the CD version. Her portrayal of Sara Linton as soft, sad, and strong is particularly good. However, "rednecks" can be identified instantly by how loudly they speak. Will Trent's soft monotone may cause extreme drowsiness, so listen to the CDs in a car with caution. The novel drags when Slaughter decides to fill in lots of back story on each character, but the overall plot is a summer sizzler.
Reviewed by Karla Jay, August 2009
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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