Sunday, October 1, 2017

The Good Daughter, by Karin Slaughter


The main character of this psychological thriller is a defense lawyer who takes on the case of a young girl who has committed a school shooting. It brings back long-ago memories of when she herself was the victim of a violent crime. At the same time she's trying to make amends with her estranged husband, an assistant district attorney. It's fast-paced, with well-developed characters.

Karin Slaughter. The Good Daughter. New York: William Morrow, 2017. 503 pages. ISBN 9780062430243.

The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine

The Last Mrs. Parrish is written by a sister duo, Lynne and Valerie Constantine, who write under the pseudonym Liv Constantine. It's a slightly trashy thriller that tells the story of a young woman named Amber Patterson who's determined to steal the life of another woman, Daphne Parrish, who's got what seems like the perfect life. She's married to a wealthy businessman, lives in a beautiful house, and has two young daughters. Amber begins to insert herself into their lives, and everything seems to be going according to plan. Little does she know that she may have been the one being played all along. This was a quick read, so it's good for pure escapism, but it's so implausible and (I'm sorry to say) slightly obvious and predictable, that I can't really recommend it. Stick with something that has a little more substance.

Live Constantine. The Last Mrs. Parrish. New York: HarperCollins, 2017. 392 pages. ISBN 9780062667571. Advance Reader's Edition.