Genesis

By: Karin Slaughter

Narrated by: Jennifer Woodward

Someone had spent time with her – someone well-practised in the art of pain....

Three and a half years ago, former Grant County medical examiner Sara Linton moved to Atlanta, hoping to leave her tragic past behind her. Now working as a doctor in Atlanta’s Grady Hospital, she is starting to piece her life together. But when a severely wounded young woman is brought in to the emergency room, she finds herself drawn back into a world of violence and terror.

The woman has been hit by a car but, naked and brutalised, it’s clear that she has been the prey of a twisted mind. When Special Agent Will Trent of the Criminal Investigation Team returns to the scene of the accident, he stumbles on a torture chamber buried deep beneath the earth. And this hidden house of horror reveals a ghastly truth: Sara’s patient is just the first victim of a sick, sadistic killer.

Wrestling the case away from the local police chief, Will and his partner Faith Mitchell find themselves at the centre of a grisly murder hunt. And Sara, Will, and Faith - each with their own wounds and their own secrets - are the only thing that stands between a madman and his next crime.

©2010 Karin Slaughter (P)2010 Random House Audio

Excellent Listen

First, the author locates a devastating crime scene on GA state road 316, the road to Conyers - NOT. She acknowledges in the Afterword that 316 goes to Dacula, not Conyers. With that potentially glaring mistake laid to rest, the focus turns to finding out who is abducting dark, attractive, thin thirty-something women and subjecting them to grizzly torture. Of at least equal interest are the battles of GBI agents Will Trent and Faith Mitchell and Grady emergency room doc Sara Linton in dealing with some very difficult personal issues in their lives - both past and present - including their involvement in this current case.

Progress is made on all fronts. Will, Faith, and Sara start coping with their demons, though with much pain, and at the same time diligent investigation into connections among the victims and the past's of seemingly innocent characters starts to pay off. However, as is usually the case, it is a matter of too little too late. Why is it that those who do know or should know about the criminal potential of someone, often family members, do little to prevent or reveal, or worse conceal, those possibilities? The book holds the interest in its two track approach: key, appealing characters and the criminal case.

Jennifer Woodward was outstanding with the delivery of the story

Genesis

Genesis is one of the best books I’ve ever read/listened to. The plot twist at the end was magic. I highly recommend this book!

absolutely engaged from start to finish

This story is well written, the characters are meaty and how it all comes together in the end is brilliant. the author keeps you guessing and at the back of your mind you wonder about the possibility of who the killer might be and as the story unfolds it becomes clearer. it's just brilliant. thumbs up from me.

Great Read

Where does Genesis rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is up there with the best of them

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Maybe not "on the edge of my seat" but I definitely cared about what would happen next. The story had enough mystery to have me hooked.

Which scene was your favorite?

It is hard to choose a favorite but one that stands out as well written was one of the scenes between Sara Linton and Will Trent in Sara's living room. The under-current of sexual tension combined with their awkwardness rang with authenticity.

Who was the most memorable character of Genesis and why?

The slow reveal of the kidnapper's character combined with not understanding his motivation makes him memorable

Any additional comments?

As with all Karin Slaughter novels there are enough unexpected turns to keep the reader engaged without becoming frustrating or losing credibility.