I can always rely on a thriller by Karin Slaughter and this is no exception. Told over 2 time lines and from 2 points of view, an incident which happens now is explained by going back in time. Mother and daughter have a lot to find out about each other. Lots of twists and turns, good escapism.

Let's be honest - who doesn't love Karin Slaughter? Every book she writes is amazing and this is no exception. Fast paced and gripping, it delves deep into discovering just what a mother will do for her daughter and the twists will take your breath away.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I must admit that I struggled with this book. IN spite of enjoying Karin Slaughter's work I really did find it hard to care about the central characters or to become invested in their fate. It is a book I will try and go back to when I am in a different frame of mind but I do prefer the series reads.

This is my first time reading a Karin slaughter novel despite many recommendations over the years and it certainly won't be my last.  Pieces of Her is a stand alone novel and a good one to begin with if you don't want to invest or prefer not to begin a series.  The whole novel actually reads/plays like a film and would work really well on screen as a film or series.

The main protagonists are other and daughter, Laura and Andy.  Andy had a typical upbringing but is a little disconnected from life.  She lives a rather solitary and colourless existence until one day she is faced with some harsh realities.  At this point Andy begins to emerge as a much stronger character than she originally appears and I really enjoyed seeing her transform throughout the novel.  Laura is a pillar of the community and highly revered in her work as a speech therapist until one day she steps in to save her daughter's life and reveals that there may be more to her than people realise.  Andy is forced on the run from everything she knows but is also faced with uncertainty around her own and her mother's past.

The plot moves along at a quick pace and I really struggled to put the book down.  Set across two time zones, there is the current narrative of Andy on the run and  Laura's back story and they are alternated between.  Slaughter changes perspectives and times at just the right moment, leaving the reader desperate to return to the other story and turning the pages eagerly. 

Laura's backstory unravels a slower pace but is more intense and emotional.  There were times when I really didn't like her and felt that she wasn't blameless but then I admired her strength as a mother who really came through for her unborn child.  Her story is one of manipulation and abuse and at times was fairly shocking and incredibly sad.  Andy's story is more pacey with and has more physical action.  I could really feel the tension and stress she was under, not knowing who to trust or even  what was actually happening for most of the novel. 

This is a very cleverly plotted novel that is full of to the brim of action, plot lines and character development and I loved it.

Karin Slaughter is one of my favourite authors but this one missed the mark with me.

The book begins with some dramatic tension, as a shooting occurs in a local diner. The descriptions are graphics and the scene is laid out for us with no detail left out. Andy and her mom, Laura, are caught up in the catastrophe, as the shooter finds his way to them. Laura puts her life in danger to protect her daughter, which results in the shooter being killed. Andy sees a side to her mother she never knew existed. Remaining calm throughout and almost nonchalantly killing a man, Andy questions who her mother really is. This leads nicely to a flashback which explores Laura's past and begins to fill in the gaps. In the meantime, Andy has been forced to leave her mom for her own safety. But what will she uncover on her frantic trip across the US? Who really is Laura Oliver?

One thing I usually love about Karin Slaughter's writing is the way she breaks down situations and covers every small detail. Her ability to set the scene is what makes her stand out as a first-class author. However, this is the first book where I felt the descriptions, the dialogue, and the back-story were really dragged out with a lot of noticeable repetition.

I thought the beginning was brilliant and was on tenterhooks waiting for all the mysteries to be revealed. But as soon as that first flashback occurred, I was a) confused for a long time, and b) bored. It was definitely one of those flashbacks where it didn't make sense until later and that always throws me. That said, the character exploration was strong, with both Laura's backstory and Andy's chase to track down who her mother really is. But it felt disconnected as I felt nothing for either character. I found them both weak, whiney, and downright stupid at times (I'm looking at you, Andy). I needed more strength and character but found it was lacking.

It hasn't put me off reading more books by the author but unfortunately, this one won't be in my top five.

Pieces of Her is the first book I’ve read by Karin Slaughter, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Over half way through and I still wasn’t sure what to expect - in a good way! Just when I thought I had an idea of what was going on, there was another ‘what is happening?!’ moment.
The plot is full of surprises and twists, much more so than I envisaged there being. I have read quite a few thrillers over the last few years but this one is slightly different in a few ways. I was completely invested in the characters and the way the novel jumped between the two main protagonists and the story lines that wove together. Intrigue, power, family, secrets, love, fear and loathing, you’ll experience them all in this enthralling book.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I love Karin slaughter, but this one I kept getting distracted from reading it. I will give it another go eventually, but right now I need to put it down.

Wow.... this book had me hooked from start to finish, must admit I got a bit confused with the too and fro of the timelines but it all came together really well! I'm glad it came together at the end, the book was written really well. And I enjoyed finding out about a dark past and the now.

I enjoyed this book, and it was great as a stand alone definately nothing like her series! So be prepared for something different!

If you havent read it yet then this is definately a must read in my eyes! It wont be to everyone's liking especially if your used to how Karin normally writes but t was nice to read something different by this author.

Unfortunately I read this book a while ago and seem to have missed it when writing reviews. - sadly I cant remember enough detail to give a full review.
However, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :-)

Karin Slaughter is a master storyteller and this book does not disappoint.

The first character we meet is Andrea (Andy) who lacks confidence after failing to make a successful career in New York and has returned to her family home where her mother has just recovered from a serious illness. They are both involved in a shooting incident after which Andy finds herself challenged to leave and follow her mother's rather cryptic instructions. Before long, Andy finds herself in a lot of trouble, finding out more about who her mother really is and having to find determination and courage to tackle the people who are trying to kill her.

The tension is real as the narrative switches between Andy's escape and what her mother endured years ago. There are a number of clever twists and plenty of tension to keep the reader engrossed to the very end.

I have read quite a few Karin Slaughter books and I’ve either loved them or hated them. Pieces of Her was somewhere in between for me. I found it difficult to get in to but enjoyed it by the end and found myself needing to know what happened to the characters. Overall a good story.

Karen Slaughter at her best once again! I thoroughly enjoyed finding out why things were happening, the back story was great and I can’t wait fir the next book

Andrea (Andy) Oliver has returned to her home town from her not so glam life in New York. Her life is turned upside down when her mother, Laura, and Andy are involved in a shooting at their local mall. Her mother stands up to the shooter and is stabbed. When she wakes up in hospital the danger , for her, isn’t over as her past comes back to haunt her. Andy must discover her mother’s past in order to save her.
A great read showing how a daughter who has has an easy, aimless life must suddenly grow up in order to save her mother. The flashbacks to 30 years ago to explain Laura’s background did drag the storyline a bit. An enjoyable read not written in Slaughter’s usual style of writing.

I received this novel from Harper Collins via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Another thriller of a book by Karin Slaughter.

Fast paced and kept me hooked to the last page, loved the twists and turns.

At the start of this story I found the the main character, Andrea, extremely annoying. She is a grown woman with no purpose, still relying on her mother and shambling through life. Suddenly Andrea and her mother, Laura, are involved in a random shooting and her mothers reaction sends Andrea'on a crazy path trying to find out who her mother actually is. All of a sudden she has to grow up and she uncovers a past where her mother was involved in a revolutionary group whose actions caused death and destruction. Andrea has to find out who her mother truly is and in doing so finds out who she is as well. A gripping read that keeps you on tenterhooks throughout.

Amazing as are all of Karen’s novels. It is quite different to her usual style however, and is very moving. A hard read and may trigger some people so perhaps read with caution.

Andy Oliver has returned to her home town after giving up her not so glamorous life in New York when her mother Laura is diagnosed with cancer. Life is comfortable now that her mother is recovering but this all changes when a young gunman comes into the mall where Andy and Laura are talking. Andys view of her mother is changed completely when Laura stands up to the gunman, ending up with Laura stabbed and the gunman dead. Andy is in shock, unable to cope with what has happened. However, when Laura is then attacked in her own home things take a turn for the worse, if that’s possible. Forced by Laura to leave, and not to come back until it’s safe, Andy is forced to look for the truth about her mothers background before anyone else gets hurt.

I’ve not read anything by this author before, but this stand alone story is certainly a great way to start. It’s very fast paced, well written and a gripping story. Set in present day and 30 years earlier the two stories weave together beautifully to a breath taking finale. Highly recommended, this may well be the first of Karin Slaughters books that I’ve read but it certainly won’t be the last.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately did not finish this book. I am unsure if it was just not for me, not for me just now or the writing style.

I loved this book and just couldn't put it down, a definite page turner as they say! Great crazy plot, you are with Andy trying to figure what is going on and who is her mom? The story jumps back to Andy's mon and to present day with Andy.

Just a brilliant well thought out story. I will definitely be looking out for this when it comes to Netflix!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another engrossing read from the wonderfully talented Karin Slaughter.

This book seems to have had a bit of a 'marmite' response from reviewers and to a certain extent I can understand why. Readers expect a certain standard of excellence from Ms Slaughter and 'Pieces of Her' slightly missed its mark. Compared to other writers in her genre, however, this is still an expertly constructed, absorbing thriller. It has the explosive beginning that we take for granted from Slaughter's books, with a narrative that gradually unfolds to reveal the Janus-faced nature of the main protagonists. This book begins with our main protagonists, Andy and Laura Oliver, caught up in a shooting at their local mall, with events culminating in the death of the perpetrator, a young man with strong familial links to law enforcement. This would be the usual result in a stand-off of such a nature - the usual outcome in a modern America where mass shootings are commonplace but inevitably end with the death[s] of the killer[s]. Well, yes... but in this instance the 'perp' is dispatched in a professional, albeit gruesome way by a 55 year old, cancer survivor and speech therapist, by the name of Laura Oliver. This is the not so subtle clue that Laura Oliver is not who she seems and in typical Slaughter fashion we a taken on an enthralling journey, uncovering along the way the mysterious back-story of the enigmatic Laura Oliver. Laura's daughter, Andrea, or Andy, takes her own literal journey as far away from the events that occurred at the mall as she possibly can. The various strands of the plot for 'Pieces of Her' do come together in a satisfying way and the denouement certainly lived up to my expectations. So what was the problem with the book? Usually I would expect to give any Karin Slaughter book an automatic 5 star review but I was not quite enamoured with some of the characterisation of the main protagonists... well one in particular. Andy Oliver, I assume, Karin envisioned her as the tropey everyday person caught up in extraordinary situation. Unfortunately, translated to the pages of this book, she came across as infantile and ludicrously reactive in the situations she was faced with. Even for someone as coddled as Andy this was a little unbelievable. So, in short, this was a very good book but not a great one.