Cover Image: Pieces of Her

Pieces of Her

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Member Reviews

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.

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A gripping tale that keeps you hooked from the beginning right through until the final page. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this genre.

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Underwhelmed.
I've read a few Karin Slaughter books and generally been impressed but this one was unfortunately underwhelming for me.
Just as the story gets going with Andy you get switched to her mother's back-story from 30 years ago which is then used intermittently throughout to supplement the explanation of what is happening to Andy in the current day story. Her mother turns out to be not very likable and the same is true for Andy in the current day due to her character's personality. Unfortunately this then led me to not get caught up with the story overall as I wasn't really rooting for either character.
It was nice to have a standalone story with everything wrapped up nicely in a unusual style. Overall though left underwhelmed.
That's as ever for the preview copy in exchange for this honest review.

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i love Karin Slaughter and this is another brilliant 'stand alone' story from her Iread this in one day whilst on holiday

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Thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Karin Slaughter never disappoints her readers and this is certainly another page turner and totally different from any of her previous books. The story looks at the mother daughter relationship, Laura the mother and her daughter Andy. Andy is 31 and is discovering that her mother had a life, totally different from the one she has now, before she had Andy.
The story is told in two timelines, Andy’s time, on the road in the present, running from the police and authorities, and her mothers past, and I did wonder how the two timelines would come to meet as Andy tries to figure out who Laura is and what she is hiding? On the road she learns a lot about herself, but will she be able to save both herself and her mother.?
Personally I didn’t like either of these two main female characters, I felt Andy at 31 was naive and a little annoying.,
Lots of unexpected twists, short sharp chapters, there is some crime and mystery and although not my favourite book by this author I still enjoyed the read and applaud the author for trying something totally different.

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Being an avid Karin Slaughter fan, I was hugely excited to finally get to read this book.
I've read most of her books, and have found that this one is very different to her usual style but that isn't a bad thing.

This book is set in two different timelines. The present day follows Andy who, after a distressing incident, starts to realise her mother is not all she thought to be. A gripping read of how the people closest to you can be not all they seem.

Karin Slaughter is an outstanding writer, and I enjoyed reading something different from her. So if you are a Karin Slaughter fan, give this a try. It may not be what you are expecting but it's definitely worth the read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I spent much of the book not quite sure what was going on but eager to read on to find out. Laura is a hugely interesting character and it's invigorating to see Andy coming into her own as the story develops. They feel so real! Slaughter has given us an exhilarating thriller which explores many themes and has a whole lot going on. I was waking up in the middle of the night to read it.

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You believe your Mother is a reliable, safe and somewhat boring small town speech therapist.
Then one day all that changes, dramatically.

It starts with lunch, just a simple lunch for Andy (Andrea) and her Mum Laura. Then a lone gunman starts shooting.

What unfolds in the next few minutes sets off a trail of destruction and unveils Lauras' not so boring past life.
Andy is forced to go on the run, and along the way unpeels the layers of her mothers previous life, putting herself in serious dangers from a cast of shady characters.

A fine, fast paced adventure with a few nice twists and turns along the way.

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Many of Ms Slaughter’s usual themes are well-represented in this novel: well-constructed characters; a multi-dimensional story that, in this case, spans decades; and more than its fair share of explicit violence. However, readers will need to decide for themselves whether these themes combine to make a satisfying whole in this book compared with her normal high standards, particularly in respect of the fluency of her narrative. For this reader, at least, that question remains open.

The basic story links more or less current events with the actions of the lead female character and the terrorist gang she worked with some thirty years previously. There are shades of the Patti Hearst kidnapping and other well-documented groups that shared the characteristics of cults led by a charismatic leader and various left-wing urban terrorists. The action jumps between these two timeframes - not always seamlessly- so that, eventually, the reader learns how events from three decades previously have shaped more recent events. Unusually, in this reader’s experience, the pace of the narrative is somewhat unevenly maintained, with perhaps rather too much introspection on the part of the lead character. Perhaps a more ruthless editing would have improved this aspect.

Having set out a few somewhat negative comments, it should be emphasised that these are made in the context of the usual extremely high standard of Ms Slaughter’s writing. There are passages that are as good as those in any of her books, and possibly rate amongst her best descriptions of adrenaline-fuelled action. Readers are unlikely to feel too short-changed if they hand over the purchase price and walk away with a copy. Recommended.

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Pieces of Her is the first Karin Slaughter I have read and I can't wait to read more. The book was very in depth, but gripped me from the beginning. I was thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading and had to keep going back to read another chapter.

Andrea lives at home with her Mum after a failed attempt at living in New York. Her life changes in an instant one day when a gun man kills two people in a diner and almost shoots her too. Andrea's Mum is hurt in the cross fire, but it would appear all isn't as it seems. Andrea is forced onto the run to protect herself and her Mum, but she doesn't know why. She begins a long journey of discovery, but will she be able to save her Mum in time?

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I’m a big Karin Slaughter fan, and am always willing – not to mention, eager – to dive into more of the author’s work. Karin Slaughter is one of those authors I will happily read no matter what, knowing I will have a story that hooks me.

Such was true with Pieces of Her. From the start, Pieces of Her pulled me deep into the story. I was sucked right in and was quickly creating all types of possibilities to explain how everything would come together. With multiple storylines playing out, I was desperate to see how they would come together in the end.

In truth, I was a wee bit disappointed by the ending with this one. You see, I worked it out in advance. Such is rarely the case with Karin Slaughter. Karin Slaughter usually leaves me guessing until quite late in the story, but I managed to put the pieces of this one together sooner than usual. It was not a bad ending, I simply expected things to be a bit more explosive.

Without a doubt, this is another great read from Karin Slaughter. It’s not my favourite of the author’s books, but it’s certainly worth a read.

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What can I say! Karin Slaughter has done it again. I have been a huge karin slaughter fan since I was a teenager and love her grant county series but I also love her standalone thrillers. They are just so fast paced and keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I loved the characters and dual timeline and flew through this book. It is a must read for any fans of thrillers

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Imagine thinking you know your mother, and who she is, and then suddenly she reveals a part of her that you did not expect to ever see..... Recommended.

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I have to admit, I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I’d hoped. The premise was good - Andrea Oliver is back in her home town to look after her mother, Laura, following a cancer scare. Whilst eating together at a diner, a gunman appears, shoots dead two customers then turns the gun on the pair. Rather than being afraid, Laura confronts the gunman and stabs him in the neck. What follows for Andy is a nightmare trip across America as she discovers that Laura is not the innocent she appears.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way I found myself losing interest, and not really bothered whether Andy discovered the truth and sorted out her problems or not. A shame, because I’ve really enjoyed other Karin Slaughter books I’ve read.

Not my cup of tea, but may appeal to others.

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A terrifying act of violence… It takes a split second for your life to change forever. And for Andrea Oliver that split second is a mass shooting in her local mall.

A woman whose life is built on a lie… But this shocking act is only the start. Because then, as the bodies fall around them, Andy’s mother Laura takes a step forward into the line of fire.

A fight for survival… Hours later, Laura is in hospital, her face splashed over the newspapers. But the danger has only just begun. Now Andy must embark on a desperate race against time to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past before any more blood is shed…

I'm not going to say anything about this book for fear of giving spoilers. A good 3.5*

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As usual I really enjoy Karin Slaughter's writing style! I'm a massive fan of hers having read several of her books Pretty girls being one of my favourites.
This kinda let me down a little if I'm being honest.
The first half of the book had me so intrigued and then it fell flat. It's nowhere near as gruesome and gritty as her other books. This one felt a bit lacklustre.
I'm not saying it's a terrible book at all and I guess if I hadn't read her previous work this may have got a higher rating.
I enjoyed the characters and the plot I just feel like thrillers should have you gasping out loud and at points the story seemed to build suspense for it then just not to lead anywhere.
Overall this isn't my favourite book of hers but then she's wrote a lot that I completely love so I guess one that didn't wow me is to be expected.

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Another gripping standalone from Slaughter. After reading a few of her previous books, picking this one off the shelf wasn't a disappointment. We meet Andy whose world turns upside down when a shooter walks into the diner she and her mother are sitting at. Her mother faces the shooter head on and proves herself to be someone Andy thought she wasn't.

There's a dual timeline which unravels the secrets in Laura's life and Andy goes on a dangerous road trip to uncover the truth. I was a tad confused at the half way mark where one character appears but I figured it out and loved the rest of this.

As usual, and probably expected, Slaughter's writing is compelling, powerful and addictive. The strong violence is always evident when something happens, she doesn't shy away from the gruesome reality of what happens at a shooting or murder.

If you enjoyed the Good Daughter or Pretty Girls, you'll enjoy this one. Would recommend to any thriller fan!

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As a big fan of Karin's two main series' I won't compare this book to them as they have developing characters. This book took me a few chapters to get into, as does any book with new characters. I did enjoy the storyline and characters, and the ending was very good.

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Pieces of Her is an exciting thriller by Karin Slaughter and quite different from the previous books of hers that I’ve read. The study is told from two different points of view from two different eras. At first I found it hard to work out how the two stories would fit together but it all became clear further into the book.

I really enjoyed Andy’s point of view but found some of Jane’s scenes too slow to be enjoyable and was wishing to be back in Andy’s story.

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Wow. This book was amazing kept you guessing how all the characters were intertwined. You really felt for Jane having such abusive relationships with her father and then her boyfriend Nick - is it a cult, is he the leader . Is anyone who they say they are? Or do.they all have secrets they want to keep buried? I loved this book couldn't put it down, even when on holiday I was reading by the pool, which I don't normally do!

Thank you net galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and to Karen Slaughter for writing it, can't wait to read more from her.

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