Triptych (Will Trent, #1)

Link to buy on Amazon


Title: Triptych (Will Trent, #1)

Author: Karin Slaughter

Publisher: Delacorte Press, 393 pages

Publication Date: August 15, 2006

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Things that I liked:

• This is probably the third Karin Slaughter book I've read, and I do enjoy her style. She tells a good story, and in her "Will Trent" series, you follow the same detective/cops in the Atlanta area. You already know your setting and protagonists, you just need to meet the bad guys (who are often mixed up with prostitutes and live in a particular problem spot in the ghetto). I actually read a different Will Trent novel before this one (this is #1), but it didn't pose a significant problem.
• Slaughter has ongoing themes, which (at least up to this point), makes her fun to read. I like the familiarity and evolution of her stories and characters. I don't know if one day it'll become boring and overdone, but so far it gives me something to look forward to in her books.
• You get a lot of characters, but at no point are you lost or confused. 
• The stories are always really interesting! She writes a decent mystery.

Things that I don't like:

• To no fault of her own, this is pop-fiction. It isn't deep or life-changing, she doesn't give you much to ponder, and in general a lot of the stories are a little too predictable. That being said, I like to take this genre for what it is. In my "about me" post, I mention that I like to mix easier and lighter books in with my non-fiction/heavier reads. This book is great as a palate cleanser to keep you occupied without stealing every last ounce of your brain power and emotional energy. 

Basically, this is a story about a serial killer and his eventual capture. Slaughter takes us back and forth from the past to present, eventually tying the strings of the story together. The story isn't terribly obvious and you aren't able to see the ending from too early on (although it does become predictable at a point). Overall, this is a pretty fun read for anyone who enjoys the mystery/thriller/suspense genres. 

Would I recommend this book? Sure, I have and I probably will again. I know a lot of people who are into this sort of story, and I'm sure they'll enjoy this one as much as any other.

On a scale of 1-5, I'd give this a solid 4. I'm interested to read more from Slaughter because she seems like she improves with each novel.