Book Review of False Witness by Karin Slaughter – Exquisite Read
Table of Contents
My Rating – 4 out of 5
Plot Summary – False Witness
The book starts off with a story thread that the book blurb seems unrelated to – A child, his hunk of a father and the child’s babysitter. Tragic incidents unfurl which then seemingly have no relation to what comes next! But it does… Leigh Collier is separated from her husband and sixteen year old daughter and she knows that the blame for that lies squarely on her shoulders. She is also a defense lawyer with an upscale Law Firm in Atlanta, Georgia. One fine morning, the defense of a rape case gets dumped on her, much to her displeasure.
The scion of the local moneybags, Andrew Tenant, whose family has 38 Mercedes dealerships, is accused of violent rape and assault by a woman he’s supposed to have picked up from a local bar. Tammy Karlsen is so badly brutalized that no jury would have any sympathy with Andrew, especially as all the evidence point to his complicity in the crime. But he vehemently denies it and expects his lawyer to exonerate him ASAP. But there are other such unproven accusations in his past which the DA will bring up to secure conviction. Leigh is more or less convinced that Andrew is the culprit but is scared to sabotage his defense.
There is a heinous secret in Leigh and her sister, Callie’s life from more than two decades ago and Andrew seems to know it. He is not beyond using it to force Leigh to fight his case and get him freed. Leigh is determined not to let Andrew blackmail her and knowing that he is most probably guilty of the accusations leveled against him, secretly wishes that he pays for his crimes. What starts off as an unrelated incident, assumes critical proportions now and makes for compelling reading!
Leigh is also concerned about involving her sister Callie, who was the original victim of the bestial crime from twenty years ago and a subsequent Gymnastic accident has left her dependent on Oxycontin and thus an addict. But since Andrew makes it clear that he has proof from twenty years ago which he will release to the media and police, Leigh has no option but to mount a spirited defense of Andrew, knowing that he’s actually responsible for those crimes. The author weaves a heady tale of intrigue, blackmail and deceit. The twists come thick and fast and though there’s no big reveal at the end, it is still an exhilarating ride.
Conclusion – Book Review of False Witness
A stand-alone thriller from the Queen of delectable thrillers like ‘The Silent Wife”, this is such a runaway winner which twists and turns at a breathless pace. It also emphasizes the fact that in most cases of hereditary characteristics, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Human depravity and proclivity for sleaze has no boundaries, and pedophilia is among the worst afflictions known to mankind – a horror brought to light starkly by this novel.
An unputdownable, pacy read from Karin Slaughter – not to be missed for fans of thrillers and Police Procedurals. It reminds us, yet again, that along with being God’s best creation, some of us are His biggest mistakes and deserve no mercy come the day of judgement!
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