Blindsighted (Grant County, #1)

Title: Blindsighted (Grant County, #1)

Author: Karin Slaughter

Published in: 2001

Date read: 13th April 2023

Score: 5/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Thriller, Psychological

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Blindsighted," is the first novel in Karin Slaughter's Grant County series, introducing Dr. Sara Linton, a paediatrician and medical examiner, and her ex-husband, Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver, in the seemingly idyllic town of Heartsdale, Georgia.

The story opens with the brutal discovery of a young woman's body in the local diner's restroom. The victim, a college professor, has been savagely mutilated, and the crime scene is meticulously cleaned, leaving few clues. Sara and Jeffrey are immediately drawn into a complex and disturbing investigation that quickly escalates.

As more victims emerge, each bearing the same horrifying signature, it becomes clear that a sadistic serial killer is at large, targeting young women in the community. The town is gripped by fear, and the pressure on Jeffrey to solve the case intensifies.

Complicating the investigation is the arrival of Lena Adams, a young detective who is Jeffrey's protégé. Lena is deeply affected by the violence and haunted by her own traumatic past, which begins to surface as she works on the case. Her personal struggles and volatile nature add another layer of tension to the already strained relationships among the characters.

"Blindsighted" delves into the darkest aspects of human nature, exploring themes of sexual violence, trauma, and the insidious nature of evil. Sara and Jeffrey find themselves not only battling a cunning killer but also confronting the deep-seated secrets and prejudices within their tight-knit community, forcing them to face their own vulnerabilities and the devastating impact of the crimes on everyone involved.

Comments:
This book, and this author, was recommended to me in 2006 by a calibration engineer when I worked in a lab. Incidentally, he was on a pub quiz team with Sir Terry Pratchett. I couldn't get a copy so I forgot about it until I was putting together all of my information about books and found the list of books/authors that he gave to me.
I read the whole series, one after the other, as I was so gripped by the story. Amazing throughout.

Books that we've read by Karin Slaughter (18):
Blindsighted (Grant County, #1) (2001), Kisscut (Grant County, #2) (2002), A Faint Cold Fear (Grant County, #3) (2003), Indelible (Grant County, #4) (2004), Faithless (Grant County, #5) (2005), Triptych (Will Trent, #1) (2006), Skin Privilege (Grant County, #6) (2007), Fractured (Will Trent, #2) (2008), Genesis (Will Trent, #3) (2009), Broken (Will Trent, #4) (2010), Fallen (Will Trent, #5) (2011), Criminal (Will Trent, #6) (2012), Unseen (Will Trent, #7) (2013), The Kept Woman (Will Trent, #8) (2016), The Last Widow (Will Trent, #9) (2019), The Silent Wife (Will Trent, #10) (2020), After That Night (Will Trent, #11) (2023), This Is Why We Lied (Will Trent, #12) (2024)