Unseen (Will Trent, #7)

Title: Unseen (Will Trent, #7)

Author: Karin Slaughter

Published in: 2013

Date read: 12th May 2024

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Detective

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Unseen," published in 2013, is the seventh novel in Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series and also features characters from her Grant County series, making it a significant crossover event. It's a dark, gritty thriller that plunges its protagonists into a dangerous world of undercover operations, drug trafficking, and deeply buried secrets.

The story begins with Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) going deep undercover in rural Macon County. He's posing as a dangerous ex-con, working his way into a violent white supremacist gang believed to be involved in drug manufacturing and trafficking. His mission is highly perilous, with minimal contact with the outside world, and his cover is constantly at risk.

Unbeknownst to Will, his long-time girlfriend, Dr. Sara Linton, a medical examiner now working for the GBI, is also sent to Macon County. She's called to investigate a gruesome murder – a decapitated body found in a remote swamp, a death that doesn't fit neatly into any local crime pattern. Sara quickly realises that the circumstances of the murder are far more complex and disturbing than they first appear, and that the local authorities are either incompetent or actively hiding something.

As Sara's investigation progresses, the trail of evidence unexpectedly leads her closer and closer to Will's undercover operation. The victim, the criminal network Will is infiltrating, and the secrets of the small, insular community begin to intersect in terrifying ways. The tension mounts as Sara unknowingly puts Will's delicate cover at risk, and Will must maintain his dangerous façade even as the woman he loves unknowingly moves into grave danger.

The novel brilliantly ratchets up the suspense, showcasing the immense psychological toll of undercover work and the moral ambiguities it creates. It delves into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the deep-seated corruption that can fester in isolated communities. Slaughter meticulously explores the criminal underworld, the brutal realities of drug enforcement, and the personal sacrifices required in the pursuit of justice.

The climax involves Sara unwittingly stumbling directly into Will's operation, forcing their two worlds to collide in a violent and unpredictable fashion. Will must break cover, risking his life and his mission, to save Sara, leading to a brutal confrontation that exposes the full extent of the criminal enterprise and the personal cost of their dangerous professions. "Unseen" is a gripping, high-stakes thriller that tests the limits of its characters and their relationship.

Comments:
This was very good, it was clever how there was the balance between the two investigations going on at the same time and how they could not jeopardise Will's cover.

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)