BROKEN
by Karin Slaughter
Random House/Bantam Dell
New York, New York
www.bantamdell.com
ISBN 9780385341974

Former coroner Sara Linton hasn’t visited her hometown in Grant County, Georgia since the death of her husband, Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver. Almost four years later, she returns, planning to spend Thanksgiving with her family. Shortly thereafter, Tommy Braham, a mentally disabled young man, is arrested for the murder of Allison Spooner and asks that Sara, his former pediatrician, visit him. When Sara arrives at the jail, it appears Tommy has committed suicide. Sara, who blames the arresting officer, Lena Adams, for her husband’s death, immediately suspects Lena mishandled the interrogation and provided the young man the means to kill himself. After she calls in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent Will Trent arrives in Grant County, where he is met with stubborn resistance from the police department. Sara is asked to perform autopsies on Tommy and Allison as Trent investigates both murders while trying to unravel the complexities of Lena’s involvement in Tommy’s murder, as well as that of Chief Tolliver.

Slaughter once more provides a tense thriller centered around Sara Linton. Although the character Jeffrey Tolliver is certainly missed, this book proves the series can move forward without his presence. Slaughter is adept at providing dark, complex characters and does not disappoint with this outing. Her revelations concerning the desperate measures hardworking, indigent people will resort to is insightful and empathetic.