genesis by Karin Slaughter

This is the new novel by Karin Slaughter, published this year. In this novel the writer brings together Sara Linton one of the main characters from some previous novels and the detectives Faith Mitchell and Will Trent from the novel fractured, published last year. In some ways the title genesis is indicative (well, it would be, wouldn't it!) of various new beginnings in the novel. Sara Linton's life is in a way beginning again after the horrible and shocking ending of the novel Skin Privilege. There is a beginning of a life as one character discovers pers pregnancy. However, that is not the only new thing in the life of this character; per also has to learn to cope with a chronic disease which per was diagnosed with at the beginning of the book. Add to all this the beginnings of these new relationships between the main characters. Enough of new beginnings ... no way!

The book is a detective novel, a murder mystery with a serial killer at large. Like all Karin Slaughter's novels it is well constructed to keep the reader's interest to the end. The characters are interesting, real human beings, and the developing relationships between them kept me absorbed and wanting to know more. I want to meet them all again in another novel.

Some difficult topics touched in the novel are diabetes, bulimia and anorexia. Some possible causes for these are posed - another genesis theme. The reader is also given a glimpse of the murderer's childhood. It led my mind to think on the nature of evil and how a person can become such. Is it possible for a person to be born evil? The old nut of nature versus nurture.

The mother / child relationship is an important thread in the book. Like everything else it seems that that relatioship can bring about good or bad in a person. It can perhaps literally save a person's life or possibly destroy it.

A very good read.