Customer Reviews

Beyond Reach (Grant County Series)

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(84)

 

 

I purchased this book at the airport as a diversion during a trip. Initially, I was intrigued and it was an easy read. However, as the book progressed, it became unfocused and unrealistic. What was the point of all the attention given to the lawsuit at the beginning of the book? It was never really part of the story and did not adequately explain the transformation of a strong, intelligent woman into a one-dimentional, clingy drone. And, as bodies begin to drop like flies (or, in some cases, get thrown through hotel windows), would no one actually consider bringing in reinforcements to address what is clearly a town out of control? Finally, the ending was more than unsatisfying. It was needlessly depressing and almost felt as though the last 5 pages were written by someone else or had gotten mixed in from another book. Did the author just get tired of writting and decide she had something else she needed to go do? Loyal fans might enjoy this book but anyone looking for a well-written, self-contained story with a logical ending might do well to keep looking. When I consider the time spent reading the book, I don't feel as though there was sufficient return on my investment to have made it worthwhile.

Like many others who have reviewed this book, I was a great fan of the Grant County series. Like many others, I, too, feel betrayed and feel that the author has no regard for the feelings of the readers she had taken along on this journey for so many books. If she wanted to end the series, then just leave the three main characters alone and go on to something else. To do what she did to one of them, who was the heart and soul of this series, was totally unnecessary. She spoiled the series and took away the pleasure of rereading the earlier books. No more Karin Slaughter for me.

I normally like Karin Slaughter and have enjoyed her other novels, but this one left me feeling cheated and almost angry. As the creator of her characters, Ms Slaughter is certainly entitled to take her stories wherever she may choose, but I felt the ending she chose cheapened her story and was purely for shock value. It also felt copied- Elizabeth George chose the same fate for one of her major characters a few years ago. And Ms George's novel left me feeling the same way as this one- irritated that an author I like so much would end a novel with a tragic event that seems to have been written only to sell more books.

Grant County Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver and his wife, Dr. Sara Linton, have not had an easy road. The beleaguered pair were married, divorced, reconciled, and are now remarried. Although they are unable to have biological children, the couple hopes to adopt a baby in the near future. Sara has been a dedicated pediatrician in rural Georgia for many years, but her reputation and career are being threatened by a medical malpractice suit that is currently in litigation. Tolliver and Linton face a new challenge when they become embroiled in the problems of Tolliver's protégé, Lena Adams. Lena, a detective with a long history of questionable behavior, has been arrested, yet she refuses to speak to the authorities about an appalling crime that she witnessed. She was on the scene when someone was set on fire and left to die in agony. Lena runs away rather than answer the authorities' questions, leaving Jeffrey and Sara to investigate the crime in an effort to clear Lena's name.

Karin Slaughter's "Beyond Reach" is a flawed novel with an incoherent and rambling plot, poor character development, and an unsatisfying resolution. The writing is awkward, the dialogue stiff and labored, and the mood one of unrelieved depression. The author relates in gross detail how depraved meth addicts destroy themselves, and as the corpses pile up, the author is a bit too forthcoming in her description of the appearance and smell of dead bodies.

Those familiar with this series know that Lena Adams is a deeply angry and self-destructive woman. Her abusive ex-boyfriend, Ethan, is now in prison, but he plans to pick up where he left off when he finishes his sentence. Lena's faulty judgment has not improved with time, and she ends up risking not only her own life, but also the lives of her boss and his wife. Slaughter goes back and forth in time and shifts perspective to illuminate the experiences of the different protagonists, but rather than elucidate matters, this constant shifting adds to the confusion of the muddled plot. Slaughter throws a bit too much into the mix, including violent skinheads, greedy dope dealers, corrupt cops, dysfunctional families, and shocking secrets that are suddenly revealed. All of this is capped by a horrifying conclusion that will likely infuriate some of Slaughter's loyal fans.

This novel does have one strong redeeming feature: Slaughter captures the desperation of those who live in communities where meth is dispensed like candy and becomes the drug of choice for people of all ages and all walks of life. The author's chilling protrayal of the meth culture leaves no doubt that this scourge destroys individuals, families, and communities alike. Unfortunately, "Beyond Reach" offers little else for the patient reader who must wade through a melodramatic narrative and excessive gore waiting for a payoff that never comes.

Karin Slaughter cannot possibly think that the majority of her readers will waste their time purchasing other books from her. We all read for different reasons - but most of us read books that speak to our minds, hearts, humanity - whatever need we may be feeling at that moment. When you take a main character that your readers (otherwise known as "paying customers" or "paycheck") and decide to kill him off on the last page - none of the needs of the average reader are satisfied. Personally, I feel that Ms. Slaughter has fallen so far off the mark of what I expect to experience when I decide to read a book that I won't be purchasing any further books that she has written. It's actually very simple - I read for a variety of reasons - none of which is to experience pain or tragedy. I can get that nifty feeling for free by watching the local news - I don't need to spend money to simply to have Ms. Slaughter deliver it in her books. She obviously doesn't want to write anymore if she rolled out a dead Jeffrey to her customers. Good Luck, Ms. Slaughter, I think you're going to need it - I have a feeling that I'm not the only paying customer you've ditched.

Having been a huge Karin Slaughter fan since the beginning, I can honestly tell you I wouldn't buy one of her books now even if I were about to embark on a 24-hour-train ride through a remote desert, I would much rather read the graffiti on the train's toilet instead.

It's bad enough she kills off the main character, Jeffrey Tolliver, but she has the rudeness, callousness and arrogance to wait until the last page to do so, and, to top it all off, his arm has to go flying across the driveway, and his heart has to be visible, too. Letting him die otherwise wouldn't have been brutal and sensational enough, I guess.

On behalf of all disappointed readers, I'd like to point out that whatever cunning plot twist this lady may have in store for those still willing to pay for her concoctions, it's pure heartless disregard for her faithful readership to pluck this character from life on the very last page.

I will donate every single one of my Slaughter books to the local charity shop, at least some good will come from them.

I have to agree with those who were very disappointed to have gone all the way through this book, invested themselves in the characters, only to be cheated at the end. *SPOILER ALERT--DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU INTEND TO READ THIS BOOK* I had never read this author's work before and will not do so again. Frankly, I read this sort of fiction as an escape--in the end, I want the bad guys to get caught and the good guys to survive, and if the author can make me doubt that this will be the outcome during the bulk of the novel, that's a talented author. In this case, however, the characters just kept getting further and further into a deep, horrible mess, and I was all prepared to be pleasantly surprised--and indeed, at first it seemed that I would get my wish: the bad guys (except for one) get what's coming to them, the good guys (except for Lena) get away with it. Then we are treated to Sara waiting for Jeffery, their good news and finally some happiness, and then what? A stupid bomb? He dies with his hysterical wife looking on? And that's the end of the book? What a huge disappointment. I felt cheated and duped, and it was even worse than when I read The Ruins because I had a hard time getting to like any of those whiney people, but I really liked Sara and Jeffery. I can only imagine that long time fans who were really invested in these characters are horrified. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle discovered that killing off the main character was a really bad idea. But there is no way that Jeffery is ever coming back. I won't pick up another of this author's novels.

Ok, anyone who has read any of the several negative reviews below knows the ending stunk. I thought the ending stunk, though honestly I wasn't surprised since Ms. Slaughter felt the need to foreshadow the event about a million times throughout. But seriously, it wasn't just the end that disappointed me in this novel. I tore through the first books in this series ravenously and felt the plots were tight, the storylines intriguing even when certain characters (namely Lena) acted in a frustrating fashion. What bugged me about this book was the sense I had that Karin just sort of made it up as she went along.

The storyline would just seem to plod along in no particular direction and then (gasp!) you'd reach the end of the chapter and there'd be a juicy cliffhanger leaving you saying "Holy crap! She's really got something here!" Then you'd continue on and there was no payoff.

***SPOILING SPOILED SPOILERS***

Examples: Chapter two ended in Hank informing Lena that the dude killed her mother. (only he didn't!!)

Chapter 7 ended in Lena finding Charlotte's letters and "How had she been so blind?" (there were no major epiphanies in the letters that effected Lena in any way!!)

End of Chapter 12....why the heck was Deacon's body in Hank's attic??

End of Chapter 21 they find the birth certificate listing Hank as Lena's father (but....uh...once again...HE'S NOT!)

Yeah, this is getting old but these uninteresting false leads continue throughout and just left a ton of loose ends in my mind. I felt a lot of things were left unanswered. Why in the world did they have to kill Charlotte? An in the closet school teacher with a meth addiction seemed little threat to the band of white supremacists. I give up! Bottom line: worst book in the series, possibly ruined the series, and Lena is an annoying wretch of a character.

In her most recent novel, Beyond Reach, Karin Slaughter breaks faith with her loyal readers and with most of the rest of the human race. Ms. Slaughter claims both her old editor and her new editor thought that her ending would be a great one. She should get new editors and their firms should fire them for allowing her to publish this as it is. Consider this a warning; you will be reading the ending and waiting for her to write "ha, it's just a dream". And it's not, it's a nightmare that will leave this author on the trash heap of former best-selling authors like Patricia Cornwell who I stopped reading when it was obvious either someone else was writing her books or she'd lost her mind. I for one will never pick up a Karin Slaughter book again. I only wish Amazon would return my money.

I've NEVER taken the time to write a review here, but I feel compelled to give my opinion on this one. I've read the series from the beginning. It's a very dark series - in fact, I don't have any "reader friends" I could recommend the series to. My friends stick to less disturbing types of books. Anyway, I've loved the series. It's very well written. However, if not for the redeeming thread of Sara & Jeffery this series would be too dark even for me.

Before I started the book I came on Amazon to check the average rating the book received. It said three stars. I didn't read any of the comments, I didn't want to be influenced by other reader's opinions as I read the book. However, as I read this most recent entry in the series, I literally couldn't put the book down. I kept thinking, "How could this only have received three stars? Are these reviewers crazy?" I especially loved that S. & J.'s relationship was portrayed so lovingly this time around. Then I reached the last two pages. They were gut-wrenching. I felt betrayed that the one shining thread in this dark & twisted series was destroyed. (And, no, this won't have a "Dallas" twist in the future. The letter on the author's website unequivocally stated that this development is final.) I can't stomach this latest trauma in Sara's life...this was too much. No more Grant County for me.