Customer Reviews

Kisscut: A Novel

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Karin Slaughter has said in interviews that she wants to be a better writer with each book. She has clearly done that with Kisscut. I think it has tighter plotting, characters that are more human (even the evil parts), and a stronger narrative than in Blindsighted, her first book. While I don't think the plot is better in this book, the development of the story is. Just when I 'knew' the story was cruising to a certain place (and who and what and how), some unexpected turn of events jumped off the page -- more than once.

We get to see more of small town life in Grant County. Sara, doctor and part-time medical examiner, and Jeffery, the police chief, are still central characters in Kisscut, but Lena, one of Jeffrey's detectives, is brought to the fore in this book and has her inner self laid bare. There are enough references to the first book's story to give a good idea of what happened without giving everything away. Without being Lena, I'd say that her thoughts and perceptions are congruous with how a person could behave and react to her experiences.

The rest of this gives away just about everything except names, with each paragraph telling more. If you do not want to know about the plot and 'who done it', skip to the last paragraph.

Kisscut has child pornographers who think it is appropriate to physically and sexually abuse children -- and they have no guilt or remorse about it. I'm not sure there is a way to write about that and have it seem comprehensible, because in my mind there is no understanding intentionally hurting children. I know it happens, though, because I know adults to whom this was 'normal' while they were growing up. The author has made her perpetrators believable, sympathetic characters at the beginning of the book.

Ms. Slaughter took the bold step of making women (yes, plural) the primary 'evil doers'. Of course, after the warped attentions that her Blindsighted tormentor inflicted on his victims, we shouldn't be surprised at the ugliness springing from the human mind that this author conjures to put on paper -- although in person she appears to be an engaging young woman who couldn't possibly think of, let alone know, anything about the dark side of humanity.

While I'm sure Kisscut was plotted out before this last year's revelations about the molestations by priests of the Roman Catholic Church, having a minister who is involved in this mayhem on children is certainly a timely addition -- and another reminder that you can't trust someone just because of his or her position or profession.

There is some brightness to report. It looks like Sara and Jeffery could be getting back together.

Ms. Slaughter has once again written a book that is not easy on the emotions, but is highly readable. Get Kisscut and settle in for a fine, intense story on the printed page.

This past week, I finished Kisscut, the second book by Karin Slaughter. I'd read the first novel by this author a few months ago, and while I wasn't blown away by her writing, I was curious enough to consider the next book in the series. After all, this author received a three-book, six-figure contract based on the first book, so why not study her efforts to see what publishers are buying?

Returning to the Georgia-based setting are pediatrician and part-time coroner, Sara Linton, her ex-husband and police chief, Jeff Tolliver, and police detective, Lena Adams, who is still recovering from a brutal rape and attack depicted in the previous book. Sara interested me a great deal because of her relationship with her mother, but Lena, whose sister was murdered in the first book, wasn't as appealing. In fact, she's downright unpleasant at times. Maybe that's the point, as the second book explores.

Anyway, Kisscut starts off with the police shooting of Jenny, a 13-year old who threatened to kill boy outside a roller rink. Clearly distraught, the girl was last seen exiting the restroom... where the tattered remains of a pre-term fetus are found, flushed in the toilet. Are the two connected? Did Jenny intend to kill the father of her baby?

The story isn't just about Jenny, the baby (which actually isn't hers) and her attempted murder of the boy. In fact, it's a far more sordid, brutal tale of extensive child abuse, self-mutilation, incest and pornography. Slaughter thankfully doesn't go into explicit detail, though she still manages to sicken and horrify through alluded passages. It's a twisted, frustrating journey that layers trauma upon trauma, discovery upon discovery. The ultimate culprits aren't the usual suspects, and that makes the story even more difficult to handle.

For the most part, the text was engaging with a good balance between the A story (the mystery) and the B stories (Lena's struggle to accept what happened to her and move on, Sara/Jeff's rekindled relationship) with strong description and dialogue. Slaughter did improve from the first book, though Lena is still very much an angry, unlikable woman, and I haven't decided yet if I want to read the third book in the series.

For those who can stomach the actual story, Kisscut is a worthwhile read for an above average mystery... but it's not one I'd ever want to read or think about again.

In the parking lot of the popular Heartsdale, Georgia teen hangout skating rink Jenny Weaver threatens to shoot Mark Patterson. Police chief Jeffrey Tolliver is forced to kill the teenage girl. His former wife pediatrician and Grant County coroner Sara Linton witnesses the fatal shooting. Inside a toilet of the rink resides a dismembered fetus.

Sara's autopsy of Jenny provides several strange clues that do not add up. The deceased was a long time abuse victim, Her battered vagina had been sewn shut and there is no evidence of any recent sexual activity to produce a fetus. Detective Lena Adams, a victim of rape and grieving the death of her sister interrogates Mark. Soon she learns the horrifying perverted secrets of a town with quite a sideshow of pediophile, incest, and child pornography and prostitution.

Living up to her surname, Karin Slaughter provides readers with a graphic thriller that combines elements of a police procedural with that of a medical examiner tale. The story line catches the audience from the start, but fans should not dive in with a full stomach as KISSCUT tears into boundaries rarely seen in a thriller. The author eases some of the tension by the use of puns and other humorous devices that at times can be missed due to the high level of excitement. Those who enjoy Patricia Cornwall will relish this novel and Ms. Slaughter's previous book (see BLINDSIGHTED), but this writer adds more red meat in her recipe.

Harriet Klausner

Kisscut is a shocking and graphic story that is classic Karin Slaughter. Slaughter pulls no punches and spares no emotion!
When a young girl is shot and killed, when the body of an unborn infant is discovered, when all around close ranks and no one knows who is to blame or why...... the story is just beginning!
The slow revelation of the truth is shadowed by deceit, self mutilation, child abuse and a denial of basic concepts of trust and love.
The final chapters will leave you horrified and stunned, and in light of the recent kidnappings and murders of young girls in Florida, you will realize that Karin Slaughter's message is real and has deadly consequences.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. I first became aware of this author when I read A Thin Cold Fear. Didn't realized till then that it was one out of a series. I've since gone back and read them in order. I really enjoyed each book. While this story did have some disturbing subjects--incest,child pronography&abuse, etc.,--I knew that going in. The author did a great job of keeping the suspense going and the surprises coming. Can't say too much without giving them away though. I also have gotten into the relationship between Sara and her ex-husband cum boyfriend/lover Jeffrey, the sherriff. Each new installment is like a new episode of my favorite soap opera. I love how their relationship just won't die. I also love the interaction between Sara and her family. Nothing like being a doctor/coroner and still have your mother treat you like you're a teenager, and your dad calling you "baby". Personally, I'd buy the book all over again and will definitely re-read the series again later on. Can't wait for the next book!

Kisscut is a sequel to Ms Slaughter's debut novel Blindsighted and it makes few if any concesssions to readers unfamiliar with the earlier work plunging us into a narrative in whch the events of the previous book cast a long shadow .For this reason I cannot recommend that people unfamiliar with the earlier work start their soujourn into Slaughterland with Kisscut and would instead urge them to start at the beginning and read Blindsighted ,which is to my way of thinking a better book anyway.

Events take place as before in a small Georgia town and begin with a violent confrontation in the parking lot of the town's skating rink when a teenage girl threatens to shoot a boy only to be shot by the town sheriff Jeffrey Tolliver .At first it is assumed the killing was due to the aborted foetus which is found in the venue's rest room being that of the dead girl and that the intended victim was the father.
This turns out to be untrue and the case is linked to a child abuse ring and to incestuous family relationships within the outwardly respectable and God fearing community . The true theme of the novel is "the worm in the bud "--how a respectable facade can hide moral corruption and a lack of self -knowledge ;the chief abuser is persuaded he is motivated by love rather than cynical and inexcusable exploitative impulses.
It is a tawdry tale ,heavy and oppressive with an air of sleaze and corruption hanging like a pall over the whole novel.There is physical and forensic violence here but the real violence is one of atmosphere -a miasma of corruption hangs over the events described in the book and the realisation of this quality is the ultimate triumph of the novel .It makes it honest but does make for comfortable reading and some will find the subject matter inherently disquieting .
The events of the previous novel I referred to earlier that impact on the book are more to do with character than plot -Tolliver and town pediatrician / pathologist Sar Linton are striving to re-ignite their relationship , hard driven cop Lena is still suffering the trauma of rape which she endured in Blindsighted and struggling to rebuild her professional and personal life .
This is well written but the absence of any lighness in atmosphere or incident make the book heavy going .
Slaughte is immensely talented but for my money need to lighten up a little -it would throw the themes of her stories into starker relief but adding a contarsting shade .

After reading the first series "Blindsighted", I knew I had to come back for more. Karin is a great writer who captures your attention from beginning to end. I would avoid lunch with coworkers just to get reading time in. "Kisscut" is one of the best thrillers I've read in some time. When I read the first two chapters, I had no idea that this book would delve into something so sinister yet it held my interest the entire time. I must have read at least six chapters within an hour. My sister in law and I share the same interest in the type of books we read and yes I will be passing this on to her. I look forward to the next series this fall.

Yesterday I gave up on continuing to read this book. I gave up on page 228, after a completely exaggerated scene did little to alleviate the general atmosphere of long-winded boredom in the book.

My main problem with this book is that far more room is given to the personal problems of the police people and the doctor involved in the crime than to the crime itself. The crime itself sounded interestingly enough, but in the first 228 pages at least, it seemed to be a mere sideline. When writing crime stories, it is always a problem how to handle the personalities of those that are solving the crime. Of course they shouldn't be completely "anonymous" people with no life of their own, but on the other hand the reader buys the book to read about the crime and therefore doesn't care too much for reading about the police person's problems with his mother. In Kisscut, most of the people don't even have one private issue to deal with, but several. Highly annoying because it takes away from the real story.

The most annoying intrusion of private life is that of the highly unlikeable policewoman Lena. She suffered a terrible ordeal in the past (apparently covered in a previous book by Karin Slaughter) and the reader is constantly reminded of this ordeal. There are passages in the book where it is mentioned on almost every single page until I at least felt like shouting "Yes, allright, I got the point!"

So, maybe the crime story was good. But it is buried until so many other stories that the reader doesn't even get a chance to read about it. I do not recommend this book.

Karin Slaughter only gets better. A stunningly good second book (which is rare). Plotting, characters, excitement and lots of terror at every turn. I can't wait for her third (I hope there's one in the works). I won't give away any of the surprises but I heard every beat of my heart and every creak in my house the night I stayed up reading until done. Superb!

Wow.

I am left monosyllabic after reading Kisscut, the second volume in a new series by Karin Slaughter.

First, let's discuss the writing.

Slaughter has made great strides since her first novel, Blindsighted. Her writing has improved (sorry, it's too intangible to say just how). She plunges the reader right into the story, and rarely allows one to come up for air until the end.

I read the first three chapters in about 3 seconds. She sets the tone very nicely, and the first dramatic confrontation is superbly written.

Slaughter spends more time with Jeffery Tolliver, the police chief, and his exploration of the events than with the nominal main character, Dr Sara Linton. Detective Lena Adams, still recovering (?) from her difficulties in the previous novel, gets too much ink (in my opinion) dwelling on what has happened to her.

Still, I have to say spreading the narrative between three main characters is a new approach. It's growing on me.

Then there's the subject matter.

A sensitive reader might wish to stop after the first few chapters, because the horrors begin to unfold quickly. Slaughter is either 1) a sick puppy, or 2) daring enough to present things other authors wouldn't touch on a bet.

I'll go with 2). This book explores the darkest side of human nature. The details are truly sickening at times, and I will not discuss them here (I'm no spoiler). I'm very sad to realize these things likely happen in real life much as they do in Grant county: daily and right under our noses.

For anyone with a strong constitution, this book is a must-read entry in what is becoming a fine new series.