Beverly's Reviews > False Witness

Wow, just wow, False Witness is superb writing by Karin Slaughter. This is my 21st Slaughter book and one of her best stand-alones that I've read. Cop Town is equally wonderful. As usual in her books, there are horrific scenes of cruel debauchery done by unrepentant psychopaths who like to prey on children and women. Slaughter never pulls her punches on violence. She describes the real thing, not the stylized type seen in movies. Having said that, she doesn't use violence for entertainment purposes. It is a warning. There are horrible people out there who are worse than animals, since animals only kill to eat.

The story revolves around sisters, Callie and Leigh; they grew up in poverty with a vicious mother who was more concerned about herself than her children. No father was ever in the picture. Leigh has been a surrogate Mom for Callie all her life, so when Callie gets into a mess, Leigh is there. They love each other fiercely. The story reveals why Callie has ended up a junkie and Leigh, a top, criminal lawyer. I have never ever cried reading a murder mystery before, but I did in this one, when the veterinarian Callie has worked for off and on all her life, describes why he loves her so much, even though she is a hopeless addict.