Karin Slaughter writes a good thriller but, boy, are they unflinchingly brutal. There are always some very tough scenes to read and this was no exception. I am extremely claustrophobic so the buried alive "punishments" were almost too much for me. Even without the phobia, she certainly comes up with some dark storylines. She also has very complex characters and relationships so the books aren't just shock value. There is one more book left in this series but I will need to wait a bit to build up some strength for that one. ( )

Faithless is the fifth book in Slaughter's Grant County series and continues the story of the primary characters, Sara Linton, a pediatrician and county medical examiner, and her ex-husband and current lover, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver. This series also features one of the most fascinating characters in suspense, Detective Lena Adams, and her struggles with PTSD, as well as her ongoing abusive relationship with former skinhead, Ethan Green.

Sara and Jeffrey are out for a walk in the woods when they trip over a pipe coming up from under the ground. They dig down into the dirt until they discover the body of young woman, Abby Ward, buried in a box in the woods. Despite the breathing tube and the food and water beside her, she still died. When they go out to inform the family of her death, they discover that Abby was a member of a very religious family that has their own church. They also find out that the family runs a huge farm using ex-cons as workers.

I've been rereading this series in audio throughout the year and I've found it very enjoyable. The issues raised in the course of the investigation force Sara, Jeffery, and Lena to examine themselves as well as the multitude of suspects. There are always plenty of twists and turns and Slaughter's command of suspense is exceptional. The author does an outstanding job of portraying her main characters totally out of their comfort zone and always finds a way to make the plot complex, creative and compelling. ( )