The first in the Will Trent series had just as much suspense and character development as the second book, that it actually wasn't bad having read it after book 2. Will and Angie are intriguing characters; and it is my favorite part of series reading; learning about the characters. Angie and Will are flawed, broken humans who still manage to contribute to society in their own way. Will struggles with a learning disability, and yet that enhances his ability to piece together evidence in a way other investigators can't. Angie works undercover in vice, which is stunning considering her childhood. Their relationship is complex and confusing, for them and the reader.

Slaughter is adept at describing crimes and the horrors of prison, without being extraordinarily graphic, but conveys the brutality brilliantly.