You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/07/...

Will Trent, agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (and one of my favorite Karin Slaughter creations), to a duty that no agent wants. Meanwhile, his boss, Amanda Wagner, seems determined to keep him away from the case of a missing girl. Amanda is nothing if good at keeping secrets, and Will has just about had enough, but of course that doesn’t stop Amanda from doing her best to close him out. Amanda Wagner is one of the most infuriating characters in this series, but in Criminal, we get a look into what made her who she is, and it was absolutely fascinating. Amanda became a cop in mid-seventies Atlanta, and it wasn’t a good time for women in general, much less women in the boys’ club that was law enforcement. Mostly relegated to secretarial work, women had to put up with near constant verbal abuse, and sometimes physical abuse, and were never taken seriously as investigators. In fact, according to the author, during her research she found out that many calls were made claiming that women were stealing squad cars, because the thought of a woman being a cop just didn’t enter anyone’s mind. The narrative of Criminal goes back and forth between 1975 and present day, and the bodies are piling up. Prostitutes are being killed in horrible ways, and Will is connected to the case very intimately.

I am a huge fan of this series, and it just keeps getting better. Criminal is Amanda and Will’s story, and it’s a surprising one. The author paints a very sympathetic portrait of a character who, so far, has not garnered much sympathy. Her attachment to Will is explained, and her tumultuous beginning in law enforcement is nothing short of fascinating. Will is just as frustrating as always (but you can’t help but ove him), and his tragic past is also explored here. Sara Linton has a hand in Trent’s emotional progress, and their romance is very tender and sweet. However, Ms. Slaughter is no stranger to darkness, and Criminal is one of her darkest books yet. The crimes are unspeakable, and sometimes difficult to read, but there is never anything gratuitous about these stories, and they only serve to highlight the humanity of her protagonists, as they fight to stop the most gruesome of criminals. If you love crime novels with characters you’ll fall in love with and stories that will keep you riveted, start with Blindsighted and work your way through. You won’t regret it!