Blindsighted (Grant County #1)

by Karin Slaughter

Another memorable question I repeatedly got was, “why do you write about such strong women?” I got so fed up that I finally started saying I would answer that question when people started asking my male counterparts why they wrote about such strong men.

One thing that struck me after all of these years was the surprising strain of vigilante justice that runs through the Grant County series. Jeffrey has no problem laying hands on suspects. He throws them against walls, lets Lena slap them around, and contrives to make sure they are punished for their crimes, even when the law might say otherwise. It’s clear from my writing that this is all okay, because Jeffrey is the good guy and you’re supposed to root for him. My opinion on this subject has taken a sharp turn during the ensuing years. We all know the American criminal justice system is in great need of reform, and the proliferation of cell phones has shown us what happens when cops get it wrong. Everyone is for vigilante justice until the justice part is taken out. We are a nation of laws for a reason.

With an unprecedented sympathy, she understood how alcoholics got started. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help thinking that a stiff drink would do her a world of good.