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A suspense thriller without the suspense

A psychopathic serial killer with a gruesome signature (are you ready for this one? He bites out his victim’s tongues!) is on the loose in Atlanta. The entire police force is wired and on the hunt but the search centers around the efforts of Michael Ormewood, an abrasive and much disliked hard-nosed veteran whose marriage is in distinctly rough shape; Angela Polaski, a gorgeous vice cop with a generous libido who doesn’t seem to have to stretch her personality very far to simulate her role as an undercover prostitute; and Will Trent, Polaski’s on-again off-again friend and lover and a brilliant, somewhat introverted, detective whose career is hampered by severe dyslexia.

The characters were developed to a tremendous degree and would certainly drive readers to become fully invested but, for me, the plot left a great deal to be desired in that the guilty party was entirely obvious almost from the outset. Perhaps author Slaughter crafted TRIPTYCH on purpose that way and perhaps it was her intention to create a moody character driven “suspense� thriller that was based more on revelation of personality than deeds. That’s OK and it’s certainly an author’s prerogative to write as she sees fit but for me it never managed to reach compelling or thrilling.

That said, it was an enjoyable read and I’m a continuing Karin Slaughter fan.

Paul Weiss