Cop Town by Karin Slaughter

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Miss Slaughter and Delacorte Press/Random House for this opportunity.

Description courtesy of Goodreads:

Atlanta, 1974: As a brutal murder and a furious manhunt rock the city’s police department, Kate Murphy wonders if her first day on the job will also be her last. She’s determined to defy her privileged background by making her own way—wearing a badge and carrying a gun. But for a beautiful young woman, life will be anything but easy in the macho world of the Atlanta PD, where even the female cops have little mercy for rookies. It’s also the worst day possible to start given that a beloved cop has been gunned down, his brothers in blue are out for blood, and the city is on the edge of war.

Kate isn’t the only woman on the force who’s feeling the heat. Maggie Lawson followed her uncle and brother into the ranks to prove her worth in their cynical eyes. When she and Kate, her new partner, are pushed out of the citywide search for a cop killer, their fury, pain, and pride finally reach the boiling point. With a killer poised to strike again, they will pursue their own line of investigation, risking everything as they venture into the city’s darkest heart.

So I have a little confession to make: since my husband is a retired cop and retired Army, I am drawn by certain types of stories. Cop Town intrigued me for a few different reasons, it was about cops, it was about female cops, and it was set in the past. The fact that it was set in a neighboring city-Atlanta- intrigued me a little bit more.

Miss Slaughter didn't pull any punches (no pun intended) when she tried to make the story as real as possible in regards to the prejudices, the way women were treated and thought about, the way children were treated, and the way the police department was corrupt. For the generation of readers who grew up in the '80s and later, they may not believe a lot of the harshness that Miss Slaughter included in her story. Yes, this is a work of fiction, but I think she did a good job of researching how life was in the '70s and why it was so imperative for so much to change.

This was the first book by Miss Slaughter that I have had the pleasure to read. So what did I like about it? Well, it was a little slow getting started, but that isn't always a bad thing. Miss Slaughter created each of her characters to be realistic. I like that I felt connected with each character. My emotions changed with each scenario that affected each character. I felt sad, angry, hurt, exhilarated, and vindicated. On the subject of the plot, Miss Slaughter created a thriller/mystery that has twists, turns, surprises and an ending that will leave you stunned! 

Miss Slaughter is truly a talented author who was born to write!