Pieces of Her is a story about a mother and a daughter. But it goes deeper than that: it’s a story about a mother and a daughter who have to learn about each other all over again when a traumatic experience forces long buried secrets to surface.  Andrea is burning to find out who her mother really is, while Laura worries about how much to tell her  beloved daughter.  I don’t really want to say more than that for fear of giving away the rest of the story but know that this is a thriller and it packs an exciting punch.

This novel has two time frames: present time and Andy’s past in the 1980’s. The present day sections are full of suspense and I was just dying to find out what would happen to Andy as she goes on a country wide search for answers about her mother’s past. The sections that take place in the past build up a very interesting backstory.  The result is a suspenseful story that actually makes a lot of sense and is believable.  The dynamics between Andy and Laura are very realistic as is Andy’s inner dialogue as she went on what seemed to her a crazy race to find answers.

I read The Good Daughter last year so I already knew going into this new book that it would be a novel of a high caliber.  Pieces of Her did not disappoint, it is a perfect blend of fast paced suspense and fully developed characters that drive a steady and very thoughtful plot and backstory. I got that very immersive feeling while reading this book: that type of book that you find yourself thinking about during your day, with the itch to get back home so you can pick it right back up. Slaughter is a gifted storyteller who is able to write thrillers that have actual substance. I look forward to reading more of her work and I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars.