nglofile's review against another edition
2.0
The good: realistic detail and an incredible sense of both time and place. The heroines are given complexity, and the ugly reality of the trials suffered by women in the police force in 1970s Atlanta have real impact. It's never pleasant to be immersed in rampant abuse and power play of gender, racial, and social politics (both domestic and professional), but there's a tragic undercurrent of authenticity that's inescapable.
The bad: boy, is this book agenda-driven, especially in regards to sexual identity, and the heavy-handedness is off-putting. The crudity of the repeated epithets was also hard to bear, though to be fair that will be exacerbated in audio experiences. Kate's uncle was cartoonish in his villainy, and it was difficult to believe that there wouldn't be even one individual with sparks of decency anywhere in the character roster. It's a hard book to enjoy, especially when the mystery/thriller elements are uneven.
audiobook note: Kathleen Early gives weight and empathy to a gritty, grimy story that is difficult to hear. Very strong reading.
The bad: boy, is this book agenda-driven, especially in regards to sexual identity, and the heavy-handedness is off-putting. The crudity of the repeated epithets was also hard to bear, though to be fair that will be exacerbated in audio experiences. Kate's uncle was cartoonish in his villainy, and it was difficult to believe that there wouldn't be even one individual with sparks of decency anywhere in the character roster. It's a hard book to enjoy, especially when the mystery/thriller elements are uneven.
audiobook note: Kathleen Early gives weight and empathy to a gritty, grimy story that is difficult to hear. Very strong reading.
alexabookish's review against another edition
3.0
i love karin slaughter and this is one of her only books i hadn’t read yet, so i was determined to read it eventually. just know that parts of this book are hard to read bc it takes place in 70s atlanta.
ankimonkey26's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
elle_loves_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Another fantastic Karin Slaughter book! A police procedural, not always following procedure, Cop Town deals with racism and sexism, as well as a cop killer. As always, KS pulled me into this twisty tale from the prologue and kept me entertained throughout.
yourshadefalls's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
debbiew's review against another edition
5.0
I was given this book by Net galley for an honest review. I really liked this book. It pulled me right in and I couldn't put it down. Kate and Maggie are 2 police officers in the 1970's. There are a lot of prejudices that they have to deal with. I have read a lot of Karin Slaughters books and Cop Town is different than any of her other books. Cop Town is now one of my favorite books by her.
willan13's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
seed193's review against another edition
4.0
A little different than her other novels, but I liked the flashback set up.