In the deep end

GIRL, FORGOTTEN, by Karin Slaughter (HarperCollins, $35)

tlanta author Karin Slaughter takes readers into a small town full of secrets and crimes, past and present, in her new novel. However, in it’s not the (recently made into a hit Netflix series starring Toni Collette), Andrea Oliver began training to become a US Marshal. Newly graduated, her first assignment is to protect Esther Vaughn, a Reagan-appointed federal judge who has been getting death threats. Secretly, Andrea is also given a mission to solve the 40-year-old murder of the judge’s pregnant teenage daughter, Emily. Powerful people are hoping that could keep Andrea’s father, cult leader Nick Harp, in prison. Slaughter keeps the revs high as Andrea must sink or swim in her new role, partnered with unforgettable mentor Catfish Bible, hitting many obstacles as she tries to protect the judge and solve a cold-case murder. Memories, prejudices and outright lies cloud the issue. An excellent, page-whirring read that gives readers more insight into a fascinating heroine.