Trip #8: Would Richard and Ellie Be Proud ?

By S. K., Jid the kid and Lukas

BOOKS BY LUKAS/S.K./JID THE KID

Well, Guys, we've reached the "Present." Do you think Richard and Ellie are HAPPY CAMPERS? We traveled through 7 generations and the last 146 years of America's history. The Myers family, along with you, experienced all the ups and downs that are America. And the family grew and changed just like your family has changed and will change over time.

The plan is to have Luke and Sarah continue the journey in their lifetime to bring "Trip #9" to life! I hope you will all be here. I also hope your attitude about History has gotten more positive and exciting. At the end of each TRIP, I put in a "Final Quote." List all 8 and see if you now agree. Maybe you have a quote of your own--let me know on RETrips.com.


So I close with--
ALOHA, ADIOS, AU REVOIR, CHEERIO, BON VOYAGE, SHALOM, ADIEU, TOODLES, GOOD-BYE, CIAO, PEACE OUT, ARRIVADERCI, HASTA LA VISTA/BABY, LIVE LONG AND PROSPER, AFTER WHILE CROCODILE, SEE YA LATER ALLIGATOR, SAYANORA, KEEP IT REAL, SO LONG, CATCH YA ON THE FLIP SIDE.

AND FOR 2 SPECIAL LADIES, DONNA AND DOMINIQUE--"PAALAM" and "SALAMAT"! (Good-bye/Thank You w/hugs)

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496928191

S. K.

Lukas—Luke J. Moran: “What’s Up, Girl?” S. K.—Sarah K. Moran: “Nuttin’! S’up wit you?” We all want to thank Mrs. Diane Detty, the best 4th Grade teacher EVER, for letting us use her name in our story. Jid the Kid—Ken Hanna: I’m a few days older but still a Kid. Getting old is not exciting so I choose to not do it—so there! “Wats’up wit dat?”

Book preview

2014 Lukas/S. K./Jid the Kid. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/23/2014

ISBN:   978-1-4969-2818-4 (sc)

             978-1-4969-2819-1 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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YOUR AUTHORS

Lukas—Luke J. Moran: And so we continue the series…

S. K.—Sarah K. Moran: Stay cool my friends!

Jid the Kid—Ken Hanna: I’m still getting older, at least by the calendar—my mind is still saying, NO! The grandkids say, He got swag! (I hope that’s good.)

DEDICATIONS

Our final dedications we extend to all who have lived before us, those who live along with us, and to those who will come after us.

We give a very special dedication to the life of one of the 20th Century’s great men, Nelson Mandela (called "Madiba) of South Africa. He passed away on December 5, 2013, at age 95. What this man stood for is something we should all strive to copy. Read about him, see the movie made about him, and check our website, RETrips.com, to learn more.

This Trip began in December, so Merry Christmas to all who believe in Christ and to everyone who celebrates something special in their lives. The family’s journey has continued into January, so we wish all a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year—and for many years to come!!

Our final great big THANK YOU to our amazing Illustrators: Emma, Shelby, and Paul were wonderful to work with. We hope you all liked and enjoyed all their drawings as much as we did. May they always find success in their lives! You might even find a blog or two from them, so be sure to check RETrips.com. All three contributed to the illustrations for Trip #8.

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By the early 1990’s, Keith’s wife, Tracey, began working at NASA in its computer department. This was at the same time that constant advances in technology were happening. Her main job was to make sure that the government programs were keeping up with those changes. Most

Reviews for Trip #8

[starknits_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So I read this after watching the TV show so I knew this book would deal with some hard stuff. That being said they did change some stuff for the show. And I'm guessing they pulled in other books for it.
The book was good

[natalieriley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am thoroughly impressed with the first installment of the Will Trent series. Slaughter knows exactly how to write a suspenseful thriller. Considering how she started the story, I never expected it to take those turns. I was immersed in the lives of the characters and on the edge of my seat.

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An Atlanta police detective is investigating the murder of a prostitute when he discovers that several other women were also killed in a similar fashion. When the detective is joined on the case by an agent from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the reader gradually begins to learn what's really going on, and the truth is a shocker.

I found this book an engrossing read. There is always something going on in it, that makes you want to read on. The characters in it have depth, and personality, which makes you care about them, when they are in perilous situations. There is a bit of jumping backwards and forwards at the beginning of the novel, but it all starts to make sense fairly quickly, as all is not as what the reader may have originally thought at the start of the book.

[gatorhater · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An action packed mystery thriller involving an accused 15 year old boy, John Shelley of raping and murdering a 14 year old girl, Mary Alice Finney. John gets convicted and sentenced to serve 20 years in prison, but when he's released questions arise whether he was falsely accused. It begins when John realizes that someone has stolen his identity and is trying to put him back behind bars, the new murders take on a whole new mystery of responsibility by using similar modes of operations.

[balthazar0lawson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is written in three parts and the first two were great. I was really enjoying this book.

Then the third part came along and it went down hill from there. The third part dragged and didn't flow in a captivating manner. It featured two aspects of writing that I dislike. Trying to represent the happenings of a dream and trying to write the words of the stroke affected. It is so easy to get these wrong, as in this book. Plus the story just didn't gel, there appeared to parts missing to make it coherent.

Disappointing in the end.

[bsquaredinoz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book has all you could want in a whodunit: complex characters, twist-filled plot and an unexpected ending. It's a terrific stand-alone mystery.

[sharrona_4 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Might be a good story, but after reading 1/3 of the book, I’ve found nothing to redeem the coarseness, cruelty, and violence. Life is too short to read a novel that repels rather than entertains me.

[emhromp2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I had a little difficulty getting into the story (it has a depressing beginning) and was intrigued soon enough. This is the kind of book anyone would like to have written. I loved the intertwining stories and I liked the characters a lot. I'm glad Slaughter decided to write a sequel.

[mazda502001 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This really is an explosive thriller with plenty of twists. It's a long time since I've read one of her books but it didn't disappoint. A good read.Back Cover Blurb:When Atlanta police detective Michael Ormewood is called out to a murder scene at the notorious Grady Homes, he finds himself faced with one of the most brutal killings of his career: Aleesha Monroe is found in the stairwell in a pool of her own blood, her body horribly mutilated.As a one-off killing it's shocking, but when it becomes clear that this is the latest in a series of similar attacks, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is called in, and Michael is forced into working with Special Agent Will Trent of the Criminal Apprehension Team - a man he instinctively dislikes.Twenty-four hours later, the violence Michael sees around him every day explodes in his own back yard. And it seems the mystery behind Monroe's death is inextricably entangled with a past that refuses to stay buried....

[belgrade18 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the audio book version of this. A sensational noir-ish thriller/mystery set in Atlanta, with lots of gross out descriptions of serial killers and "whores," all with a Southern accent. All of the characters are vile, including the hero police detectives. Writing was pretty mediocre, mostly meant to titillate, although there are a few interesting characters. Not my cup of tea.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been reading the Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter since she came out with the first one in 2006 so when I was looking for a book set in Georgia I thought I would go back and meet Will again in his introductory outing. I forgot what a great mystery novel it was, especially in giving us Will and Angie's sad back story.

A prostitute is murdered on the steps of her apartment, in a run down area of Atlanta, and Detective Michael Ormewood is sent to the scene. There have been a number of recent, similar attacks involving younger victims. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation sends in one of their agents, Will Trent, who has been investigating some related crimes. Will Trent is a man with major problems of his own, being severely dyslexic and with an unhealthy attachment to one of the local police force's undercover detectives who operates as a street prostitute. John Shelley is an ex-con who has spent most of his life in prison for a murder that is identical to the current ones. Their lives will entwine in unexpected ways weaving a complicated story.

Triptych is a quick and enjoyable read with some pretty graphic violence. I was really drawn into the story so now I'm going to have to pick up the next book in the series now because I just can't remember what happens next!

[olegalca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was getting bored and disillusioned with Karin Slaughter's "Grant County" series and almost didn't want to try another book by her. Too graphic and too many horrible things happening to the same group of people (some therapist in Atlanta will be getting rich off this group). I was pleasantly surprised to read this book. I liked the main character very much - refreshing to see a law enforcement official with a learning disability! I don't think I've seen that before. There were also some really smart twists to the story and although I predicted by about the fourth chapter what was going to happen, the storytelling kept me enthralled. Well done! Still a little too graphic but if you skip over those parts, the story will keep you reading.

[julie10reads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

From Atlanta’s wealthiest suburbs to its stark inner-city housing projects, a killer has crossed the boundaries of wealth and race. And the people who are chasing him must cross those boundaries, too. Among them is Michael Ormewood, a veteran detective whose marriage is hanging by a thread—and whose arrogance and explosive temper are threatening his career. And Angie Polaski, a beautiful vice cop who was once Michael’s lover before she became his enemy. But unbeknownst to both of them, another player has entered the game: a loser ex-con who has stumbled upon the killer’s trail in the most coincidental of ways—and who may be the key to breaking the case wide open. Summary BPLInteresting for the backstory on Angie Polaski who pops up in several other Slaughter novels. Again, stands alone on its own feet but part of Ms Slaughter’s Atlanta series.7.5 out of 10. For fans of Ms Slaughter, detective and crime fiction, and detailed characterization.

[debavp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this after reading Blindsighted. This was a bit more graphic, but again, where the graphic sex and violence appear it is quite necessary and effective and doesn't last long. I think this would definitely be a great series as well, maybe not to see the main characters as they were, but see how these battered and bruised people fare in the future. This one has several OMG moments that you did not see coming.

[sareiner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very will said"The many reviews that praise the thriller TRIPTYCH by Karin Slaughter must be based, I think, on the second half of the book. (You may disagree. More on that later.) If so, then the praise is justified. But a book review should be based on a book’s entirety, and Slaughter paints a picture of characters and background for almost 200 pages before she gets to the suspense. She risks losing readers after page 50. But if you stick with it, it not only gets better; it gets great.TRIPTYCH is the first book in a series about Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the book doesn't begin with him. It begins with a newspaper clipping from 1985 about the murder of a 15-year-old girl in Georgia. This is why you may disagree with my opinion. Because the book begins with a murder, you might say, it begins with suspense. Maybe. But that little clipping wasn't enough for me.Next, TRIPTYCH fast forwards to 2006, when a detective, Michael, begins an investigation of a murder similar to the 1985 murder, although no one yet links the two. Then the book takes us back to 1985 when a teenager, John, is accused of the murder; then it goes forward again to 2005 and 2006, when we meet Trent; then we're back to 1985, then forward, and so on until we have what appears to be the complete picture of crimes occurring in 2006 that are similar to that first one in 1985.Probably the first 180 pages are Slaughter's effort to give depth to the characters so that this novel is not simply plot driven and to show that the 1985 murder and characters are connected to the 2005 and 2006 murders and characters. But, especially in the case of the 1985 murder, the details are hard to read because they are so infuriating and frustrating. What needs to be said is never said, what needs to happen never happens. But after a surprise about one of the character's identity is revealed, TRIPTYCH does get really good. Now it's a thriller.One reader review of this book complains that the murderer is apparent halfway through the book. That person doesn't get it. True, we can figure out the mystery 200 or so pages in, but the suspense is just beginning. After we know who the murderer is, the book gets un-put-downable. Believe it, this book WILL grab you."

[over.the.edge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

TriptychWill Trent Series #1by Karin Slaughter20063.5/5.0#teamslaughter #scarathon #buddyreadA good thriller of suspense and emotion.Alesha Moore, a prostitute slain in an Atlanta housing project, also had her tongue bitten off. She was the 4th victim slain with their tongue bitten or cut off, and Detective Ormewood is being pressured to close the case. This case will have some surprising turns that have some looking at their past and some on their future.The scene building is exceptional and I like Will and Angie.

[moukayedr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My digital Collins says:triptych [ˈtrɪptɪk:]n 1. a set of three pictures or panels, usually hinged so that the two wing panels fold over the larger central one: often used as an altarpiece2. a set of three hinged writing tabletsFrom Greek triptukhos, from tri- + ptux plate.One of the story's characters has a triptych on her mantelpiece. When the two side panels fold over the central one a new image or canvas is formed. There is a blurb on the book cover: Three people with something to hide. One killer with nothing to lose. I believe the Triptych reference is to these three people and the way their deception makes things take different forms at different times.I bought this book after I read Fractured by the same author because I liked the character of Special Agent Will Trent and wanted to read more about his personal story. This book did not disappoint, as the plot moved at a cracking pace. There were plenty of unexpected twists that kept me turning the pages, and re-reading some parts to discover how the author expertly wove the pattern of deception.I love the way Karin Slaughter handles her characters. Unlike clean predictable sleuths like Temperance Brennan (Kathy Reich's forensic anthropologist), Karin Slaughter comes up with more vulnerable and gritty characters for her police force. They show many human frailties that anyone can relate to and sympathize with. Her characters fight their private battles as they are fighting crime, and this makes them all the more appealing.The story starts with the murder and mutilation of Aleesha Munroe, a prostitute and a drug addict living in one of Atlanta's rough neighborhood. Detective Michael Ormwood is in charge, but he soon finds out that he needs to work with Special Agent Will Trent from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Will Trent is helping out because the murder has some similarities with other attacks around the state. Within 24 hours Michael's next door neighbor is found dead in his backyard and in order to solve the mystery the two men need to look back into a past that refuses to stay buried.I will not elaborate more on this excellent thriller in order not to spoil it for future readers. More than just a good thriller the story challenges the perceptions of right and wrong, justice and injustice. It gave me a a pause about the grim reality of prison and why a convicted felons almost always end up back in prison.I will remember many characters in this book. For example there is the mother character who fought bravely and unrelentingly for her son, it was a character I related to. She stands in contrast to the mother who fought blindly for her son doing a lot of damage to people's lives in the process.Another character later in the book spoke poignantly about her children: "It's the most wonderful blessing God has given us, our ability to bring a child into the world. You hold them in our arms that first time, and they are more precious than gold. Every breath you take after that is only for your child". This is so true.

[tulikangaroo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm glad to have finally read the first Will Trent book to learn more about his beginnings. Another great story.

[heptonj · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent book which holds the interest without interruption all the way through. The guy you meet in the begining who seems to be set up to be the hero isn't at all what you expect as you get to know him throughout the story. The real 'heroes' Angie and Will are flawed, mixed-up characters who have a lot of 'past' and it would be interesting to see how their characters fare if this was ever turned into a series. Young girls and prostitutes are being horrifically murdered and mutilated and the person who you think is the villain slowly grows on you until you realise he isn't the bad guy at all. There are lots of twists and turns to this novel which holds more than one surprise, a great story line and a very satisfying ending. I would highly recommend this one.

[mikelancaster_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pleasantly surprised by my first Karin Slaughter. I found the book to be cleverly plotted, the characters were complex and interesting, and the twists were engaging.The book was a whole lot darker than I was expecting and I think I will be tempted to read another Slaughter soon.

[randall6hansen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like Karin Slaughter and wanted to read the first in her Will Trent series, about an investigator for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The story ebbs and flows, and I found the focus more on a character who plays a major role in the story than on Will Trent. Also found Trent and his off-again/on-again lover so fractured from abuse in their childhoods that it got to be almost overkill in moving the story along. Will read more of her work, but didn't totally love this one.

[ravenswoodpublishi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Karin Slaughter is the absolute best crime/mystery writer I have come across in this day and age. Her novels will simply astound you with their heart-racing moments and intrigue. Every time I pick one of her novels up I cannot stop reading until I'm done and I still find myself begging for more. She's a writer with no fear! She wields her instruments like a knife ready to dig in deep and take you by surprise at every turn!

[dearheart_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wow, hard to figure out just what rating to give this book. Parts of it were excellent and other parts had you wondering what the heck the author was doing.The story follows a number of people and I was somewhat surprised that Will Trent wasn’t the main focus for a good chunk of the book considering his name as listed as the series. That threw me as a good chunk of the story was based on John, an ex-con’s past and present. I have to say by the end, when everything pulls together, I liked the story a great deal more than when only partway through it. So at different points I would have come up with different ratings.There are two others characters that we follow; Angie, a hard-nosed female detective in Vice who has a long history with Will, and Michael, a disturbing homicide detective who likes everyone to believe he’s hard-nosed.The crimes themselves are gruesome involving rape, beatings and mutilations of teen girls. John’s history and current situation are also gritty and don’t make for a comfortable “cozy.”But by the end of the book I’m left with the feel of a well planned and executed story. You won’t necessarily like most of the characters, and I don’t believe we’re not meant.

[mrtall_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Triptych, by the aptly surnamed Karin Slaughter, is a serial killer-potboiler with pretensions to being something more. The plot is claustrophobic, and I don’t mean this in a good way. Rather, the story – a convicted-but-recently-released rapist/murderer seeks exoneration after serving two decades in the slammer; meanwhile, a series of similar crimes breaks out in Atlanta – comprises a set of characters who are tied to each other at every turn. Every plot development further compresses the circle of possibilities until even the densest of the principals can no longer avoid the obvious. This 'everything is personal' approach means all of the crimes intimately affect each character. Some people must love this style of storytelling, because it’s become so very, very common in crime fiction. I’m heartily sick of it, myself. It leads to long, leaden passages setting up characters’ backstories, especially assigning them highly unlikely personality quirks, and to cheap emotional tricks like making characters victims of abuse (spread on with a trowel here) in order to wring out some quick readerly sympathy.So what are we left with for characters here? There’s just one actual character: jaded vice cop Angie comes across pretty well, although she too is exaggerated for effect. That I can live with. But the main male 'characters' are uniformly unbelievable bundles of characteristics – Will, the dyslexic vulnerablesensitivecuddly Georgia Bureau of Investigations agent who’s Angie’s long-term snugglebunny; John, the childlike, innocent, and equally hugalicious ex-con; and our colossally boring bad guy, whom I won’t name, but who never comes to life at all. Karin Slaughter is not a bad writer, but this effort has way too many flaws to recommend.

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Triptych
4.5 Stars

Well-written and engrossing story with captivating characters. The descriptions of abuse, rape and murder are particularly graphic and gruesome, so be forewarned that this may be a difficult read if this type of writing bothers you.


The shifting narrative perspective makes it easy to identify with each of the characters from the veteran police detective with a troubled marriage and a disabled child to the GBI agent who suffered both mental and physical torture in his past and his childhood friend turned vice cop.

The plot is skillfully woven with numerous twists and turns that keep catching the reader unaware and the message highlighted within the mystery is that nothing is as it seems and appearances can be deceiving.

All in all, a fast-paced and intense thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages.

[louisianagirl91 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I've read by Ms. slaughter and I don't know what took me so long to find out about her. I was just scanning the shelves in the library and thought her books sounded interesting. What an understatement! This woman is good! Why hasn't she received more attention? I love crime and suspense novels and I know that there are a lot of writers in this genre. But not many of them are good. Ms. Slaughter finds a way to get you caught up in the story and you're thinking one thing is gonna happen when, in reality, she takes you in a totally different direction! And you had no idea how you got there only that it was a wild ride!

The basics of Triptych...there is someone evil raping, killing and ripping out the tongues of young women. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason or no apparent connection. At least, that's how it SEEMED. Ms. Slaughter has a way of writing that makes one feel a tad sorry for the convicted criminal and she allows us to understand what happened from his point of view. Three detectives and one criminal all seem to have some kind of connection, but do they? To explain it more would spoil it. So I will just say this...READ THIS BOOK PLEASE! It was SOOO good that I stayed up to finished it. I was exhausted but it was oh so worth it! I plan to read all of her books now and I hope others will discover her and appreciate her like I do.

[fantasma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The last book of 2006, managed to finish it by the 30th!I "found" Karin Slaughter in 2006 and what a great discovery it was, so I had to read this book soon. It wasn't a good time for it, though, as it deserved to be read fast and really grabbing the story but I was too distracted to enjoy it well. But, a great thriller, the twist comes at the middle and all the story changes and everything starts happening fast then. An author to keep following in the years to come...

[lorihedgpeth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"TripTych" is my first book by Karin Slaughter, but if it is any indication of the types of books that Ms. Slaughter authors, it won't be the last. The basic plotline of "TripTych" could be formulaic (is a dead prostitute in Atlanta connected to a serial rapist/killer?) but thankfully it is not. The discovery of the prostitute in the first chapter is only the springboard to introduce us to a plethora of characters and a brutal murder from 20 years prior. While none of the primary characters are wholly sympathetic, they are gritty, original and real. Ms. Slaughter hooked me from the first chapter and reeled me in thru several days of reading thru my lunch hour and staying up, trying to read as much as I could before bed, looking forward eagerly to the next page. A huge plotline twist mid-book caught me by pleasant surprise and the story didn't let up until the very end. My only complaint about "TripTych" was the end - - it seemed a bit too tidy but perhaps that was simply due to the adrenaline rush the rest of the book throws at you. Overall, I found the book addictive and totally absorbing. I will be looking for other books by Ms. Slaughter my next trip to the library. Highly recommended.

[smithhoosier3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Totally addictive

[stef7sa-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book is based on foul play from the author, something I noticed in another novel of her as well. The narrator of the first chapter isn't merely unreliable, which is acceptable of course, he also doesnt have THOUGHTS about his earlier deeds, even when being confronted with the results. He reacts exactly to these results as every other noninvolved person would. This is extremely unlikely and only introduced by the author to save her story. A shame.