TripTych by Karin Slaughter

          First of all, Karin Slaughter is one of those authors who write like you are living the story – none of that drawn out, extra, just-for-the-heck-of-it description junk.  Every word makes you feel like you are in the world of the tale she is spinning, which makes it that much easier for you to be caught up, that much more difficult to ever put the book down.         

This starts off with two story lines, one in the present, one starting 21 years previously, and then works along while you are wondering what the heck do the two have to do with each other, but boy are you amazed how they do spin together!  A lot of times, my simple mind has a hard time keeping up with both plots when this happens, but this is presented in a very logical sequence, so that when it bounced back and forth, it all made perfect sense.         

On one side, there is police Detective Michael Ormewood, who is investigating the rape/murder/mutilations of young girls and then the seemingly unrelated addition of a 40-year old prostitute.         

Then there is the release on parole of John Shelley, 21 years after allegedly raping and mutilating 15-year old Mary Alice Finney after attending a party at his cousin, Woody’s, house.  John is trying to do good by his parole, but discovers that 6 years before getting out, when no one would have ever thought he would have had a prayer of getting out, someone starting using his name to start an elaborate credit file – and build GOOD credit – but why?         

Part way through, when John uses Woody’s REAL name, is when the shocks begin.         

This is an excellent mystery, good suspense.