Bestselling Author Karin Slaughter Shares Top Book Picks

Best-selling author Karin Slaughter has consistently made waves with her gripping thrillers and series, and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Over her 20-year career, she has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her work has inspired the popular TV drama Will Trent, starring Ramón Rodríguez, which has become ABC’s top-rated new show. This success has translated into a growing fanbase, with the series already greenlit for a third season.

Her latest novel in the Will Trent series, This Is Why We Lied, is expected to capture an even larger audience. This book marks a significant development for the character of Will Trent, who is on his honeymoon at an isolated mountain resort when a staff member is murdered. The situation forces Trent into a classic “closed circle” mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie, with a limited number of suspects each possessing a motive.

“I think it was the honeymoon they were meant to have,” Slaughter says. “I wanted to write a locked-room mystery that didn’t fall into familiar tropes. Agatha Christie was the master of this genre, and I wanted a more complex character to drive the story—a character with hopes, wishes, and dreams.”

Success and a growing readership are not enough for Slaughter, who remains deeply focused on the quality of her writing. She consistently aims to spotlight the serious issues that her stories often revolve around, such as domestic violence and addiction. These themes are woven into her work with a mix of black humor and homage to Christie, providing not just laughter but also poignant, hard-hitting moments.

“When I was growing up, my grandmother was horrifically abused by my grandfather,” Slaughter shares. “She had no resources and lived in a rural area, making it hard for her to leave. It’s never easy, even for women with resources. It’s easy to judge from a place of safety, but it’s different when you’re in the middle of it.”

This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter ($32; William Morrow) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

Here are some of Slaughter’s favorite books and their impact on her career.

The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor

“I grew up in a small southern town where people thought I was very strange,” Slaughter shares. “Flannery O’Connor wrote honestly and humorously about her surroundings, which was a revelation to me. As a young woman in the South, seeing another woman do this was inspirational.”

The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor ($20; Farrar, Straus and Giroux) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

Encyclopedia Brown Boxed Set by Donald J. Sobol

“I loved Encyclopedia Brown,” Slaughter says. “Each mystery held clues with solutions at the end, teaching me the importance of playing fair with the reader. You want readers to reach the end and say, ‘Oh, I can’t believe I missed these clues!’”

Encyclopedia Brown Boxed Set by Donald J. Sobol ($23.96; Puffin Books) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

The Grass Is Always Greener Over The Septic Tank by Erma Bombeck

“Weirdly, I also loved Erma Bombeck. Her humor in turning everyday situations into something funny and dramatic deeply influenced me. Combining puzzles and humor was what being a writer meant to me.”

The Grass Is Always Greener Over The Septic Tank by Erma Bombeck ($19.99; Random House Publishing Group) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

The Complete Sonnets and Poems by William Shakespeare

“One memorable book I received was from my ninth-grade teacher who later became a friend. She gave me a book of Shakespeare’s sonnets, teaching me how language can be a tool, weapon, and a door to deeper understanding. That book had a profound impact on my writing career.”

The Complete Sonnets and Poems by William Shakespeare ($14.95; Oxford University Press) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman

“Amanda Gorman’s poetry speaks a universal language with deeper meaning beneath the surface. Understanding and appreciating this depth is a testament to her talent as a poet.”

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman ($17.99; Viking Books) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

Grief Is The Thing With Feathers by Max Porter

“Grief Is The Thing With Feathers is a slim but impactful novel that provides a beautiful reflection on loss and love within a family. It’s a book you read when you’re ready, and it stays with you.”

Grief Is The Thing With Feathers by Max Porter ($16; Graywolf Press) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Slaughter often praises The Talented Mr. Ripley as one of the best thrillers ever written. She recalls first discovering it the summer before her senior year and quickly devouring Highsmith’s other works for their concise and riveting storytelling.

“I love the mundane details Highsmith focuses on, like Tom trying to place long-distance calls. It’s that level of precision and pettiness in her writing that I admire.”

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith ($16.95; W.W. Norton and Company) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

“Margaret Atwood’s versatility in writing fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, and even poetry is commendable. If I had to choose one, it might be Alias Grace for its brilliance.”

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood ($19; Vintage) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

The World According To Garp by John Irving

“I remember reading The World According to Garp on a business trip. It was so captivating that I couldn’t leave it behind, even though it was a thick paperback. It remains in my collection to this day.”

The World According To Garp by John Irving ($20; Dutton) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue

“Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue is fantastic. She’s another author who does whatever she wants, and it’s always great. Her ability to change the narrative direction convincingly is impressive, showing much thought and preparation.”

Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue ($17.99; Harcourt) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter ($32; William Morrow) Buy now from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop.org

Related: The 46 Best Books of 2024…So Far