Will Trent Books In Order: The Complete Karin Slaughter Reading Guide
Maybe you've just finished binge-watching Will Trent on ABC and aren't quite ready to say goodbye to Will, Faith, and the rest of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Or perhaps you picked up a Karin Slaughter thriller at the airport, flew through all 400-plus pages, and immediately started wondering what else she'd written. Either way, you've found yourself with a delightful problem: an entire crime thriller series waiting to be discovered, and absolutely no idea where to begin.
I love discovering an established book series, particularly one with enough installments to keep me entertained for months. There's something comforting about returning to familiar characters, even when those characters are investigating particularly gruesome crimes. You become invested in their relationships, their complicated histories, and the little details that make them feel like people you actually know. Of course, the downside of discovering a long-running series is figuring out which book comes first, whether there are any companion novels you should read, and whether you'll accidentally spoil something important by picking up the wrong installment.
That's where this guide comes in. Karin Slaughter's Will Trent book series includes 12 novels, several shorter stories, and connections to her earlier Grant County series. Add in the popular television adaptation, and there's quite a bit to untangle. I've put together the complete Will Trent books in order, along with publication years, spoiler-free descriptions, recommendations for where to start, and a look at what might be coming next.
A quick note: This guide contains no major plot spoilers, so you can browse the entire reading order without worrying about ruining any big surprises. This post also contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you.
Will Trent Books In Order
There are 12 Will Trent novels by Karin Slaughter, beginning with Triptych in 2006 and continuing through This Is Why We Lied in 2024. Although each novel features its own central investigation, I strongly recommend reading the Will Trent series books in order of publication. The mysteries may be self-contained, but the characters' personal lives are anything but.
Here's the complete reading order, without the optional novellas:
Triptych (2006)
Fractured (2008)
Undone (2009)
Broken (2010)
Fallen (2011)
Criminal (2012)
Unseen (2013)
The Kept Woman (2016)
The Last Widow (2019)
The Silent Wife (2020)
After That Night (2023)
This Is Why We Lied (2024)
If you're standing in a bookstore trying to remember which book comes next, feel free to screenshot this list. And if you're planning to read all the Karin Slaughter books in order, keep reading, because there are a few important connections to her earlier novels worth knowing about.
Who Is Will Trent?
Will Trent is a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), working primarily in Atlanta. He's exceptionally observant, determined, and talented at understanding details that other investigators overlook. But what makes Will such a compelling character isn't simply his ability to solve crimes. It's the complicated history he carries into every investigation.
Having grown up in Georgia's foster care system, Will experienced a childhood marked by instability and trauma. He also has dyslexia, which he has learned to navigate and often conceal in a profession that requires extensive reading and documentation. His intelligence and resourcefulness make him an extraordinary investigator, but his personal relationships are considerably more complicated.
Throughout the Will Trent novels, readers also get to know several recurring characters who become essential to the series. Faith Mitchell is Will's partner at the GBI, a sharp, capable investigator whose personality often contrasts with his. Amanda Wagner, their formidable supervisor, has a complicated history of her own and plays an important role in Will's professional and personal life.
Then there's Dr. Sara Linton, a pediatrician and medical examiner who first appeared in Karin Slaughter's Grant County books. Her introduction to the Will Trent series creates one of the most interesting connections between Slaughter's fictional worlds.
The evolving relationships between Will Trent and Sara Linton, Faith Mitchell, Amanda Wagner, and the other recurring characters give the series an emotional continuity that extends far beyond the investigations themselves.
Do You Need To Read the Will Trent Books In Order?
Technically, no. Each Will Trent novel revolves around a different criminal investigation, so you could pick up a book in the middle of the series and follow the central mystery. Karin Slaughter provides enough background information for readers to understand the characters and the case at hand.
But would I recommend jumping around? Absolutely not.
Part of the pleasure of reading a long-running series is watching the characters evolve. Their relationships change, secrets from their pasts emerge, and decisions made in earlier books have consequences several installments later. Reading out of publication order can reveal major developments before you've had the chance to experience them naturally.
This is particularly important with the relationship between Will Trent and Sara Linton, whose story becomes increasingly central to the series. If you start with one of the later novels, you'll understand the investigation, but you'll miss much of the emotional context that makes the characters so interesting.
My recommendation is to begin with Triptych, even if a later title initially caught your attention. Think of the Will Trent novels as a television series: you can probably understand an episode from season five without watching the earlier seasons, but you'll enjoy it much more if you know everything that came before.
And because these books can be quite dark, it's worth mentioning that Karin Slaughter doesn't shy away from violence, trauma, or disturbing subject matter. Readers who enjoy gritty crime fiction will find plenty to appreciate, but those who prefer cozy mysteries should know what they're getting into.
Triptych (2006)
Triptych introduces readers to Will Trent through a disturbing series of murders in Atlanta. When a young woman is found brutally murdered, the investigation draws together detectives, a former convict, and a mysterious GBI agent whose methods don't always make sense to the people around him. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the case is far more complicated than anyone initially suspected.
What makes Triptych such an effective beginning is the way Karin Slaughter introduces Will without immediately revealing everything about him. He's unusual, occasionally frustrating, and fascinating enough that you'll want to understand what makes him tick. This is the book I'd hand to a friend who wanted to start the series, because there's something particularly satisfying about meeting a character exactly as the author intended.
Fractured (2008)
When a wealthy Atlanta mother returns home to discover a horrifying scene involving her teenage daughter, the investigation quickly becomes more complicated than the initial evidence suggests. Will Trent is called in to examine the case, and the disappearance of another young woman raises the stakes considerably.
Fractured is particularly important because it introduces Faith Mitchell as Will's investigative partner. Their relationship is one of the series' greatest strengths, and watching two very different personalities learn to work together adds welcome moments of humor and humanity to an otherwise intense mystery. If Triptych introduces Will Trent, Fractured begins establishing the team that readers will come to love.
Undone (2009)
A severely injured woman arrives at an Atlanta hospital, and the disturbing circumstances surrounding her condition suggest that someone has been holding her captive. As Will Trent and Faith Mitchell investigate, they uncover evidence of a dangerous predator whose crimes may extend much further than anyone initially realizes.
Published as Genesis in the United Kingdom, Undone is a major turning point in the Will Trent book series because this is where Dr. Sara Linton enters Will's world. Readers familiar with Karin Slaughter's Grant County series will recognize Sara immediately, while newcomers will discover a compelling character with her own complicated history. It's an excellent example of how Slaughter connects her fictional worlds without requiring readers to have completed both series.
Broken (2010)
A young woman's body is discovered in a Georgia lake, and what initially appears to be a relatively straightforward investigation becomes increasingly troubling. When Will Trent arrives in Grant County, he encounters a local police department struggling with its own secrets, tensions, and questionable decisions.
Broken is especially interesting because it brings Will directly into the setting of Karin Slaughter's earlier Grant County novels. The collision between familiar characters and Will's investigative methods creates an additional layer of tension. Readers who have completed the Grant County series will appreciate the connections, but the central mystery remains accessible to anyone following the Will Trent novels in publication order.
Fallen (2011)
Faith Mitchell arrives at her mother's house to find signs of a violent struggle, her infant daughter in danger, and her mother missing. The situation quickly becomes personal for Faith, whose family history and professional responsibilities collide as Will Trent and the GBI attempt to uncover what happened.
One of the reasons Fallen stands out is its focus on Faith Mitchell. By this point in the series, readers have spent several books watching her work alongside Will, but this installment gives her a particularly personal stake in the investigation. It's the kind of story that reminds us why supporting characters matter so much in a long-running crime thriller series.
Criminal (2012)
When a college student disappears, the investigation raises unsettling connections to crimes committed decades earlier. The narrative moves between present-day Atlanta and the 1970s, gradually revealing how events from the past continue to influence the people involved in the current case.
Criminal is one of the most important installments for understanding Will Trent's personal history and his complicated relationship with Amanda Wagner. I particularly appreciate mysteries that use two timelines to explore how the past shapes the present, and this novel offers that additional historical dimension alongside its central investigation. It's also a perfect example of why reading the series in order is worthwhile: the revelations have much greater impact when you've spent several books getting to know the characters.
Unseen (2013)
Will Trent goes undercover to investigate a dangerous criminal operation, placing himself in an environment where one mistake could have devastating consequences. Meanwhile, a violent incident involving a familiar character creates another thread in an increasingly complicated investigation.
What makes Unseen particularly compelling is the tension between Will's professional responsibilities and his personal relationships. Undercover investigations are always nerve-racking to read, especially when the reader knows more about the investigator's identity and motivations than the people surrounding him. Slaughter uses that tension effectively while continuing to develop the emotional storylines established in earlier novels.
The Kept Woman (2016)
A murder at an abandoned construction site leads Will Trent and the GBI into an investigation involving a prominent athlete, powerful interests, and secrets that certain people would prefer remained buried. As the evidence develops, the case begins intersecting with Will's personal life in increasingly uncomfortable ways.
The Kept Woman is a particularly relationship-driven installment, exploring the complicated emotional histories that have been developing throughout the series. Slaughter is skilled at making personal conflicts feel every bit as suspenseful as criminal investigations, and this book demonstrates that ability. Readers who enjoy psychological tension alongside their police procedurals will find plenty to keep them turning pages.
The Last Widow (2019)
A series of explosions in Atlanta sends emergency responders racing toward the scene, while the disappearance of a scientist raises alarming questions about a larger conspiracy. Will Trent and Sara Linton become entangled in an investigation involving a dangerous extremist organization and a threat that extends well beyond an ordinary murder case.
The Last Widow takes the series into thriller territory on a much larger scale, combining a fast-moving investigation with questions about extremism, ideology, and the dangers of organized violence. It's a particularly good choice for readers who enjoy high-stakes suspense, although I would still recommend experiencing the earlier books before reaching this installment.
The Silent Wife (2020)
When a prisoner claims that a series of violent crimes was committed by someone else, Will Trent is drawn into an investigation that may expose serious mistakes in an earlier case. The evidence leads investigators to reconsider crimes from years before, raising disturbing questions about justice, responsibility, and the possibility that a dangerous offender has remained free.
The Silent Wife is especially appealing for readers who enjoy cold cases and investigations that challenge assumptions about what really happened. The novel also reconnects important elements of the Grant County and Will Trent storylines, making it particularly rewarding for anyone who has read both series. As with several of Slaughter's later books, the personal stakes are as important as the mystery itself.
After That Night (2023)
Years after surviving a traumatic attack, Sara Linton finds herself confronting memories she has worked hard to put behind her. When a new patient arrives at the hospital under disturbing circumstances, Sara begins to suspect that the current case may be connected to events from her own past.
After That Night places Sara at the emotional center of the investigation, making it a particularly compelling installment for readers who have followed her story from the Grant County books. The novel explores the lasting effects of trauma, the difficulty of seeking justice, and the ways people attempt to reclaim control over their lives. It's a deeply personal mystery that shows how much the series has evolved since Triptych.
This Is Why We Lied (2024)
Will Trent and Sara Linton travel to a secluded mountain resort, hoping to enjoy some much-needed time away from the violence and stress of their professional lives. Unfortunately, their peaceful getaway is interrupted when a murder exposes long-standing tensions among the people staying and working at the resort.
This Is Why We Lied combines the atmosphere of a remote-location mystery with the emotional complexity readers have come to expect from Karin Slaughter. There's something irresistible about a thriller set in an isolated place where everyone seems to be hiding something, and the resort setting gives the investigation an almost classic whodunit quality.
As the twelfth Will Trent novel, it also offers an opportunity to appreciate just how far the characters have come since the series began in 2006. For readers who enjoy watching fictional relationships develop over many books, that sense of continuity is one of the greatest rewards of reaching this installment.
Will Trent Novellas and Short Stories
If twelve novels aren't enough to satisfy your appetite for Will Trent, Karin Slaughter has also written shorter stories featuring her popular investigator. These aren't essential to understanding the main series, but they offer entertaining opportunities to spend additional time with familiar characters.
The three shorter works most often included in expanded Will Trent reading lists are:
Snatched (2012): A novella involving a child's disappearance at an airport. It fits between Fallen and Criminal in an expanded publication-order reading list.
Busted (2013): A shorter investigation involving Will Trent and a drug-related crime. It fits between Criminal and Unseen. Some bibliographies list a 2012 release, but 2013 is the commonly cataloged publication year.
Cleaning the Gold (2019): A crossover novella co-written by Karin Slaughter and Lee Child that brings Will Trent together with Jack Reacher. It was published between The Kept Woman and The Last Widow.
Slaughter's official series page identifies Snatched and Busted as the two Will Trent short stories, while Cleaning the Gold is a separate crossover collaboration.
I would treat all three as optional additions rather than required reading. If you're someone who likes to read every available story featuring a favorite character, they're certainly worth adding to your list. But if you're eager to move directly from one full-length investigation to the next, you won't be missing essential plot developments by skipping them.
Grant County Books In Order
Before Karin Slaughter introduced Will Trent, she created another crime series set in the fictional Georgia town of Heartsdale in Grant County. The Grant County series follows Dr. Sara Linton, who works as both a pediatrician and the county's medical examiner, alongside local law enforcement officers investigating violent crimes in their community.
The Grant County novels are particularly important because Sara eventually becomes a central character in the Will Trent books. Although the two series begin separately, their storylines eventually intersect, creating a larger fictional universe with recurring characters and interconnected histories.
There are six Grant County novels, and they should also be read in publication order.
1. Blindsighted (2001)
Sara Linton becomes involved in the investigation of a brutal murder in a small Georgia town, where the discovery of a dangerous killer threatens the community's sense of security.
2. Kisscut (2002)
A disturbing incident involving a teenage girl leads Sara and local investigators into a case exposing exploitation, abuse, and deeply troubling secrets.
3. A Faint Cold Fear (2003)
A series of suspicious deaths at a local college forces investigators to question whether apparent suicides may conceal something much more sinister.
4. Indelible (2004)
A violent attack at a police station sets off an investigation that moves between past and present, revealing long-buried secrets and complicated personal histories.
5. Faithless (2005)
The discovery of a young woman's body in the woods leads Sara and the police into an investigation involving a secretive religious community and disturbing family relationships.
6. Beyond Reach (2007)
Also published as Skin Privilege in the United Kingdom, this final Grant County novel follows an investigation involving a troubled police detective, a small-town murder, and dangerous secrets.
One important thing to understand about the Grant County series is that its events have lasting consequences for the characters who eventually appear in the Will Trent novels. For that reason, I recommend avoiding detailed plot summaries of the later Grant County books if you haven't read them yet. Even a seemingly innocent character description can reveal more than you might want to know.
Should You Read Grant County Before Will Trent?
This is probably the biggest question readers have when trying to figure out Karin Slaughter books in order, and the answer depends on what kind of reading experience you're hoping to have.
You absolutely do not need to read the Grant County series before starting Triptych. Will Trent is introduced independently, and the first two books focus on establishing his character, professional relationships, and personal history. When Sara Linton enters the series in Undone, Slaughter provides enough context for new readers to follow her story.
However, reading Grant County first gives you a much fuller understanding of Sara's background. You'll experience her relationships, professional experiences, and personal challenges firsthand rather than learning about them through references in later books. This becomes especially meaningful when Will arrives in Grant County in Broken.
For readers who want the complete Karin Slaughter experience, I'd recommend beginning with Blindsighted, reading all six Grant County novels, and then moving to Triptych and the Will Trent series. This isn't a strictly chronological publication-order approach, since the two series overlap in their original release dates, but it preserves the continuity within each series.
On the other hand, if you discovered Will Trent through the television adaptation and are primarily interested in his character, start with Triptych. You can always return to the Grant County books later.
Which Karin Slaughter book should you start with?
I came from the Will Trent TV show.
I want the complete interconnected reading experience.
I want to try Karin Slaughter before committing to a series.
Start with Triptych (2006). Meet the original book version of Will Trent and follow his story from the beginning.
Will Trent TV Show vs the Books
The ABC television series Will Trent premiered on January 3, 2023, with Ramón Rodríguez playing the title character. The adaptation introduces viewers to Will's work at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, his complicated personal history, and the colleagues who become central to his investigations.
In April 2026, ABC renewed Will Trent for a fifth season. The show is scheduled to return in early 2027, although an exact premiere date had not been announced as of November 2026. Episodes are available on Hulu, with new episodes expected to stream the day after their ABC broadcast.
If you've watched the television series before reading the books, one of the first things you'll notice is that the adaptation takes considerable creative liberties with Karin Slaughter's original stories.
The biggest differences include the following:
Will's characterization: The television version preserves Will's foster care background, dyslexia, and investigative abilities, but his appearance, mannerisms, and certain personality traits differ from the books.
Angie Polaski's role: Angie is an important figure in both versions, but her professional circumstances, relationships, and personal storylines are handled differently in the television adaptation.
Sara Linton's presence: Sara is a major character in the later novels, while the television series has developed its own approach to Will's relationships rather than directly reproducing the books' central romantic storyline.
The investigations: Some television episodes draw inspiration from Slaughter's novels, but many cases, timelines, and supporting characters have been altered or created specifically for the show.
The television adaptation also has a somewhat different tone. Although it deals with serious crimes and difficult subject matter, it frequently incorporates humor, character-driven moments, and episodic storytelling. The novels tend to be darker, more graphic, and more psychologically intense.
I think it's helpful to approach the television series and the books as two interpretations of the same fictional world rather than expecting them to match scene for scene. Both offer the pleasure of spending time with intriguing characters, but they create very different reading and viewing experiences.
If you enjoy comparing the original stories with their screen adaptations, you might also like my roundup of the best book to TV adaptations, featuring more literary favorites that have made the transition from page to screen.
Is There a New Will Trent Book Coming?
If you've already read all twelve Will Trent novels, you're probably wondering when Karin Slaughter will return to Will, Sara, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
A thirteenth Will Trent book has been tentatively associated with a 2027 release, but as of November 2026, I couldn't verify an official title or publication date from Karin Slaughter or her publisher. Her official website continues to list This Is Why We Lied (2024) as the most recent installment in the series.
The encouraging news is that Slaughter has previously expressed her intention to return to Will and Sara, even while exploring new characters and stories. In the meantime, she's been busy developing her North Falls series, which launched in 2025.
For the most reliable updates about the next Will Trent novel, I recommend checking Karin Slaughter's official website or subscribing to her author newsletter. I'll also update this reading guide when the next book is officially announced.
More From Karin Slaughter
One of the wonderful things about discovering an author with such an extensive bibliography is knowing that finishing one series doesn't mean running out of books to read. If you've made your way through the Will Trent novels and the Grant County series, Karin Slaughter has plenty of other mysteries and psychological thrillers worth exploring.
Her newest crime series, North Falls, began with We Are All Guilty Here (2025) and continued with The Secrets We Hide (2026). Set in a small town where secrets can have devastating consequences, the series introduces a new cast of characters and explores the darker side of seemingly close-knit communities. It's an especially appealing next choice for readers who enjoyed the small-town atmosphere and interconnected relationships of the Grant County books.
Slaughter has also written several popular standalone thrillers. Pretty Girls (2015) explores the aftermath of a family tragedy and the secrets that emerge years later, while The Good Daughter (2017) follows two sisters whose lives were forever changed by a violent childhood experience. Both are excellent examples of her ability to combine suspense with emotionally complicated family relationships.
Pieces of Her (2018) is another compelling choice, particularly for readers interested in stories about hidden identities and family secrets. The novel follows a young woman who discovers that her mother may not be the person she thought she knew. It was adapted into a Netflix television series starring Toni Collette and Bella Heathcote in 2022, and its story continues in the novel Girl, Forgotten (2022).
Although The Good Daughter has attracted screen adaptation interest, it has not had a released television adaptation as of November 2026.
For readers who enjoy discovering new authors through their standalone novels before committing to an entire series, The Good Daughter or Pieces of Her would be excellent places to start.
Books Like the Will Trent Series
If you're drawn to the Will Trent books because of their complicated detectives, intricate investigations, and character-driven storytelling, there are several other crime thriller series worth adding to your reading list.
Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch novels are an obvious recommendation, particularly if you enjoy following a determined investigator whose personal history influences his professional decisions. Connelly's books offer the same satisfaction of returning to familiar characters while exploring new mysteries, and his Los Angeles setting becomes almost a character in its own right. You can find more recommendations in my guide to authors like Michael Connelly.
For readers who particularly enjoy psychological complexity, I would also recommend exploring Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series, Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren novels, and Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles books. Each offers a different combination of criminal investigations, memorable characters, and emotional suspense.
If you prefer mysteries with a strong sense of place, Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti series transports readers to Venice, where the city's history, politics, and culture become integral to the investigations. My guide to Donna Leon books in order will help you navigate that extensive collection.
Allen Eskens is another author worth discovering if you appreciate crime fiction with emotional depth and morally complicated characters. His interconnected mysteries are especially appealing to readers who enjoy seeing characters and storylines reappear across multiple books. You can explore his work in my guide to Allen Eskens books in order.
And if you're simply looking for your next great mystery or thriller, I've put together several additional reading guides to help you find something you'll love. Browse my recommendations for the best mystery series books, discover the best psychological thriller books, or explore my roundup of the best thriller authors.
The wonderful thing about crime fiction is that there's always another mystery waiting to be solved. And once you discover an author whose characters feel like old friends, finding your next great read becomes even more enjoyable.
Whether you're just meeting Will Trent for the first time or revisiting the series after watching the television adaptation, I hope this guide helps you find your way through Karin Slaughter's interconnected fictional world. My advice is to start at the beginning, resist the temptation to skip ahead, and enjoy getting to know these complicated characters one investigation at a time.
After all, twelve novels might sound like quite a commitment, but for readers who love a good series, it's also twelve opportunities to discover a new favorite book.
