Author: K.A. Lugo
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Publication Date: December 2023
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN
Description: It's the anniversary of the date he lost his family and Jack doubts he'll ever find those responsible. Depression has taken hold, and he pulls out his Beretta for the last time. As he fingers the trigger, Ray shows up with the identity of the man who’d killed himself in Jack’s house weeks before, leaving a note simply saying, ”I’m sorry.”
Jack soon finds himself dragged into San Francisco's underbelly and his life threatened at the hands of the city's deadly Chinese gang, the Jade Dragons. When things become more dangerous, Jack must keep pushing forward, even knowing it could mean his death because the gang's leader, Li Zihao, may have the answers Jack’s looking for—who destroyed his family and what happened to Leah.
Is Jack ready for the truth?
My Thoughts: I have been looking forward to my Jack Slaughter fix for a while and K.A. Lugo packs a punch right from the start! Chapter 1 pulled no punches and I thought I was going to have to put this book in the freezer. Thankfully for my Kindle, no freezer action was required as Ray shows up with news that Jack has been waiting to hear for the last four years.
My heart breaks for the pain and agony Jack is experiencing. His daughter and family dog are brutally murdered and his wife’s whereabouts are unknown. Her body has never been found. Jack often wonders if she is still alive or if she is the one responsible even for this devastation. I can completely empathize with what Jack is going through and understand why he wants to end it and be with his family again. Being told that the man who committed suicide in his home may have been involved in his family’s murder lights a fire under Jack as he knows in his gut it goes much deeper than a random homicide.
Not only was it great to be back in Jack’s world again, but it was also wonderful to see Ray. I love the relationship these two brothers from another mother share. They will always have each other’s six, but it goes beyond the badge. They are family and Ray proves it over and over again even when Jack keeps pushing him away. Their verbal sparring is so enjoyable to witness and even when they are angry with one another, it doesn’t last long. Of course, Jack gives Ray plenty to be angry with him about.
This story proceeds at a very fast pace, full of tense moments but also moments of laughter and moments of tears. The characters are so well developed, they feel real and are people the reader will care about. The city of San Francisco and surrounding area is a character in this series as well. The locales are expertly researched and described so vividly, the reader will get a keen sense of being able to visualize what Jack and Ray see.
My Final Verdict: Slaughterhouse is an excellent read, but you must read the series in order. K.A. Lugo has created a world and characters that the reader can grow with and get to know better with each book. I highly recommend this book and the whole series to fans of mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals and action stories. Thank you, K.A. Lugo for giving me so many hours of reading enjoyment.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Slaughterhouse from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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