Grant County Books in Order
The Grant County series is a gripping Southern crime thriller collection set in the fictional rural Georgia town of Grant County. The series follows pediatrician and part-time coroner Dr. Sara Linton and her ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, as they investigate brutal crimes that shatter their small town community's sense of safety. The heart of the series lies in the complex relationship between Sara and Jeffrey, whose painful divorce and eventual reconciliation plays out against a backdrop of increasingly dark criminal cases. Supporting characters include ambitious deputy Lena Adams, steadfast detective Frank Wallace, and Sara's younger sister Tessa, who provides emotional support throughout the investigations.
Each novel exposes the dark underbelly of small town Southern life, exploring themes of family secrets, religious hypocrisy, domestic violence, and the lasting impact of trauma. Despite the picturesque college town setting, Grant County harbors shocking violence and deeply buried secrets that often involve the most vulnerable members of the community. Slaughter combines precise medical forensic detail with emotional depth, using Sara's dual role as pediatrician and coroner to provide crucial investigative breakthroughs while never losing sight of the human cost of violence. The series is known for its unflinching portrayal of how crime affects both victims and investigators, with complex character development that spans all six books to create a complete story arc that fundamentally changes the trajectory of Slaughter's fictional universe.