Pretty Girls, The Good Daughter and 3 Karin Slaughter novels Netflix should adapt
By Mads Lennon
Pieces of Her is still one of the top trending shows on Netflix since its recent release on the platform last week. The tense thriller series starring Toni Collette is based on the best-selling Karin Slaughter novel of the same name.
Did you know that Slaughter has tons of other books out there? Most of which are gripping mysteries and crime dramas. Her most popular novels stem from her Will Trent and Grant Country series, but she has also written several standalone novels in recent years. Pieces of Her is one of her most notable standalone books, hence why Netflix jumped at the chance to adapt it.
However, it is a little surprising that Pieces of Her was adapted since a lot of Slaughter’s fans like some of her other books better.
Are any Karin Slaughter books movies?
Not movies, no, but Pieces of Her is a new Netflix series. No other Karin Slaughter books have been officially turned into a movie or TV show yet. There were previous rumblings about The Good Daughter and Cop Town being adapted, but they’ve yet to pan out.
Perhaps if Pieces of Her is successful enough, Netflix will consider adapting more of her novels. ABC did recently order a drama pilot for Slaughter’s Will Trent series, so fans should definitely keep an eye on that! But keep in mind that a pilot is not an official confirmation of a series (though it’s an important first step).
3 Karin Slaughter books Netflix should adapt
As mentioned above, the award-winning author has written numerous novels over the years, and it would be great to see her Will Trent and/or Grant County series get an adaptation, but personally, I’d like to see her standalone stories get the Hollywood treatment first.
One thing I love about so many of Karin Slaughter’s books is that they center on complex and interesting female protagonists. I’d love to see these stories brought to life on Netflix.
Pretty Girls
Pretty Girls was my introduction to the visceral and terrifying world of Karin Slaughter. It’s easily one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read and could make a great Netflix film in the vein of something like Gone Girl. It could also work as a series, but I feel like this story could be told in a shorter format.
Two sisters, torn apart by family tragedy and their fundamental differences, are reuniting when Claire learns something horrifying about someone close to her. The pair haven’t spoken for over 20 years since their sister Julia vanished without a trace. They live completely different lives, with Claire married to a millionaire in Atlanta while Lydia is a single mother struggling to make ends meet.
When Claire’s husband is killed, it suddenly forces Claire to confront difficult truths. How could a teenage girl’s disappearance and the murder of a middle-aged man be connected? The sisters are reunited and form a wary truce so they can unearth the secrets that led to their family’s destruction.
The Good Daughter
Charlotte and Samantha Quinn have a seemingly normal life in a small town until a terrifying attack on their home changes everything. Their mother is killed in the attack, and their father, a renowned defense attorney, is left devastated. Fast-forward 28 years later and Charlotte has followed her father’s lead to become a lawyer and the ideal “good daughter.” But when violence strikes again, she’s plunged into a nightmare.
False Witness
Then the latest Slaughter novel, released last year, is about a woman named Leigh Collier, an up-and-coming defense attorney who is trying to co-parent her teenage daughter through a pandemic after separating from her husband. But Leigh’s childhood catches up with her when she gets a call from the board to defend a man accused of rape.
When Leigh realizes who the defendant is, she understands that her assignment to his case was no coincidence. Even worse, he’s the reason she’s spent decades trying to hide from her past.
Later this year, Slaughter will also release a new standalone novel titled Girl, Forgotten, which is now available for pre-order at Amazon.