The queen of crime Karin Slaughter has written a new book. And not just any book, a new Will Trent-book,The Kept Woman. To celebrate its Dutch release, she came to Amsterdam for a book tour and we had the honor to speak with her. An interview that accidentally became an ode to the favourites of one of our favourite thriller writers.

Literary favorites

Next to writing them, Slaughter reads a lot of books in her spare time. Thrillers and nonfiction are her two favorite genres. Currently on her nighstand is a book by Stephen King. What is her favorite author at the moment? Fellow thriller writer Mo Hayder and nonfiction star: Jon Krakauer. Nice to know for those moments when you don’t know what to read next.

Writing favorites

The writing magic happens in a cabin in the woods. All of her books are written in the silence of nature, where there is no distraction, not even from television or the people closest to her. For two or three weeks she put her life on hold and our favorite characters come to life. Of course the silence is gone when she put the first words on paper. One of the main reasons why she cannot write in coffee shops and other very public places–she talks out loud while writing.

Internet favorites

Passenger Shaming is the one thing she can’t stop talking about. It’s a page on Instagram and Facebook about airline passengers who you don’t want to sit next to. From clipping nails on the plane to people resting their feet on another passanger’s headrest, it’s a lot of fun. “When people are horrible, that’s golden for me” she said.

Other favorites

Her favorite word of all time is, excuse our language, “motherfucker.” She said this once in an interview on Dutch television and when we asked her whether this is still the case, she said without a doubt, absolutely.

About The Kept Woman

A body is discovered in an empty Atlanta warehouse. It’s the body of an ex-cop, and from the moment Special Agent Will Trent walks in he knows this could be the most devastating case of his career. Bloody footprints leading away from the scene reveal that another victim – a woman – has left the scene and vanished into thin air. Worst of all, the warehouse belongs to the city’s biggest, most politically-connected, most high-profile athlete – a local hero protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers. A local hero, Will has spent the last six months investigating a brutal rape charge.

But for Will – and also for Dr. Sara Linton, the GBI’s newest medical examiner – the case is about to get even worse. Because an unexpected discovery at the scene reveals a personal link to Will’s troubled past…