The Will Trent series is written by Karin Slaughter. The first novel in this series was published in 2006.
There are 10 novels and two novellas in this series. The two novellas are ebooks.

The Will Trent series was a very popular book series series, and it was later developed into a very popular and successful TV series.
The TV series was produced by ABC and it takes place in Atlanta and it follows the story of the books.
The first couple of books in this series are Triptych and Fractured.
About Will Trent Series
Will Trent is the lead character in the Will Trent series.
This series was written by Karin Slaughter. It first began in 2006 with the novel Triptych.
Will is a character who is shown to have a tough childhood.
He grew up in the Atlanta Children’s home, and he never found a family who wanted to adopt him.
He remained in the Children’s home until the age of 18 when he was able to move out.
After this, he started working for the Georgia Bureau as an investigator. The series follows his life.
The series also follows Will’s personal life and inconsistent relationship with Angie Polaski.
Their relationship has been there since he was 8 years old, and he considers her the love of his life.
Angie doesn’t see him the same way and they have a very on-off relationship throughout the series.
Will Trent Series In Order
Triptych
The first novel in this series is Triptych. This novel was written in 2006. It is set in the city of Atlanta, where women are dying at the hands of a killer.
There is evidence left behind in these murders, and it fuels a police hunt.
The police chase these killers, and as they search for the killer, it brings together the boundaries of wealth and race.
This novel introduces Angie Polaski to the story. She was once Michael’s lover and is now his enemy.
This is a complicated and multilayered story which is very exciting to read.
Pros
- This story has a lot of twists and turns, making it very exciting to read.
- It is a great introduction to the series.
Cons
- Can be quite complicated to follow.
Fractured
This is the second novel in the series. It sees Will Trent team up with detective Faith Mitchell.
The two of them are not the best of friends, but they are working together to work out who murdered Abigail Campano’s daughter.
The pair work together to find the killer who is targeting one of the most wealthy parts of the city.
They are trying to work against the clock before the murderer claims another victim.
Pros
- This novel is very exciting and thrilling.
Cons
- It is not as strong a novel without having read the first book in the series.
Undone
The next novel in the series is Undone.
This novel sees Will and Faith return and they are now investigating a woman who was found after she had been tortured and hit by a car.
Will heads to the scene of the crime where he discovers that the murderer has a torture chamber.
Will realizes that this is only the first, so they work very hard to find the person who has set up this vicious plot before he claims another victim.
They team up with Sara to find the murderer.
Pros
- This novel follows a very exciting story.
- Develops the characters.
Cons
- This novel can be complicated to follow.
Broken
This is the fourth novel in the series. It explores the investigation that explores the woman who was found dead in a lake.
At first, this death looks like she killed herself, but it ends up being a murder.
To figure out this murder, Will doesn’t go on his vacation and begins investigating with Sara.
This case is very difficult to solve, and there are not many leads to follow.
The community seems very tight-knit and they are struggling to find good leads in this story.
Pros
- Character development is great in this novel
Cons
- Quite a complicated storyline which is difficult to keep up with
Fallen
Fallen is a fantastic novel that is number 5 in the series. This story follows the investigation into what happened to Faith Mitchell’s mother.
They find her front door open and a bloodstain above the knob. They also find her young daughter hidden behind the house.
When she enters the house she sees a man dead in the laundry room of the house and a hostage in the bedroom. Her mother, however, is nowhere to be seen.
This novel follows this investigation as they try to figure out what has happened!
Pros
- Character development is excellent.
Cons
- Can be hard to keep up with the story at times.
Criminal
In this novel, you will see an investigation into a local college student’s disappearance. Will is kept off the case and he is not sure why.
Amanda is exploring this case and her career has come back to life.
The mystery of Will’s birth is brought into question here as the case ties in with demons from the past for him.
This is a fantastic novel that develops the characters and atmosphere very well.
Pros
- Characters are developed very well in this novel.
- The atmosphere really comes through in this novel.
Cons
- This story is less about the case and more about the characters.
Unseen
This novel is a very riveting one that sees detectives, lovers, and enemies pitting against each other.
This novel sees a huge standoff between courage and evil. The novel follows the latest case where he has to pose as Bill Black who is a scary ex-con.
This novel sees intensity and shifting alliances which are very interesting. It is a novel of twists and turns, and it sees a piercing study of human nature.
Pros
- This novel was a very popular one.
- Continues the characterization very well.
Cons
- There are lots of twists and turns which can be difficult to keep up with.
The Kept Woman
The Kept Woman is the next novel in the series. It sees Will Trent investigating a murder at an abandoned construction site.
This case becomes more dangerous when it is discovered that the man who was murdered was an ex-cop.
Evidence eventually links Will’s past to this case, and the consequences tear through his life.
Pros
- Filled with suspense.
- Many twists and turns.
- Great characterization.
Cons
- Difficult to keep up with.
The Last Widow
The ninth novel in this series is called The Last Widow.
This novel sees Will Trent and Sara Linton come together to investigate a mysterious kidnapping of a scientist.
It also sees a huge explosion in the city which is believed to be linked.
This story explores a conspiracy that threatens to destroy lots of innocent people’s lives.
Sara ends up getting abducted, and Will puts his life on the line to save her!
This novel is a very emphatic one that takes the reader on a journey and doesn’t give up characterization for the twists and turns of the mystery.
Pros
- Explores the romance story.
- Character development is great.
Cons
- Lots of twists and turns.
The Silent Wife
In this novel, which is set in the present day, a young woman is attacked and left to die.
Will Trent takes over the case after the police trial is lost.
The attack that is seen in this story is very similar to the one that was in the story 8 years ago.
Will digs into these crimes and it becomes clear that the case is difficult to solve.
This allows time for the evidence to disappear, and the witnesses to vanish.
After a large number of years have gone by, there has been plenty of time for memories to fade and there has been lots of time for evidence to disappear.
He enlists the help of Sara Linton to help him with the medical examination of the ruthless murderer.
This novel sees everything come to a head for Will, and all his values are at stake.
Pros
- Get to know the characters well
Cons
- There are some gaps in the story
Final Thoughts
This is a fantastic series that was so appreciated that it was turned into a very successful TV series.
Will Trent is developed into a very multi-faceted character who has lots of interesting sides to his story and personality.
There is nothing that this story doesn’t have. Romance, mysteries, and many twists and turns.
The ten books in this series are all very successful and lots of them have made the New York Times Best Seller list.
Now that you have lots of information on the novels in this series, you should definitely give them a read!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Novels Are There In The Will Trent Series?
There are ten novels in the Will Trent series. All of these books are very successful and they all follow one another.
Who Wrote The Will Trent Series?
Karin Slaughter is the author of the Will Trent series. After the novels were written, the books were turned into a TV series.
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