Blindsighted, by Karin Slaughter. William Morrow. 310...

Blindsighted, by Karin Slaughter. William Morrow. 310 pages. $25.

When evil wears a familiar face of a neighbor, a friend, someone you see on a nearly daily basis, the violation and the destruction of safety is overwhelming.

That's the premise author Karin Slaughter tackles in her excellently plotted debut Blindsighted.

Slaughter provides a new synonym for terror while charming the reader with vivid characters. It can be, at times, unflinchingly graphic, but the author never stoops to gratuitous violence. Slaughter obviously has been honing her craft for years; Blindsighted has the polish and professionalism that few debuting authors exhibit.