Karin Slaughter might not need help with herWill Trentbooks, but she’d still benefit from stealing one character from the show. You could spend days analyzing thedifferences between theWill Trentshow and books, and that’s fantastic. Getting to experience theWill Trentcastin two different ways is all part of the fun.
However, now that one of the best characters in ABC’sWill Trenthas been written out to the point there’s no way they can appear inWill Trentseason 4,it would be fun to see Slaughter’s books reinterpret a character from the series as opposed to vice versa. And there’s plenty of opportunity for the books to do that.
Karin Slaughter’s Will Trent Books Haven’t Been Concluded Yet
Will Trent #12 Leaves The Story Open To Continue
There’s been buzz in the fan community that Karin Slaughter’s nextWill Trentnovel will be her last. For one thing,Will and Sara Linton were recently married and may decide to settle down and lead lower-risk lives. It’s the perfect time for a happy ending. Additionally, Slaughter just released the acclaimed first book in her newNorth Fallsseries.
But whether she sets aside theWill Trentbooks to focus on the newer book series or not, the most recent book as of now isThis Is Why We Lied. And, without getting too deeply into spoilers,there’s no hint in the entirety ofThis Is Why We Liedthat this is meant to be Will’s last murder mystery.
While some reviewers have praised the newestWill Trentbook as a possible standalone entry for series newcomers,This Is Why We Liedtakes place when Will and Sara Linton are on their honeymoon together. If catching a body under those circumstances doesn’t turn them off of the job, there are definitely enough books left to start considering new characters.
Rafael Wexford Is Will Trent Season 3’s Most Complicated New Character
His History With Will Contains Layers Upon Layers
Just as TV viewers are eagerly awaitingSara Linton’s appearance inWill Trent, readers might consider demanding the appearance of Rafael Wexford in the books.Rafael is a violent gang leader who also happens to be one of Wilbur’s oldest friends, which in and of itself makes their relationship interesting since it’s technically Will’s job to take Rafael down.
Rafael’s grandmother, Ms. Pearl (played by Marla Gibbs), took Will in when he was younger. Although Rafael objected because Will was jobless and uneducated,the two became very close Rafael killed to save Will’s life after they were caught selling stolen rugs. And even with that dramatic bond, it’s how their relationship plays out that keeps things interesting.
Will and Rafael both struggle throughout season 3 with the knowledge that they’re reviving their friendship at a time when they’re on opposite sides of the law. Butthey can still ease the tension to have long conversations about watchingGeneral Hospitalwith Ms. Pearl, and it’s entertaining to watch them do so. Slaughter can do a lot with that.
How Karin Slaughter’s Will Trent Books Can Improve On Rafael’s Story
Because he only appears in less than half the scenes of a six-episode run,Rafael Wexford isn’t quite as fleshed out in ABC’sWill Trentas he could be. Whereas we had multiple episodes to understandAngie’s downward spiral inWill Trentseason 3, we’re told very little about the origins of this very flamboyantly gay man’s seemingly biological daughter.
That’s a breath of fresh air in some ways, showing that Will doesn’t need an explanation to take Rafael and Sunny’s relationship at face value. However,Sunny plays a central part in Rafael’s story arc that would feel more complete if we had more information about her. A novel would allow time to build on that.
Introducing Rafael to theWill Trentbooks would also allow for more time exploring his backstory with Will.The fact that Rafael initially judged Will’s dyslexia could be particularly compelling, as it would explain why he holds onto his shame after all these years despite the times Angie tried to reassure him.
Knowing that Will once had a dear friendship with someone who judged him for his setbacks would explain why they’re still so important to him when he’d otherwise been given nothing but support.Elaborating on Rafael’s character in the books is essentially a way of fleshing out Will himself, which feels like a worthwhile goal.
There’s Still One Potential Drawback To Rafael Appearing In The Will Trent Books
His Ending Can’t Be As Neatly Wrapped Up As In The Show
It might be fun for fans of the ABC series to watch Will and Rafael interrupt Pearl’s funeral plans to talk about major plotlines onGeneral Hospital, but that wouldn’t suit theWill Trentbooks’ darker tone. In fact,Rafael’s happy ending on the show feels very unlike something Karin Slaughter might write.
The ABC series has gotten slightly darker with the possible setup of twoWill Trentseason 4 deaths, but the book series has been much darker since the beginning. The TV storyline, in whichRafael’s able to go into witness protection with his daughter for turning over gang members who betrayed him, is a little too tidy for the books.
While it would be exciting to see Rafael in the books, he wouldn’t likely receive such a happy ending. He’d more likely die, go to prison, or worse. Consideringthe books write off Ormewood by making him a murderer, one can only imagine how they’d handle a character who runs an entire gang.
But, looking at why Slaughter’sWill Trentbooks wrote off Ormewood, Rafael at least has a shot at redemption. It’d be fun to see how the author would write that story herself. If Karin Slaughter could find it in herself to give Rafael a chance, it could make for a great reading experience to please TV and book fans alike.
Will Trent
Cast
Will Trent is a crime drama series that follows special agent Will Trent, who was abandoned at birth and raised in Atlanta’s foster care system. He becomes a dedicated agent with the highest clearance rate, driven by his experiences to ensure others do not suffer as he did.
