Dark Places

A Novel

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Cassandra Campbell, Mark Deakins, Robertson Dean

Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in "The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas". As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived, and famously testified that her 15-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer.

Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who've long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details, proof they hope may free Ben, Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she'll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club...and maybe she'll admit her testimony wasn't so solid after all.

As Libby's search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby's doomed family members, including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town.

Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started...on the run from a killer.

©2009 Gillian Flynn (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

"Gillian Flynn is the real deal, a sharp, acerbic, and compelling storyteller with a knack for the macabre." (Stephen King)

"A gritty, riveting thriller with a one-of-a-kind, tart-tongued heroine." (Booklist)

“A riveting tale of true horror by a writer who has all the gifts to pull it off.” (Chicago Tribune)

Kept me listening but ...

it became quite anti-climatic at the end when all was revealed. Certainly entertaining enough. Not bad but Gone Girl which I had listened to first had sorta the same formula as this book.

Best Gillian Flynn book yet!

It reads like a great old horror movie. Best one of hers yet! loved it!

Gillian does it again...

Not the easiest story to stomach but this is excellent. I was completely hooked. Highly recommend.

CREEPY!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was completely enthralled with this audiobook. I couldn't put it down, but almost in a creepy way. It gave me the chills, and the narrators kept my attention the whole time. Tense anticipation was probably my constant reaction.

Any additional comments?

I've read (not listened) to Gone Girl first. This is a completely different storyline but you get the same NO CLUE what is going to happen thing. I will say that in Gone Girl, what I didn't like was how terrible the characters were to each other. This wasn't like that. I left this audiobook thinking "What a good book!" but also felt creeped out. lol Enjoy!

Really good book.

What did you love best about Dark Places?

That is was so vulnerable...with good character descriptions in a way that wasn't boring.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Places?

When you realized what the past had done to affect our heroin...early on too.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Camille...for sure

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

At times made me sad realizing how sick some people can be

Any additional comments?

I thought this book was better than GONE GIRL....this should have gotten the hype!!!

Could not stop listening

I could not stop listening to this!!! It was so good...read well and the storyline was suspenseful and I just couldn't want to find out what happened at the end.

dark but captivating

I picture Claire from the cast of 6 feet under.
i finished it in 4 days.

Reccomended Read

Hi there, If you are like me and have enjoyed other works by Gillian Flynn then you will enjoy this as well. After watching Sharp Objects I looked up her other books and this was well worth my time I think you will agree. Enjoy

Gripping

What did you love best about Dark Places?

I love the twists of the plot this book was dysfunction at its finest

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course it was Libby day she so broken and so strong

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Libby

Any additional comments?

This girl is a good writer she knows how to develop characters and I was enthralled from the very first few words... the ending haunted me for days was that the way it was supposed to end could that really happen I don't know it left me wondering

Soooo slow

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Nope. It's really too slow paced for my liking.

Any additional comments?

I've stopped and started this book so many times I can't count. I like Gillian Flynn's other books but this one I just couldn't get into and was way to slow to hold my interest.