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)

Not as strong as Gone Girl

I like the devise of telling the story from multiple perspectives. This one dragged in parts and didn't​ keep my interest as much as Gone Girl, but still a good read. I struggled at first with not having a character I really liked, but that shifted over the course of the story. The performances we're excellent.

Better than Girl Gone

This book was more exciting than Girl Gone since you are left in suspense until the very end. Gillian really has a way with making you think it was one character then jumps to another. The juxtaposing between the male and female point of view and the past and present "day" (pun intended) works exceptionally well.

Great!!!

It Had my full attention from the start! Didn't know how it would end!! Excellent!!

Fantastic! Gillian Flynn is genius

I loved this book and the other 2 books by Gillian Flynn she's officially my new favorite author. The only thing I didn't like is that it ended too soon. I wanted more. Compelling story line for sure.

Very Dark places

Would you listen to Dark Places again? Why?

I liked the story , even though it was a bit sad about Libby the main charecter

What did you like best about this story?

The unexpected turns

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Life After Tragedy

Not what I had hoped

Where does Dark Places rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This ranks next to last

Would you be willing to try another book from Gillian Flynn? Why or why not?

I have read all of the other books, this was the most disappointing of them all

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

Libby

Any additional comments?

I feel like the story was there but rushed to resolve at the end. I really enjoyed her other two books

Great narration, great story!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I couldn't stop listening, never knowing what turn the story would take next. Very well written.

Interesting...

The story was interesting and dark. I could have done without so much profanity. But good twist ending.

Dark, twisted, engaging

This story has a darkness that sinks in. The gritty, not-at-all emotionally nuanced psychological mystery is mentally intriguing as it twists in out and out of all of the characters' minds. It's emotionally disturbing and riveting as it covers things hopefully no one has to experience (unless delving into a fiction world), but somehow touches those "dark places" we all either possess or have witnessed in others through memory. The darkness of this story brings a terrifying nostalgia in the reader because it touches those private mental hideaways.

The character development is genius as you never really like any character, yet somehow root for each one in the way that you hope they rise above the stench that permeates their lives. The past chained to each of them in a way that the present never gets far away from the events of 24 years ago.

The writing is like the story; Gillian Flynn's writing is visceral and affecting. She uses rich fatty words that stick to you and in your mind and make you feel what the character feels. This type of writing is accompanied so well by the narration.

The narration leaves nothing to be desired with the exception of the male voice narrating Ben. He seems not only to old but too calm and confident, and even preppy--quite the opposite of Ben's character. However it doesn't take long to forget the voice as your immersed in the story.

This is my favorite book of Gillian Flynn's that I've listened to on Audible. It really is an experience that's out of body, yet touches something so deep and hidden within us; It reaches our dark places.

Kept me wanting more

Well written twisted plot. I loved and hated all the characters at different times throughout the story.