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)

Quirky Girl deals with Loss and Mystery

I really liked the tone and pace of this book. Initially I did not like the main character, a disturbed victim of a horrific crime. But as I kept listening, I liked her more and more, and was so drawn into her thoughts and actions. The mystery unfolds in surprising ways and entwines serendipitously, just like life all too often does. This book held my interest and I really liked it even though the story was about such a horrifying event.

A dark and gut wrenching mystery

Ms. Flynn is the best mystery writer I've encountered. The story is entirely unique and though one may guess who the real killer is, no one could remotely imagine how the mystery concludes.

It is a painful, dark mystery with characters entirely believable. The narration is exceptional. Highly recommended!

I hate this book. Have from the very beginning.

I gave this book a chance because of the many praised reviews I read. I was hoping for more of a mystery but instead it has been like a slow, dark drowning. This is the most depressing story that drags and drags through ridiculous pointless detail. The majn female narrator has the character of Libby perfectly read, but the trouble is I can't empathize with her at all. The other characters are also lacking depth and any draw of attachment. The imagery is solid but is detracted from by the drippy dark depression and unlikeable qualities of every single character in this book. There is no one to fight for, to keep listening for. I am half way through and I literally don't think I can finish it, it is sucking the life out of me every time I listen to it.

Meh....

This book so long to get to the point, and I still wasn't satisfied at the end. The narrative was good but the story line was just "meh"

Addicting Tale from the First Minute

Gillian Flynn draws you into her characters immediately and spins a tale that's so dark-and yet so enthralling-that you can't stop listening.

From the first second you meet Libby Day, you are drawn to this sad, angry girl who so desperately needs answers. I highly recommend this book and will be actively seeking any other novels by Gillian Flynn.

Shock Value

The deviation from Gone Girl was not too far, though I think Flynn's attempt at a more poignant, more troubled female protagonist left a lot to be desired. The plot surrounding her story left me bored and uninterested at too many points throughout the book to even consider that I enjoyed it. Imagine a smash up of An Amityville Horror and The Maury Show and you've got yourself Dark Places.

One of the best I’ve read

I’m actually stunned I gave this a 5 Star. It started slow, took awhile to get my attention and at times it disgusted me on the amount of depravity. I thought who ever wrote this must be one sick person to come up with so many graphic details. A few times, yes a few times I was going to turn it off and return it. What happens is you really start to feel for these characters, you can see, hear and feel what they feel. The ending was shocking. Never saw it coming. Author did her job. I miss Libby already.

Tooooo Dark

I love mystery and thriller novels but this was too much. I had a very hard time finishing it because of the content, not the writing or narration. It was very upsetting. I don't feel there was excessive use of the F word as some said.

Brutally Good!

I am a fan of Gillian Flynn. Not only is she an excellent story teller, she does something continually that amazes me...she creates characters that I often dislike and then, through the magic of her craft, I find myself hooked on them, cheering them on, routing for their cause. Much like I did in Gone Girl, I did not initially like the Libby but by the end, I was pulling for her the whole way through as she pursued the truth about her family's brutal murder. There are parts that are very graphic and brutal, this story is very viseral. Flynn's writing is razor sharp and she carries the plot all the way through, answering all the questions no matter how difficult or unappealing. I found myself listening, tense and fearful but unable to put the story away. I had to know what happens! Gillian Flynn is a master storyteller and Dark Places might just be my new favorite over Gone Girl!

hold on to your seatbelts

Gillian Flynn scares me, her way of describing murders and crimes, wooo! Ben was in prison for killing his mother and sisters, but did he? Libby was the only one who survived the killings. He was a 15 year old boy who fell in love with the wrong girl. He got an older girl Deondra pregnant, an advanced manipulator. Deondra, satan herself......she even birth a junior satan crystal and while Ben rotted in prison. Why Ben protected her, I don't know. I mean she killed his family, along with some man(Calvin Diehl), who was that man. He watched her kill his sister, whew....... I guess he had a heart because he let his baby sister Libby go. Libby years later, went to see her brother after a murder club contacted her about her brothers innocence. Afterwards she realized her brother was innocent and went to find the real killers. In looking, she ended up running for her life......This book would make a good movie. Damn Deondra, would Libby and Ben get a second chance at life or will it be stolen from them again? The plot twist though, just when I thought I knew who it was or something like that, finds out their mother hired a man (Calvin) to kill her so the kids could get the insurance money, but he killed them all
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