Into the Darkest Corner

By: Elizabeth Haynes

Narrated by: David Thorpe, Karen Cass

Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

AMAZON BOOK OF THE YEAR 2011

WINNER OF AMAZON RISING STARS 2011

AMAZON EDITORS' CHOICE BEST CRIME NOVEL OF 2011

LONGLISTED FOR CWA JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER 2011

Catherine has been enjoying the single life for long enough to know a good catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic, spontaneous – Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell.

But there is a darker side to Lee. His erratic, controlling and sometimes frightening behaviour means that Catherine is increasingly isolated. Driven into the darkest corner of her world, and trusting no one, she plans a meticulous escape. Four years later, struggling to overcome her demons, Catherine dares to believe she might be safe from harm. Until one phone call changes everything.

This is an edgy and powerful first novel, utterly convincing in its portrayal of obsession, and a tour de force of suspense.

©2012 Elizabeth Haynes (P)2012 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"Check the locks on your doors and windows and surrender to this obsessive thriller." (Karin Slaughter)

“This intense, gripping account of domestic violence and its aftermath is utterly unputdownable. A stunning debut.” (SJ Watson)

“From its uncompromising prologue - a young woman being bludgeoned to death in a ditch - Haynes's powerful account of domestic violence is disquieting, yet unsensationalist. This is a gripping book on a topic which can never be highlighted enough.” ( Guardian)

“A very impressive first novel. The pain and frustration of OCD is brilliantly evoked and I winced every time Cathy embarked on yet another ritual. The contrast between Cathy's two lives is cleverly drawn and the hesitancy in her new relationship is very believable. This is a fantastic personal read with plenty for a reading group to discuss.” ( NewBooks Magazine)

“Within ten minutes I couldn't put it down. I've always said that I would never be caught in an abusive relationship, as I'd be out of it at the first sign of a problem but after reading this book I realised that it really isn't that simple. There's a superb picture of the burdens of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). It's not enough to check once that the door is firmly locked. What if you didn't lock it properly? There's real dramatic tension in this book and when I got to the end the first thing that I did was to turn back to the beginning again.” ( The Bookbag)

“A tense and thought-provoking début novel with dark moments. Its portrayal of obsession is one that will send a shiver down your spine and you'll hope that you are never in that position. But don't look for a "pat" ending - it seems that things never end the way one hopes! This début novel by a police intelligence analyst is certainly well worth the read.” ( Shotsmag)

“Our South coast-based book group had been starved of a good book for a month or two, so it was with some excitement that we stumbled across the buzz on Twitter about Elizabeth Haynes' compelling debut novel Into the Darkest Corner. Thankfully starvation swiftly changed to gluttony when we got our hands on the book, as this is a compulsive thriller with sufficient twists and plot turns to keep the most action-avaricious of readers satisfied.” ( Bookgroup.info)

Psychological thriller--both smart and interesting

I like thrillers, especially ones with psychological aspects, and I don't like poorly written books. I stay away from series because the writing tends to become formulaic. I was unsure about this book for several reasons--not least of all because I work in mental health, and it seemed like I would be taking my work home with me to listen to this story!

However, I loved it and couldn't stop listening. The writing is intelligent, the characters realistic, the dark scenes are intense but the nerve and humor of the main character keeps this book from descending into pathos. It's a fun listen, full of action, romance and suspense. Don't miss it!

A Real Mind-Game!

What made the experience of listening to Into the Darkest Corner the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed the narrator, Karen Cass, in this book. This book reminded me of listening to mysteries at night in the car when I was a child when my family was on the way home from a vacation - nice and spooky.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the fact that the tension begins immediately and builds slowly throughout the book. And I love the narrator's accent.

What does David Thorpe and Karen Cass bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I might not have put the same inflections in my mind if I had read the book that she does with the audio version. It made it much more interesting to me. And she didn't try to force different voices on the different characters - that can be annoying. However, I could still tell a distinction between characters. D. Thorpe was fine too, but his part was much shorter, so I really have no comment about him either way.

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

not sure

Any additional comments?

I found myself sitting in the garage for that extra few minutes to get to a stopping point or driving the long way home so I could listen to more. I also used headphones and listened while doing housework, exercising, etc. That's usually a good indication that the book is good.

Good mystery

If you could sum up Into the Darkest Corner in three words, what would they be?

Dark underbelly exposed

What did you like best about this story?

Damaged people can recover, and be stong once again

Have you listened to any of David Thorpe and Karen Cass ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Any additional comments?

A bit tedious in the beginning, didn't expect the British accents, also the the OCD...But that soon faded as I got into the story. Good story line, lots of suspense, makes one wonder how often this happens in real life.

Worth your time

Any additional comments?

I enjoy reading/listening to novels for many reasons, but two come to mind with this book: 1. I like an intriguing story, and 2. I enjoy learning about real world problems, issues, conditions, etc. from characters who can teach me something I don't know. Darkest Corner scores on both those points.

Case in point: I probably would never read a nonfiction book (maybe not even an article) about OCD. But I learned so much from Catherine, not only about the behavior of those who suffer but the backstory that adds the causal dimension, not to mention the remedies that help someone escape the clutches of OCD. You can feel her anguish, grasp her (sometimes bizarre) behavior, even sympathesize with the impatience of her psychologist/boyfriend. You also learn (as Catherine does as well) why a woman finds it difficult to impossible to escape an abusive relationship.

Elizabeth Haynes has done an effective job of organizing the story by switching back and forth between two time periods, four years apart, to explore how Catherine gets drawn into a relationship that turns (almost) deadly, and how she copes with its aftermath. (I am also a sucker for the quaint and generally more accurate language and idioms of the British, which makes this a more enjoyable listen than a read.) Even when the story drags occasionally, you get the sense that it's supposed to drag because the pace reinforces the endless "checking" Catherine must undertake to feel safe.

This is a winner!

A Victim's Journey to Victory

I think this story was well-written, well-told, and realistic. I thought during this book that if someone had gone through a similar situation in real life, they would have some serious coping issues due to the subject matter. I couldn't give it a 5 because I like to read more cheerful fiction. I read suspense or other genres just for a change of pace.

Good read

Pretty good story line. I didn't realize that it doesn't take place in the states. Sometimes the accent gets in the way of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Totally enjoyed the tension, the realness the dark

Would you consider the audio edition of Into the Darkest Corner to be better than the print version?

I can’t say, I have both the audio and written and I enjoyed switching back and forth between formats; depending or where I was reading. However, with a great narrator the story comes alive faster with audio especially when I’m inpatient and want to know what’s next.

What did you like best about this story?

The story itself lends great insight to domestic violence and mental disorders. I could easily understand a health person can become physically and mentally trapped.

I truly loved the patience Stewart had.

Which scene was your favorite?

Kathy’s interactions with Steward, can’t say more it would spoil it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, very much.

Any additional comments?

This was a book I took a chance on and it panned out well. It was worth my credit. I hope you enjoy.

Both Terrifying and up-lifting!

Personally, I found this novel talked to me as a woman in a past stage of my life. I am so glad that books like this are being written so that women can "come out of the darkest corner" and have the courage to point a finger at their abusers! the whole book was beautifully written with tenderness and never straying away from the sweet character of the main person, yet the OCB was well scripted into the story. The whole tale was gripping and held you right to the end with an unexpected twist. An excellent book, well recommended to both men and women.

Not as great as the hype.

After all the hype, I was expecting more "gripping". The one thing that really didn't ring true was the neighbor that happened to be a psychologist well versed in OCD and that, with all the girls in London he could have dated, he falls for one with so many problems? The last few chapters were semi gripping but I thought the story itself took too long to tell.

A good listen and a pretty good story too

I enjoyed the book overall. The plot was pretty good, the reader was very good, and the ending was consistently satisfying. Of course, it is not easy to read about a woman being abused and not leaving immediately. But our main character was likable, and so I made it through the parts that made me squirm.
I would definitely recommend this book, and I do look forward to the next book that the author writes.