The Devil You Know: A Novel

By: Elisabeth de Mariaffi

Narrated by: Andi Arndt

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

In the vein of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects and A.S.A. Harrison's The Silent Wife, The Devil You Know is a thrilling debut about a rookie reporter whose memories of the murder of her childhood best friend bring danger - and a stalker - right to her doorstep.

The year is 1993. Rookie crime-beat reporter Evie Jones is haunted by the unsolved murder of her best friend Lianne Gagnon, who was killed in 1982, back when both girls were eleven. The suspected killer, a repeat offender named Robert Cameron, was never arrested, leaving Lianne's case cold.

Now 21 and living alone for the first time, Evie is obsessively drawn to finding out what really happened to Lianne. She leans on another childhood friend, David Patton, for help - but every clue they uncover seems to lead to an unimaginable conclusion. As she gets closer and closer to the truth, Evie becomes convinced that the killer is still at large - and that he's coming back for her.

From critically acclaimed author Elisabeth de Mariaffi comes a spine-tingling debut about secrets long buried and obsession that cannot be controlled.

©2015 Elisabeth de Mariaffi (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Not too shabby

Was looking for a little more gore and suspense--but over all pretty good book, good for at least one listen

Overall, good read

This book was very slow moving in the beginning, but ended up being a great book. I would recommend this one.

You May Like It If You're From Ontario

I will start by saying that there is definitely a flow issue with this book. The story is somewhat disjointed, although some parts of it are fairly alluring.

The reason I found enjoyment in deMaraffi's book is because I was born and raised in Ontario Canada and I was the same age of the main character in the setting. In the early 1990's, the Province of Ontario was under high alert and stress because a serial killer and his wife, Paul Bernardo and Karla Holmolka, respectively, were kidnapping, raping, and killing teenage girls. Bernardo's wife Karla helped with the kidnappings and torture, but since she ratted Paul out first, he went to prison and she got off with basically a slap on the wrist. It was later found that Bernardo was the infamous 'Scarborough Rapist' as well, and was responsible for several rapes in a suburb of Toronto.

The main character Evie is a reporter hot on the Bernardo break out story, which triggers memories from her past. When she was in second grade, her best friend was taken and murdered, and everyone now knows her as the 'girl who's friend died.' While she continues to have panic attacks, she starts putting puzzle pieces together to find her friend's killer- and puts herself in danger at the same time.

There is no problem with the narration of this book. In fact, it's quite good. And, I enjoyed the descriptions of the towns and areas where the story took place because it was nostalgic for me. However, the author is all over the place and it's very hard to connect or care about the characters.

I will give this 3 stars total- I doubt those without local knowledge of the scenes and setting will be as patient as I was with the disjointed story.

Starts strong and then gets distracted.

Started out really interesting but eventually the story just starts too meander too much. Story gets hard to follow ... And the ending was so anticlimactic. I do wish the narrator had seemed a bit more excited, considering the lead character is an anxiety-riddled reporter who seems to be interesting.

Very slow

The storyline was okay just very slow moving. A story that could've been told in a much shorter timeframe. Narrator was great, easy to listen to.

Worst book ever

Would you try another book from Elisabeth de Mariaffi and/or Andi Arndt?

No

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not Mariaffi or Arndt.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She didn't add anything.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Devil You Know: A Novel?

If I was the editor I would have thrown it in the trash.

Not one I would listen to again

Felt the story dragged and the ending was rather anticlimactic. I would end up playing back a chapter or 2 to listen to what numbed me.

Sleepy narrator

Really tried to.get.into it, but the narration was very flat, therefore the story nored me. Maybe better as a read.

Worthy Psychological Suspense Novel

In her debut psychological thriller revolving around Evie, a young newspaper reporter, set in Toronto from 1982 to 1993, Elisabeth de Mariaffi deftly plies her wares at suspense with the uncertainty of childhood memories, lingering nightmares and possible paranoia from a 12-year-old friend's abduction and murder, cults in the Branch Davidians in Waco and the Charles Manson murders, stalkers, paranoia, dental records, a *basement* and a *cabin in the woods*.

I expect Ms. de Mariaffi to excel in this genre with such a good start and look forward to her next book.

As always, Andi Arndt magnificently plays the role of the young, equivocal female protagonist. For my money, Ms. Arndt is the *bomb* among her female counterparts.

Pretty good story

There where a few confusing moments but U think it may be to put you in the main characters state of mind. Over all a good book. book. The narrator was very good would definitely listen to her again.