• Are You Afraid of the Dark?

  • By: Sidney Sheldon
  • Narrated by: Kit Flanagan
  • Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
  • 3.4 out of 5 stars (166 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Are You Afraid of the Dark?  By  cover art

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

By: Sidney Sheldon
Narrated by: Kit Flanagan
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

Violent and mysterious deaths are popping up all around the world in this thriller from Sidney Sheldon. What at first seems coincidence quickly escalates to a worldwide conspiracy with the large environmental think tank Kingsley International Group as the one common link to all the murders. Veteran actor Kit Flanagan lends her crisp and earnest voice to Are You Afraid of the Dark, ensuring the suspense in this final book from Sheldon hits on all cylinders. Follow along as Kelly Harris and Diane Stevens, widows of two of the recent victims, are forced to work together on a terrifying adventure where seemingly no one can be trusted.

Publisher's summary

All around the globe, people are being reported dead or missing.

In Berlin, a woman vanishes from the city streets. In Paris, a man plunges from the Eiffel Tower. In Denver, a small plane crashes into the mountains. In Manhattan, a body washes ashore from the East River. At first these seem to be random incidents, but the police soon discover that all four of the victims are connected to Kingsley International Group (KIG), the largest think tank in the world.

Kelly Harris and Diane Stevens, young widows of two of the victims, encounter each other in New York, where Tanner Kingsley, the head of KIG, assures them that he is using every resource to solve the mysterious deaths of their husbands. But he may be too late. Someone is intent on murdering both women, and they suffer a harrowing series of close escapes. Who is trying to kill them and why?

Forced together for protection, and suspicious of each other and everyone around them, the two widows embark on a terrifying game of cat-and-mouse against the unknown forces out to destroy them.

Taut with suspense and vivid characterization, full of shocking twists, and with an unnervingly realistic premise, the long-awaited Are You Afraid of the Dark? is Sidney Sheldon at the top of his game.

©2004 Sidney Sheldon (P)2004 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A breezily pleasing read." (Publishers Weekly)
"The best kind of guilty pleasure." (Booklist)

What listeners say about Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    57
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    39
  • 2 Stars
    22
  • 1 Stars
    22
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    46
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    39
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Another good one

I always look forward to Sheldon's new books and this was no exception. I found it to be very good but a little more perdictable than some of his previous works. Definitely worth a listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Are you afraid of the dark

I had to quit listening to this. After about 4 CDs I could not stand the flashbacks to the overly romantic syrupy naratives. I had forgotten that this is the mainstay of Shelden's work. Will not be downloading anymore of them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

It Was Bound to Happen

After listening to approximately fifty books through Audible, it was bound to happen that I would find a book that I would not enjoy. I never realized it would be so awful I would feel compelled to write a review (my first).

So what's wrong with the book? So nonsensically written, so unbelievable in it's events, I could probably find fault with something on every single page. Not only does Sheldon write a totally implausible story, the dialogue is either unintentionally laughable or amateurishly staged. At times the dialogue was so predictable, I was able to mouth the words as they were spoken as if I had already read this trash.

I can only assume the two other reviewers are related to the author. I really can't complain - I've 'read' so many good books through Audible one stinker is to be expected.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Are You Afraid Of This Book?

If not, you should be. It's among the 3 or 4 worst I've ever read/listened to, and I listen to over 125 books/year. I won't be redundant; other reviewers have outlined the shortcomings and deficiencies of this volume very thoroughly. I downloaded this book when it was first released and didn't have the benefit of other readers' reviews, which I have come to find I more often than not agree with the majority.

Your time would be much better spent searching for another selection.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Very amateurish

First, I?ll tell you I listened to the entire book. Unfortunately, it wasn?t for the right reasons, and I recommend you not begin. The book was a series of fortunate ?escapes? for the characters that after a short while became laughable and pathetic. I continued to listen simply to see how poorly the story unfolded, and I had no other audio loaded for my commute. The ending was not even close to plausible. The book uses clich? phrases repeatedly, including ?Life will be dull after this? following yet another fortunate escape. I was amazed at how amateurish the narrative was in this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable and Intriguing

This is the very first audiobook I downloaded for my ipod. I've read many of Sheldon's books and I totally enjoyed this one. The character developement was good as was the narrator and the storyline. It had enough twists, turns and excitement. Although it was somewhat predictable, it never stopped being enjoyable. It kept me listening and wondering and taking that extra walk or drive just to hear what was going to happen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

For the Sheldon Fan

I have been reading Sheldon off and on since I was in my teens. I found his books, full of travel and facinating. However, I was some what disappointed with this title. I found it trite, cliche, and the ending very uneventful. If you are a Sheldon fan this is a lite, quick read to keep your mind occupied. Unfortunately, this title will not bring in new Sheldon fans.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Not Up to Sheldon standards

I totally agree with all said by Brian in his review "Very Amateurish" I too could not believe how many times these women escaped death. The book did not have the twists typical to his usual works either. I was disappointed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Yikes!

The only reason why I continued to listen to this was the hope that it might get better.
Contrived story. Ridiculous dialog. Horrible narration. Yikes! What was I thinking? I stopped reading Sidney Sheldon 10 years ago. Now I remember why. Skip this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

A Disappointment

Too many characters and flashbacks. Started well but faded fast.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful