Dark Places

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Libby Day was just seven years old when her older brother massacred her family while she hid in a cupboard. Her evidence helped put him away. Ever since then she has been drifting, surviving for over 20 years on the proceeds of the 'Libby Day fund'. But now the money is running out and Libby is desperate.

When she is offered $500 to do a guest appearance, she feels she has to accept. But this is no ordinary gathering. The Kill Club is a group of true-crime obsessives who share information on notorious murders, and they think her brother Ben is innocent. Ben was a social misfit, ground down by the small-town farming community in which he lived. But he did have a girlfriend - a brooding heavy metal fan called Diondra. Through her, Ben became involved with drugs and the dark arts. When the town suddenly turned against him, his thoughts turned black. But was he capable of murder?

Libby must delve into her family's past to uncover the truth - no matter how painful.

©2009 Gillian Flynn (P)2009 AudioGo Ltd

spine-chilling

amazing narrator, giving each character their own voice and personality.

love the storyline and how the story is being put together

Loved it! 💕

I never thought I would be a fan of this genre until I read/listened to this. If you're into suspense/thriller type plots, then give this one a shot.

read all three books and im really a fan

Would you listen to Dark Places again? Why?

Yes absolutely! Well written story and well read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Places?

When she finally found diondra.

Which character – as performed by Lorelei King – was your favorite?

Dianne,I liked how her voice changed it suits the character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

party's sacrifice for her children.

Any additional comments?

Great read and great audio. I recommend reading all gillian flynn's books. Love her,looking forward to her next book.

Not for the fainthearted!

Dark Places is the story of Libby Day who, in 1985, helped a jury convict her 15 year-old brother Ben for the brutal murder of her mother and sisters. Now, 25 years later, Ben remains in prison and the money in Libby's trust fund is gone. Unwilling to find a job, Libby accepts an offer from a secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. The Kill Society offer to pay Libby to interview Ben and others about the massacre and they are eager to buy family mementos from her.

The story unfolds in alternating chapters between Libby in the present and her family in the hours leading up to the murders. The characters are vivid and believable though not very likable.The chapters play off each other perfectly exposing layer upon layer of ugliness.Gillian Flynn has had the courage to depict the long term damage and consequences of a brutal murder. She almost dares the reader to look away.

This novel succeeds on so many levels. It made me think about what happens to the survivors in the headlines or on the news. In the media limelight they are showered with sympathy, years later they are all but forgotten.

Dark Places is a masterpiece of cold blooded horror. It is not for the squeamish. There is graphic violence to humans and animals. There is sexual content and language that some may find offensive.

If you're looking for a dark (really dark!) mystery that is well crafted and competently narrated, then this is the book for you. I actually enjoyed it more than Gone Girl.

Truly exceptional

Once again, Flynn is amazing. I was hooked, almost from the very beginning, although I did find the start a bit slow. She cunningly weaves the present and past timeliness, leaving you in suspense at almost every change.

Great story and performance - excellent writing.

Gillian Flynn is an excellent writer - I love her turns of phrase and unique imagery, so I could read anything she writes. This ending was more predictable than Gone Girl but I still enjoyed the ride. The performance was outstanding, my favourite on Audible so far. I was desperate to keep listening (couldn't 'put it down') so would highly recommend this.

Compelling

A bravely drawn anti-hero -- unconventional, anti-social, on the margins. She hooked me immediately and I was happily swept along as the layers of the past were peeled away to reveal an extremely satisfying conclusion.

Animal cruelty

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

If I had known about the chapter describing in detail the animal cruelty I would never have started this book. It was completely unnecessary to describe in such gory detail the suffering of the animal. I wanted to hear it in case the story progressed but had to skip over it because I just didn't want that in my head. Hard to know but I don't think it made much difference to the story. It was quite disgusting.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It is an interesting story. I will listen to the rest to hopefully get some resolution to the story.