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Whistle in the Dark  By  cover art

Whistle in the Dark

By: Emma Healey
Narrated by: Julia Deakin, Laura Aikman
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Publisher's summary

Emma Healey follows the success of her number one internationally best-selling debut novel Elizabeth Is Missing, winner of the Costa First Novel Award, with this beautiful, thought-provoking, and psychologically complex tale that affirms her status as one of the most inventive and original literary novelists today.

Jen and Hugh Maddox have just survived every parent’s worst nightmare.

Relieved, but still terrified, they sit by the hospital bedside of their 15-year-old daughter, Lana, who was found bloodied, bruised, and disoriented after going missing for four days during a mother-daughter vacation in the country. As Lana lies mute in the bed, unwilling or unable to articulate what happened to her during that period, the national media speculates wildly and Jen and Hugh try to answer many questions.

Where was Lana? How did she get hurt? Was the teenage boy who befriended her involved? How did she survive outside for all those days? Even when she returns to the family home and her school routine, Lana only provides the same frustrating answer over and over: "I can’t remember."

For years, Jen had tried to soothe the depressive demons plaguing her younger child, and had always dreaded the worst. Now she has hope - the family has gone through hell and come out the other side. But Jen cannot let go of her need to find the truth. Without telling Hugh or their pregnant older daughter Meg, Jen sets off to retrace Lana’s steps, a journey that will lead her to a deeper understanding of her youngest daughter, her family, and herself.

A wry, poignant, and masterfully drawn story that explores the bonds and duress of family life, the pain of mental illness, and the fraught yet enduring connection between mothers and daughters, Whistle in the Dark is a story of guilt, fear, hope, and love that explores what it means to lose and find ourselves and those we love.

©2018 Emma Healey (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Whistle in the Dark

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Not what I expected

Not what I expected. The Author definitely took me on an adventure of trying to figure out what the heck was going on. At the end -- not what I expected at all.

Well done :)

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    3 out of 5 stars
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umm...disappointed

I thought there would be more of a twist , it was a bit long for the conclusion that didn't leave me satisfied. I would add something scandalous for the movie version.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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First book I had to stop listening to!

This was hard to listen to. Whiny characters, whiny voice for Lana, the daughter, clueless mother, and still trying to figure out what could possibly happen that might peak my interest. Finally just stopped. Enough time wasted.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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A little slow

It took me a little longer than normal to get into this book. A slow start.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Worst Book in. A Long Time

A book I thpught would never end. Neurotic mother, depressed daughter, spiritually devoid family. Don't waste your time.

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the longest uneventful dreadful story

I thought the chapters were being repeated. It was boring ; I love thrillers and suspense. but this was dreadful. worst reccomend book on audible

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Do not waste your money

This audiobook was awful. The story was extremely dull and overdrawn, and the narrator was incredibly whiny! I wish I hadn't wasted my time

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