Our Kind of Cruelty

A Novel

By: Araminta Hall

Narrated by: Nick Hendrix, Eleanor Matsuura

"This is simply one of the nastiest and most disturbing thrillers I've read in years. In short: I loved it, right down to the utterly chilling final line." (Gillian Flynn, New York Times best-selling author of Gone Girl)

This is a love story. Mike’s love story.

Mike Hayes fought his way out of a brutal childhood and into a quiet if lonely life - before he met Verity Metcalf. V taught him about love, and in return Mike has dedicated his life to making her happy. He’s found the perfect home, the perfect job; he’s sculpted himself into the physical ideal V has always wanted. He knows they’ll be blissfully happy together. It doesn’t matter that she hasn’t been returning his emails or phone calls. It doesn’t matter that she says she’s marrying Angus. It’s all just part of the secret game they used to play. If Mike watches V closely, he’ll see the signs. If he keeps track of her every move, he’ll know just when to come to her rescue....

A spellbinding, darkly twisted audiobook about desire and obsession and the complicated lines between truth and perception, Our Kind of Cruelty introduces Araminta Hall, a chilling new voice in psychological suspense.

©2018 Araminta Hall (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks

Head spinning

This was such a captivating book. It had my mind running in every which direction. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, a new point would be brought up that had me questioning where I stood with the main characters. Once I started, I couldn’t put the book down!… so to say with an audible book. The voice, or the reader, also did an amazing job captivating the sound of the character. 10/10 recommend

Strange, Original

A fascinating portrayal of obsession and delusion. The plot was clever and multilayered. This book will stay with me.

Just plain disturbing...and amazing!

Mike is in love with Verity, and he believes that she loves him too. And so begins the dark, downward spiral of Mike's frightening delusion, where he believes that Verity, his long-time ex-girlfriend, still participates in the game they used to play: The Crave. With only Mike's point of view, you get a really good inside look into obsession and desire from a man who believes that Verity is his one and only, no matter if she feels the same way or not. My favorite part about this book is that I started to question it all myself: Is it just a game? Is Mike in the right all along? Is this true love gone wrong, or the sociopathic rantings of a man with a troubled childhood and a desperate need to be loved? The book is well written, but I highly recommend the audiobook for this novel. The voice actor really captures the essence of Mike and takes the story to a whole new level.

This book is a standout in my vast Audible library.

I have a craving for British audiobooks, and “Our Kind of Cruelty” by Araminta Hall exceeded my expectations. Narrator Nick Hendrix delivers an outstanding performance with precise accents and inflections that bring this novel to life. Psychological romance is intertwined with manipulation, obsession, red flags and delusion. The story’s pace is expertly crafted by Hall, with twisty surprises around every corner. “This is a love story…” Mike’s love story is a dark and dangerous one. He’s escaped a brutal childhood and has tried to transform himself into perfection for Verity. He's convinced they'll be happy together, that it’s all just their “crave” game, and he’s playing along. Never a dull or a lull. I never expected the shocking ending. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with a {{{mad}}} dash of romance, look no further. But be warned: Once you start, you won’t be able to stop. “Our Kind of Cruelty” is my audiction; will it be yours? Highly recommended and absolutely worth a coveted credit. I feel lucky to have found this gem at just over $10. I'm shouting from the rooftops: “Epic, I say! EPIC! EPIC! EPIC!”

👏✍️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍️👏

Unsatisfying

This story had interesting parts and at times was fast paced. There was much repetition and excessive chatter about minor details also. I stuck with it in the hopes of learning what the was real and what was fantasy. That did not happen.

Crazy

This was a crazy story that kept you wondering about the psychotic state of the characters; and what was the actual true reality.

didn't enjoy this

I thought the narrarator was great, but the story not so much (in my opinion).

entertaining but lacks depth

was excited to get into this story after hearing so much about it. Bit it fell short in my opinion. A stupid girl that lacks brains and forethought. I was disappointed the story was shallow and predictable. It missed the mark.

Not as Nasty as Gillian Flynn Made It Sound

This book was a bore, plain and simple. The best part was the narrator; his voice was so pleasant. The story? Not so much. Gillian Flynn called it nasty but I think that’s a stretch. I kept waiting for it to get exciting but it was extremely predictable and never picked up. Don’t waste a credit or your cash on this.

The Crave

This is so worth the read/listen. I was captivated and couldn’t stop listening. The twists and turns were incredible, along with the ending which leaves it open for more! Five stars is not enough….