We Are All the Same in the Dark

A Novel

By: Julia Heaberlin

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, Catherine Taber, MacLeod Andrews, Kirby Heyborne

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

National Best Seller • People Pick • Optioned by Sister Pictures for Television • The discovery of a girl abandoned by the side of the road threatens to unearth the long-buried secrets of a Texas town’s legendary cold case in this superb, atmospheric novel from the internationally best-selling author of Black-Eyed Susans

“If you only read one thriller this year, let it be this one. Psychologically absorbing, original and atmospheric. I could not turn the pages fast enough.” (Elin Hilderbrand, number-one New York Times best-selling author of 28 Summers)

It’s been a decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared, leaving only a bloody handprint behind. Her pretty face still hangs like a watchful queen on the posters on the walls of the town’s Baptist church, the police station, and in the high school. They all promise the same thing: We will find you. Meanwhile, Tru's brother, Wyatt, lives as a pariah in the desolation of the old family house, cleared of wrongdoing by the police but tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion and in a new documentary about the crime.

When Wyatt finds a lost girl dumped in a field of dandelions, making silent wishes, he believes she is a sign. The town’s youngest cop, Odette Tucker, believes she is a catalyst that will ignite a seething town still waiting for its own missing girl to come home. But Odette can’t look away. She shares a wound that won’t close with the mute, one-eyed mystery girl. And she is haunted by her own history with the missing Tru.

Desperate to solve both cases, Odette fights to save the lost girl in the present and to dig up the shocking truth about a fateful night in the past - the night her friend disappeared, the night that inspired her to become a cop, the night that wrote them all a role in the town’s dark, violent mythology.

In this twisty psychological thriller, Julia Heaberlin paints unforgettable portraits of a woman and a girl who redefine perceptions of physical beauty and strength.

Praise for We Are All the Same in the Dark

“This chilling tale of buried sins is relentlessly unpredictable.” (The Times, South Africa)

“[Julia] Heaberlin knows how to build to a truly shocking twist, how to break a reader’s heart and then begin mending it. ‘What’s coming is always unimaginable,’ Odette’s one-time therapist tells her, ‘and by that, I mean just that. It cannot be imagined. What’s coming never acts or behaves the way we think it will.’ That’s true for this novel, too.” (The Dallas Morning News)

©2020 Julia Heaberllin (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

“I’m not sure I can put into words how much I loved this book: gorgeous writing, interesting characters, a unique setting, and an unsettling, surprising mystery. At one point, I actually gasped out loud from both the beauty of the writing and the shock of the story. We Are All the Same in the Dark has it all. Everyone needs to put this book on their to-be-read list right now! You can thank me later.” (Amy Engel, best-selling author of The Familiar Dark)

“Exceptional ... After a devastating twist halfway through, the intense plot builds to an emotional finale. Heaberlin sensitively addresses issues of survival and vulnerability in this heart-wrenching gothic tale.” (Publishers Weekly [starred review])

"One of my favorite reads of the year ... [Heaberlin’s] beautiful prose propelled me through this spine-chilling novel.... The book is absolutely mesmerizing." (Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times best-selling author of The Weight of Silence)

On the edge of my ladder

Spent ten+ hours on a ladder painting walls. This outstanding production of a quickly paced mystery, set in a nearby small town in Texas, made the mundane task so enjoyable. The pacing and the twists kept me guessing until the end; othe book-I still have more painting to do!

Almost returned it, then couldn’t stop listening.

This is a tough book to listen to as if you aren’t attentive you will miss details. At first I wanted to stop. It was such a downer. The characters and the missing pieces of their stories kept tugging at me to find out what happened to them. So I kept going. I can’t say this is the best story I have ever listened to as I am fantasy, historical and heart tugging story listener. But I kept going. There is so much dysfunction in our lives which is why I don’t usually pick this type of book. The story will stay with me and haunt my dreams. Am I glad I stuck with it? Yes as I needed closure. Would I choose it again? Knowing what I know now I think I would. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. That I did.

Excellent!

The story is beautifully written and the characters are well developed. The use of the 4 separate narrators was an excellent choice making it an entertaining listen. The journey starts off strong and continues to build suspense until the chilling and heartbreaking twist. Honestly one of the better Mystery/Thrillers I've read in a very long time! Highly recommend!!! Well worth a credit!

FANTASTIC!!

There are very few mystery/thriller books that surprise me at the end and this is one of them!! I absolutely LOVED this book and could not stop listening! Finished in just 2 sittings.

Great Thriller

Twists, turns and compelling characters. The pacing is great. Highly recommend. More than a thriller, human drama and family dynamics make it a thought provoking novel as well.

mixed feelings

Although I did enjoy the characters the book never took off and was very flat.. Great narration

beautifully narrated

The readers were nearly pitch perfect. The final reader took a little getting used to after the first two, but I warmed up to her. The experience of this listen was like binge watching a wonderful TV series. Hour after hour, and just couldn't walk away. The writing was wonderful and lyrical, but in a way the voices could incorporate very naturally. The central mystery itself was well told though not startlingly clever, but on the whole, it all held together so well.

to many fine details.

kept getting bored and lost waiting for the author to explain one scenario otherwise it wouldve been a good book

unique book

female cop who only has one leg, her high school sweetheart accused of a horrible murder female cop dad Grandpa and great-grandpa were all cops she is married to a lawyer and someone finds a little girl with one eye almost dead on the side of the road.

Another great thriller!

This was another excellent thriller from Heaberlin! I am glad she didn't make me as scared of dandelions as she did of Black-eyed Susans! If you've read her other book you will understand this comment!

Very interesting thriller with some family drama that kept me guessing till the end. The characters were very well fleshed out even the dead. The ladies in this book have not had easy lives and don't look to get any easier. Aack I don't want to give anything away. I think these characters will stay with me for awhile.

Great narration from Jenna Lamia , Catherine Taber , MacLeod Andrews & Kirby Heyborne. I do have to give props to the ladies for bringing the emotions to their narration, but all were great!

Can't wait for more books from this author she has become an auto buy for me!

4 Stars