When the Stars Go Dark

A Novel

De: Paula McLain

Narrado por: Marin Ireland

New York Times best seller

Good Morning America Buzz Pick

“A total departure for the author of The Paris Wife, McLain’s emotionally intense and exceptionally well-written thriller entwines its fictional crime with real cases.” (People, Book of the Week)

Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Marie Claire

“The kind of heart-pounding conclusion that thriller fans crave.... In the end, a book full of darkness lands with a message of hope.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“This mystery will keep you guessing, and stay with you long after you finish. Dive in.” (Daily Skimm)

Anna Hart is a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco with far too much knowledge of the darkest side of human nature. When tragedy strikes her personal life, Anna, desperate and numb, flees to the Northern California village of Mendocino to grieve. She lived there as a child with her beloved foster parents, and now she believes it might be the only place left for her. Yet the day she arrives, she learns that a local teenage girl has gone missing.

The crime feels frighteningly reminiscent of the most crucial time in Anna’s childhood, when the unsolved murder of a young girl touched Mendocino and changed the community forever. As past and present collide, Anna realizes that she has been led to this moment. The most difficult lessons of her life have given her insight into how victims come into contact with violent predators. As Anna becomes obsessed with saving the missing girl, she must accept that true courage means getting out of her own way and learning to let others in.

Weaving together actual cases of missing persons, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, this propulsive and deeply affecting novel tells a story of fate, necessary redemption, and what it takes, when the worst happens, to reclaim our lives - and our faith in one another.

©2021 Paula McLain (P)2021 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“This genre-bending novel [is an] absolutely incredible literary thriller about the human journey.” (Good Morning America)

“Fueled by pure high anxiety.... When the Stars Go Dark is an atmospheric and intricately plotted suspense novel.” (The Washington Post)

“The twisty plot keeps the pages flying, and Paula McLain’s lyrical and poetic prose reveals insight after insight about the human heart, making this riveting read not only an engrossing psychological thriller, but crime fiction of the highest order." (Lisa Scottoline, author of Someone Knows)

Loved this book!

Believable characters, set in my home turf. Enjoyable read. Well written story with lots of surprises.

Heavy but worthwhile

So, this was my introduction to Paula McLain. If you listen to this story AND the author's note at the end, you will appreciate the careful, painstaking journey of this book. It is fiction, but based on real life events, including some of the author's own early experiences. Knowing that will give you an appreciation for why some parts of this story seem to drag on or are described in such great detail. That said, it is a heavy story! I was born and raised in Northern CA and remember the Polly Klaas abduction and murder like it was yesterday. The protagonist is a couple of years older than me, so I am right there with her as she tells her tale. This book hits very close to home for me, as I can picture the towns and natural areas. As a mother and pet lover, this story hits even closer to home as I tried to put myself in the main character's shoes. For me, this story is EXTRA heavy because I can relate to so many aspects of this book!

I would agree with other reviews that the story is a bit long and drawn out in parts. I also agree that it is very dark and focuses on subject matter that is disturbing and frightening. Nevertheless, you will not regret listening to this book! The main character's vulnerability and strength are realistic and relatable. She's no super woman-super hero, but she's not a basket-case, either. Although I was glad to reach the end of the story, I do wonder what happens next to her? The story was beautifully written and I found myself completely engrossed in the storytelling. Kudos to the narrator for making each character come alive. I would recommend this one, but would point out that this is not a cozy, gentle tale for the faint of heart. Put on your boots and heavy coat and dive in!

Not terrible, but redundant and overly done with the narration.

The story tried hard and was interesting to a point but went on too long. I finally realized that what made it especially tiresome was the narrator overdoing it and making every line seem like it was life or death. Missing girls, a tormented protagonist is certainly dramatic but every single scene had the same inflection. I wouldn’t recommend this if melodrama and overacting aren’t your thing.

Great Read!!

I love the author’s tone and narrative style. The main character has so many facets that could belong to anyone one of us.

A Thrilling Psychological crime drama of Self Discovery

“And question make of these wide skies, when shall the star of my deliverance rise...”

“Prometheus Bound” Aeschylus 430 BCE

Captivating!

Captivating! One of the best psychological thrillers I've listed to! Kept my attention from being to end!

Interesting storytelling weaving facts and fiction

I learned of this book from an online book club based across the US, but was surprised to find its setting is very close to home in more ways than one. At first, the familiarity with places I've frequented throughout my life made me hesitate about whether I wanted to continue or not but I continued to grow more curious about Anna and what stories would be told about the past and "present" throughout the book. I love mysteries, crime, and detective stories so the personal touch that came from familiar places added an interesting layer for me, not always positive, but curiosity drew me in. It was difficult to think back to 1993 and the fear that swept through my community from the events discussed in the book. That case had my mother drill into us what stranger danger was and when the killer was taken into custody not far from us, I never looked at the world the same. As a parent now, it still effects me and the book was a tough reminder on a personal level since my eldest is only slightly older than I was back then. My hesitation quickly changed though and I soon struggled to hit pause or stop listening because I wanted to know more and watch the story unfold in my mind. I found it very surreal to see a case I'm very familiar with weaved into a fictional storyline. I felt it was done well and added to a story the author was trying to tell. I laughed, almost cried, went a little to far down memory lane sometimes, but enjoyed it enough I have trouble giving it anything less than 5 stars.

Could not put it down

This book has taken over my every waking moment for the past few days. I have not been able to put it down. I love true crime stories and this one was definitely written with a lot of research and care. I loved the story line, loved the characters. Highly highly recommend giving this a go.

Well done

So we’ll written! I was worried about the subject matter but she handled it with grace and sensitivity.

Loved Everything!

I loved everything about this book! I loved the flow of the story line, the plot twist with the main character and what her hang-up was, ALL OF IT! The ending could have been wrapped up a teeny bit cleaner for me, but it was great! There was NEVER a time that I thought, "Ugh, I have to get through this book because I spent a credit on it."
Marin Ireland did a great job narrating, as usual. She does a flawless job!