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Into the Darkest Corner
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On 7th November 1843, Harriet Monckton, 23 years old and a woman of respectable parentage and religious habits, is found murdered in the privy behind the chapel she regularly attended in Bromley, Kent. The community is appalled by her death, apparently as a result of swallowing a fatal dose of prussic acid, and even more so when the surgeon reports that Harriet was around six months pregnant. Drawing on the coroner’s reports and witness testimonies, Elizabeth Haynes builds a compelling picture of Harriet’s final hours through the eyes of those closest to her and the last people to see her alive.
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5 out of 5 stars
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You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses. You’ve known your neighbours for years, and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really? On a midsummer’s night, a 13-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?
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Weak in several parts
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Sarah Carpenter lives in an isolated farmhouse in North Yorkshire, and for the first time after the death of her husband some years ago and her children, Louis and Kitty, leaving for university, she's living alone. But she doesn't consider herself lonely. She has two dogs, a wide network of friends and the support of her best friend, Sophie. When an old acquaintance, Aiden Beck, needs somewhere to stay for a while, Sarah's cottage seems ideal, and renewing her relationship with Aiden gives her a reason to smile again.
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2 out of 5 stars
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A pile of soft porn!
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 962
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What I thought I knew: in 1998, Maryanne Doyle disappeared, and Dad knew something about it. Maryanne Doyle was never seen again. What I actually know: in 1998, Dad lied about knowing Maryanne Doyle. Alice Lapaine has been found strangled near Dad's pub. Dad was in the local area for both Maryanne Doyle's disappearance and Alice Lapaine's murder.
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4 out of 5 stars
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An interesting & accomplished new voice
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Summary
AMAZON BOOK OF THE YEAR 2011
WINNER OF AMAZON RISING STARS 2011
AMAZON EDITORS' CHOICE BEST CRIME NOVEL OF 2011
LONGLISTED FOR CWA JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER 2011
Catherine has been enjoying the single life for long enough to know a good catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic, spontaneous – Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell.
But there is a darker side to Lee. His erratic, controlling and sometimes frightening behaviour means that Catherine is increasingly isolated. Driven into the darkest corner of her world, and trusting no one, she plans a meticulous escape. Four years later, struggling to overcome her demons, Catherine dares to believe she might be safe from harm. Until one phone call changes everything.
This is an edgy and powerful first novel, utterly convincing in its portrayal of obsession, and a tour de force of suspense.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Dizzything
- 26-03-12
Gripping
I was unsure what to say in this review. To say I enjoyed listening to this seems wrong somehow, yet I really did enjoy it. At times it had me in tears and is quite harrrowing in places, especially thinking about the thousands of people going through abuse like this every day. I am not sure it really needed the two narrators as I thought the main one was very good.
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gill
- sabden, United Kingdom
- 02-01-14
Negative comments not merited, I loved it!
I loved this book. The story was gripping and was just graphic enough in detail to make it real. The swearing was needed to keep the edge and reflect the aggression. I particularly liked the use of the different dates and the different style used for the court case at the end. I certainly dont agree it was confusing. Given the varied quality of audio books I thought the negative reviews are not at all merited.
If I had a complaint it would be the Lancashire accent which sometimes missed but it was good enough. But then I do have a true Lancashire accent!
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- green
- 08-08-15
One of the few books I've abandoned.
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Something - anything - happening before I was 66 chapters in and realized how much time I was wasting.
What was most disappointing about Elizabeth Haynes’s story?
That there wasn't a story. It came across as chick-lit crossed with a thriller, with the author forgetting to put most of the thriller in. Dull, and very very annoying.
How could the performance have been better?
She was given a tedious chick-lit book to narrate, so I don't whether to say that her performance matched the story, and the character is whiny, so that's how she had to play it - but I hated it.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
No.
Any additional comments?
It's very rare for me to give up on a book halfway through, but 66 out of 123 chapters was more than enough.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alex J. Littlewood
- Bradford
- 28-11-13
Another cracker from Elizabeth Haynes
Would you listen to Into the Darkest Corner again? Why?
The story is one that captivates you from the off. A story that can and has happened in real life and the characters each bringing their own slant to the story. True life situations especially those suffering from OCD will relate to aspect of the book. A must read for all fans of the genre
What other book might you compare Into the Darkest Corner to, and why?
Cant say ive read one with a similar story but recommendations would be Human Remains also by Ms Haynes which had me hooked from start to finish
Have you listened to any of David Thorpe and Karen Cass ’s other performances? How does this one compare?
I have listened to Karan Cass twice before and she gives a flawless performance in this book with accents and variations for each character. David's performance is similar although his part is smaller that that of Ms Cass
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Danger lurks around every corner, so check it six times
Any additional comments?
I would urge you to read Human Remains by the same author. First class read.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Alan
- BASINGSTOKE, United Kingdom
- 18-10-13
well im enjoying it!!
Is there anything you would change about this book?
no
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
would not have changed it.
What aspect of David Thorpe and Karen Cass ’s performance might you have changed?
karens tone grated a little, but not enough for me to switch off.
Did Into the Darkest Corner inspire you to do anything?
no
Any additional comments?
only reason for me to comment is that i thought all the negative reviews were not justified.Its not the best audio download I've ever listened to, but its certainly not the worst either.Also made me aware of the serous ramifications of domestic violence.Im 'mid listen' at the moment, and have no intention of not completing the book.Well done Elizabeth Haynes.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Mandie
- United States
- 18-03-12
Good Story Spoiled
Overall I almost enjoyed this book, but the strong desire to turn off happened more than once. The two different narrators was confusing especially when at one moment Sylvia was being done in a woman's voice and I knew who she was, to being done in a man's voice during the chapters done in court. Also the constant naming of who was speaking every time the character changed in the court chapters was just simply annoying, we should not need "Miss Bartlett", "Mrs Scott" etc etc before every sentence to know who was speaking, the narrator should be able to convey this. Not sure why the narrator changed, would have been preferable for the female narrator to continue throughout the whole book. I also found the great overuse of the "F" word thoughout the book completely unneccesary. I could see the point in the darker sides to the story but at the beginning and throughout most of the book, using bad language was not required. All in all I persevered to the end of this book but would not recommend unless you had nothing better to listen to.
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- L. H. De Laune
- UK
- 08-10-13
Utterly Compelling listening
Any additional comments?
I found this book extremely gripping and tense, and the author managed to keep the tension going by the clever use of past and present tense. As soon as I'd finished it I wanted to listen to the opening paragraphs again. The difficult subject matter was handled intelligently, and I was never irritated by Catherine's compulsions. It was really hard to believe this character would get the 'happy ever after' we so wanted for her... but I won't spoil it for you!
Took it on holiday, and consequently barely spoke to my poor husband for the first two days, as I couldn't stop listening until I knew the outcome for Catherine.
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Clodagh
- leixlip, Ireland
- 05-05-13
Amazing!
I strongly recommend this audio book. It was captivating from beginning to end. An absolute delight to listen to
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Gloria
- Didcot, United Kingdom
- 07-03-12
Into the darkest corner
This was a very good book well written and very well read. If I have one critiscism it is that too many four letter words were used. I have no objection at all to strong language in fact it makes the story and characters more believable but in many cases less is more.However, I will watch with great interest for the next novel from this author.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- karen
- 31-03-16
into the darkest corner
Brilliant story, full of unexpected trwists. Being a victim! Of domestic abuse and violence myself, I can completely relate to Cathy of he she feels and her reactions. Very good book well worth reading .
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Betty
- 05-06-12
AN OCD IS STALKED BY A PSYCHOPATH
This is a real page-turner. If you like a good suspense story, you will want to read this one. For a first novel Elizabeth Haynes has written an awards winner. She handles dialogue like a veteran writer. Her choice of time technique to tie major strands of the plots together is effective and fits the elements of the story perfectly. It is especially well suited to portray the development of the psychoses of the two primary characters.
In addition to being a really good read (listen), it aroused my curiosity about the mental/emotional conditions suffered by Catherine and Lee. I knew almost nothing about OCD; I did not realize how painful and destructive it is. The descriptions of the behaviors of Lee raised questions read about too often in news reports about the impact of the constant high level of stress has on police officers and their families.
A good book poses questions, offers something to think about and entertains. This is a good book. Enjoy.
42 of 43 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- karen
- 06-01-13
Almost gave up, but....
Okay -- it's a great book, if you can get past the first four hours or so. I was almost ready to give up -- even checked, midstream, to see what other readers were saying. How could they have liked something so boring? I had almost completely run out of patience with hour after hour of tales of working girls drinking themselves into oblivion at night, looking for someone to "shag", then struggling to work in the morning, hungover. Way too much of that. We get the idea. I also spent time pondering why it is that women who like the bad boys of the bunch, are surprised to find out that they're really ... uh... bad? Seems to be a syndrome.
But all was redeemed as the end of Part One loomed. The story took off, and from then on, I was hooked. Very good -- lots of 'hold your breath' moments, lots of interesting twists. I'm now sitting here, knowing that whatever I choose to listen to next won't be as good.
Special kudos to the narrator, Karen Cass. I don't recall listening to anything she's read before, but I will definitely seek her work out. She was absolutely perfect for this book, but I suspect she'd be great at other British novels, too. Really an excellent job -- just flawless. She did a lot of make this book the gripping listen that it was.
45 of 47 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Janice
- 14-06-12
Check, and check again . . .
In response to reviewers who commented on the story's predictability, this is more of a psychological thriller than a real mystery. We know from the beginning who was harmed and who did the crime. The story gradually unfolds the details of how the crime occured and the consequences very effectively through the parallel time lines and stark personality changes of before and after the trauma. The Catherine of the early years was flawed and a little hard to like, but the Cathy of the later years, while difficult to deal with locked in her OCD purgatory, was one to root for to come out of her dark into the light of the truly living. As readers, our perceptions are challenged by the very flaws and weaknesses of both versions of Catherine. There were a few spots in the narrative where I needed to suspend belief a bit regarding what choices key characters made in what they did or did not communicate, but not enough of a flaw to downgrade my rating.
The strength of the writing and the dialogue ensured that I believed this story. I believed Cathy's fear, her need for control. I believed Stuart's concern and I definitely believed Lee's evil. The extremely well done reading by Karen Cass made these characters real. True enough, the subject matter is dark - no feel-good cheerleading going on here, but happily there are some unexpected little shots of humor tossed in for balance. And the ending was well handled - the destination worth the journey. There was no standing on the outside passively watching - I was fully pulled in right through to the end.
41 of 45 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Pamela Harvey
- 02-06-12
Not My Cup of Tea
I wanted very much to get into this book, and to follow all the hype, but...
While the topic and premise for the story are "spot on", I as a reader usually like to hear more from, and more about, the characters in terms of backstory, interests outside of the primary story arc, life trajectories, all in all just more context. But not TOO much - just a Goldilocks version. This book is the pared-down Baby Bear version, and reading "Darkest Corner" is like looking through a peephole into various aspects of relationship dysfunction and violence. I can't seem to get the whole picture, can't get any peripheral vision here.
Also, the story is carried almost exclusively by dialogue - perhaps would make a better play than novel - and as a personal preference I like more description of location and characterization; at least a sense of place to set the scenes and create a relatable ambience. Here in the "Darkest Corner" the characters seem flat, uninteresting in themselves and for the most part uninterested in themselves, and they are laid out only as game pieces in the advancement of an ominous situation. What can you do with a story with primary characters whose chief activity is hanging out in pubs?
This kind of situational story has good potential, especially the detailed snail's pace advancement of the plot lines, which makes for gripping intimacy and creates visceral reactions in the reader. Unfortunately, well, I have to say this came off as bare bones, just not enough.
61 of 73 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marilyn
- 02-07-12
Very suspenseful! Wonderful narrator!
The reviews that talk about the confusing nature of the back and forth in time are correct. But if you will just keep in mind that 2008 is current and 2004 is looking back you will be fine. And the confusion is well worth it. Stick with it for an hour and it won't be a problem after that. This was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator can make or break a book and this one is excellent. The suspense at times had me afraid to drive! Because of the back and forth in time, you know what is coming and you stay braced for it. Go for it - it is quite long and I still did not want it to end!
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Delah
- 15-04-12
Amazing - Fantastic
This was a real "page-turner" as they say although of course I was listening to it. The narrator is first rate. I felt like she could have been in my living room telling me about her life. That's how good she was and how real it seemed as she was relating the story. I highly recommend this book.
27 of 32 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- R. Pontiflet
- 06-10-15
OCD and Domestic Violence...
I was nearly halfway through this novel before my "real" interest was piqued. I think that the narrator's voice kept me listening for a while with only half an ear to what she was saying. I kept tuning in and out (waiting for some action to start) until I realized that a good portion of the story was being told in flashbacks. The story was constantly going back and forth in time. The flashbacks were done in a way that helped the listener understand and "expect" certain kinds of things to happen in the future. The story depicted the frustration, burdens and struggles of a woman with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) coupled with the pain and misery of domestic violence.
The prologue sets the stage of what's to come, even though the first few chapters were repetitious about a group of working girls going out after work and drinking themselves into a state of insensibility, then looking for someone to "shag," and then struggling to get to work the next morning. When the story really got going, there were sufficient drama and tension which helped to move the along, and motivated me to continue listening.
I was satisfied with the ending and remember thinking that the story had a rough start but ended well, and I liked it!
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rhonda
- 05-06-12
Predictable but an enjoyable listen
I enjoyed this book, the first half giving you little tid bits of what had happened and what maybe coming further into the story.
The second half of the book moved along at a fast pace, and the tension mounted. It was a bit predictable but nevertheless still enjoyable.
The narrator Karen Cass was great to listen too and did the voices very well. I was never confused as to who was who.
Good book for a beach listen.
17 of 20 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wendi
- 10-11-13
Gripping Psychological Thriller
We are first introduced to Lee when we see him pleading guilty to abusing and stalking a woman, in the courthouse. Haynes then skips back in time to when Lee and heroine Catherine meet.
Catherine and Lee have a wonderful new relationship. Although his 'work' has perplexing hours, and Catherine doesn't know why he won't tell her more about it, he otherwise seems like the perfect guy. He is dashing, handsome, and he truly cares about her. Catherine's friends are over-the-top jealous and they believe, as she does at first, that she's caught the perfect fish.
As Catherine and Lee's relationship progresses, Catherine begins to get a little edgy. Lee starts to be very controlling and then he gets to the point where he is stalking Catherine. He then begins to abuse her in many gruesome ways. Catherine cannot believe that she's let herself become 'one of those women' who allows for things like this to happen. Her friends shame her for breaking up with Lee, because he's a charmer and talks to them about his broken heart. As abusers often do, he projects Catherine as the horrible person and himself as the one who's just trying to do the best thing.
The book is a psychological thriller with a deep tension. It's sort of different because we already know that Lee is the bad guy, it's not a surprise. It's just a constant mind game with a very interesting climax and denouement. This book is not for the faint at heart, but I would recommend it as an excellent thriller to anyone who loves a great, suspenseful novel.
5 stars
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- AudioAddict
- 23-04-13
Interesting and Suspenseful
STORY - I really enjoyed this book. The narration jumps back and forth between two timelines which are basically before and after a horrific attack on the main character, Catherine. It is easy to keep track of which timeline you are in because the characters and actions are so different, plus the narrator reads the month and year each time it changes. It's facinating to see party girl Catherine's life before the attack and watch the events unfold that lead to its occurrence, then switch to how her life has changed post-attack and how she fights to live a normal life. The biggest negative to this book is listening to her CONSTANTLY check the doors and locks (due to OCD) in the second timeline. While it's an important part of her personality, it doesn't necessarily make interesting listening time.
This book has romance but also some suspenseful and painful moments. It is an easy book to listen to -- you don't have to worry about hearing every single detail or trying to keep tons of characters straight in your mind. Good book to clean house or run some errands.
NARRATORS - I don't know why they used two narrators the way they did in this book. Most is read by a woman with a very charming Scottish(?) accent. The male voice is only a tiny bit at the beginning and then a little at the end of the book for the trial segments. While it was nice to hear a male voice for the lawyers and the judge, it was strange to hear the voice of Sylvia read by a man when throughout the rest of the book she had been read by a woman. Whatever, the narration was good so not a big deal.
OVERALL - This story has romance, suspense and an interesting perspective of someone who has been through a violent crime. A little tedius for the first few hours but worth it in the end.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful