Dark Places: A Novel

by Gillian Flynn

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • NOW IN DEVELOPMENT AS AN HBO LIMITED SERIES

From the acclaimed author of Gone Girl, “a riveting tale of true horror by a writer who has all the gifts to pull it off” (Chicago Tribune)
 
“Sensuous and chilling . . . a propulsive and twisty mystery.”—Entertainment Weekly

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, the Kill Club—a secret society obsessed with notorious crimes—locates Libby and pumps her for details. They hope to discover proof that may free Ben.

Libby hopes to turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club—for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer.

• ISBN10: 0307341577
• ISBN13: 9780307341570
• Publish Date: 4 May 2010 (first published 1 January 2009)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Random House Inc
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780307341570

Reviews

[Kim Deister]

The title of this book is a perfect representation of what’s between the pages. It is twisted, horrifying, raw, and it shines a light into all those dark corners we all want to pretend don’t exist. Oh, but they do.

The story is told in two timelines, the present day and 1985, when Ben Day murdered his mother and two sisters, leaving Libby the sole survivor besides Ben himself. Not surprisingly, Libby’s life has been anything but idyllic.

Libby’s character is interesting, although I know a lot of readers may not connect with her. She’s imperfect, with qualities that, on the surface, may be unlikable. Does she do things that would be easy to condemn? Absolutely, but there’s still something about her that makes you care, makes you understand why she is the way she is. Even before the murder of her family, Libby’s life was difficult. The added trauma at such a young change has irrevocably changed her. To me, that makes her sympathetic. This is a girl who’s grown into womanhood alone, with little to no real support. She’s lost, alone, completely unprepared for life. It made me feel for her, to want more for her, even if she is a bit on the emotionally deranged side.

Throughout the book, I had all kinds of theories as to where the story was leading. But I was wrong every single time. The book is deliciously demented in so many ways. There are times when the story edges toward unbelievable, yet even in those moments, it’s entirely imaginable. Sometimes, there was an almost palpable level of discomfort with the dark, disturbing moments, but yet it’s impossible to turn away from it!

[readingwithbecs]

This was my last Gillian Flynn book, and man did I enjoy myself! All of Flynns books but one I have given 5 stars. I don't know what it is about her writing, but I'm just really loving it. She's really good at making a story, where you're not quite sure what to make out of, and at writing unlikeable characters who you still want to hear more about.
We are following three perspectives during this book; Libby in the present, her brother Ben in the past and her mother Patty in the past. During this book I had a hard time figuring out what to think of Ben. From his own perspective he seems like a young boy who's just trying to figure out who he is, and of course from his perspective he's likable. But then from the Pattys perspective we get different and at times quite disturbing picture of Ben. I found this setup really interesting.
And then we have Libby who's trying to figure out what happened all those years ago, when her mother and sisters were murdered. The build up to the reveal was so well done and kept me on the edge of my seat.

[sug]

pros:
— every scene between libby and ben was intense and emotional and the discomfort/relief present was portrayed beautifully
— realistic depiction of sibling dynamics is always appreciated

cons:
— the whodunnit sucked and made no sense and the mom was so stupid and even if it was desperation or whatever did she really not think that at least one of her kids might wake up and be like "who is this random person in our house" and DIE
— the book got very miserable and very boring by the middle of the story and libby really just isn't that fun of a main character and understand i am very forgiving of imperfect main female leads but it took a long time for me to believe that libby cared about her siblings at all (especially her sisters, which, not going to lie, rubbed me the wrong way because she grew up believing her BROTHER murdered them)
— gillian flynn is the gone girl author right? i don't think she likes women. like at all. diondra is the obvious example of this but the fact that libby is somehow the special magical sibling that ben liked and they have this like... undying connection even two decades later... hmmm...
— ok if it isn't obvious i am very rubbed that ben did not like his other siblings more and even libby took 4/5 of the entire damn book to confess any emotional attachment to michelle and debby like this book would have been way better if i knew libby actually liked her sisters early on
— like come on the entire premise of this book rides on the fact that libby was the sister that survived because if it had been debby that had lived none of this would have happened
— all the adults in this book were kind of stupid and here's the thing. you have a book from the perspective of kids, right? and the proper way to handle this kind of dynamic is to obviously place them side-by-side against the adults in their life that failed them and examine what went wrong in a scooby-doo fashion of "the adults are useless". that didn't happen here, not only were the adults useless but there was also no real feeling of "the kids didn't deserve what happened to them" until near the end
— and even THEN the character i'm talking about (ben) immediately fucking ruins himself. like, for two whole seconds, in the scene with him writing down krissi day (i thought this was good writing actually) and some realization that he was just planning his daughter's life--i thought, wow, ben is actually a good guy? and everyone kind of ruined his life? and he is the worst treated character and definitely has my heart? and then the reveal with him covering up for michelle's murder happened and my sympathy died.

[mrs_mander_reads]

Another wild ride from Flynn, and I loved it. I was worried that after reading Sharp Objects, this would feel predictable, but I truly had no idea how the story was going to end until it unfolded for the characters.

[Leigha]

A woman witnesses one of the most horrifying crimes of the century in this adult crime thriller.

If you've been following my reviews for any amount of time, you know this is not my typical read. My book club's pick this month is Dark Places. And let me tell you, I am so glad I read it!

This is a dark, terrifying book filled with suspense and mystery. Libby Day is seven years old when she overhears her family - mom and two sisters - brutally murdered. Her brother is pinned for the crime by Libby's own testimony. After twenty-five years, Libby decides to learn more about that night after being approached by members of a kill club (think true crime hobbyist). Interspersed between present day chapters narrated by Libby are chapters from the day of the crime narrated by her mom and brother.

Flynn knows how to create complicated characters. Libby is fabulous. She's not a Nora Roberts heroine - she's not well-adjusted from the events of the crime. She can't hold down a job, she scams people for money, and she steals people's stuff. Despite her many issues, I always understood her motivations. I also just genuinely liked her. Her brief moments of kindness toward others more than made up for her petty crimes. The rest of the characters are just as intricately created.

The mystery itself is interesting, propelling the reader forward. I honestly couldn't put it down, desperate to know the true events of that night. The ending is a bit of a let down, but the journey to the answers more than makes up for it.I am a little disappointed in Ben’s story line. Quite frankly, I felt he was just as responsible for Michelle’s death as Diondra. He did nothing to stop her from being strangled. I was hoping he had nothing to do with his family’s deaths.

Finally, I recommend skipping the movie all together. Despite the amazing cast, I can say wholeheartedly the book is 10 times better.

tl;dr A suspenseful mystery featuring complicated characters and a gripping story.

[noqas]

This book is great, really well written. You just can't get enough of it. It just makes you want to know more and more of the history. I actually got all of Gillian Flynn's books and this one is stil number 1 for me.

[clementine]

I think I may have enjoyed Dark Places more than Gone Girl, although I did enjoy Gone Girl as well. I love Gillian Flynn's writing; it's evocative but never flowery, atmospheric without becoming obtrusive. She always uses the perfect amount of description - enough that you can vividly picture the story, but never so much that you get bored. I didn't find that this book dragged at all. It was paced perfectly. I was also in awe of how perfectly different plot pieces were sprinkled throughout in order to build to the conclusion.

Flynn also did a great job balancing the plot with character development. As anyone who's read a few of my reviews will know, I find it nearly impossible to enjoy a book without feeling like I connected with the characters, which was not an issue here. None of the main POV characters were very sympathetic; Ben and Libby are both very hard, unyielding people in a lot of ways, and sometimes I wanted to shake Patty and tell her to get herself together. But, of course, I also felt a lot of empathy for them and the circumstances that lead them to make their choices. All in all, I always appreciate well-rounded, deeply flawed characters.

For me, everything fell apart a tiny bit at the end. It wasn't a disaster, but up until then everything felt so tight and the ending just did not quite do it for me. The chapter told from Calvin Diehl's perspective was out of place for me - the alternating POVs had been so consistent up until that point, and he hadn't been a POV character. The only thing I took out of his chapter was that he killed Debby because Patty was somehow irritating him, but I feel like it could have been inferred that that was just a rash mistake without that exposition. I also wished we got a bit more into Patty's head after she made the decision; the note was so brief and we barely got anything else from her. It just doesn't seem like the kind of thing you would decide to do without some consideration, and I would have liked to understand her thought process. Also, I did figure it out when she was thinking about how she wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. I'm not the type of person who necessarily minds figuring out the mystery a few beats ahead of the reveal, but I know some people like to be completely shocked - and I think the circumstances surrounding Patty's death would be fairly obvious to a careful reader.

That massive paragraph aside, I obviously did really, really enjoy the book. I'm definitely going to pick up Sharp Objects next - and I'll be curious to see if the ending is the weakest part, as I have personally found with both Dark Places and Gone Girl. Regardless, I love Gillian Flynn's writing, stories, and characters and I will eagerly read both Sharp Objects and whatever she comes out with next!

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve successfully read all Flynn’s novels and come out the other side alive and amazed. Reading Flynn’s Dark Places I reminded me of my childhood home in southern Minnesota with is corn and bean fields and conservative opinions. When I was in high school, a youth group leader actually warned me about my boyfriend because he was a table top gamer which was apparently a gateway to Devil worship. I find it funny now that the nerd and geek way of life is considered mainstream now when back in the late 80’s, early 90’s people in my hometown believed it led to Satanism. I was also reminded of a time when I used to marvel over my mother’s copy of Flowers in the Attic, with its peek-a-boo cover, and anxiously await the day I would be old enough to read it. Dark Places, for me, was a warped reflection of the world I was raised in; one I could relate to because we all have a dark side.

What’s rewarding about having read all three of Flynn’s novels is that, as a reader, I can see her growth as a novelist. Dark Places has characters I was able to identify with and start to empathize with–Libby’s quest for truth, Patty’s desperation to save her family, Ben’s desire to be seen as an adult. We’ve all been there. Paired with a gruesome murder in the wilds of Kansas, one can’t help, but be drawn in wondering how Libby ended up abandoned, how Patty ended up dead and how Ben ended up in prison. Flynn dances from storyline to storyline giving unique voices to each character urging you to turn the page and find out another side of the story.

Flynn’s growth as a novelist can be seen best in the reveal. Sharp Objects threw the reveal in your face because the suspect was encountered in almost every chapter. Gone Girl blind sided you because as you started to take a side, Flynn would turn a sharp corner and whip your allegiance to the other side of the road. In the end, Gone Girl wasn’t really about the reveal, but about the character development and how the reader can be manipulated by the facts. The reveal in Dark Places falls squarely between these two extremes. There are hints of the suspect throughout the book and some of the hints are right in your face while others are slipped in casually. While Flynn is dropping hints she uses the multiple points of view to tug at your heartstrings or make you sneer in disgust.

There’s not much more I can say about Dark Places without spoiling it. It’s definitely a stronger novel and a more character driven novel than Sharp Objects, but it doesn’t have the polish of Gone Girl. If you are a fan of darker mysteries with a bit of grey area, Dark Places is definitely a must read. Overall, I give Dark Places a thumbs up.

[elvinagb]

Like the last couple of Gillian Flynn novels I read, this is a dark, nail biting, scary ride inside the damaged heart and mind of a broken woman. Fantastic read.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

On January 2, 1985 Libby Day's family is brutally murdered "In Cold Blood" style. The seven year old, due to her testimony, convicts her 15 year old brother Ben of the crime. Twenty-five years later Libby's "sympathy fund" is starting to dwindle and due to the likes of Jonbenet Ramsey and Elizabeth Smart she is starting to fade into the background. With a lost existence and on the verge of going broke she is contacted by The Kill Club, an organization who continually studies her case and is convinced Ben is innocent. When the club offers payment to make a special appearance, Libby agrees, thinking it will put her back on the radar (and could also use the extra cash) only to have the group berate her for putting an innocent man behind bars. After an undesired reception Libby is forced to greet the dark places in the depths of her mind and discover her families killer and uncover what really happened that night.

I really enjoyed Dark Places, it is one of the few books that shows the heroine in a bad light and at times I was so annoyed by her lack of direction that I wanted to throw the book against that wall. But that doesn't mean I stopped reading it, quite the contrary, I ate it up like I hadn't eaten in weeks. Dark Places skips back and forth between 1985 and present day and is also broken up into different perspectives which I thought really helped to give the reader a better understanding for the crime at hand. Also, Dark Places was a mystery that kept you guessing on the true killer. It couldn't be Ben right? That would be too easy. But then who? "Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar..." Just when I thought I had it all figured out Gillian Flynn would throw another clue into the mix tossing my old suspicions into the wind. Dark Places is a great mystery novel that I couldn't put down reading into the night.