By now we have all heard of Gone Girl and the name “Gillian Flynn” might even send shivers down your spine. At least, it does for me. A while back I read Flynn’s novel Sharp Objects and it gave me literal nightmares. I swore off reading Dark Places but eyeballed it on the shelf at every bookstore I visited hoping one day I could muster up the courage. Well, World, I finally did it.
Libby Day was a little girl when her mother and two sisters were massacred in her family home. Libby escaped and her brother, Ben, was charged with the murders. Years later, Lyle, a member of a “Kill Club” which investigates and looks into famous murders, asks Libby to answer questions for some of its members. Libby wouldn’t normally do this type of thing but the “pity money” she earned when the crime went viral is running out and Lyle is offering compensation. Now, the memories Libby has refused to touch and the questions she never asked are at the surface and Libby isn’t prepared for what she sees.
If you have read any of Flynn’s novels or even seen the movie Gone Girl, then you know that Flynn has a wicked imagination. If you are squeamish, if you hate cussing, if you don’t like vulgar things – back away now. Seriously. If you like an author that will make you cringe and uncomfortable in your seat: welcome. Honestly, though, I really enjoyed this book. I read it in exactly four days, it was such a page-turner. I found it to be less terrifying than Sharp Objects but it definitely had Flynn’s typical disturbing imagery. That is what makes her books so raw, however. I think in a way, it can be refreshing. Not many authors are able to describe things the way she does. Essentially, she has a strong literally voice. I give this book a 5 out of 5. I was left with no disappointments. If you love a mystery, this one is for you. You may even be able to spot the killer!
Reading for Company 