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Into the Darkest Corner: A Novel
Unavailable
Into the Darkest Corner: A Novel
Unavailable
Into the Darkest Corner: A Novel
Ebook561 pages8 hours

Into the Darkest Corner: A Novel

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this ebook

Catherine Bailey has been enjoying the single life long enough to know a catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic and spontaneous, Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell.

But what begins as flattering attentiveness and passionate sex turns into raging jealousy, and Catherine soon learns there is a darker side to Lee. His increasingly erratic, controlling behaviour becomes frightening, but no one believes her when she shares her fears. Increasingly isolated and driven into the darkest corner of her world, a desperate Catherine plans a meticulous escape.

Four years later, Lee is behind bars and Catherine—now Cathy—compulsively checks the locks and doors in her apartment, trusting no one. But when an attractive upstairs neighbour, Stuart, comes into her life, Cathy dares to hope that happiness and love may still be possible . . . until she receives a phone call informing her of Lee’s impending release. Soon after, Cathy thinks she catches a glimpse of the former best friend who testified against her in the trial; she begins to return home to find objects subtly rearranged in her apartment, one of Lee’s old tricks. Convinced she is back in her former lover’s sights, Cathy prepares to wrestle with the demons of her past for the last time.

Utterly convincing in its portrayal of obsession, Into the Darkest corner is an ingeniously structured and plotted tour de force of suspense that marks the arrival of a major new talent.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateJun 5, 2012
ISBN9780062197276
Unavailable
Into the Darkest Corner: A Novel
Author

Elizabeth Haynes

Elizabeth Haynes is a former police intelligence analyst, a civilian role that involves determining patterns in offending and criminal behavior. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Into the Darkest Corner, Dark Tide, Human Remains, and, most recently, Under a Silent Moon, the first installment of the Briarstone crime series.

Read more from Elizabeth Haynes

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Reviews for Into the Darkest Corner

Rating: 4.041310498575498 out of 5 stars
4/5

702 ratings83 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Into the Darkest Corner was an intense read with a major creep factor. As I was reading I found myself looking over my shoulder and double checking the door locks. It was a scary story about a woman's knight in shining armor turning into her worst nightmare... She tries to escape him, but he is a cop and has more resources than expected.

    Talk about a wild ride... I was shocked by this story and especially by Catherine's rotten friends! No wonder she was struggling with OCD. She was left alone, with no one in her corner. Her friends became her enemies. Life changed and everything she knew was thrown out the door. When Stuart comes into her life she begins to change for the better. It isn't an easy journey, but he puts a bit of light into her life.

    It was such a gut wrenching read that left me on the edge of my seat. I felt the dark energy seeping off the pages and it affected me like no other book. It pulled me in and held me captive long after the last page.

    My only complaint is... It did become slow at times because the book was so long. There were repetitive situations and overall it just had a slower paced plot. However, that didn't take away the fact that it is a must read!

    I highly recommend!


  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I had a hard time getting into this book at first because it started with testimony from a trial and then back tracked a few years and then jumped forward, (the chapters are marked telling you the dates). Once I got the hang of it, this story had me sucked it. This was not a fast read for me by any means, but it was a very good story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Obsessively readable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Creepy and mesmerizing, this suspenseful novel gives the reader a taste of the horrors of domestic abuse. In typical fashion the main character, Catherine, falls for a dashing and exciting lover--Lee. He is somewhat mysterious but at first that only adds to his charm. However he begins to do odd things like break into her apartment when she isn't there. The interesting thing about this novel is that at the same time as we are getting this backstory, we are also hearing from present day Catherine, who is suffering from the after effects of this relationship--the main one being that she has OCD and can barely leave her flat. She does have a job but has to check the apartment and her doors multiple times before she can leave and when she returns. I found the details about her OCD somewhat fascinating, however this part of the novel does get repetitive (that's kind of the point). Anyway, as the reader learns more and more about what a manipulative creep Lee is from the chapters set in the past, it also begins to become apparent that Lee is going to make a reappearance into Catherine's life in her present day. However, in the past she was alone and weak--in the present she gains an ally in in the form of a handsome new neighbor named Stuart. Stuart helps her get treatment for her OCD and believes in her ability to overcome her past. But will it be enough when Lee comes calling?This book truly had me on pins and needles as I wondered how it was all going to play out. Lee's ability to manipulate Catherine's friends was maddening and Catherine was definitely backed into a corner with few options. I did have a few quibbles, especially with how perfect Stuart and how conveniently he was placed into her life--that part did not come across as totally believable. I did appreciate how it ended, however. I recommend this on ror those times that you are in the mood for a book that will send shivers up your spine and keep you in suspense.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book starts so strong and manages to keep being really engaging till about the halfway mark, at which point it starts falling apart and becomes very ugly.

    As is said in the synopsis, the book revolves around this protagonist woman who meets dream guy, then he turns abusive, and she tries to escape. This could have worked just fine, but there's many serious problems with the execution.

    My main problem is that there are serious cases of idiot plot, where the situation could have been difused if the characters would have done the obvious things, or if they behaved like they were set up to, but that doesn't happen. Then to add insult to injury, this idiot plot results in roughly 1/5th of the book being very graphic descriptions of rape and torture, to attempt to prove a point that didn't need further proving. It becomes an extremely uncomfortable book with no solace in sight, as the characters are all one-dimensional and conveniently situationally irrational.

    I still give it 2 stars for being mostly pretty easy to read, and the first half being alright, but it's a shame it lead to this mess.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    it was OK, but didn't really live up to the "dark and disturbing" "tour de force" blurb...
    very similar to Nicci French's Killing me Softly, but with a more realistic central character in Catherine. I couldn't however believe in the handsome doctor Stuart upstairs, handily placed for when Lee is released from prison... it seemed an overly simplistic plotline to me and detracted from the story, wich should have been more chilling but ended up a little chick-lit...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved reading . It was simple but conveyed the trauma abuse victims face succinctly.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    very well and uniquely writen, kept me interested and wanting to read throughout the whole book. Highly recommend!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Starts slow but builds to a great end! Glad I tryed it?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Slow start but you get hooked instantly. Please give this book a chance. It is a fascinating look into the human mind
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is not a novel for everyone.

    Was this novel suspenseful, difficult to put down, and overflowing with intrigue? Yes. Definitely.
    Was it entirely too realistic regarding stalking, abuse, rape, abject terror causing crippling OCD? Yes, in my limited experience, i would say so.

    A little social commentary: I held off on writing a review for a few weeks after reading ‘Into the Darkest Corner’. The violence was raw and I didn’t want to revisit it so soon. While the review was on hold however, I forgot the protagonist, the victim.. I barely remember her face, and during conversation i could eventually remember her name though i have lost it right now. I can however tell you pretty much anything about Lee, the antagonist, the rapist, the violent and obsessive boyfriend. Even in fiction the victim is mainly forgotten and the aggressor is spotlighted as noteworthy. Just a thought.

    In short review, ‘Into the darkest corner’ details a woman both on the decline and during recovery. Both threads occur simultaneously via journal style chapters in varying years. The pendulum ticks from 2003 where she meets a bouncer and falls in love. It tocks back to 2007 where she is frightened to the point of paralysis spending hours in ritualistic process to help keep her false sense of safety intact.

    I found the thriller aspect of the novel intense, and was anxious to get past the rough storyline, which was bound to be uncomfortable. Very enjoyable.

    Though enjoyable, the ending did leave me a bit wanting. this was a shared opinion with others i know who read it. With so much build up, it felt rushed and rang a little untrue. This should not deter folks from reading it, but could leave you with a bit more of a ‘ho-hum’ feeling than you might prefer.

    Not sure if this mediocre ending is an artifact if being a nanowrimo novel,’
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is me being happy discovering this book!


    Picked this up last night. I was reading a book about serial killers. it was good but for me a lot of repetition because I've read so many books about them. Then I checked my kindle and decided to look at this book. Well I started reading and was immediately engrossed in it. Could not put it down. Very interesting way to have 2 story lines about the same woman, in different time periods. I am even reading during the day! (Normally I only read when I go to bed) Very much liking it.
    Oh and before I forget, as I said before,I am an avid true crime reader, but even I was a bit shocked at the way she wrote about a woman dying while her lover is standing there,waiting for her to die. Wow!

    Update 2. Love love loving it! What a great read. Read about 83% and I do not want it to end.

    Update 3: Finished it 2 days ago. 28-12-2012.

    There are so many great reviews written about this book, I can't surpass that and do not want to.

    What I can do is tell you how much I enjoyed it.(see my first 2 updates ;) )
    It was good to really want to read not only while in bed,but during the day because I was so enthralled with this book. Does not happen often enough.

    To sum it up. The suspense is very slowly build, but not annoyingly slow. I love the way Elizabeth Haynes writes and really enjoyed the way this book was told. (as I mentioned before, in 2 timelines but by the same person).
    Why I am not giving it 5 stars is because of the end.You will find out yourself when you pick up this book. After reading it you really expect even more at the end.
    I highly recommend it!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Worth reading! Very captivating! Its sad to know that there are still so many women living this nightmare, but sadly no Stuart!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    myanmar
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    g
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5

    bueno
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    7
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    b
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read this book about 3 years ago and it was so phenomenal!!! It's a definite must read and re-read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Awesome book!
    I can't write how intriguing and captivating this book is. From beginning to end, I was trying to race through the book to find out what was going to happen next.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kept me turning pages!!!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    an exceptionally great read
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!!!!!!!! I stayed up til 1:30 reading this because I wanted to find out how it would all turn out.

    This was a Barnes & Noble special of the day, and one of the better books I've read in a while. Told in the first person view, but with chapters alternating between her life in 2003 and then 2007, this is a rich psychological thriller. The main female character suffers from OCD, and as the story is told, we see how she developed it. There are also some twists, and scary moments where I could not read fast enough.

    Excellently written!!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Much better than expected, you know upfront who the bad guys is or do you?
    Great psychological thriller.great pace, well developed characters. This story us one of love turned to controlling possessive behaviors, stalking and dark obsession. Great read
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was a chilling portrait of an abusive relationship and its aftermath. When Catherine meets Lee, she effortlessly lets him in to her life. Sure, he doesn't talk much and his job is mysterious and sometimes he disappears for days at a time, but he's handsome and a good lover and all of her friends are jealous, so what's the harm, right?But four years later, Cathy is a mess. Her life is filled with completing her obsessive rituals and panic attacks. She is constantly in fear, and trusts no one, even the seemingly nice man who moves in upstairs. Even as he tries to help her with her OCD, the trust is slow to develop. And then a phone call ruins everything.What exactly happened to Catherine/Cathy is a story that is unfolded through the course of the novel. It bounces back and forth in time, giving us a complete picture of what she endured. I thought this was a really great read, and I look forward to reading more from this author!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is not a novel for everyone.

    Was this novel suspenseful, difficult to put down, and overflowing with intrigue? Yes. Definitely.
    Was it entirely too realistic regarding stalking, abuse, rape, abject terror causing crippling OCD? Yes, in my limited experience, i would say so.

    A little social commentary: I held off on writing a review for a few weeks after reading ‘Into the Darkest Corner’. The violence was raw and I didn’t want to revisit it so soon. While the review was on hold however, I forgot the protagonist, the victim.. I barely remember her face, and during conversation i could eventually remember her name though i have lost it right now. I can however tell you pretty much anything about Lee, the antagonist, the rapist, the violent and obsessive boyfriend. Even in fiction the victim is mainly forgotten and the aggressor is spotlighted as noteworthy. Just a thought.

    In short review, ‘Into the darkest corner’ details a woman both on the decline and during recovery. Both threads occur simultaneously via journal style chapters in varying years. The pendulum ticks from 2003 where she meets a bouncer and falls in love. It tocks back to 2007 where she is frightened to the point of paralysis spending hours in ritualistic process to help keep her false sense of safety intact.

    I found the thriller aspect of the novel intense, and was anxious to get past the rough storyline, which was bound to be uncomfortable. Very enjoyable.

    Though enjoyable, the ending did leave me a bit wanting. this was a shared opinion with others i know who read it. With so much build up, it felt rushed and rang a little untrue. This should not deter folks from reading it, but could leave you with a bit more of a ‘ho-hum’ feeling than you might prefer.

    Not sure if this mediocre ending is an artifact if being a nanowrimo novel,’
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    K
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    2.5
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well-written thriller with an exciting & satisfying if slightly predictable denouement. It kept me turning pages. The depiction of domestic violence is harrowing & the author admirably doesn't pull any punches, but it is not for the faint of heart. The main character Cathy was very well done.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great book! A real page turner!