in a dark, dark wood

Title: in a dark, dark wood

Author: Ruth Ware [Twitter][Facebook]; Read by Imogen Church [Website][Twitter][IMDb]

Publisher: Simon &Schuster Audio

ISBN: 9781442390515

Length: 8 discs ; 9 hours

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I selected the audio of this title for the collection because it was well-reviewed in my professional magazine.  My reasons for choosing it to listen to were slightly different.  I was going over audiobook titles recently added to the collection that hadn't circulated yet, and this was on that list.  It especially caught my interest because the co-worker with the desk to the right of mine has had the ARC of the print sitting right where our desks meet for FOREVER, and I've had plenty of time to stare at and mull over the cover and title.  So I'm saying to myself (internally), "This is a well-reviewed book that looks intriguing?  Why isn't anyone checking it out? Well, if they won't, I will!".  I promptly placed a hold on it, and checked it out as soon as it came in (though I couldn't start listening until I finished Career of Evil).

Trailer:

Comments:

This is a very gripping tale.  I listened to the audiobook straight through every time I drove anywhere (unless I had passengers) as well as spending a few hours just sitting parked listening to it.  The suspense builds so I wanted to know what was going on, even when parts seemed strange.

Imogen Church did well with the narration and creating mostly distinct voices, including some that suited different areas of Britain (not that I'd recognize if they were inaccurate.  I just know they were different and sounded good.).  Nora (Leonora) - who is narrating the story - was definitely my preferred voice as it was soft and easy to listen to.  I don't think I could have managed listening to too much of the character Flo, for instance.

While I liked Nora and was rooting for things to work out for her, she did seem to loose her backbone when it came to Clare (the "hen").  Apparently distance and time hadn't done much good in that area.  I can't go too much into the story because I don't want spoilers.  I did pick up on certain events sooner than Nora at the very end, but much of it was just as much a blank to me as it was to Nora until she gradually unraveled it.  She has a secret she keeps for the bulk of the book, from both the other characters and the reader, and such a deal was made of it that I way over-thought it.  By the time it was revealed, I'm all "Duh, Jo.  That was an obvious possibility.  You couldn't think of that?"

Between this book and Career of Evil, the language was rough enough, often enough that by the time I finished the book I had to mentally censor myself when words I wouldn't normally use were within reach of my tongue.