Reviews

The Dark by Emma Haughton

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hanej24's review against another edition

5.0

Such an amazing read! I've read lots of 'snowed/locked in' thrillers and I love that theme in mysteries. The Dark is definitely set up as part of that genre however the setting and characters distinguished it from others, it has a really unique feel. The atmosphere of the whole read was brilliant and by half way through I was feeling the claustrophobia and confusion along with the characters. I think this will be one of my favourite reads of this year!

caseadiiia's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

3.5

A little predictable but still good. It picks up more towards the end

rjmc's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

redskates's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

shreyapandey13's review against another edition

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mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Have you ever read a murder mystery set in Antarctica?

Fans of Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None' and Lucy Foley's 'The Guest List' will enjoy 'The Dark' by Emma Houghton, set in an Antarctic research base, away from civilization in the endless dark of the south pole.

I personally didn't enjoy this book for a couple of reasons. The premise had a lot of potential but the execution left much to be desired. It was neither a heart racing thriller nor a frustrating mystery, offering a lukewarm experience.

The book was really slow and it took at least half the book for something substantial to happen. The main character wasn't very likeable and frankly incompetent, making the stupidest decisions accompanied by lack of common sense.

The book picked up pace only towards the last quarter of the story and even then the final reveal wasn't compelling enough. This might interest people who are new to the genre and are looking for a cozy read, but this was not a good pick for me.

Content Warnings

babs_reviews's review against another edition

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3.0

A chilling take on who dunnit...

This is a psychological thriller meant to have you questioning everything and everyone, while the execution was slightly off (the killer was quite obvious to me) the unfolding of the events were enjoyable to read. I didn't connect with every character, as there were quite a few and some got more 'time' than the others.

Set in Antarctica they are surrounded by ice and eventually as the sun sets for the last time, the dark. There was already suspicions to be had as Dr. North arrived at the station and things unfold rather quickly once she starts digging.

A few inconsistencies with the timeline but nothing that throws off the story as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mobius Books, Hodder & Stoughton for the review copy.