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mzlac134's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Drug abuse, Grief, Vomit, Trafficking, Pregnancy, Murder, Child death, Car accident, Addiction, and Gore
gaulien's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
beckykreads's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
dragonfly3085's review against another edition
5.0
[a:Loreth Anne White|150272|Loreth Anne White|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1375550072p2/150272.jpg]
I was lucky enough to receive an Advance Reader Copy of "In the Dark" by Loreth Anne White in exchange for this HONEST review of the book. I was even luckier to receive a paperback copy, with a personal note from Loreth thanking me for my support of her work. If the description of the book doesn't pull you, please let her incredible human nature and relatability make a fan out of you. I digress... on with the review:
I was not previously a fan of Agatha Christie, and had not read any of her books. I was a long time fan of Loreth Anne White though, so when I heard that her newest title would pay homage to Agatha Christie, I knew I had to check it out. I read Agatha Christie's "[b:And Then There Were None|16299|And Then There Were None|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1391120695l/16299._SY75_.jpg|3038872] and I had fun with it, but I wasn't still thinking about the characters days later. I'm not sure I could recall any of their names to be honest.
When In the Dark arrived, I was so excited! School took priority though so it took me a week or two until I had time to sit down and read it. By then, Agatha Christie was not fresh in my mind. Loreth Anne White's version begins with subtle references to the Christie version, and an in tune reader can pick up on it and start to make inferences of what's to come. My initial thought was disappointment that I wouldn't be as surprised or as thrilled by the story line if it followed one I already knew. Remakes are never as good as the original right? Well that's exactly why I'm so fortunate that Loreth Anne White is nothing but original. This is NOT a remake. This is a homage. It respects and follows along certain plot lines, but it is not the same! Do not be fooled into thinking you have it figured out ;)
As for me, I could not put the book down. I stayed up until 4am reading one night with two toddlers and a midterm waiting for me bright and early that morning. It was that good, it had that much of a pull on me. I immediately posted to Loreth's facebook that I couldn't wait to get back to reading about it and spent the next two days itching to climb back into the story and finish it. The conclusion did NOT disappoint and now, even a week later, I'm still wondering about Callie. I'm still thinking about each and every one of those characters. I won't say anything to spoil it, but if you're like me you'll find yourself wondering how else their lives were impacted beyond this one glimpse into the story, and hoping to hear from Callie again.
Masterfully done, I loved this book and I sent it on to my Nana to read (and return to me because I cherish it!) Add it to your wishlist - it comes out in December and you will NOT want to miss it!
I was lucky enough to receive an Advance Reader Copy of "In the Dark" by Loreth Anne White in exchange for this HONEST review of the book. I was even luckier to receive a paperback copy, with a personal note from Loreth thanking me for my support of her work. If the description of the book doesn't pull you, please let her incredible human nature and relatability make a fan out of you. I digress... on with the review:
I was not previously a fan of Agatha Christie, and had not read any of her books. I was a long time fan of Loreth Anne White though, so when I heard that her newest title would pay homage to Agatha Christie, I knew I had to check it out. I read Agatha Christie's "[b:And Then There Were None|16299|And Then There Were None|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1391120695l/16299._SY75_.jpg|3038872] and I had fun with it, but I wasn't still thinking about the characters days later. I'm not sure I could recall any of their names to be honest.
When In the Dark arrived, I was so excited! School took priority though so it took me a week or two until I had time to sit down and read it. By then, Agatha Christie was not fresh in my mind. Loreth Anne White's version begins with subtle references to the Christie version, and an in tune reader can pick up on it and start to make inferences of what's to come. My initial thought was disappointment that I wouldn't be as surprised or as thrilled by the story line if it followed one I already knew. Remakes are never as good as the original right? Well that's exactly why I'm so fortunate that Loreth Anne White is nothing but original. This is NOT a remake. This is a homage. It respects and follows along certain plot lines, but it is not the same! Do not be fooled into thinking you have it figured out ;)
As for me, I could not put the book down. I stayed up until 4am reading one night with two toddlers and a midterm waiting for me bright and early that morning. It was that good, it had that much of a pull on me. I immediately posted to Loreth's facebook that I couldn't wait to get back to reading about it and spent the next two days itching to climb back into the story and finish it. The conclusion did NOT disappoint and now, even a week later, I'm still wondering about Callie. I'm still thinking about each and every one of those characters. I won't say anything to spoil it, but if you're like me you'll find yourself wondering how else their lives were impacted beyond this one glimpse into the story, and hoping to hear from Callie again.
Masterfully done, I loved this book and I sent it on to my Nana to read (and return to me because I cherish it!) Add it to your wishlist - it comes out in December and you will NOT want to miss it!
guylou's review against another edition
4.0
Loreth Anne White delivers a thriller set in Northern British Columbia. A hit and run, a child’s death, a mother’s nightmare. Nine strangers are asked to come and visit a new Wilderness Health Spa Resort and bid for different contracts that will be available. One gets sick and cannot join the group. The other eight fly to this remote place but upon landing they discover that what was promised to them is not there. There is no resort, only a log cabin. A storm is coming and they cannot return to the mainland. They will have to stay in the cabin until the storm passes. A poem is discovered in the cabin and warns that “Nine Little Liars thought they’d escaped” and that only one could survive. It is no coincidence that they have been brought together. They are linked to one another and everyone has secrets they don’t want to surface. How far are people willing to go to protect their secrets?
Sergeant Mason Deniaud is new to these parts of British Columbia. He recently transferred to this remote community. After a float-plane is discovered by some hunters, Mason is called to investigate. The plane contains the body of a female who has been murdered. A series of events brings Mason to team up with Callie Sutton from the Kluhane Bay Search and Rescue to head in the wilderness to find and rescue the other seven people… but what will they find when they get there?
If you are a fan of books “à la Agatha Christie”, this book is for you.
mlazar17's review against another edition
3.0
“Everyone’s a liar [...]And if you claim you’re not, you’re lying right there.”
In The Dark is a thriller with a nod to And Then There Were None and a Lord of the Flies feel. The concept of this was interesting, but the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I wanted more time at the lodge and less time focused on the search. I also found that I couldn’t connect with any of the characters enough to care what happened to them.
There was no surprising twist. The ending was essentially a retelling if everything we learned throughout the rest of the book with some additional details filled in. I didn’t feel like there were any parts of the story I couldn’t see coming.
I thought the book was just ok. The author effectively set the ominous tone and injected tension in the moments in the lodge, but overall I just didn’t love it.
In The Dark is a thriller with a nod to And Then There Were None and a Lord of the Flies feel. The concept of this was interesting, but the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I wanted more time at the lodge and less time focused on the search. I also found that I couldn’t connect with any of the characters enough to care what happened to them.
There was no surprising twist. The ending was essentially a retelling if everything we learned throughout the rest of the book with some additional details filled in. I didn’t feel like there were any parts of the story I couldn’t see coming.
I thought the book was just ok. The author effectively set the ominous tone and injected tension in the moments in the lodge, but overall I just didn’t love it.
thepeachmartini's review against another edition
5.0
In The Dark by Loreth Anne White
Date Read: 19 April 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: death, death of a child, infidelity
It’s official, I think I’ve found a new favorite author. This has been my favorite book of hers so far…properly dark, suspenseful, and twisted. Not as heavy on the police procedural aspect, but still scratches that itch if you’re into that.
In this novel, we find a group of 8 individuals who have been promised a luxury vacation at a secluded wilderness spa. Are they strangers? Do they know each other?
Things quickly take a dark turn as they realize they’re pawns in a deadly game - literally. One by one, guests are being hunted and stalked, tormented and toyed with…but who is behind it? Is it one of the other guests? Or is there a puppet master controlling everything?
Date Read: 19 April 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: death, death of a child, infidelity
It’s official, I think I’ve found a new favorite author. This has been my favorite book of hers so far…properly dark, suspenseful, and twisted. Not as heavy on the police procedural aspect, but still scratches that itch if you’re into that.
In this novel, we find a group of 8 individuals who have been promised a luxury vacation at a secluded wilderness spa. Are they strangers? Do they know each other?
Things quickly take a dark turn as they realize they’re pawns in a deadly game - literally. One by one, guests are being hunted and stalked, tormented and toyed with…but who is behind it? Is it one of the other guests? Or is there a puppet master controlling everything?
danalud's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 really. This book kept me captivated! 9 strangers are invited on a luxury trip, and the group mysteriously gets smaller and smaller. Loosely mirroring And Then There Were None made the premise that much more enticing, and just when you think you have it figured out, another twist! Don't rely too heavily on your Agatha Christie knowledge, this book has its own mysteries.
edgyirishcupcake's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. I know this is probably going to be the unpopular opinion, but I was bored the whole time reading this book. It was basically Saw in book form. Maybe a slightly better reason, but not really. I guessed the suspense elements pretty quickly and didn’t care for any characters.
The writing style wasn’t my favorite. I swear if I had to read the word junket again! Some word choices made no sense and in some cases were not appropriate, as though the author didn’t know the meaning of the word but had heard it used. Other times it was a larger word than necessary and didn’t make sense that the characters would think like that given their backgrounds. Anyway, won’t be reading this again and am glad to be done with it.
I think my primary issue was it felt unfocused. There was a HEA story mixed with a suspense/horrorish book. There really was no need for the investigative and sensitive side of the story with those characters, they should have stayed out of the main story. That would have made it better for me, I think.