Into the Darkest Corner
Elizabeth Haynes
Harper
416 pages
Cathy Bailey is a recluse. She has a good job and she is a single woman in her mid twenties living in London. She should be in the prime of her life, but instead Cathy is haunted by her past.
Cathy’s story is revealed thread by thread, but it becomes clear pretty early on that she has been the victim of an abusive relationship at the hands of her ex boyfriend who is currently incarcerated for almost killing her. The story flips back and forth between the present and five years earlier, as Cathy was trapped in her relationship with Lee. The present story deals with Cathy’s struggle with OCD, which has become her coping mechanism to deal with her intense fear.
Cathy is lucky to befriend her upstairs neighbor, Stuart, right around the time she discovers that Lee is being released from prison. Because of his background in psychology, Stuart attempts to help Cathy overcome her fears as she deals with Lee’s release.
Into the Darkest Corner was originally published in the UK and it was named Amazon UK’s best book of 2011. I certainly believe that it deserves those accolades. It was the type of book that I would pick up before bed and an hour or two would pass with the snap of a finger. I couldn’t put it down. It is the epitome of a psychological thriller. Haynes encapsulated the severity of Cathy’s mental illness while still tying in Lee’s abuse and release from prison.
Cathy was such a genuine character but as the book went on, it became harder and harder for me to determine whether or not the danger she perceived was real or just in her head, which only added to the suspense. It reminded me of SJ Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep and I am now yearning for other books in the same vein.
This is a great thriller that will keep you rapt during the sweltering summer days.
About Elizabeth Haynes
ELIZABETH HAYNES is a police intelligence analyst. She started writing fiction in 2006 with the annual challenge of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the encouragement of the creative writing courses at West Dean College. She lives in a village near Maidstone, Kent, with her husband and son.
Elizabeth’s Tour Stops
Tuesday, May 22nd: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Wednesday, May 23rd: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Thursday, May 24th: StephTheBookworm
Monday, May 28th: Jen’s Book Thoughts
Tuesday, May 29th: Kahakai Kitchen
Wednesday, May 30th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Friday, June 1st: A Worn Path
Monday, June 4th: A Bookish Way of Life
Tuesday, June 5th: Book Reviews by Molly
Wednesday, June 6th: Book Addict Katie
Thursday, June 7th: Paperback Princess
Monday, June 11th: Mary’s Cup of Tea
Thursday, June 14th: Twisting the Lens
Saturday, June 16th: “That’s Swell!”
Monday, June 18th: Book Hooked Blog
Tuesday, June 19th: Kritters Ramblings
Monday, June 25th: Reviews By Lola
Tuesday, June 26th: Life In Review
Wednesday, June 27th: A Bookworm’s World
Friday, June 29th: Proud Book Nerd
Wednesday, July 4th: Tiffany’s Bookshelf
Thursday, July 5th: Veronica M.D.
Monday, July 9th: Booksie’s Blog
Thursday, July 12th: MariReads
Friday, July 13th: My Life in Not So Many Words
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | book review, thriller, tlc book tours
[...] June 18th: Book Hooked BlogTuesday, June 19th: Kritters RamblingsMonday, June 25th: Reviews By LolaTuesday, June 26th: Life In ReviewWednesday, June 27th: A Bookworm’s WorldFriday, June 29th: [...]
I can’t read a book like this at bedtime – I end up not being able to put it down and then I get a book hangover the next day! I need to read these kinds of books during the daytime for sure.
Thanks for being a part of the tour!