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Dark Corners
- Narrated by: Ric Jerrom
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
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Dark Corners
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Summary
A spectacularly compelling story of blackmail, murders both accidental and opportunistic, and one life’s fateful unravelling from Ruth Rendell, writing at her most acute and mesmerising.
When his father dies, Carl Martin inherits a house in an increasingly rich and trendy London neighbourhood. Carl needs cash, however, so he rents the upstairs room and kitchen to the first person he interviews, Dermot McKinnon. That was colossal mistake number one. Mistake number two was keeping his father’s bizarre collection of homoeopathic “cures” that he found in the medicine cabinet, including a stash of controversial diet pills. Mistake number three was selling fifty of those diet pills to a friend, who is then found dead.
Dermot seizes a nefarious opportunity and begins to blackmail Carl, refusing to pay rent and creepily invading Carl’s space.
Ingeniously weaving together two storylines that finally merge in one shocking turn, Ruth Rendell describes one man’s spiral into darkness - and murder - as he falls victim to a diabolical foe he cannot escape.
In Rendell’s dark and atmospheric tale of psychological suspense, we encounter mistaken identity, kidnap, blackmail, and a cast of characters who are so real that we come to know them better than we know ourselves. Infused with her distinctive blend of wry humour, acute observation and deep humanity, this is Rendell at her most memorable and best.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Waggy From Derby
- 24-11-15
mediocre un fulfilling stuff
think of this book like a ready meal
easy tp digest but not very satisfying
certainly needed more seasoning
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carol B.
- 15-04-22
Excellent!
Fabulous story from Ruth Rendell. Perfectly read by Ric Jerrom. Will certainly recommend this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ren MacDonald
- 07-05-20
Absolutely love it!
Heard it first on BBC radio, read the book twice, now just finished the audiobook. I can't get enough of it, HIGHLY recommend this reader too. I fell asleep some nights listing to it, and stayed up excitedly on others. Well worth the listen
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Susan Random
- 05-01-16
Dark Corners
This novel, published posthumously in 2015 marked the end of Rendell's rich and insightful writing career, which was a tragedy for me and millions of other loyal fans. Once again, the Queen Of The Psychological Thriller writes about her favourite subjects: psychopaths residing in the gentrified areas of Maida Vale and the entwined lives of a disparate number of people.
I did enjoy it and pretty much raced through the story, playing it out loud whilst completing my chores. The characters were pretty well drawn, well, apart from the antagonist Dermot, who seemed to be taken from Rendell's back catalogue of social misfits.
Ric Jerrom's silkily sardonic narration was as excellent as ever. He really manages to install a sense of Menace with his subtle vocal nuances. Recommended.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- franjangle
- 15-11-18
Hmm, overworked
A tale of weakness and guilt written with Ruth Rendell's reliable flare for crime, human weakness and where a corkscrew of life might lead to. But not sure the mix of caricature and darkness works too well here, though it should. That may have been because the narrator tries too hard to act it out, and that irritated throughout. Less theatrics could have let a listener colour it themselves, and catch the humour, without distraction from the story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs C
- 02-06-23
LOVED IT
This is only the second Ruth Rendell book I have listened to and I'm getting hooked. I love the intertwining characters and the twists and turns of the story. The narrator was brilliant. Looking for my next one now.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- SEA, Charente
- 12-11-15
Another Rendell Classic
Fascinating character study of a modern psychopath.
Unfortunately the style of narration ruins it in my opinion, resembling as it does that of a nursery school teacher endeavouring to keep the attention of his or her infant charges. I found it both annoying and a distraction from the text.
A great pity.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Presto
- 07-02-19
Gripping
Really enjoyed this book. Well read and kept me in suspense even though you knew the killer. Definitely recommend.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katharine Kirby
- 11-10-22
Ric Jerome is a superb narrator
Dark Corners is not a Wexford novel, it stands alone twixt Ruth Rendell and Barbara Vine territory. As always it is built brick by brick into complex London geography, that of bus routes, highways and byways, small communities within a large metropolis. Almost possessing the ability to show how anyone might be driven to commit murder, and then if course suffering the consequences of conscience… I enjoyed it tremendously, Ric Jerome is the most reliable of narrators, constantly sounding reasonable and calm. It is a favourite book of mine.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- B. Hands
- 04-09-17
one of the bestest
Would you listen to Dark Corners again? Why?
yes ! the story and characters are so many faceted you need more than one listen
What other book might you compare Dark Corners to, and why?
for me rendell is stand alone and incomparable
Which character – as performed by Ric Jerrom – was your favourite?
most intriguing the main character, how one get into a situation and see know way out ! i wanted to shake him !!!
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
i always get emotionally involved in rendells many faceted charicters
Any additional comments?
you can always rely on ruth rendell for an emotional roller coster of a read
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