Read this while waiting for Gone Girl and was not disappointed. I was absorbed with the fast-moving story and had difficulty putting it down. The Kansas City & Kansas settings were very well done.

Wow! What a book. Found myself searching the pages for clues and intaking the information like I never have before. This book was truly addicting, and despite what many of the reviews said, I came to love and almost indentify with a few of the characters. I did not find this book as "dark" and disturbing as other reviewers, I thought the characters were fully believable (I mean, if you heard your family being murdered, theres no way your life would be sunshine and roses), and even could see the progress the main character Libby makes throughout the book. Truly loved it, not often that a book catches me off guard like this one.

Great mystery crime novel. Kept you wondering who did it. A page turner!

I started this book after finishing Gone Girl. While I was initially hooked, I started to get a bit depressed and drained from reading a book where the characters were all so dislikeable. Sometimes I had to put it down, but I don't take for granted that the author made me experience something I hadn't had from a book before.

Gillian Flynn is my new favorite author. Her writing is very real, raw, and emotional. This book had me guessing the entire time on who-dun-it. The ending surprised me and turned out better than I could imagine! The characters are dark and disturbed, but the title is Dark Places afterall. I love how Flynn develops the characters throughout the book. By the ending, the main character has changed for the better, but in a realistic way. Flynn drops hints throughout the book, so pay attention.

Loved this book from the get-go and raced right through it to the end. Well written and deliciously creepy, with a satisfying conclusion. Definitely dark and disturbing, but a story really well told with characters that leave a lasting impression. Great rainy day read. I look forward to more from this author!

I read and enjoyed Gone Girl so I couldn't wait to read this book. It was a disappointment to me. The book started off dark and got worse. The character was a very disturbed woman and not someone I cared to read about. I decided not to finish this book because it was TOO dark!

I agree with Bookfairy [below]. I don't like the characters and it is overall a sad commentary that could allow such terrible children to get away with murder in a crushing social environment and extreme poverty. Dark places is indeed dark and unredeamable.

This book is so bad that words fail me. I couldn't bring myself to read past the first 100 pages and I wouldn't have lasted that long if I hadn't read the author's Gone Girl which is a very good book. I kept thinking this (Dark Places) must get better but it didn't. Skip this one. Read Gone Girl.

Chicago Trib recommendation