The Dark Room Audiobook By Lisa Gray cover art

The Dark Room

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The Dark Room

By: Lisa Gray
Narrated by: Michael Orenstein
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All’s fair in love and revenge in this taut thriller from bestselling author Lisa Gray.

Ex-crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing strangers’ forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.

But that’s impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.

He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?

©2022 Lisa Gray (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Crime Crime Thrillers Fiction Psychological Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Mystery Murder

Critic reviews

“Revenge piled on revenge, all of it served ice cold.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This taut, twisty standalone from [Lisa] Gray is dense with buried motives and betrayals…Fans of Colleen Hoover’s Verity will find much to enjoy.”—Publishers Weekly

“Another triumph from Gray…It’s all thrills in this police procedural with a twist.”—The Sun
Unexpected Twists • Gripping Thriller • Engaging Storyteller • Realistic Characters • Strong Ending • Good Plot Twist
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Liked the book as a whole. The story took some unexpected turns. About 3/4 of the way thru the book it lost my attention- had to work to stay interested. Ended good though.

Good

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Will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Surprise ending at its best.

Spellbinding

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this was my fifth Lisa Gray book and the only one I absolutely didn't like at all. It was like a completely different person wrote it. I did not enjoy the narration at all the female voices we're awful and sounded like they were supposed to be voicing a cartoon if not a woman who was on a national morning television show. The ending was kind of strange and I really wish I would have just skipped it. Total waste of a credit for me.

This book was disappointing

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This was a good thriller. I was intrigued by the premise of a newspaper reporter who collected and developed “lost and found” film. Leonard grabbed my interest from the first photo to the last. His collection results in many unexpected twists and turns as Leonard tracks down the subjects in those photos-and becomes the subject of someone else’s photos. Because he has some character flaws, Leonard has guilt and regret over some of his own actions and those become a major part of the plot.
This was a fun listen and I recommend it to those who are looking for a mystery thriller that’s a bit shorter than some others, but packs a lot of enjoyment into those hours. A little humor doesn’t hurt either.

Guilt, Relief, then rinse and repeat!

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Leonard Blaylock's hobby is purchasing rolls of discarded film and developing the pictures to see what is on it. One film which is dated only weeks ago shows what looks like the bloody stabbing death of a beautiful redhead. The date on the film shows that the pictures were taken recently. But Leonard knows this woman. As a matter of fact, he was there when she died nearly five years ago. How could she be in these pictures now?

We learn at the beginning of the story that Leonard is a serial cheater who picked up the redhead in a bar and went back to her hotel room. She ended up dead and he quickly left the hotel. He has been living with guilt ever since. Now that he knows she really didn't die that night five years ago, he is interested in learning what exactly happened.

As usual with Lisa Gray's books, the story is told from multiple timelines. Jumping from past to present with various characters points-of-view sometimes got a little confusing. I really had to concentrate on what was happening. I'm glad I did. This story has lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect.

I listened to the audiobook which was read by Michael Orenstein. It only took two days since it was a rather short book, and I didn't want to stop listening to it. My rating: 4 Stars.

Lots of twists and turns

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I felt like the story was better than the telling. Maybe it was my mood, but I seemed to go back and listen to parts over because my mind had strayed and I wasn't catching all the details. Not usually a problem I have unless the story just isn't interesting or told in an interesting way. After finishing the book, I think it was a very interesting story and a good twist at the end for sure. Something was missing in the telling for me.

I enjoyed it, but.

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this was Lisa Grays best book yet. highly recommend. it was all over the place and then smoothed out later. Holy crap read this book

Holy crap read this book

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It took me a little bit and a few tries to get into The Dark Room but I am certainly glad that I did not give up on it because it was well worth it in the end! I'm not sure if it was just a slow beginning or if it was just the mood that I was in, but I almost gave up on it and a friend told me to keep on so I'm glad I did!

Once I got a few chapters in, the pace of the book/story really picked up and took me on a roller coaster ride with an ending that I totally didn't see coming! The characters were likeable and relatable but what gives this story it's merit is the ending!

I have quite a few Lisa Gray books in my TBR list, however, I think this was the first one that I actually read! With an ending like that, my interest is definitely piqued so I look forward to seeing what her other books bring to the table in the near future.

I listened to the audio version of The Dark Room which was narrated by Michael Orienstein. I don't feel it was overly good or bad, but definitely wasn't a book I would put down right away because the narration was so horrible. I believe this is the first title I've listened to narrated by him and I definitely wouldn't hesitate to listen to a second!

Overall, I am super pleased with this book and can't wait to read more titles by Lisa Gray!

Slow start...Excellent Ending

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I can say that I was truly surprised at the end. I personally loved all the details, stories, and perspectives of multiple characters. The performance was kind of meh, but I didn't hate it. I did have to slow the voice down to .8 speed and I've never had that problem before.

I loved this book!

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The Dark Room by Lisa Gray is a gripping thriller that will keep you hooked until the end. The story follows Leonard Blaylock, a former crime reporter who has a hobby of developing old rolls of film. One day, he finds a shocking photo of a woman being murdered - a woman he witnessed dying five years ago. He soon realizes that nothing is what it seems, and that he has been lied to and betrayed by the people he trusted the most. The Dark Room is a fast-paced and twisty read that explores themes of revenge, guilt, and identity. Lisa Gray writes with skill and flair, creating realistic and complex characters and a plot that never slows down. The book is full of surprises and suspense, and will keep you guessing until the final reveal.

Positives: The Dark Room is a well-written and engaging thriller that will appeal to fans of psychological suspense. The author does a great job of building tension and mystery throughout the story, and the chapters alternate between Leonard's present-day investigation and flashbacks to the night of the murder. The book also has a strong sense of place, as it is set in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the author captures the atmosphere and culture of these cities. The book also explores some interesting topics, such as the power of photography, the ethics of journalism, and the consequences of secrets and lies.

Negatives: The Dark Room may not be for everyone, as it contains some graphic scenes of violence and torture, as well as some strong language. Some readers may also find some of the characters unlikable or unsympathetic, especially Leonard's ex-fiancée Caroline, who plays a major role in the story. Some readers may also find some of the twists too predictable or implausible, or feel that the ending was too rushed or convenient.


@stuartbrknjohns Twitter/Goodreads Author

#abrknpoet reviews The Dark Room

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