- Paperback: 328 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; First Edition edition (April 6 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 000639325X
- ISBN-13: 978-0006393252
- Product Dimensions: 21.4 x 14.9 x 1.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 358 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #914,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Jon Evans's compelling thriller will indeed take you to dark places, both physically and psychically. You could call it a travelogue, as it takes the reader on a trek both through the twisted mind of a serial killer (or killers?) and to such exotic locales as the Himalayas, the Saharan desert, the jungles of Indonesia and the Moroccan gorge setting of the explosive finale. Dark Places opens in the majestic mountains of the Annapurna, where Paul Wood's enjoyment of the vistas is rudely shattered when he stumbles across the mutilated body of another hiker. To his horror, he finds that the signature of the killer matches the one found earlier on the body of his lover, Laura, who was brutally murdered when the two were travelling through Africa. Paul becomes obsessed with hunting down the killer, a task complicated by his suspicion that there may be copycat psychopaths out there too. Tracking down the guilty requires the cooperation of Paul's fellow travellers from that fatal African trip, but he comes to believe one member of that group may well be the quarry he is chasing.
The action in Dark Places comes fast and furious, but Evans gives the reader occasional respite with fascinating descriptions of such exotic locales as the Himalayas, the Sahara, the jungles of Indonesia, and the Moroccan gorge setting of the explosive finale. He has clearly travelled extensively himself, and has an excellent understanding of the subculture of adventure-addicted young Western globetrotters. Dark Places likely won't have you digging up your backpack and joining that crowd, as it vividly describes the ease with which a predator could operate within the milieu, while bringing back memories of Charles Sobhraj, a real-life killer who did exactly that back in the '70s. With his debut outing, Jon Evans has delivered an adrenalin-laced winner. --Kerry Doole
From Publishers Weekly
In this haunting suspense debut, Evans takes the reader on a page-turning adventure across five continents in search of a gruesome serial killer who has been targeting travelers in Third World nations. Paul Wood, a San Francisco computer programmer and rugged budget backpacker, is hiking in the Himalayas when he stumbles upon a mutilated corpse with a Swiss army knife plunged into each eye. This is a freakish coincidence: Paul discovered the body of his then girlfriend mysteriously murdered in much the same way two years before in remote central Africa. Finding that even more murders seem to fit the eerie pattern, he begins his own investigation with the help of a (poorly developed) Bosnian love interest named Talena. Eventually joined by his backpacking friends from the fateful trip through central Africa, he decides to take justice into his own hands. Entertaining (but totally implausible) plot twists will keep readers guessing through the book's bone-chilling buildup and brutal climax, while slangy, conversational prose will make it easy to fly through the pages. But secondary characters are often flat and unrealistic, and Paul's vigilante bravado and world-traveler cockiness won't be to everyone's taste.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Backpackers / Shoestring Travelers will LOVE this,
By
This review is from: Dark Places (Paperback)
As a traveller to over 40 countries I was immediately drawn into this book as the author is clearly a backpacker himself. Many of the travel experiences and travel jokes of the protagonist are those shared by backpackers the world over, as is the Lonely Planet travel guide that is often referred to as the Travel Bible (especially in those countries where you can't speak the language). On the one hand I found the travel authenticity delightful, while on the other hand I was *way* creeped out with the subject matter of a serial killer targeting backpackers (I was backpacking in Tibet at the time...just across the Nepalese border from the site of one of the killings). Despite the fear the book inspired I couldn't put it down and was compelled to read on and on, finishing it in just a few days. I would very much recommend this book if you like thrillers and travel. I will be purchasing more books by Jon Evans.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Read more like a dairy than a mystery thirller,
By
This review is from: Dark Places (Paperback)
I was very disappointed with this book. The premise is good enough. There is a serial killer out there, hunting down unsuspecting travelers. And since the murders occur away from the western world, there is a tendency for the killer to get away with it. Sounds good enough right? Well yes and no. The descriptions of life on the trail, the attention to detail of life in the third world, etc. is all done very well. It is obvious that the author has done his share of traveling. But when it comes to crafting a mystery novel, once which keeps the reader guessing and wanting to read more, the author falls short. The protagonist is able to 'solve' the mystery of who the serial killer is in record time, and he does so in an almost elementary fashion. If you are looking for a light read that captures what it is like to travel to third world countries, then this book might interest you. But if you are looking for a mystery novel with lots of twists and turns, you're better off leaving this book on the shelf.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Imaginative and thrilling,
By Hilary (Ottawa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Dark Places (Paperback)
A page turner from the very beginning. Gripping and suspenceful, the creative mind of the author brings new life to mystery novels. It has been a long time since a book has made me jump out of my chair and gasp out loud. Unsuspected curve balls keep the reader enthralled as you seem to trace the characters steps along side of them. Can't wait to read more by the author! I would recommend this book to everyone.
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