Audiobook Sample
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- Title: In a Dark, Dark Wood
- Author: Ruth Ware
- Narrator: Imogen Church
- Length: 09:35:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 04/08/2015
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Genre: Fiction & Literature, Literary Fiction
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It’s not every day that an audiobook pulls you into its world so completely that you can almost feel the damp chill of an English forest settling into your bones. That’s exactly what happened when I dove into “In a Dark, Dark Wood” by Ruth Ware, narrated by the spellbinding Imogen Church. As a travel writer who’s spent countless nights under unfamiliar skies, I’ve learned to savor stories that transport me – whether it’s across borders or into the shadowy corners of the human psyche. This psychological thriller, set in the eerie depths of the English countryside, did just that, weaving a tale so vivid it reminded me of nights spent listening to whispered legends in far-flung places.
The story follows Leonora, a reclusive writer who reluctantly agrees to a weekend getaway with old friends in a remote glass house. What starts as a nostalgic reunion quickly unravels into something far darker – secrets spill, tensions rise, and the woods outside seem to close in. It reminds me of a time when I was camping in Patagonia, huddled around a fire as the wind howled through the trees. Our guide, a grizzled local, spun a yarn about a lost hiker that had us all glancing over our shoulders. Ware captures that same primal unease here – the sense that nature isn’t just a backdrop but a character in its own right, watching, waiting.
For me, the audiobook experience hinges on the narrator, and Imogen Church delivers something extraordinary. Her voice is like a lantern in the dark – warm yet edged with a quiet intensity that mirrors the story’s slow burn. She shifts effortlessly between characters, giving each a distinct flavor: Leonora’s guarded hesitation, Clare’s breezy charm, the undercurrent of menace in every creak of that isolated house. It took me back to Oaxaca, where I stayed with a family whose grandmother would weave tales each night. Her pauses, her cadence – it was storytelling as an art form, and Church has that same gift. You can almost hear the crunch of leaves underfoot, taste the bitter edge of cheap wine as the group’s masks slip.
Thematically, “In a Dark, Dark Wood” digs into the messy layers of friendship, memory, and self-deception. Ware doesn’t just throw twists at you; she builds them like a storm rolling in – subtle at first, then relentless. Leonora’s past, fractured and unreliable, unspools in a way that feels deeply human. It’s literary fiction dressed up as a thriller, exploring how we rewrite our own histories to survive. As someone who’s spent years chasing stories across continents, I connected with her isolation, that push-pull between wanting to belong and needing to retreat. There’s a moment early on when she hesitates at the edge of the woods, and I felt it – a memory of standing at the lip of the Atacama Desert, the vastness stretching out like a question I wasn’t sure I wanted to answer.
The audio quality itself is pristine, courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio. At just under 9 hours and 35 minutes, it’s the perfect length for a long drive or a cozy night in – no abridgment, no corners cut. The sound design is subtle but effective – soft rustles, distant echoes – that amplifies the creeping dread without overwhelming the narration. Church’s pacing is spot-on, letting the tension build naturally. It’s the kind of listening experience that makes you forget you’re just hearing words through earbuds; you’re “there”, peering through the glass walls into the night beyond.
That said, it’s not flawless. The plot leans heavily on coincidence at times – characters crossing paths in ways that strain believability, especially in the final act. And while Ware excels at atmosphere, some of the secondary characters feel more like sketches than fully fleshed-out people. Nina and Flo, for instance, have their quirks, but I wanted more depth to anchor their motivations. Still, these are minor stumbles in an otherwise gripping journey. The strengths – Ware’s knack for suspense, Church’s immersive performance – far outweigh the limitations.
If you’ve enjoyed Ware’s other works like “The Woman in Cabin 10” or “The Lying Game”, this audiobook fits right into her wheelhouse: taut, twisty, and steeped in unease. It’s less frenetic than “Cabin 10″’s high-seas chaos but shares that same claustrophobic vibe, swapped for a forest’s oppressive stillness. Fans of Tana French’s literary mysteries might also find a kindred spirit here – both authors blend character study with suspense in ways that linger long after the last word.
Who’s this for? Anyone who loves a psychological thriller with a slow simmer, or who craves an audiobook experience that feels like a fireside tale spun just for you. It’s perfect for a rainy weekend, a solo road trip, or those quiet nights when you want to lose yourself in something haunting. And here’s the kicker: you can snag this gem for free through platforms like Audiobooks.com if you’re new to their service – check the sample at their site and see if it hooks you like it did me.
Reflecting on it now, “In a Dark, Dark Wood” hit me on a personal level I didn’t expect. It’s not just about fear of the unknown out there – it’s about the shadows we carry inside. I think back to that night in Patagonia, the guide’s voice fading into the wind, and realize the best stories don’t just scare us; they make us look closer at ourselves. This audiobook does that, and then some.
Until the next tale pulls us down another winding path, stay curious, Marcus Rivera
