The Girl in the Dark

by Deirdre Palmer

As the January wind whips down the stairs to the train platform, Ellen Randall huddles into her coat, shivering. Suddenly, a flash of red catches her eye and she turns. It’s a scarf. Red and cream, in a large, checked pattern. And the person wearing it— No! It can’t be …

Three weeks later. In the dimly lit depths of the abandoned station, an eerie silence hangs heavily in the stale air, wrapping around the young man like an invisible shroud. Every step he takes echoes through the tunnels. Cautiously, he ventures deeper into this forgotten place.

His pulse quickens as he stumbles upon her, a small figure huddled in a worn sleeping bag. The girl looks cold, hungry and very frightened. Carefully, he approaches her. “Please tell me how I can help you.” His voice is gentle. She meets his eyes, and his heart twists with worry and protectiveness. If someone’s hurt her—

Then, she laughs; a ripple of sound that rises to the arched roof and echoes around them. “I killed somebody,” she says. “And, before you ask, I meant to do it...”

A totally unputdownable psychological thriller, perfect for anyone who loved The Doctor’s Wife by Daniel Hurst and anything by Shalini Boland.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2023

About the author

Deirdre writes women’s fiction, with strong themes of family, friendship and love, and the challenges ordinary people face in their everyday lives. She also writes under the name Zara Thorne. Her novels are published by Crooked Cat and Fabrian Books.

Deirdre also writes short stories and is published by D C Thomson for The People’s Friend magazine.

Find out more about Deirdre and her writing here:
http://deirdrepalmer.com/
https://www.facebook.com/deirdre.palm...
https://twitter.com/DLPalmer_Writer
https://uk.pinterest.com/deirdrepalmer2/

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Randall and her sister Rosanna lived together in an apartment in London, both working different jobs, keeping one another company as they had always done, since their parents were killed a long time ago. But Rosanna was unable to focus on much at the moment - her boyfriend had just dumped her, but she wouldn't believe it. She was sure he'd return. Ellen knew a little about the man and wasn't impressed, heartbroken for Rosanna's sake. The day she saw the man at the tube station was the day her life changed as she'd known it - and she couldn't tell anyone, not even Rosanna.

When Rosanna went to Cornwall to visit friends, Ellen fell apart. She still wouldn't tell Rosanna - but she went into hiding, frightened of what was ahead. When a gentle soul by the name of Carl found her, he helped her, taking her to his family home in Sussex. But Ellen knew she couldn't remain there - nothing would be resolved if she stayed. What could she do? What was her future to be like?

The Girl in the Dark is my first by author Deirdre Palmer and it was intriguing and "different". There were a lot of characters who only had minor roles, and I had a couple of stages of confusion as I tried to work out who was who. The three MCs were easy to follow and easy to like, especially Carl. The "bad person" was a piece of work!! It's classed as psychological thriller, but in my opinion it isn't - crime/mystery would be my choice of genre ;) Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by this author and like the first really enjoyed it A good robust plot and characters and plenty of twists to keep me wondering what was going to happen next It did take a while to build up but thats not a negative as this adds to the tension of the storyline A really good thriller and look forward to the next book by this author

[Cherise Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Some things happen in the proper order. Other things happen entirely the wrong way round. Well, I guess there’s always a reason."

This wasn't like any psychological thriller I've ever read but I'm not complaining as you can tell by the five star rating. There were no crazy mysteries to solve, no crazy plot twists yet the author was able to keep me captivated and intrigued all throughout the book. I was never bored. I truly wanted to keep reading and find out what was happening with each and every character. The multiple POVs I very much enjoyed- getting inside the heads of the of each character was a great way to keep the reader invested in the story. I was really pulled into this story and I loved how it came together at the end-not too perfectly and realistic. I will say that I don't think this book will be for everyone but I highly recommend giving it a try and keep an open mind. Don't compare it to any other psychological thriller you have read because this book deserves its own category.
Thank you to netgalley and storm publishing for my Advanced Readers Ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl in the Dark by Deirdre Palmer was exactly what I needed today! After momentary blinding rage caused Ellen to push a man onto the tracks of the London Tube, she expected footsteps to run after her. But they didn't come. Her life after that was riddled with guilt and she made other poor choices. Meanwhile, her sister Rosie waited and waited for her (married) boyfriend to contact her. When he didn't, she tried to tell herself he had good reason. Both sisters, also roommates, sought escape. Ellen found herself rescued by a stranger while Rosie found solace in family.

Slow-paced suspense such as this really appeals to me. Though a few aspects are unrealistic and extraneous, overall the story is enjoyable and easily immersive. I like that the level of darkness isn't painfully grim and that the reader is privy to the mind of the guilty. This is a quick read which kept me on edge just enough. The plot and premise are clever and engaging and I whipped through the pages in one sitting.

My sincere thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this compelling thriller/mystery.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great thriller! I liked how well the story is paced and how well developed the characters are. The ending was one I didn't see coming which was good. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it! Special Thank You to Dierdre Palmer, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Samadhee Ismail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellen and Rosanna are sisters. Ellen is a worrier while Rosanna is fun loving. Rosanna falls in love with a married man named Matt and gets pregnant with his child but Matt leaves her. Ellen meets Matt on the train and while in the train, Ellen accidentally kills Matt--and that's how the story starts.

This was at first slightly a slow burner to me and there were many characters in the book, although the main focus was towards Ellen and Rosanna who in my opinion are the main protagonists of the story. There some twists and turns along the story but I think it became more fast paced towards the middle part of the book. The writing was really great and I have to say there were some boring parts and confusing parts in the story. However, the ending was great with the unexpected twist at the end.

Overall, this book worth 3 stars in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm publishing for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the blurb of this book and just knew that i had to read it, it was so intriguing i just had to find out what was going on and i was definitely NOT disappointed - it kept me gripped all the way through the book!! This book was written as a multiple point of view and i really enjoyed getting onto each characters mindset. The storyline was very easy to read and each chapter pulled me along to the next one and i just had to keep reading more and more until i had finished it! A very clever and interesting read and i enjoyed it very much…..

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review..

Well, the book didn't go where I thought it was going haha.. It was an interesting read even if I got confused at one time. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and loved the ending for each character, specially for ONE who I really despised since the beginning, lol. (no spoiling)

[Sophie Sheppard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ellen and her sister live together in London. Rosanna likes to live life to the full whereas Ellen prefers a quieter life.

Rosanna is going out with Matt, however she is aware he is married, things are complicated between the two of them and everything is done on Matts turn so Rosanna doesn’t give the game away that he is cheating on his wife and family. It soon becomes clear that Rosanna and Matt were not meant to be and Rosanna is left heartbroken.

Hating the fact that Matt is playing her sister Ellen spots Matt at a tube station in London and calls him out very publicly in front of the whole tube station. Ellen ends up pushing Matt away from her as things become more and more heated, however when she pushes Matt and he disappears Ellen is convinced she has pushed him under the train, in a panic she turns and flees the scene.

When Rosanna doesn’t hear from Matt she decides to stay in Cornwall to give herself some space and clear her head, during this time Ellen becomes convinced the police will come knocking on her door to arrest her for Matts murder and when Ellen starts receiving threatening text message she flees to an abandoned tube station.

Sleeping rough Ellen meets Carl who likes to explore the underground tunnels, and it soon becomes pretty clear that he wants to help her and he soon falls head over heels in love with her. Carl is determined to prove Ellen is innocent and he does everything in his power to make things right for her again.

I found the girl in the dark a really strange read. At first it starts off how I’d expect any thriller to, it was fast paced, exciting and I was drawn in right from the start. However as this book went on I found there was a lot of nothing going on, sadly it didn’t excite me and towards the end of the book I was really having to force myself to read to the end which I thought was such as shame given how promising it started off. I found myself becoming very confused and frustrated with it.

At one point I actually thought what on earth is going on here, and I think this was because there were too many different points of view which I think is where I lost my way in this book as some perspectives added very little if anything to this book and I found myself thinking what was all that about.

Sadly this book wasn’t for me but I hope other readers enjoy it more, I’d say if you are after a slightly slower paced thriller then this would be the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosanna and Ellen or sisters and they lost their parents when they were quite young Rosanna is young fun pretty and loves nice things Ellen is a worrior and prepares for every event. At the current moment Ellen is worried about Rosanna because she is dating a married man named Matt Layton or at least she was until he broke things off with her despite Rosena saying he loves her and that is just a break Ellen feels she knows different. When Ellen sees Matt on the train platform and start yelling at him about being a womanizer a cheater and lots of other insults she dramatically pushes him and when she turns to look back he’s gone she runs away thinking she’s killed Matt and doesn’t know what to do. She quickly catches a taxi home but cannot stop thinking about it. she’s grateful when her sister goes to Cornwall to visit friends Ellen is doing her best to deal with the stress and anxiety but it causes her to do things she wouldn’t ordinarily do and when she starts receiving emails from someone named creepy cat who claims they know what she did she goes on the run and buy on the run I mean she goes and hides in the tunnels of the train station. This is where she meets Carl
On his days off he likes to visit the underground tunnels he is shocked when he sees Ellen there disheveled and stressed out he promises to help her and help her he does. He goes above and beyond any help most strangers would give. Let me just say I have read other books by this author and thought they were awesome but these two women and the girl in the dark or two of the dumbest characters I have ever read in a book and I even liked Ellen and Rosanna to certain extent but it says that these two women had no common sense whatsoever between them then Carl who I loved in what a great white night he turned out to be. I am not even saying I didn’t like this book because for the most part I definitely did but head I’ve been friends with these two women there were some hard truths I would’ve had to tell them. I love this book they do have some eyerolling involved in fact a lot of it but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t entertaining because I read it all the way through in one sitting. I want to thank storm publication and Net Galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was such a page-turner for me. I wanted so badly to know if she did it or not!
There are some problematic events here that I just couldn't wrap my head around. I don't wanna spoil anything so I just won't mention those. Also, a lot of characters were introduced but only had a brief contribution to the overall plot and what happened in the book. Probably just for convenience and to help the book move along, but I'm all for poetic justice.






Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. #TheGirlintheDark #NetGalley #StormPublishing #DeirdrePalmer



Disclaimer: My book reviews are based on my own personal reading experience. I do not make reviews to influence other folks to read or not read them. If it mentally, emotionally, and morally wrecked or moved me, it will be an automatic 5 ⭐ for me. Yes, it takes so little to make me happy.

[Rachel Starr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ellen was daft and after the initial plot was resolved we still had a dozen chapters of nonsense. Struggled to finish

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

THE GIRL IN THE DARK by Deirdra Palmer is a thriller about two sisters, Ellen and Rosanna Randall. These two sisters, orphans whose parents died when they were young, have a stilted relationship. Close in age and looks, their personalities are vastly different. Rosanna, the older sister, is lively and prone to taking more risks than her younger sister, Ellen. Ellen is pragmatic and anxious. She also has false memories about things from her childhood, and this problem of false memories continues into adulthood.

Rosanna is dating a married man, and right before the Christmas holiday, he breaks up with her. Rosanna has been sad about this for weeks, so when Ellen sees Matthew Layton- the married boyfriend- in the subway station on her way from work, she confronts him. This confrontation is the springboard from which the entire plot derives. Even after the subway station, Ellen continues with behavior that is out of character. And someone sees.

The book is mainly Ellen's. The characters introduced, and the general plot is about Ellen, how she feels, and what she does due to the subway station incident. Ellen never tells Rosanna about the subway station altercation, so when Rosanna decides that she's going to visit friends in the countryside on an island, Ellen is relieved. Ellen begins to spiral after her sister leaves, and she gets unanimous emails to tell her to confess what she's done. The emails and her isolation are the tipping point for her, and Ellen decides not to stay in their shared apartment anymore. From this, she meets Carl, a good samaritan who wants Ellen to remember what happened that day. He takes her to his home.

I had a good deal of issues with this book:
This book had many chapters, and each chapter did not move the story forward; they were fillers.
This book introduced many characters, and each time they were introduced, they had a chapter of their point of view. It was disconcerting when reading because I couldn't always discern immediately whether that character had been present before.
The Villian- Matt Layton, if we want to call him that- so much more could have been done with this con artist.
The Blackmailer- this character felt like a filler, and I won't say why, as it will spoil the storyline. But in the first couple of chapters, where this person is introduced as a reader, you're intrigued to see what will happen next, and then that storyline stops.
Ellen and Rosanna lacked all common sense. There was definitely an element of suspended disbelief. Modern women are NOT leaving with complete strangers to go to their country house after speaking with a man for ten minutes. It's just not happening. Further, if she does leave with him, she will tell everyone!!! Take his picture, drop a pin to the address, something. Modern women aren't going to quit their high-paying jobs to go to a seaside villa because of a bad breakup.
The ending fell flat, and no resolution existed for the storylines. It was more than a girl in the dark- but instead, every character in the book is in the dark, as no one tells anyone anything for the whole story!
The audiobook
I listened to this book and finished it because of the narrator. She has a pleasant tone and pace. I also like her accent, which fits the book since it's set in London.

This book was not a thriller, it was not a page-turner, it wasn't edge-of-your-seat reading, and I was happy when it ended to finally know for sure what happened in the subway station. I categorize this book as more of general fiction or suspense.

This book review and others can be found on my book blog: www.books-dish.com

[Joanna Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters Ellen and Rosanna lost their parents when they were children and were raised by their Aunt and Uncle. Now sharing a flat, when Rosanna has problems with her latest boyfriend – the very much married Matt Leyton - and Ellen spots him on the platform at an underground station on her way home, she’s determined to let him know what she thinks of him.
What happened on that platform sees Ellen waiting for a knock on the door from the police. Except it doesn’t come. Neither is there anything broadcast on the news or reported in the paper. That immediately triggered my curiosity. Surely what happened would have at least made the local news and papers. But it hasn’t.
I felt although this began as a psychological thriller, once Carl, who was helping Ellen, discovered the truth about what had happened to Matt Leyton, it took on completely different identity. I was interested to find out what the writer had planned for the main characters. For me, the whole story became more about how events triggered a force for change in each of them. The end was neatly wrapped up, and very plausible. It’s probably going to disappoint someone who thinks this will be an edge of the seat, nail biting read. It isn’t that at all. Yes, there are moments of tension, and there is drama, but it’s definitely not a cover-to-cover thriller.
Recommended.
I would like to thank Storm Publishing, Deirdre Palmer and Netgalley for an ARC of The Girl in the Dark in exchange for an honest review.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind blowing psychological thriller.
They know what they saw.
She knows what she did.
Sisters Ellen and Rosanna Randall,
And Rosanna announces she is leaving London to stay with friends in Cornwall out of the way of her lover and married man Matt Leyton, just till things settle and they can be together for ever, unknown to Rosanna, Ellen has turned into a killer. They have never been apart before, and Ellen carry's on with her life leaving the stealing and her real crime behind so she doesn't crumble completely, till that email arrives on her phone, " I know what you did" with no name of sender this isn't over and never will.
The girl in the dark is so gripping, so dark, unable to put it down, sending shivers down your spine.
I loved every single chapter, right till the ending, Absolutely brilliant read.

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl in the Dark was a great read by Deirdre Palmer. Ellen and her sister Rosanna were living togheter in an apartment in London. Their parents were killed a longtime ago and they have only had each other. Rosanna was just dumped by her boyfriend and she couldnt believe it. This made her unable to focus as she was sure he would return. Ellen didnt like the boyfriend but she still felt heartbroken for Rosanna's sake. She saw him at the tube station and this day changed her life. Roseanna went to Cornwall to visit friends and Ellen fell apart. She went into hiding because she was frightened about what lay ahead. It was at this time that a man named Carl found her and helped her by taking her to his family home in Sussex. Ellen knows she must leave there or nothing can be resolved. I enjoyed reading this book and cant wait to read more by the author.

[Amanda Alviz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second book by author Deirdre Palmer. I really enjoyed The Wife's Revenge. The Girl in the Dark wasn't as enjoyable for me. The story lacked the fast paced element and was more of a slow burn which is not my usual preference. I didn't find any shocking twists or surprises. I do love a story with good character development and there were many references to past experiences/traumas of the characters, but I didn't find that if flowed well with the storyline. This was a quick read and I did enjoy it, but it left me wanting for more. I kept waiting for a big twist or jaw dropping ending and it just didn't happen.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for a digital ARC.

[Sheila's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis of this book had me desperately wanting to read it, but sadly, I was left a little deflated. Not that it wasn't an enjoyable book, just not what I was expecting.
It's a slow burn, light suspense novel about Ellen who has murdered her sister's lover, and as a result, her world starts to unravel.

I felt the plot lacked substance and
I had a difficult time staying interested in the characters and story and was left wanting more.

It was a quick read and, for the most part, was enjoyable. It just wasn't for me who loves a fast-paced, twisty storyline.

Thank you to #stormpublishing and #Netgally for the arc

Publishing date September 13th

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The Girl in the Dark
Author: Deirdre Palmer
Audiobook Narrator: Annette Chown
Publisher: Stone Publishing
Genre: Thriller
Pub Date was: September 11, 2023
My Rating: 2.7 rounded up
Pages: 284

Sisters Ellen and Rosanna in an apartment in London, they have been close since their parents were killed some time ago.
Rosanna was in a relationship but her boyfriend had just dumped her.

This story is described as a thriller however it is very character based and no mystery to solve, no crazy plot twists.
I have to admit I was disappointment. Doesn’t mean it isn’t good it just didn’t work for me. ☹

[Marissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Storm Publishing for providing me and ARC of The Girl in the Dark for my honest review. This story follows Ellen, who believes she murdered her sister's ex-boyfriend. Throughout the novel, you must try to figure out if Ellen is remembering the incident correctly or if there may be more than meets the eye.

Overall, this book fell flat for me. Not only did it contain too many POVs (some I felt were unnecessary), but it was very anticlimactic. It was definitely a slow burn, that never really ignited. Based on the title and the taglines, I expected much more from this book.

[Dokusho · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed by this book. Maybe I went in expecting this to be a psychological thriller like the cover claims or maybe because I was able to guess some important twists rather easily or maybe because I didn’t understand what the author was trying to say in the end. I honestly don’t know. The characters in the book miss depth and there is no reason whatsoever behind any of their actions. I felt very disappointed when the book ended abruptly when I still had so many questions floating in my head.

[Concha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing.
When Ellen thinks she has murdered someone her world begins to fall apart and she doesn't know how to act in the face of the unfolding events.
The Girl in the Dark is a light mystery with a plot in which different characters alternate. The book is slow burner and builds up an interesting story and although I was entertained I spent half the reading waiting for some unexpected twist.
Overall not a bad read but it was not what I expected.

[KristieReadsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc opportunity.

There was a level of suspense and unknown to the book but not what I expected from the description. I struggled to get into the storyline and relate to the characters. There were several characters introduced - not sure they added to the storyline - and many of the chapters didn’t give us any addition information or add to the plot. I really didn’t see any twists and turns as I normally would with a suspense book.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ellen and her sister Rosie are orphans living in London . Rosie has been in a relationship with a married man, Matt . Ellen sees him at an underground station and thinks she has pushed him in front of a tube train. She becomes disorientated after this, stealing money at work, leaving her job and hiding out in a disused underground station. Her sister also packs her job in and goes to Cornwall to stay with friends.
Now I have finished, the plot was OK, though emtions were quite superficial, lots of new elements introduced into the plot at random intervals and there was not a great deal of suspense. Rather than a psycholigical thriller, poor Ellen seemed to have had a breakdown and to have obsessive tendencies based on her sister's experience (her sister was less affected by what had happened) . No real twists in the story and chapters where either nothing much happened or the plot took off on a completely unexpected path . I am not sure what some characters added to the book (Georgie. Emily) and what the message in the book was supposed to be.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC, not great, but I didn't hate it either.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars ⭐️
Audiobook 🎧

This book reminded me so much of Sally Hepworth’s work and I enjoyed it! It was an interesting story with lots of twists. I thought the number of points of view was awesome. I felt like the book was a little lengthy, but it was nice to have on in the background as I did things.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, but I felt the ending was left with too much unresolved.

The tension built well throughout and I was intrigued by the relationship between sisters, Ellen and Roseanna, and mystified by Matt and Carl.

A promising storyline that was a bit of a letdown at the end for me.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Deidre Palmer and Storm, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, but I don't feel it should be categorized as a psychological thriller. It's more women's fiction or just general fiction (with suspense elements), in my opinion. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get that most of this book was about the unreliability of our memories in a did it really happen kind of way, but for me it just made the book feel disjointed. Too many story lines to follow and wonder about.

[Tanya Nellestein · Rating 2 out of 5]

not for me

I confess I only kept reading this because I was sure something interesting had to happen. An entire book of exposition and not much else.

[Eve Sirviö · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was so hard for me to get through. I got this book as an arc and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.