When the Stars Go Dark

A Novel

By: Paula McLain

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

New York Times best seller

Good Morning America Buzz Pick

“A total departure for the author of The Paris Wife, McLain’s emotionally intense and exceptionally well-written thriller entwines its fictional crime with real cases.” (People, Book of the Week)

Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Marie Claire

“The kind of heart-pounding conclusion that thriller fans crave.... In the end, a book full of darkness lands with a message of hope.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“This mystery will keep you guessing, and stay with you long after you finish. Dive in.” (Daily Skimm)

Anna Hart is a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco with far too much knowledge of the darkest side of human nature. When tragedy strikes her personal life, Anna, desperate and numb, flees to the Northern California village of Mendocino to grieve. She lived there as a child with her beloved foster parents, and now she believes it might be the only place left for her. Yet the day she arrives, she learns that a local teenage girl has gone missing.

The crime feels frighteningly reminiscent of the most crucial time in Anna’s childhood, when the unsolved murder of a young girl touched Mendocino and changed the community forever. As past and present collide, Anna realizes that she has been led to this moment. The most difficult lessons of her life have given her insight into how victims come into contact with violent predators. As Anna becomes obsessed with saving the missing girl, she must accept that true courage means getting out of her own way and learning to let others in.

Weaving together actual cases of missing persons, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, this propulsive and deeply affecting novel tells a story of fate, necessary redemption, and what it takes, when the worst happens, to reclaim our lives - and our faith in one another.

©2021 Paula McLain (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This genre-bending novel [is an] absolutely incredible literary thriller about the human journey.” (Good Morning America)

“Fueled by pure high anxiety.... When the Stars Go Dark is an atmospheric and intricately plotted suspense novel.” (The Washington Post)

“The twisty plot keeps the pages flying, and Paula McLain’s lyrical and poetic prose reveals insight after insight about the human heart, making this riveting read not only an engrossing psychological thriller, but crime fiction of the highest order." (Lisa Scottoline, author of Someone Knows)

Twists and turns

Lots of twists and turns in this one. I could not stop listening. Voice work was great. Voice editing was good. This is going to be reviewed on thehippiebookworm.com coming soon.

Best book I've listened to

I listen to books on audible regularly and When the Stars Go Dark is exceptional. I have been riveted by it. The narrator is excellent and the story is compelling. I highly recommend it.

great story! great narration?

Don't pass this up.. it's a great story told with great narration ! WOW!

Incredible

One of the best books I've read in a very long time. Thank you for writing about this horrifying truth.

Worth the listen

It was sort of slow and I figured it out almost immediately after it was even possible to do so BUT I do read a lot of this genre so there’s only so many twists an author can take without being ridiculous. I appreciated the efforts the author went to to relate to and research these characters and situations. You don’t really fall in love with a single character but you do come to know them and sympathize with them.

Enjoyable....

But you won't stay up all night to finish. She is a good character and the book is good. Just nothing great.

such amzing work & soul by this author

loved this. I did not know the extent of truth and research the author put into this novel. the statistics are heartbreaking that were discussed by her. I do like how she incorporated actual places in her novel along with "Polly".

Wonderful!

This book is so beautifully written. The subject matter being dark and gripping, is brought to life so vividly it felt as if I could see the colors and smell the smells. The performance equally as good. The narrator was haunting and believable. Highly recommend!

A compelling story

This novel is a compelling story, very believable, and a little sad. My only criticism is that I can get slog down at time in a little too much description, but at other times that description is necessary and deeply engaging. L the mixture of fiction with historical events I think made it a little more believable, having personally through those historical events.

I thought the narrator did a very good job in conveying the huge emotional content . It took a little bit for me to get into it but towards the end, I had a hard time believing the book until it was finished.

Loved this book!

Believable characters, set in my home turf. Enjoyable read. Well written story with lots of surprises.