I was torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars. As with Gone Girl, the writing was terrific, and the author knows how to keep you turning the pages. Her descriptions make you feel like you're right there with the characters. Unfortunately, I didn't always want to be there, not because the story was dark--I enjoy a dark thriller--but because I really didn't like any of the characters. More than that, I found it difficult to root for them. I understand characters should be flawed, but in 'Dark Places,' they are too flawed. Certainly the characters were far from perfect in 'Gone Girl' too, a book by Flynn that I loved, but I felt more empathy for the protagonist in that one than I did in 'Dark Places.' But that being said, I'm always impressed by Flynn's writing, and I will eagerly read more of her work.