- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; (Reissue) edition (9 Oct 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007351216
- ISBN-13: 978-0007351213
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,261,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Praise for Only Darkness:
‘Dark, edgy and compelling, this is a first novel from a writer to watch’
The Times
‘Balancing a neighbourly ethos of community with a claustrophobic menace of intrusion [Danuta Reah’s] setting becomes as unnerving as any of America’s meanest streets’
Sunday Express
Product Description
A dark psychological thriller that will hold the reader in its grip from beginning to end, Silent Playgrounds is the stunning follow-up to Danuta Reah’s highly praised debut, Only Darkness.
The path through the park runs from the centre of the city into the wilds of the countryside. At weekends the area is a playground for children and walkers, but during the week it is silent and deserted.
When six-year-old Lucy gets lost there one day, her disappearance sparks a chain of events leading to the murder of a young woman. Lucy tries to warn the people she cares about of the danger: she knows that there are monsters lurking in the rambling park, and she knows that they are getting closer.
What should be a straightforward investigation leads DI Steve McCarthy into a web of lies and evasions, where nothing is quite as it seems and everyone seems to be hiding something. With each step forward McCarthy faces new questions, and if he is to prevent an escalation in violence, he has to find some answers – fast.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book because it was chosen by a member of my book club, who only chose it because she's originally from Sheffield. I don't read crime fiction usually, so this book certainly didn't entice me to read any more. It does have some very interesting twists and turns, but I found it difficult to empathise with any of the characters, and would have liked a deeper explanation of how the main character turned out how she did and a deeper understanding of her relationship with her son. Certain relationships seemed shallower than they could have been, and who exactly was it who dictated that modern novels must contain one [gratuitous] sex scene (and I don't object to non-gratuitous ones!)?
A decent page turner, some interesting twists - sometimes you'll struggle to keep up with the twists, but a diverting reading experience rather than an enriching one.
A decent page turner, some interesting twists - sometimes you'll struggle to keep up with the twists, but a diverting reading experience rather than an enriching one.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Suzanne Milner, a researcher who works with young, persistent offenders is drawn into the investigation surrounding the death of a young woman whose body is found under the waterwheel of a decaying mill and workshop. Gradually, the people around her become involved until every aspect of her life seems at risk and her past threatens to overwhelm her. The settings are everyday - city parks and streets, a university, a block of flats, but this is an intriguing and disturbing thriller in which these everyday settings become imbued with fear and menace. There is a sense mouldering but powerful evil, and the tension builds up into real terror. The characters are generously and sympathetically drawn - paticularly six-year old Lucy who tries to warn the people around her of the monsters that lurk in the run-down park, and the troubled central character, Suzanne. The narrative is gripping, and the plot is convincing with its focus on topical concerns. The plot keeps you guessing - the identity of the killer is a true surprise - but this is more than just a guessing game - it is a superior thriller. Highly recommended!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A well thought out plot, carefuly crafted - forced me to keep reading. I enjoyed Only Darkness, and this second novel is even better. Looking forward to another by Danuta Reah.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
a gripping thriller with real depth
This is a really excelllent book. It's fairly slow moving so isn't for those who like fast paced action. Read more
Published on 22 July 2006 by A. Setchfield
Dark, disturbing and gripping
A lot of thrillers can leave the reader with a sense of dissatisfaction. This one has real depth - it's a book I could easily read more than once, and find more in it on the next... Read more
Published on 11 Sep 2002
As engaging a read as Only Darkness - talented author.
Having read Only Darkness, I found Silent Playgrounds equally as compelling. Interesting characters with a story-line that had me desperate to get to the end to find out 'who done... Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2001
A real page turner
I found this book very atmospheric and hard to put down. The gradual build up made it a real page turner, and some of the scenes were so frightening that I had to keep the light... Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2001
Taut, tense and troubling
If Hitchcock were alive he could have made a great, claustrophobic movie out of this taut, tense and troubling tale. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2001
Thrilling!
Having read Only Darkness, by D.Reah, I was looking forward to Silent Playgrounds, and wasn't disappointed. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2001 by colindiver@hotmail.com
Too long, too boring and it's been done before
My title sums it up. The story is too long, too boring and it has all been done before.
A murderer is on the loose and a young woman has to find him. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2001
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
