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I'll Be Gone in the Dark cover art

I'll Be Gone in the Dark

Written by: Michelle McNamara
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Gillian Flynn - introduction, Patton Oswalt - afterword
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Publisher's Summary

The basis for the major six-part HBO documentary series.

Number one New York Times best seller.

A best book of the year:

Washington Post | Maureen Corrigan, NPR | Paste | Seattle Times | Entertainment Weekly | Esquire | Slate | Buzzfeed | Jezebel | Philadelphia Inquirer | Publishers Weekly | Kirkus Reviews | Library Journal | Bustle

Winner of the Goodreads Choice Awards for Nonfiction | Anthony Award winner | SCIBA Book Award winner | Finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime | Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence

The haunting true story of the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California during the '70s and '80s, and of the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case - which was solved in April 2018.

Introduction by Gillian Flynn

Afterword by Patton Oswalt

“A brilliant genre-buster.... Propulsive, can’t-stop-now reading.” (Stephen King)

For more than 10 years, a mysterious and violent predator committed 50 sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated 10 sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.

Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true-crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called "the Golden State Killer". Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark - the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death - offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Utterly original and compelling, it is destined to become a true-crime classic - and may at last unmask the Golden State Killer.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Tell Me Productions (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

What the critics say

"Narrator Gabra Zackman delivers this terrifying account... Her calm, objective voice makes the minute details of GSK's 50 sexual assaults and 10 murders in California chilling.... McNamara's research makes for intriguing listening, thanks to Zackman's restrained, intelligent presentation of the grim details." (AudioFile)

Featured Article: 20 Best True Crime Audiobooks for Your Inner Detective

There is nothing more thrilling than the unfolding tale of a true crime story. Whether an unsolved mystery, a deep dive into a criminal mastermind, or a look at an infamous serial killer, true crime is gripping, captivating, and engrossing. The best true crime audiobooks will have you on the edge of your seat, anxious for more. Add to that an emphatic and powerful narrator, and you simply won't be able to stop listening. Here are the 20 best true crime audiobooks to satisfy your inner detective.

What listeners say about I'll Be Gone in the Dark

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Engaging, suspenseful, Heart Wrenching

Knowing the author died before finishing this book, and before the killer was caught- is a punch in the gut while listening. She comes so close, she's on the right path, and it's sad to know she didn't get to live to see it.

The book tells like a story, easy to follow, with great narrators and anecdotes by various contributors. Hearing from her husband is really beautiful.

Absolutely worth the listen. Now excuse me while I go down the google search rabbit hole...

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Captivating

Not typically a reader or follower of true crime, I was instantly drawn into this story because of how well it was written and told. I couldn’t stop listening and consumed the book in nearly one sitting.

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amazing!!!!

One of the most spellbinding investigations I've ever heard. Almost cried when first person switched to third after Michelle's death. so happy they've caught him now. she would be so proud and pleased

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A chilling and amazing work

I really enjoyed Ill Be Gone In The Dark. Due to the expansive account of the GSKs crimes over many decades it was confusing at times in audiobook form, but the writing is engaging and keeps you enthralled. The writing is so good it feels almost like a modern crime fiction! The narrator also gives a great performance, almost as though you can hear the author despite her passing before publication.

In the end, it is sad and frustrating that Michelle didn't receive the recognition she deserves for essentially detailing the methods that would lead to the true identity of the GSK. Listening to her exhastive research and sleepless dedication to persuing this case, I have no doubt that her work played a vital role in identifying the killer. Readers and fans will give her the credit and praise she truely deserves.

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Sad and impossible

The content of the story was extraordinary. Extremely full of information. So much I had to stop and let it sink in before listening again.

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  • Max
  • 2018-08-06

Makes you want to pick up the hobby

A really well crafted book, sometimes a tad heavy on the amount of data given at the same time but still perfectly understandable. It's too bad the author wasn't around to read the book herself or to see the killer finally caught but the narrator still managed to make her passion for the subject shine brightly.

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amazing!

Loved this book! The writing is amazing, narration was very good. Highly recommend to readers of true crime.

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Complex & Enthralling!

My partner and I listened to this on a very long road trip, and we were hooked! By the end we couldn't wait to get home to start our own internet research on the GSK. McNamara inserts her own personal anecdotes in all the right ways and it helps the listener to understand not only the GSK, but what it takes for someone to dedicate so much of their life to criminal cold cases. Her exploration of details of GSK attacks were chilling and terrifying, but someone necessary to truly paint a portrait of the type of predator the GSK was. I was a little surprised that there wasn't an afterward of sorts regarding the arrest of the GSK, but of course this book was published beforehand. This is a must read for any true crime enthusiast out there! #Audible1

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gripping!

So well put together, even the parts put together out of Michelle's notes. loved it.

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Highly recommend!

FANTASTIC performance and very well written. would highly recommend to anyone interested in a true crime story.

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