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  • The Dying Light

  • Detective Matt Ballard Series, Book 3
  • Written by: Joy Ellis
  • Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
  • Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (68 ratings)

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The Dying Light cover art

The Dying Light

Written by: Joy Ellis
Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
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Publisher's Summary

Whisper Fen Holds Dark Secrets

As the mists roll over the fens and enigmatic lights twinkle in the distance, only the locals know their way along the hidden paths through the mysterious watery terrain of one of England's most beautiful and sometimes dangerous places.

Detective Matt Ballard may have retired but there's still plenty going on in the fens to keep him busy.

Someone trashes an old lady's garden and daubs her isolated cottage with hateful graffiti. Emilia Swain seems to be totally harmless, so why is she being targeted?

Matt's best friend Will and his wife Kate moved to Holland House to put their past behind them. But Kate's mental state is deteriorating and she's obsessed with the tragic history of the house and an old doll she finds in the garden.

And why is Kate suddenly friends with a loner who haunts the fens? Has the dreadful past come back to haunt the present owners?

Former detectives Matt and Liz want to help their friends and neighbors. But how can you help people who don't want to be helped?

©2020 Joy Ellis (P)2020 Tantor

What listeners say about The Dying Light

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Joy Ellis always a pleasure to read her books

Really enjoyed this story. Something different in a mystery, narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies excellent reader

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Another great listen

The story struck me as depressive but the twists mystery kept my attention. I love the way Joy ties the characters from different series together. The story was well narrated!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brutally Beautiful

I loved this book. It's raw, honest and a real look at mental health. I love the look into these ex cops struggling to cope with something so traumatic outside of their wheelhouse. I work in mental health, and this is amazing.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

as required

This series isn't as good as Jackman and Evans, it's mostly about old detectives protecting their weak women from too much excitement. got pretty tired of Will's drama.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very dark. Well written

My only competing is the Canadian accent sounded more southern USA than from Saskatchewan!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another great read!

Gonna be sad when I have read all Joys books/series and at the rate I am going that will be pretty soon :(
!! :(

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Nat
  • 2021-07-14

dark

this book was very well written as all her books but it was darker then expected and even if her other do have dark periods, this one seemed very dark through and through. not quite for me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well written mystery

This was all about mental health and its effects on friends and family. Certainly worth reading.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not one of my favorites

Interesting subject but needed a good editor as it went on too long. Found the men all very paternalistic. The dialogue and the delivery of the dialogue for the Saskatchewan characters was painful. I don't "reckon" "y'all" would be hearing anyone speaking like that in SK.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Painfully slow pacing

Not really a whodunnit since the solution to most of the mystery was obvious as soon as it was introduced. You just keep listening to see how the other characters will figure it out. There is a lot of psychological exploration in this book, which didn't really appeal to me. A bit of a departure for Ellis I would say.

Also, the Canadian accents and cadence of speech were 0% Canadian. They would have been passable as American though.

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