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  • The Dark Lake

  • By: Sarah Bailey
  • Narrated by: Kate Hosking
  • Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (227 ratings)

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The Dark Lake cover art

The Dark Lake

By: Sarah Bailey
Narrated by: Kate Hosking
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Publisher's Summary

A brilliant debut with twists to rival the best of the genre.

When Gemma Woodstock, homicide investigator in the large rural town of Smithson, views the body of her old school friend Rosalind splayed open on the autopsy table, she suffers the same feeling of inscrutability that has coloured her relationship with Rose for so long.

Gemma, however, is hiding her own secrets. She has a four-year-old son, Ben, and has recently moved in with the boy's father, Scott. But the relationship is troubled, and she is having an affair with a colleague that she works closely with, Felix, who is married with two teenage daughters. She knows that Rosalind recently moved back to Smithson to teach drama at their old school, but Gemma had not made contact, and now she wonders why the incendiary Rose really came back to this country town. Rose lived alone in a small run-down apartment, even though her father is one of the town's richest men....

©2017 Sarah Bailey (P)2017 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

What listeners say about The Dark Lake

Average Customer Ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Too slow and dragged out for an audiobook

Didn’t like the main character, too flakey for her police role. A strange mix of Sex in the (police) City and blogs from Mammamia. Somewhere there’s a story but buried in dross, in my opinion.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

well read

great story , really enjoyed kate reading the story , kate has an easy interesting voice great work

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

A good, Australian book

Kate Hosking is a fine, Australian narrator and switches between characters well. The Dark Lake is a solid story about a close-knit Australian town with a troubled local Detective at its heart. While some of the turn of phrase had me scratching my head, Bailey introduces Gemma Woodstock as the heroine of her own story, a kind of character every woman can see a bit of herself in.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • ELL
  • 04-08-2020

very dark

I enjoyed reading this book a lot more than I had anticipated. It was well- written with complex chatacters and an interesting plot. Very dark though. Do not read if you need something uplifting.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Dark is fitting.

Good story but bloody depressing, couldn't wait for it to end so I could have this depressing weight lifted off me. Main characters life is a mess, get over it girl, time to move on.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

all over the place

jumping from her thought to thought and by chapter 14 i had totally lost the will to listen, couldn't work out where it is with monotone Aussie reader and people who only listen to the BBC, may come over better as a screen play or even multiple radio actors , but this just fails badly, to descriptive whe not needed (becomes boring )sorry i really tried but it was the messiest read i have had for long time , giv e it a miss!

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

narrator saves this one

Kate Hosking is a skilled narrator, which made me perservere with this story. So much unnecessary conversation and drawn out scenes about nothing... I like descriptive writing however this was almost a bit over the top.. eyes sparkling like marbles.. very long story with not much happening... I wanted to like this story... I sort of did..

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

thrilling

this is the first book by Sarah Bailey that I have read and it was incredible. this is also the first book if heard narrated by Kate Hosking and she is captivating, and made listening even more enjoyable

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good Aussie Drama

This tale had me strung along the whole way...great ending ....EXCELLENT VOICE ACTOR! Great winter listening

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed this

I especially liked the Aussie-ness of the book. From the voice of the reader to the mention of gum trees snd the heat we know so well.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.