Human Remains

A Novel

By: Elizabeth Haynes

Narrated by: Karen Cass

Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Haynes returns with a disturbing and powerful tale that preys on our darkest fears.

Police analyst Annabel wouldn't describe herself as lonely. Her work and the needs of her aging mother keep her busy. But Annabel is shocked when she discovers her neighbor's decomposing body in the house next door, and she is appalled to think that no one, including herself, noticed the woman's absence. Annabel sets out to investigate, despite her colleagues' lack of interest, and discovers that such cases are frighteningly common in her hometown.

A chilling thriller and a hymn to all the lonely people whose individual voices haunt its pages, Human Remains shows how vulnerable we are when we live alone, and how easily ordinary lives can fall apart when no one is watching.

©2013 Elizabeth Haynes (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Meh

I couldn’t finish it. Almost, but it droned on and on. It was recommended, but it was too slow paced for me.

Just Loved It

Would you consider the audio edition of Human Remains to be better than the print version?

On of the best! The suspense kept me listening for hours! Only had the audio version.

What did you like best about this story?

Annabell and her determination

What does Karen Cass bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The tone brought depth to the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Neither.

creepy

Super creepy and I loved that. I actually liked the "bad guy" it was neat hearing his perspective and seeing how he views the world. His view gave me new perspective on dying or being suicidal....very different type of thriller but I was still hooked instantly and eager to keep listening

Strange and good

Really weird but good story quite twisty narrated was very good and made the story enjoyable . No more words needed

Not sure !

I think the narrator was one problem with this book and the story line was so so , I don't think I would recommend this book .

not for weak stomachs

I wanted to enjoy this book so much, and the premise is great and thought-provoking, however they go into such detail of the various stages of body decomposition that it made me feel nauseous on many occasions. I am usually fairly strong in that way too, so I feel like that says something.

Fantastic!

Would you listen to Human Remains again? Why?

Yes absolutely! I was in such a hurry to get to the end that I would want to listen again in case I missed any details.

What other book might you compare Human Remains to and why?

This was a one of a kind for me, I haven't come across anything quite like it. I don't want to give anything away, but wow things I have never thought of before and I watch a lot of crime stories on TV and listen to a lot of crime/mystery stories. I really enjoyed the originality!

What does Karen Cass bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Sincere emotions and personality.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me gasp in shock and cover my mouth once I realized what was going on. And I might have yelled at the main character a few times...

Any additional comments?

LOVED IT!!

Excellent suspense thriller.

Loved having the perspective of both the victims & the psychopath. The characters were well fleshed out and the book moved at a good clip. It was edgy and different. The narrator was great as well. It's not often that I give a book 5 stars across the board, but this one deserved it. Would absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.

Interesting but not compelling

After reading Into the Darkest Corner, I really wanted to read more from Elizabeth Haynes. While this story was interesting and explored a section of the population often ignored in media - single women older than their 20s,there just didn't seem to be much character development or much suspense. Where Into the Darkest Corner had my heart pounding in my throat, I was not very moved by this story. Annabelle was likable, but her story as the lonely spinster was too predictable and she never really seemed to develop the confidence you'd expect. It was a story with significant potential but ultimately flaccid performance. The narrator was superb.

4

Not for the faint hearted but a wonder fully written and narrated
mystery. Told by the police intelligence officer, a detective story that grows so slowly -- the major crimes police almost miss this serial killer (maybe) under their noses. A fascinating story for experienced mystery readers. I have listened to large sections twice to enjoy the finesse of the plot. Just excellent.
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