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Start giftingBlack-Eyed Susans
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Learn morePenguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Black Eye Susans by Julia Heaberlin, read by Sarah Borges, Christopher Ragland, Patricia Rodriguez and Julie Rogers.
Seventeen-year-old Tessa, dubbed a 'Black-Eyed Susan' by the media, became famous for being the only victim to survive the vicious attack of a serial killer. Her testimony helped to put a dangerous criminal behind bars - or so she thought.
Now, decades later the black-eyed susans planted outside Tessa's bedroom window seem to be a message from a killer who should be safely in prison.
Haunted by fragmented memories of the night she was attacked and terrified for her own teenage daughter's safety, can Tessa uncover the truth about the killer before it's too late?
Julia Heaberlin is the internationally bestselling author of six thrillers, including Black-Eyed Susans, Paper Ghosts, We Are All the Same in the Dark and Night Will Find You.
Her books have sold to more than twenty countries and have been optioned for film.
Black-Eyed Susans was a Sunday Times number two bestseller and a Radio 2 Book Club selection, as well as Waterstones Thriller of the Month.
Before writing novels, Heaberlin was an award-winning journalist, which fed her interest in true crime and the forgotten stories of victims, a theme she carries into her fiction.
She lives with her family in Texas.
Reviews
An absorbing character study and a good choice for readers who want to really sink into a psychological thriller A truly compelling tale of the fragility of memory and elusive redemption This book is a rarity in that the research underpinning it is evident but not obtrusive. Black Eyed Susans is a fine achievement. It drips with authenticity, empathy and dread, meditating on the Death Penalty as well as offering an empathetic study of the life of a survivor. Take note - Julia Heaberlin belongs on every suspense fan's bookshelf It's a terrific plot, matched by the quality of the writing and superbly paced tension Black Eyed Susans is a compelling read, especially for Serial fans One of the classiest thrillers you'll read this year About as good an example of Grip Lit as you could read Sophisticated, disturbing and with plenty of red herrings We can't remember the last time a thriller burrowed under out skin like this. Sparkling characters, authentic emotion, and an unpredictable plot makes this a terrific read from start to end Creepy and compelling, Black-Eyed Susans is a shadowy and crooked journey to a very dark place indeed, a twisty fairytale that deceives you just when you think you've cracked it and a thriller to make you remember why you love thrillers. Don't miss it. A powerful thriller . . . With a fairy-tale-like atmosphere, the creepy thriller works insidiously on the senses . . . Clever, ingeniously manipulative and elegant. This dark, complex thriller is not just a gripping page-turner, but also brilliantly explores the psychology of the victim. This is the debut novel of Julia Heaberlin, and again it's excellent . . . Beautifully written . . . It's a great book Black Eyed Susans is haunting, intense and original - it'll keep you guessing till the last page Black-Eyed Susans is a masterful thriller that shouldn't be missed . . . and in terms of suspense, characterizations and storytelling... is outstanding. Heaberlin's work calls to mind that of Gillian Flynn. Both writers published impressive early novels that were largely overlooked, and then one that couldn't be: Flynn's Gone Girl and now Heaberlin's Black-Eyed Susans. Don't miss it. Gripping... The suspense builds as Tessie uncovers devastating secrets from the past en route to the shocking ending Terrific. Impeccable plotting A spellbinding tale, at once both completely believable and utterly suspenseful - and once you reach the novel's perfect ending, you will want to read it again This twisted tale is disturbing in the best way, rife with suspense and rich in eerie detail. A deeply creepy page-turner that you won't want to put down With vivid, original prose that never misses its mark, Julia Heaberlin lures you into this psychologically astute and utterly riveting story of a victim left for dead by a serial killer, whose forgotten memories may hold the key to finding 'her monster.' As this dark journey into her past unfolds, you will race through the pages to discover the shocking secrets she thinks she wants to remember--only to find the truth lingering in your own mind long after you're done. A fascinating, twisted book In Julia Heaberlin's mesmerising novel, the haunted Tessa is the only survivor of a serial killer's reign of terror. But after several decades, she finds flowers planted outside her bedroom window. Is the murderous monster she escaped from still in prison - or closing in on her? In a crowded field, Heaberlin is something special, and clearly an author to whom close attention must be paid The best thriller I have read in a very long time. Intelligent and very intriguing - this author's writing pulled me in immediately. I think it outshines both 'Gone Girl' or 'The Girl on the Train'. If readers looking for the next Gone Girl do pick it up, I guarantee they won't put it down. A classic page-turner. A sophisticated take on the serial killer novel Excellent an intriguing tale told by a compelling but unreliable narrator who struggles to remember details of her abduction as a teenager, but is convinced the wrong man faces execution for the crime An intriguing and twisty read... This is a very well written thriller with a cleverly structured plot In a grave under a patch of Black-eyed Susans, in a Texas field, a serial killer buries four girls. Three die. One survives. Sixteen-year-old Tessa, after several days with the three corpses, is traumatised. Her evidence in court results in a man being sentenced to death for murder. Tessa achieves a measure of normality and becomes a single mother and an artist. Now, nearly 20 years later, Black-eyed Susans are freshly planted outside her window and she's approached by lawyers trying to stop the imminent execution of the convicted man who is still on death row, claiming his innocence. The story is narrated in alternate chapters by the Tessa of 1995, soon to be a witness at the man's trial, and today's Tessa, tormented by the thought that if the wrong man has been convicted, the real killer is free and a danger to her and her daughter. But, we learn gradually, that Tessa has been keeping secrets too. It's a terrific plot, matched by the quality of the writing and superbly paced tension. The book is a delicious mix of well-researched facts, creative plot twists and a likable main character . . . a masterful storyteller As well as a brilliant premise, the writing style keeps you hooked and at times is quite unsettling . . . it takes a lot of skill to be able to unnerve a reader like that, so hats off to Julia Heaberlin for writing such a gripping and atmospheric story that had me jumping every time I heard an unexpected noise. This book will draw you in and have you second guessing yourself page after page. Black Eyed Susans is probably one of the most cunningly clever and gripping thrillers I've read in a long while and I would recommend this as one of my top reads of the year so far A tense, beautifully written novel of survival and hope. Highly recommended This is a deftly organised, impeccably paced psychological suspense thriller that nods to Daphne du Maurier and, like all Heaberlin's fiction, boasts purr-inducing prose The assured telling of this chiller combines to create a very modern Gothic horror that will keep you up way past your bedtime There's a hint of Kathy Reichs, Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and of Paula Hawkins's The Girl on the Train. Despite its dark subject matter, this is a hopeful book . . . the ending managed to be both surprising and satisfying. The denouement is unexpected, plausible and perfectly satisfying . . . Black Eyed Susans is a thumping good mystery If you like dark and disturbing psychological thrillers then Black Eyed Susans should definitely go on your listA fascinating, educated, highly absorbing read that I struggled to put down for any length of time. Any free moment was spent with my head in this book.
Intense, creepy and atmospheric, Black-Eyed Susans is a intelligent character driven masterpiece excellently paced with some great plot twists which had me guessing right to the very end ... brilliant!