A woman-in-peril story is, I'd imagine, a rather difficult one to offer a fresh take on. It's been done a lot. If this premise is true (and I'm not even sure of that...I feel I'm being charitable here), that still doesn't excuse Into the Darkest Corner, a novel completely void of the surprises of every kind.

First, the plot is so rote and by-the-Lifetime-movie-numbers any plot twist would die of loneliness. To belabor this point would be put more thought into it than Haynes apparantly did for her plot.

Second, and more damning in my book, is the book's complete lack of surprises in its narration and dialogue. Even stock stories can be elevated with a fresh voice, unexpected descriptions and/or clever turns of phrase. If you enjoy of those characteristics in your reading please look elsewhere.

The villian is flat--a raging psycho out of abusive husband stock casting--and the supporting characters are bland and shapeless. The narrator/heroine is fairly convincingly constructed, especially her OCD and PTSD feel real and immediate. Haynes does an adequate job of creating a growing sense of dread, but the payoff is so slapped-together, hurried and predictable that there's no payoff to that loooooong-building dread.

Lurid, rote and predictable, Into the Darkest Corner is a purported thriller, hold the thrills.