The Dark Rose

By: Erin Kelly

Narrated by: Jill Tanner

Kirkus Reviews hailed Erin Kelly’s debut novel The Poison Tree as “a richly shaded work.” Her atmospheric follow-up, The Dark Rose, follows Louisa, a 39-year-old still haunted by a tragic love affair from her youth. Seeking peace of mind, Louisa busies herself restoring an Elizabethan garden. But when she meets Paul - a 19-year-old with demons of his own - and the two become lovers, Louisa discovers that she can’t outrun the past forever.

©2012 Erin Kelly (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“[A] brooding story and a real ‘can’t put it down’ mystery.” ( Independent [UK])

Secrets, guilt, reinvention

Any additional comments?

The Dark Rose is about two characters, Paul (an older teen) and Louisa (middle-age women) working on the restoration of a crumbling historic Elizabethan garden isolated in the English countryside. The story flips between current time (2012) and flashbacks (1990s) when Louisa was a teenager. There are lots of references to popular culture, mostly music, from the 90's.

Secrets, obsessions, mistakes and deep seeded-guilt are the central themes in this book. Lots of atmosphere, fast-paced until the final shocking moments. A fun read, especially because of the author's crisp wit keeps the reader engaged as the story swings along.

"When a new rose is planted on the same spot as an old one, you get a sick rose; it doesn't bloom and it'll probably die. No one really knows why."

Great performances! Unexpectedly good.

I really enjoyed the whole story. It wasn't until the last few minutes that I realized who the person was, but still didn't expect the outcome. I'll definitely be purchasing more of her books.