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  • The Back Road

  • DCI Tom Douglas, Book 2
  • By: Rachel Abbott
  • Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
  • Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (509 ratings)

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The Back Road

By: Rachel Abbott
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
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Summary

A girl lies close to death in a dark, deserted lane.

A driver drags her body to the side of the road.

A shadowy figure hides in the trees, watching and waiting.

The small community of Little Melham is in shock.

For Ellie Saunders, the accident could destroy everything she has, because she, too, was out that night. But if she reveals where she was and why, her family will be torn apart. She is living on a knife-edge, knowing that her every move is being observed....

Ellie’s new neighbour, former Detective Chief Inspector Tom Douglas, has moved to the village for some well-deserved peace and quiet, but as he is drawn into the web of deceit, his every instinct tells him that what happened that night was more than a tragic accident.

As past and present collide, best-kept secrets are revealed and lives are devastated. Only one person knows the whole story. And that person will protect the truth, no matter what the cost.

The Back Road is an electrifying thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end.

©2013 Rachel Abbott (P)2021 Audible Ltd.
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What listeners say about The Back Road

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

thrilling!!!

loved it from start to end couldn't stop listening the plot thickens the more you hear the more you change your mind!!! l

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

Good storyline but arduous to listen to in places.

Overall a very good plot and story.However it became quite wearying in places where it felt like the charachters could have just talked and saved 100 pages of agony. Also the stalker charachter was also dragged out too long and the voice very annoyingand repedarive .Too many repeats of the same threats and browbeating and guessing what her husband was up to made it quite annoying and ruined a good storyline.

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

Thoroughly enjoyable listen

So many twists and turns which keep you guessing to the end. I thoroughly good listen.

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

Different engaging but a slow burn

I have just started a whole series listen. This one was very different to the first book in that Tom Douglas is not such a central character. At time I just wanted to shake the majority of the characters and get them to talk to each other (but honestly that would have cut the book by a quarter). Good premise and well narrated.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story

Rachael Abbott is superb with her storytelling. Characters interesting and believable, narration also excellent. Couldn’t stop listening.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Very enjoyable with plenty of twists and turns along the way. On to the next one!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Great writing, with excellent twists that unraveled throughout, well worth the read. The narration was excellent !

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

gripping really enjoyed.

it's a real slow burner but end is excellent
it well narrated and keeps you on the end of your seat

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

Too long and disappointing

While I like value for money this would have been much better had it been two thirds the length. Despite having so much time to set the scene and develop the plot there was more information after the conclusion than before. As an avid detective novel reader I chose this series as it was billed as a DCI Tom Douglas series but the poor chap is neither a policeman ( in between jobs if that’s possible ) nor a main character until the last 4-5 chapters of a 50+ chapter novel. There is almost no police proceedings if you like that in your books. The narration is acceptable and I will give further books a try to see if his character develops.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

More than excellent

Great listen. Powerful, disturbing and thrilling. I couldn't wait to hear what happened next.

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