Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Kind of Cruel
    Unavailable
    Kind of Cruel
    Unavailable
    Kind of Cruel
    Audiobook13 hours

    Kind of Cruel

    Written by Sophie Hannah

    Narrated by Elizabeth Sastre

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    "Kind, cruel, kind of cruel." Amber thinks it's just nonsense, a side effect of being hypnotized for the first time. But when she's arrested for a brutal murder two hours later, those four words are the key to clearing her name… if only she could remember where she'd seen them.

    Amber Hewerdine suffers from chronic insomnia. As a last resort, she visits a hypnotherapist, doubtful that anything will really change. Under hypnosis, Amber hears herself saying, "Kind, cruel, kind of cruel." The words awaken a vague memory, but she dismisses the whole episode as nonsense. Two hours later, however, Amber is arrested for the brutal murder of a woman she's never heard of, and the only way she can clear her name is by remembering exactly where she's seen those words.
      
    Kind of Cruel     is the latest page-turner in Hannah's Zailer and Waterhouse mystery series, and will enthrall Hannah's ever-growing readership.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 6, 2013
    ISBN9781101619827
    Unavailable
    Kind of Cruel
    Author

    Sophie Hannah

    SOPHIE HANNAH is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous psychological thrillers, which have been published in 51 countries and adapted for television, as well as The Monogram Murders, the first Hercule Poirot novel authorized by the estate of Agatha Christie, and its sequels Closed Casket, The Mystery of Three Quarters, and The Killings at Kingfisher Hill. Sophie is also the author of a self-help book, How to Hold a Grudge, and hosts the podcast of the same name. She lives in Cambridge, UK.

    More audiobooks from Sophie Hannah

    Related to Kind of Cruel

    Related audiobooks

    Psychological Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Reviews for Kind of Cruel

    3.5/5

    100 ratings22 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I received "Kind of Cruel" as an early reviewer book. As a long-time fan of Sophie Hannah, I was not disappointed in this book! The story centers around the main character, Amber, as she becomes involved in 2 murder mysteries. After an accidental meeting with Charlie Zailer outside of a hypnotist's office, Amber finds herself a suspect in the murder of a woman she has never met. Before long, Amber, Charlie and Simon Waterhouse are working together to solve this murder, as well as uncover the truth behind the murder of Amber's best friend. There are many twists and unexpected events in this novel, true to Hannah's style. I felt at times like I should be able to solve the puzzle, but was truly surprised at the ending of the book. I really enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend it!
    • 3/5
      This wasn't the best of Sophie Hannah's books, but even a not-so-great book from her is still better than most offerings out there. It has her trademark darkness and intricate plot, and characters that you love to hate (or hate to love?). The detectives seemed to be a much less significant part of this book than some of her others, most of the focus is on the main character, Amber. I finished this one in a weekend, so it did hold my attention well, I'd recommend it if you've read all her other stuff.
    • 3/5
      I received Kind of Cruel as an early review copy. This is my first Waterhouse and Zailer book I like it wasnt a great book for me I found myself reading it slower than I usually would so I didn't tmiss anything in either mystery. I found it a little confusing. I will have to go back and read a Waterhouse and Zailer from the beginning then give this book another go.
    • 3/5
      Kind of Cruel was very well written but not a favorite of mine. I found the characters to be quite interesting but the story line at times confusing.
    • 4/5
      "There's nothing most of us love more than a plausible lie."Amber Hewerdine can't sleep. She has suffered chronic insomnia since the death of her best friend in a mysterious house fire over a year ago. As a last resort, she decides to see a hypnotherapist for treatment and leaves in a hurry, disturbed by a phrase she utters while hypnotized - a phrase she at first assumes the therapist spoke first, but later realizes she has seen before. Soon after, Amber is arrested for the murder of a woman, and cannot clear her name until she remembers where she saw those words.As with the previous novels in this series, Hannah focuses on developing her characters, allowing the reader to get inside their minds and fully understand their motivations, which in turn drives the plot. This results in a slightly meandering plot which can sometimes be confusing, but ultimately makes for a more compelling story (and series), since the reader never feels short-changed by having unanswered questions at the end. I especially enjoyed the insights of Amber's hypnotherapist, Ginny - they provided an interesting insight into Amber's memory and sleep issues, as well as occasionally bringing up a chilling question or observation that, on more than one occasion, led to an "aha!" moment for me in terms of the "whodunit" aspect of the plot. It was an interesting twist on the "unreliable narrator" idea, since Amber's memory is frequently not trustworthy, and her understanding of her motivations are frequently muddied by her biases regarding her current situation.The fun in reading this novel, as well as the previous installments in the series, is following Simon Waterhouse as he follows a trail of disconnected clues to put together an incredible story to explain the novels central crime. Also, we get to spend some time with other less developed characters, including his unit chief, Sam, and his coworker, Gibbs. We also see what Charlie and Simon are like as a married couple, and get a peek into Charlie's sister Oliva's life.As with all of Hannah's novels, the plot is twisting and dark, and sometimes feels convoluted. I enjoy this aspect - I've never yet been able to predict an outcome in one of her novels, not because they're not plausible, but because - like in a real investigation - there's a tremendous amount of information evidence to sift through before reaching the truth. For readers that might find these novels confusing, I would recommend reading them in several large sittings if at all possible. These are not books to read casually over the course of several weeks. Overall, this was a great installment in the series and I highly recommend it to fans of Hannah's, and I can't wait to read the next.(I received a copy of this book from the Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.)
    • 4/5
      While I did enjoy this book I found it a bit confusing at times. Lots of complex characters and story lines. This would be a good book for you if you wanted to get deeply involved in a book.
    • 5/5
      Excellent book.
    • 5/5
      Best yet - great characters and the usual prickly plot! Plus Olivia and Gibbs are still going, and with the help of a confession by Simon and by the advice of a great hypnotherapist, Charlie makes progress on the no sex front.
    • 3/5
      3.0 out of 5 stars -- There's a huge difference between a memory and a story...This was a very convoluted mystery that centered on solving two murder cases that had gone unsolved for years. This is part of a long series featuring Detectives Simon Waterhouse and Charolotte Zailer, and though it is probably good if you have read previous titles in order to know the history of these two characters, I had not and so was a bit confused by their relationship (they are married) and taken aback by their personalities. "Knowing" them better might have improved my reaction to the book.Amber Hewerdine visits a hyponotherapist as a last resort because she can't sleep ever since her best friend Sharon died in an arson house fire and Amber and her husband Luke took in Sharon's two daughters. The police have never found the killer and Amber has not gotten over her death. During her visit to Ginny's therapy office, Amber meets Charlotte before she goes in to her session and during the hypnosis is told that she has said the words, Kind, Cruel, Kind of Cruel but has no idea where they come from. Amber feels that she has seen those words somewhere before but can't bring the memory to mind. Later that day, Amber is arrested for the murder of Kat Allen, a schoolteacher she has never met. All of this creates confusion and consternation as Amber tries to recall her past accurately and somehow she becomes involved in the investigation which is apparently tied to Sharon's murder as well.The narrative shifts back and forth between Ginny's therapist notes and Amber's first person point of view. In addition, there is another line of storytelling that focuses on Charlie and Simon and the other detectives on the case so the reader is getting many different perspectives on the investigation and various relationships the characters have with each other. Frankly, I didn't like ANY of them. Amber was, to me, unlikeable and very annoying. Simon seems like a cold odd duck, and I found it hard to believe Charlie was so in love with him.With all the shifts in point of view, and the SLOW SLOW SLOW revelations that brought the case to a close, I found the novel to be less than engrossing and quite confusing at times. The mysteries, and there are several going on at once, aren't that compelling and there was no suspense or thrill involved in the ressolutions. So, this was an OK read. Probably I would have enjoyed it more had I read previous books with the two main characters, but I don't feel strongly enough to go back and catch up. If you're a Sophie Hannah fan, and like the series, I have no doubt you will want to read this if only to hear Simon's conversation with Charlie toward the end of the book. It explains something profound about his nature.ARC from LibraryThing
    • 4/5
      Like the other Sophie Hannah books that I've read, this had a really creepy undertone throughout. She is very skilled at building suspense and maintaining the sinister atmosphere.
    • 4/5
      "Kind of Cruel" is a fitting title to my way of looking at things. Sophie Hannah has been messing with my mind for years now. That's why I was so excited to meet her in person recently (she is absolutely charming and has wonderful stories about how or why she chose various things in her books). She's a sneaky one--sometimes leaving clues out to help you or distract you, sometimes she pops in with a game changing new twist, and she always keeps you guessing until the very last sentence in the book (she said "well, that's rather my job, isn't it?"). Kind of cruel, right? While this book is #7 in a series, all the books stand pretty well on their own. If you haven't read her before, get started. If you are already a fan, you'll be very happy with this new book.
    • 5/5
      A scary and superbly written mystery thriller. Kind of Cruel is a gripping page-turner that will suck you in from the first scene and not let you go you until it reaches its stunning conclusion. Great characters! It's a seventh novel by this marvelous and creative writer and she is a name to be reckoned with!This book was definitely a five star mystery. This story compels you to continue reading being drawn into the life of this woman. It's very, very well written. Like a rollercoaster ride. ...you know you're gonna be scared but aww the thrill was worth it. I would highly recommend it!
    • 5/5
      British women mystery novelists have never been better - at least for readers who enjoy telling psychological insight, twisted plots - and characters -, and novelists who probe beneath the surface to explore the human psyche. Tana French, Jane Casey, SJ Bolton, Kate Rhodes, and Denise Mina are noteworthy practitioners of this best-selling literary art, and at the head of pack is Sophie Hannah.Hannah's novels, as evidenced by her latest, "Kind of Cruel," are character rather than plot driven. They are more novels than mystery stories; or if they're mysteries, it's the mysteries of the human soul that are being probed. And while on one level they're police procedurals even cops Charlotte Zailer and Simon Waterhouse come to the reader with their own complex histories.Briefly, 'Kind of Cruel' is set around the visit Amber Hewerdine makes to a hypnotherapist while seeking a cure for her insomnia. She has lost a close friend, and has accepted the responsibility of rearing the woman's two children. And now she finds it impossible to sleep. Yet, while under hypnosis, Amber hears herself muttering "kind, cruel, kind of cruel," seemingly random words that are linked to an earlier murder. Enter Zailer and Waterhouse.Be warned: Hannah's novel are often dark. There are no pat solutions and at times the human hearts displayed are stone cold. But as Zailer and Waterhouse struggle to find justice for the victim, Hannah also gives the reader hope that there is good to balance life's darkness.This school of fiction will not appeal to all; but it does serve well those who are willing to look deep into modern life. (A review copy was provided by the publisher.)
    • 4/5
      Other reviewers have made better work of synopsizing the story line in Kind of Cruel so I won't go into that. Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this latest Sophie Hannah mystery; in fact, thought it was one of her better outings. I have a strong appreciation for twisted psychological plots and the diagnosis in this tale is one I'm particularly interested in which only added to my enjoyment of the story. I am somewhat saddened by the number of first time Hannah readers here who were confused by or simply disliked this book because the main character in this one (apart from Charlie, Simon and crew) is one of my very favorites; Amber Hewerdine is truly someone I'd like to sit down and have a beer with. Too bad she's a fictional character.I will say that I think Charlie Zailer and Simon Waterhouse are just about the most bizarre couple I can think of and, rather than their relationship being the thread that ties the books together, I try to ignore them! This time around their strangeness seemed well tempered by that of their more-crazed-than-usual boss, the Snowman, aka Giles Proust. But despite being peopled by some very strange continuing characters, Sophie Hannah's books are delights for mystery lovers and highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      Sophie Hannah always writes a gripping novel and this book is no exception. The main character Amber is both strong-minded and very mysterious, and you quickly become entangled in her life and the oddities of what's going on. The first three-quarters of the story is frankly a tour-de-force in how to write psychological thrillers, and it's only in the latter stages that there are some mis-steps and events and attitudes that simply don't fit. It's almost as if the puzzle Hannah sets up so very well is quite simply so enigmatic that it's impossible to unravel, in a reasonable way.I first began getting second thoughts about the book's perfection when Amber's foster daughters invent a childhood game which everyone seems strangely shocked about. The game - which explains the book's title - is depicted as being something so off-kilter and judgemental that the unfortunate girls must be punished for it - and are themselves oddly frightened about admitting it. Well, to me, the game seemed to be just a bit of fun and - even as adults - something we all do ourselves, if only secretly. Heck, I certainly do! Either this means I'm a judgemental psychotic with no human compassion (say nothing here, please ...), or Hannah is making a huge mountain out of a very, very tiny molehill. Oh well.The other aspect of these books I'm getting irritated (and rather bored) with is the relationship between the two detectives, Simon and Charlie, who are now married to each other. It seems to be stuck in some kind of strange twisted rut and I'm beginning to find them a bit dull, and Simon is certainly becoming pompous, at the very least. They both seriously need to get over themselves, and the other more normal detectives are much more approachable and interesting. I found myself skipping over the Simon/Charlie sections in order to get back to Amber or the other detectives.Still, there's an excellent use of the hypnotherapist, Ginny, who grows in stature throughout the story - even though she didn't ever act like a professional therapist at any level. A fascinating character though. So, all in all, a good read, especially the first three-quarters, but don't expect the solution to the mystery will fully satisfy you.
    • 3/5
      I like Sophie Hannah's series of crime novels set in the fictitious Culver Valley in England. They do follow a pattern, which doesn't inhibit my enjoyment of them. Sometimes a solidly written and plotted escapist novel is no bad thing. That said, in this installment, the puzzling occurrence that sets the book in motion is so convoluted that instead of intriguing me, it made me roll my eyes. Hannah stills pulls off a convincing explanation, but it took her longer to suck me into the story because of the beginning. Kind of Cruel centers around a prickly, opinionated woman named Amber, who is suffering from extreme insomnia. She becomes tied into a murder investigation that had stalled out through her recognition of a phrase that had been found on a scrap of paper at the murder site. As the police try to find the connection between Amber and the dead woman, Amber is desperate to find answers of her own to a family secret and another murder. Despite the rocky start, I enjoyed this book. Despite the focus of each book being largely on the mystery, it is a series that is probably best read in order, with the relationships between the continuing characters being utterly incomprehensible otherwise.
    • 4/5
      Kind of Cruel is a complex mystery by British author Sophie Hannah. It’s an interesting book in that it has absolutely no sympathetic characters, but a very compelling mystery that moves the story along. Kind of Cruel demands that you pay close attention because it is told in shifting first person narratives, and the characters lie not only to themselves but to you as well. The themes are especially interesting, with subtle emotional abuse and the damage it takes on people well into their adulthood and how it affects their personal development and interpersonal relations. The mystery of the murders, and a mysterious christmas disappearance and reappearance by several family members years ago are extremely intriguing and hidden behind a wall of unreliable memories and subconcious inferences. The unraveling of the mysteries and the unwinding of the memories are both fascinating.There are a number of red herrings that may turn off some people, and a complete cadre of fairly unlikeable characters. While unlikeable, they are interesting and the ultimate payoff is both satisfying and a little chilling. Recommended read.I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book.
    • 4/5
      Amber Hewerdine was losing sleep, and it really wasn’t surprising.Her best friend died in an arson attack, the arsonist had never been identified, and now Amber and her husband, Luke, were bringing up her friend’s two young daughters.An incident that happened at a family Christmas spent in a holiday cottage was still troubling her. Luke’s sister, her husband and their two young sons disappeared on Christmas day, not returning until the next morning when the refused to give any explanation of what had happened.And things got worse. When Amber took positive action to deal with her insomnia, visiting a psychotherapist, she found herself under arrest. ‘Kind, cruel, kind of cruel,’ she said. She didn’t know what it meant, where the words came from, they just came into her head.The impression of those words had been found on a notepad in the room where Katherine Allen had been found, beaten to death with an iron bar. The police had no idea what they meant.That’s how Sophie Hannah set up another fiendishly complicated mystery.She gave it a few clever twists, and then she offered up a solution that was entirely credible but pretty unguessable. I realised about two-thirds of the way through the book who the murderer would probably be. And I was right, but I couldn’t put all of the pieces of the puzzle into place until the very end of the book.I loved watching those pieces fall into place.There were one or two niggles but they were more than made up for by many, many wonderful things. I’m not mentioning specifics, because they really aren’t things you’d want to know before you read the book.I loved observing the characters. They weren’t overly likeable, but they were interesting, believable and complex. Real, three-dimensional human beings.And there was none of the slight feeling of ennui I’ve experienced once or twice with Sophie Hannah’s leading ladies: Amber was definitely a one-off. She was an intelligent woman; she was a professional; she’d clearly worked to build a strong relationship with the daughters she inherited ; she had with strong – and sometimes unconventional – opinions, and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, though she understood that sometimes it was wiser not to… A great character.I was enthralled by some wonderful dialogue: between Amber and her two girls, between Amber and the Spilling detectives, between Amber and her usually warm but sometimes spiky sister-in law, Jo.There were times when I could have happily just followed those conversations even if there had been no mystery to be resolved.The stories of the various members of the Spilling police force evolved nicely, and the mix of their story, Amber’s story and the psychotherapists’ narrative worked very well.I’m a little tired though of the troubled relationship between Simon and Charlie though, and I think it’s time to call a halt. It’s become a little tiresome, and it so clearly isn’t going to work out.Otherwise though Sophie Hannah was at the top of her game, and Kind of Cruel was pretty much perfect.An intriging puzzle and a psychological thriller perfectly balanced.And all I have left to say is – MORE PLEASE!
    • 4/5
      Kind of Cruel by Sophie Hannah psychological thriller in every sense of the word. The story follows Amber, Jo, their respective families, and various other secondary characters in a complex web of secrets that revolves around the limits of cruelty people can test. The twists and turns throughout the story are compelling devouring each page to find out how threads connect together. The reader learns much about narcissism and the use of hypnosis in getting to the bottom of what has really happened to the main protagonists. There is also much to be learned about the actions of parents and the affects of these actions on their children in years to come. It's an intricate story that can be slow at times, but is well worth the effort it takes to make it to the end.
    • 3/5
      Ultimately I liked the book but didn't love it. I found it hard to follow. It just wasn't a page turner for me! Not particularly crazy about any of the characters. I am usually a very fast reader but actually skipped whole pages that were just too messy in its prose.
    • 4/5
      I love reading Sophie Hannah's books, even though I feel I should object to them, since the women are always crazy dangerous. I don't read her for high literature or anything other than pure enjoyment, like eating an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting (which I would not do, but I would and have read a Hannah book through in one day), so take this review on that level.Kind of Cruel fully satisfied my Hannah craving, and being an Early Reviewer made it taste even better. The plot is one of Hannah's usual weird contrivances--no straight murders for Sophie Hannah. If you're looking for a lot of action with Charlie and Simon, however, you won't get too much; their relationship is the tantalizing bit of string readers follow from book to book. Hannah could title her mysteries the "Home Is Where the Hurting Is" series; faithful readers well know that we're always hurt by the ones we love.
    • 3/5
      I thought it was just me finding 'Kind of Cruel' EXTREMELY hard to follow. I am 2/3 through and it has been a chore. I am 71 so my memory is already challenged. But Wow. I will give my final feelings when I finish. I love a little crazy, but since I have a friend who's mind works like Ambers, this may be too close to home.I finished the book, actually I didn't cause I stopped reading before the end. I never like to give a bad review. They are just personal opinions, so for many this might be an enjoyable read. Just not for me.