Book: in a dark, dark wood
Author: Ruth Ware
Pages: 308
Genre: thriller
Rating: 9/10
Who should read this book: thriller fans, thriller newbies
You know when you’re watching a scary movie and you know who the killer is but the characters don’t and you’re yelling at the TV for these people to clue in! This book is kind of like that. Now I don’t watch a lot of scary movies unless I’ve got my hubs next to me and my dog on the other side and I’m hugging a pillow, all for protection of course. But I do like scary books because if it scares me too much I can pull a Joey and put it in the freezer for a bit.
This was my first Ruth Ware novel, she came highly recommended by my thriller loving friends on Bookstagram @notsotwentysomething and @watchthisreadthat. Not only did I love this book, but before I even finished it, I had gone out and bought three more of her books! So that right there should be enough testament to read one or all of her books.
Writing – 2/2 points: Ruth Ware can write you guys. The suspense was perfect, the timing was great, the dialogue was authentic, the confusion was annoying, every emotion I felt while reading this book, was because she wanted me to. I’m reading The Woman in Cabin 10 next. When I find an author that I really like, I binge!
Hook – 2/2 points: The hook was fantastic. The MC page 1, is running through a forest in the dark, barefoot, bleeding and probably running for her life. Some assistance was given to Ruth Ware by the fact that when I started this book, I was hanging in a hammock in the middle of a dark wood, with no cell phone signal… It scared the crap out of me! The book gets less scary and more mystery as you go. But what a hook!
Plot – 2/2 points: The plot was really interesting. The MC Leonora, is invited to a hen party (bacherlorette party here, the book is based in England), for an old highschool friend that she hasn’t talked to in years. She doesn’t want to go but her other friend convinces her to. The hen party is happening at the Maid of Honour’s Aunt’s cottage. A big glass house in the middle of the woods. As soon as she gets there, it’s weird. The people assembled for the hen party are all suspicious, and each has their own strangeness. There are two timelines as you read. Leonora in a hospital with cops guarding her door and asking her to remember what happened. We get the story of the weekend as she remembers and tries to figure out what happened, because all she knows is that someone is dead, but she can’t remember who.
Twist – 1/2 points: As the characters developed I decided I knew who the killer was, I always do this during a thriller, or mystery (book or movie), because I like to feel like a know-it-all. The kicker is, I want to be wrong. I want the author to shock me. I was right about the killer, but I had no idea what the motive was. So Ruth Ware gets 50% because the motive is crazy and I did not see it coming.
Feel – 2/2 points: This book was a whirlwind of emotion and drama. Almost every character is a DRAMA QUEEN. I was rolling my eyes and laughing at all of them. It was like watching a reality TV show. It was so ridiculous, I couldn’t look away. The players in this murder mystery were all locked up together in a glass case of emotion (Anchorman), spiraling downward quickly and the end result is a murder. It was amazing!
To all thriller fans, I highly recommend this book, and this author. I’m looking forward to reading more of her books. I think also this would be a good intro thriller for people who don’t often read them.
Happy Reading!
Read With Angie 