In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press
Publish Date: 8/4/2015
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover, ebook
ISBN: 9781501112317

My Review:
This was one crazy and suspenseful ride.  If you pick this up, be prepared to read it until you are finished.  It is that good.  I didn't get to read it in one sitting but when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about what I had read and what could possibly happen next. And then I would try and figure out what the twist would be. That made the book even better.

The characters.  Nora is our main character and the book goes from the present which is after the hen party and flashes back to before and during the hen party. It was obvious from the start that something bad has happened.  The problem is Nora can't remember what happened or what role she may have played in it.  I liked Nora; she's a somewhat reclusive writer who has a past that is hinted at through the book.  Nora was very well-developed as the main character and I enjoyed getting to know her.  I also enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect. That is always fun for me because it keeps me guessing and has me questioning all I thought I knew about the main character. The other characters are Nina, Mel, Thomas, Flo, who hosts the party and of course Claire, who is the bride-to-be.  I really felt like I got to know each character and it felt like I was at the hen party right there with them.  If I had to pick a second-favorite character it would be Nina.  I loved her sarcastic, witty personality.  I liked how she loved deeply and cared for others even through her tough exterior.

The plot was amazing.  While the character development moved things along as the six acquaintances get to know one-another, the plot starts speeding along to what I knew would be an exciting climax/plot twist.  And I was not disappointed.  Did I guess what would happen, I did try and I got part of it right, but the twist was very "dark and twisty" (to coin a Grey's Anatomy phrase).  It was awesome, it was exciting and I enjoyed the ride through the whole book. I found the plot very believable.  I wouldn't want it to happen to me for sure, but I could definitely see it happening.

If you love gothic, psychological-thriller-type books then In a Dark, Dark Wood is just the book for you.  I loved this.  The plot kept me entertained, the characters felt like friends (or frenemies) and I enjoyed every minute of the book.  Ruth Ware can spin a tale and she has spun a great one with this book.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

Summary

Someone's getting married. Someone's getting murdered.

In a dark, dark wood

Nora hasn't seen Clare for ten years. Not since Nora walked out of school one day and never went back.

There was a dark, dark house

Until, out of the blue, an invitation to Clare’s hen do arrives. Is this a chance for Nora to finally put her past behind her?

And in the dark, dark house there was a dark, dark room

But something goes wrong. Very wrong.

And in the dark, dark room....

Some things can’t stay secret for ever

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Author Biography

Ruth Ware grew up in Sussex, on the south coast of England. After graduating from Manchester University she moved to Paris, before settling in North London. She has worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language and a press officer. She is married with two small children, and In a Dark, Dark Wood is her début thriller.

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***I received this book through Netgalley for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free. My links for Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. ***