The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

Publication: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Source: Publisher

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, and The Lying Game comes Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fourth novel. On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money. Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it. Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, this is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

Harriet Westaway (aka Hal)21 year old is a down on her luck tarot card reader living in London. After her mom died several years ago, things haven’t gone quite right for her. She lives in a tiny top flat and runs a booth on the pier where she reads palms and tarot cards. But she barely makes enough money to support herself. Worse yet, she has final bill notices coming in the mail and loan sharks paying her visits. Hal is the feeling pressure from all sides. All she needs is one break. She thinks she may have found it when a mysterious letter arrives from a solicitor stating that she could be heir to a fortune. Hal thinks there is a mix-up and they have the wrong person, but if anyone deserves this, it’s her. Right? Besides, what harm could it do?

Hal eventually makes her way to the imposing Trepassen house where she meets the family she pretends to be related to. Things seem to be going according to plan until Hal finds out that she is inheriting more than she bargained for. Now duping her new “family” just became a little bit harder and Hal’s conscience may get the best of her.

I enjoyed reading The Death of Mrs. Westaway. It was a fairly easy read. I loved the setting of this book. It was very atmospheric and intriguing. The story is told from Hal’s point of view for the most part. There are flashbacks sprinkled throughout the book, told from the POV of someone else. The flashbacks gave me a slight “Flowers in the Attic” vibe. I remember reading In a Dark, Dark Wood almost three years ago by the same author. That one I liked, but I would have to say for now, this one is my favorite between the two. Ruth Ware is great with words and knows a thing or two about how to set a proper tone for her books. I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.

RATING: 3½ out of 5.

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In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Publication: August 4, 2015

Publisher: Scout Press

Source: Purchased/Own

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.

In a Dark, Dark Wood was an atmospheric tale that held my interest from start to finish.

I always appreciate a good suspenseful thriller and this book happened to be just what I was looking for. I loved the setting of this story. Gloomy weather,  thick creepy woods, an out of place glass house and a group of people with secrets and hidden motives.

Nora is a successful crime writer whose past comes back to haunt her so to speak when she gets an invitation to attend a hen party(an English version of a bachelorette party). Clare, her old friend from school is getting married and it’s time to get together and have some fun. Or so she hopes.

She rides down with Nina, a mutual friend who was also invited. I can imagine the surprise and uncomfortable feeling with being invited to a hen party for a woman you haven’t seen in 10 years. But I liked how Nora just sucked it up and went regardless. It’s pretty obvious that Nora is keeping secrets. What it is and what kind of impact it will have remains to be seen. 

When Nora, Nina, Clare, her best friend Flo, and oddly enough her close guy friend Tom all gather in the glass house in the woods, the atmosphere turns a little creepy and suspenseful. Some of the characters acted very strangely. Alcohol did not help this bunch. Everyone was suspicious in my eyes. Unreliable narrators are becoming some of my favorites to read and Nora is a good unreliable narrator.

Ruth Ware created some very interesting and unique characters. This was a story were I did not anticipate the ending. I didn’t even come close to guessing it. Loved that. It felt like the story went on a little longer than was necessary, but I didn’t mind it too much. In a Dark, Dark Wood was a really enjoyable and entertaining read. Super easy to get into and the story was never boring.  I can hardly believe this is Ruth Ware’s first novel. I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next.

RATING: 3½ out of 5.

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