In a Dark, Dark Wood

I love all things Ruth Ware

When the story opens, you wonder what happened to put the main character in such a state. As the plot unfolds, you begin to doubt this poor girl has any actual friends at all. I was absorbed in this book from the beginning until the very end. As the story circled around, I was on the edge of my seat. I can see me buying all of Ruth Ware’s books.

This book is about a woman who attends a bridal shower for a friend she lost contact with years ago. She agrees to go because another mutual friend is coming with her. The bride is marrying her former boyfriend from high school. The setting is a country house owned by another friend of the bride who the narrator has never met but is the shower host. The groom gets killed when he surprises the bride but the narrator doesn’t think it was an accident.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware is the kind of book where you have a difficult time determining a rating. I had never read any of the author’s novels until about a year ago, and since then, I’ve read them all–this being the final one, even though it is an early book of hers. While there is nothing bad about it, there is also nothing that stood out. Had I read this one first, I wouldn’t have continued reading… not because I didn’t like it… but because it was too ordinary.

Let’s start with the plot–a hen party. Okay, never been to one, read a lot and saw a lot on tv. I totally get the concept. But… Nora, who’s changed her name, which is never a good sign if you are trying to start anew yet agree to visit a friend from over a decade ago–I get it, some call me Jay, some call me James… we all need a different identity at times–but Nora, formerly Lee, agrees to go to the bachelorette party for a former friend she didn’t really like all that much. A secret comes out. One guest leaves. Murder happens. Whodunit? (P.S. sorry for that major run-on sentence… I’m dabbling in different review styles these days, and instead of formal, I went stream of conscious here.)

In terms of plot, it wasn’t very strong compared to the other books. Also, one of the six guests just left and we hardly heard from her again. I barely understood how they were all friends. And since I shouldn’t give away spoilers, I’d just say that there were a bunch of open holes in terms of how this group came together. It felt like half a plot was created, and none of the fleshed out story points for the side details were focused on. I am a very forgiving reader, but this had way too many that could’ve been used as clever plot devices or red herrings.

The characters were boring and flat, and I hardly liked anything about them. When I add all this together, I found myself skimming a lot. Then something suspenseful would happen and draw me back in. I think this was the writer’s initial foray into a serious thriller novel, and it worked on some levels, failed on others. Usually, at this point, I forgive indie writers because they don’t have the backing of a publishing house with editors and agents who can guide their authors from a C to a B+ or A- grading. For indies, they often have no money nor fans yet either, but in this case, someone should’ve stopped the book and said “Hey, we can make this stronger.”

That said, the author is clearly talented, and I like how her mind works. I enjoy the writing style (easy, accessible, not overly flowy). In the end, when the plot came together, I was a little surprised at some pieces, so I bounced back and forth on ratings. Compared to her other books, I was disappointed, so I ended up with an average rating of 3. I’ll still read her next novel, but I wouldn’t recommend this to a newbie in her list of books as a starter.

Story: I picked up In a Dark, Dark Wood in Target because of the cover, but this quote is what actually sucked me in “What should be a cozy and fun-filled weekend deep in the English countryside takes a sinister turn in Ruth Ware’s suspenseful, compulsive, and darkly twisted psychological thriller.” I downloaded it from Audible the moment I got home and started listening to it that day. I was instantly hooked. I’d never listened to an audiobook narrated by Imogen Church but she, like Ruth Ware, draws you in and leaving you wanting more. In a Dark, Dark Wood is a great book with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Even when I thought I had a clue, I didn’t––well, not completely. That, in my humble opinion, is a great read!

Audiobook Performance: This was my first audiobook with Imogen Church as the narrator and it most certainly won’t be my last. In fact, so far I’ve listened to four books with her voicing the characters. She’s BEYOND amazing! Imogen does a fantastic job drawing you into the story with her vocal characterization. I can see why Ruth Ware uses her for all her audiobooks.

Overall: I give In a Dark, Dark Wood **FIVE*STARS** on all points. In fact, I liked it so much I bought a paperback copy to display on my bookshelf. 😀 Buy the book in your preferred format, you won’t be disappointed.

Engaging and thrilling from the first page to the last.

Her best.

Very worthwhile

A solid thriller, I would recommend it.

Overall, a compelling read. The writing is crisp, the plotting surpentine, the pacing mostly solid, a little stodgy in places. The ending wasn’t a huge surprise and stretched credibility a bit, but a satisfying close in a tough genre.