I'm not sure why, but this entire novel just felt a bit anti-climatic. It starts with good intentions, but so many elements of the plot fold together, and few actually get paid off, until you're left with a bit of a mess of a thriller. Undeniably, there is an homage to Agatha Christie in amongst these pages- the secluded house, the hazy mysteries of the past coming back to haunt the present, the fractured family- but it doesn't have the same satisfaction that a Christie mystery does. Some have said this is Ware's best book so far, but I beg to differ. At times, the novel felt lacking and more often than not, played on cliché and weird plot lines to make things seem more confusing. Nothing truly significant happens until the last 20% of the book, which doesn't exactly make for a gripping read. Even then, the twist that is chosen isn't exactly one that seems clever, just a little out of left field. The writing was good and I'm sure many others would enjoy this type of quick, by the numbers thriller, but sadly, this one didn't really hit the spot for me.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one as I didn’t enjoy Ruth’s previous novel. I’m happy to say this was a good solid tale and I enjoyed it overall. I still think it lacks something of the author’s first two novels however, both of which I loved.

As an inquisitive reader I did not want to put this book down as I needed to know why the grandmother made the will. The story was well paced and the information was fed to the reader in a perfect way. I made my mind up about Hal’s father and mother fairly early on but despite this I was not able to calculate the depth of the story. At the end I silently asked myself what would I have done had I received that letter?
I loved the intrigue throughout and the family discord that appeared to be neatly wrapped up n the ending.. the characters were complex but the descriptions given by Ruth brought them to life and the whole situation felt very real.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I love Ruth Ware’s books! There hasn’t been one I haven’t enjoyed, and this one is no exception. Gripping, questioning, suspenseful, and beautifully written, I found myself easily dragged into the story and consumed by its intricacies. Her writing style is so easy to read, it flows like liquid gold through my mind as I flip page after page.

I found myself thinking I’d figured it out but then questioning again and again what I thought I knew. And what an ending.

Fabulous read! 5 stars!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this new offering from Ruth Ware. Highly atmospheric, with plenty of twists and turns. Had me totally hooked throughout. Highly recommend.

Hal is really up against it; her mother has died and she has the debt collectors threatening her with violence. A letter invites her to come to a funeral in Cornwall of an unknown relative. She decides to go along and see if there is any chance of some inheritance.

Well things aren't quite as she would have wanted in deep, dark Cornwall. This book is a bit of a mixture of Mary Wesley with the Cornish family, Kate Morton with the hidden secret and Agatha Christie for the whodunnit.

There is a fair amount of to-ing and fro-ing before the ending comes punching it's way to climax. Some of the family set up and treatment of the 'poor orphan cousin' seemed more suited to 1895 than 1995, and I have not seen a bitter, scheming housekeeper for a long while - but hey, it is an enjoyable thriller so why be picky?

Well-written thriller that slowly turns up the pressure until you fear for the protagonist's safety. I enjoyed the descriptions of Brighton and tarot readings. All the clues to the mystery are laid out and I was able to deduce the culprit and some of the twists although motive was tricky. I think this would make a good mystery series as the protagonist, Hal, has a lot of potential and would make a charming sleuth.

Thank you Netgalley..

Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. Realizing 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.

Well, I liked the book but I didn't love it. I love Ruth Ware's previous books and was expecting for the same but I didn't.

It was easy reading but not my favourite

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2335337973

Hal (Harriet) is a sad young woman who reads Tarot cards in a booth on Brighton Pier. Things are becoming desperate for Hal. She is trying to make ends meet but tarot pays so little. She is barely able to pay her rent and is in deep trouble with a violent loan shark. Then out of the blue Hal receives a letter informing her that she has received a legacy in her late grandmother's will. Though the details don't seem to add up Hal dares to believe that the legacy may mean an end to her problems. In fact they are only just beginning.

I enjoyed this book with it's gloomy Gothic mansion setting and family secrets so dark that they may be worth killing for. But the story is a little predictable, even though there are a few red herrings thrown in, and it does lag pace for a while in the middle pages. Overall though it is an entertaining read with a very atmospheric setting and a fantastic main character.

The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware was so good that I could no put it down and read it in one day. Hal who is living hand to mouth and has no family receives a letter telling her that her grandmother has died. The lawyer has enclosed the details of the funeral arrangements and the reading of the will. Hal does not believe that the letter has been sent to the right person but decides to go anyway as this may be a way out of her financial situation. This book is very creepy and parts sent shivers down my spine as Hal tries to work out what her relationship to this family really is.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Death of Mrs Westaway is a page turner and it had me hooked right away. Fabulously well written creepy story, wonderfully atmospheric with a gripping narrative. This is one of those books that kept me reading into the early hours as I was so involved with the story.
Ruth Ware is a magnificent story teller, the whole story is perfectly paced and the atmosphere the author creates is exceptional, it’s absolutely impossible to tear yourself away.
I love all of Ruth Ware's books, but this one, in my opinion, is her best yet. Stands out from the crowd of psychological thrillers, highly recommended.

I’ve enjoyed previous books by this author but not so much this one . I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and found it at times dreary.
Glad I had the opportunity to read it though!

Harriet Westaway, called Hal, is broke, totally broke. When she receives a letter stating that her grandmother has died and she is to inherit a substantial sum, this seems to be the solution to all her problems. Yet: the dead woman simply cannot be her grandmother. They share the same last name, but all the dates on the birth certificates show that there must have been a mistake. Nevertheless, she travels to Cornwall to the funeral where she meets “her family”: Harding, Abel and Ezra – presumably her mother Maud’s brothers. Before Maud died three years ago, she never spoke of neither her family nor Hal’s father, she and her mother were all family she had and now, she got three uncles and their families. Hal feels uncomfortable betraying them, even though they apparently do much better in life than she herself and they easily could do without a couple of pounds. But more than the nagging bad conscience she senses that the old mansion, Trepassen, she is staying at has some secrets to hide – especially the deceased Mrs Westaway’s servant Mrs Warren seems to know something she does not want to share – and she recognises Hal. How could that be?

I have read several of Ruth Ware’s novels and I like that she always finds a completely new story and that you are not reminded of any former books – a problem of so many authors who seem to write the same novel over and over again. Even though Ware has become famous for her psychological thrillers, I wouldn’t classify “The Death of Mrs Westaway” as one, for me it is rather a suspenseful family drama without the big thrill but a lot of secrets and mysteries.

What I liked especially was the setting of the old house in which all the secrets have lain buried for two decades. The floor boards creak when you walk on them, there is an old study with masses of books and you can hear the wind howl. Plus, the secretive family who is not very open and welcoming to the stranger and who surely does not want any old stories to be uncovered.

For her protagonist, Ruth Ware has chosen a very unique character. A young orphaned woman is not that rare in those kinds of novels, however, Hal is a tarot reader and has a special capacity of reading people – in order to tell them what they want to hear. She herself does not believe in the cards as fortune-tellers, they are much more providing guidance and concentration at the facts at hand.

The story itself is captivating immediately since you anxiously wait until Hal’s deliberate deception is revealed and she is thrown-out. Then you realise that things might be a bit more complicated and the further you get, the more pieces of the puzzle appear leading to a new picture.

There are many small aspects which make the novel absolutely outstanding, first of all the title which seems so simple since you know right from the start that a certain Mrs Westaway has died. Yet, at the end, there is much more to this than you might have guessed at first. Second, Harriet has a tattoo of a magpie, a reference to her mother and closely linked to Trepassen – which is a corruption of the Cornish word for magpie farm. She calls herself “Hal” which is also the name of the goddess of death in Norse mythology and whom the magpies served.

All in all, a captivating read in which it is worth looking at the details.

A mystery with no domestic violence, no child abuse, no graphic violence, sexual assault, no wives looking out of the window! Finally, a thriller that doesn't make you feel bad with the content.
I loved Ruth Ware's new book to bits. It was very atmospheric, that you feel in the middle of the setting. She engaged me from the beginning till the end. It was not only the mystery I was following, but I was enjoying her beautiful writing as well.
I also liked the fact that it was also a feminist book with many strong women characters in it, our protagonist being one of them. The book hooks you from the beginning and gives you tips all through the way and you wreck your brain to find out the mystery. It’s very cleverly set up and there are no loose ends. So, she tied up everything well in the end.
I really can’t fault this book, I enjoyed it a lot. It’s definitely one of my favourite thriller recommendations of the year.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Always been a little tempted by Ruth’s work and this was my first go ,I did enjoy it ,there are not many characters so you can keep up ,not too hard who was behind things but u are quite into hens story u not that fussed
Was a bit confused with the names and maybe author was too ,kept shipping about between a variety of M starting letter names an just when I’d got it I’d get a bit confused Maggie Maude Magdalena etc
Not a hugely complex novel or layered but did give a good enough atmosphere and I really felt for Maggie .
Worth a read and I may well tuck into another one of hers
Thanks a lot netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this

I love the bleakness in Ware's novels. I love her independent female protagonists, they don't need a man to rely on, or solve their problems, a lot different than the usual damsel in distress.
The Death of Mrs Westaway was an exceptionally well-written book. We follow the story of Hal, crushed by her mother's sudden death she's trying to make a living inheriting her Tarot reading business on Brighton pier, until a letter changes her life forever. She's been pulled into an inheritance drama, which takes her to miles away from Brighton to misty Cornwall where a grand mansion full of magpies, lies, secrets and the reality about her mum's past awaits her...
The story was bleak and the gothic atmosphere was as magical as Cornwall's foggy mornings. Blending Tarot reading into this story was genius. I loved the ending and definitely didn't see the 'main' surprise coming.

Ruth Ware doesn't disappoint. I've read all her books since In a Dark Dark Wood and looking forward for the next one out. A 5 star mystery / thriller with quality writing, solid characters and flawless plot line.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy reading everything Ruth Ware creates.
This story had a really interesting premise, but I felt that the build up was a bit slow. The twist was predictable and not that surprising at all.
I enjoyed the book, but it could have been better.

This is the second book that I have read recently where the house it was set in felt like an extra character. I don’t think many readers will wish they lived in Trespassen with its gloomy, sinister feel. The main character is Hal (Harriet) and I’m sad to say I just couldn’t take to her. We seemed to be privy to her every waking thought and it was just too much for me. Perhaps the age difference between us was too great and younger readers may fair better. Overall it is a good story, very atmospheric and with a few surprises.

How much do I love the books of Ruth Ware? Let me count the ways...the well plotted stories that never let up, the almost gothic sense of menace behind the everyday occurences and the relatable protagonists are a good place to start!
'The death of Mrs Westaway' reminded me of a cross between 'Rebecca' and 'Peril at End House' by Agatha Chrisite. Alternating between Cornwall and Brighton, young Harriet(Hal)Westaway is an end of the pier tarot card reader. Broke, orphaned and being chased by loan sharks, the arrival of a letter informing her that her grandmother has died and she is a beneficiary of the will, comes like a blessing.
But as she looks for evidence to prove she is the granddaughter of Mrs Westaway, how long can she convince the rest of the family that she isn't a golddigger? What happens when she starts to think that she has found the family she has always been looking for? Who scratched 'Help me' into the glass of the attic window,why were the bolts on the outside of the attic door and why does the housekeeper hate her so much?
A riveting book with twists and turns that keep you going to the very last page, this is going to be another success for Ruth Ware!

I've read all of Ruth Ware's books and loved this one as much as the others. I started off thinking how's Hal going to get out of the deception if found out, but off course it wasn't going to be as straight forward as that, and the mystery of her mother and father and family kept me reading and guessing.
Recommended read.