The book started off fairly compelling, but as it went on it begun to feel like the protagonist was making mistakes or believing false information that were inexcusably naive, even for someone in her state of deteriorating health. That combined with the heavy reliance on technological warfare, which I do not understand very well, made this a 3-star book for me.

This book is great for fans of The Fugitive! There was enough tech speak to help readers understand what was going on without being utterly confused. There were times I felt anxious, frustrated, and devastated in all the best ways. I was hooked from the start and while one part of the resolution was not 100% clear, the ending was more than satisfying.

Thank you to Ruth Ware and NetGalley for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of this book!

Wow. This book had me gripped from the very start. Was it always believable? Not really. Was it entertaining? Absolutely. I loved the badass, Jack. She didn't take crap from anyone and I loved her attitude of taking things into her own hands. I really enjoyed this one and loved how Ruth Ware set up the story and wrapped everything up at the end. All the stars.

A wild thrill ride! I don't agree with Mr & Mrs Smith meets the fugitive. Maybe Macgyver meets the fugitive. After Jack's husband is murdered and she becomes the prime suspect, she goes on the run to find the real killer. Action packed, Jack has no one she can fully trust. A different kind of book for Ruth. Though, I preferred her previous suspense novels, this was a great book,

<i> Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. </i>

<i> Zero Days </i> by Ruth Ware is about a woman named Jacintha (Jack) Cross who is on the run from the police after being accused of her husband's murder. Fans of the movie <i> Fugitive </i> will enjoy this, but I'll admit I was a little let down by this Ware release. I'm glad she's trying new things (we had a Gothic thriller from her, three tech-y thrillers, an Agatha Chrisite-esque snowed-in locked room thriller, and now this—an action-packed suspense novel), but its structure was too repetitive to be enjoyable. I found myself multiple times throughout the reading experience wishing for it to end. This one would make a better movie than book, as the plot and characters didn't suffer as much as the writing.

This ultimately got a 3 star instead of the 2 star I originally wanted to give it because I really did find myself liking the main character and rooting for her. I recommend going with the audiobook for this one over physically reading (Imogen Church would have gotten me through this much faster!)

The book started off strong, though a bit confusing. It was a lot of technology language right off the bat but then it leveled out as we got into the real meat of the story: who murdered Jack's husband Gabe?

You knew immediately that the police was going to try to pin this on Jack, especially after she's interviewed multiple times and it starts to be clear that she might be being framed. But who would frame her for Gabe's murder? It didn't make any sense to the reader or to Jack...

The rest of the book is filled with technological language that was deeply confusing. I started skimming the technology and computer packed pages because I just didn't feel like it was that central to the plot nor did it make any sense to me as a reader.

I was also deeply irritated by Jack; everything she was doing was so ridiculous. Why did she run? Why didn't she just call her lawyer like her sister told her too? It was very annoying and just not the way things would happen in the real world.

I was also very annoyed by the way Ware wrote Jack's injuries. She was running ragged by the end of the book with so many horrific injuries, such as sepsis and I'm supposed to believe she was running all around London, jumping out of trains and going days without eating or drinking anything and she's fine? It was so far fetched and took me out of the setting of the book.

There was also the subject of Jack's abusive cop ex-boyfriend; I didn't think that was a necessary subplot to add to the book. It felt oddly placed and didn't add anything to the real story of discovering the murderer.

The writing was of course, wonderful, as Ruth Ware is a talented writer. My issue was not with the writing or even the plot but the way we strayed so fast from what I think could've been a really interesting story. It was also slightly predictable or maybe it was just obvious but I called who the real suspect was in the middle of the book.

In all, I think if you're looking for a true crime, run of the mill thriller don't reach for Zero Days. If you want something more intricate, more detailed and different from the other thrillers on the book market, you might like Zero Days!

Once again Ruth Ware has delivered - but this time her best book yet. Fast paced and a real page turner. Modern cyber-vibe that really entertained!

Blog:
Ruth Ware, often called the modern day Agatha Christie, drops a new thriller just in time for summer. This one features the fascinating world of penetration testers. What is a penetration tester, you ask? Someone companies hire to test their security. You may have heard of an “ethical hacker.” This is the same thing. Although, in the case of the book, the testing of security systems includes their physical systems. The title even alludes to a cybersecurity thing.

Jack, a talented reformed pickpocket, does the physical security testing, and Gabe, her husband, does the ethical hacking. The book opens with them working on a job, which provides delightful action sequences before the inciting incident of his murder. When she comes home and finds him dead, she gets sucked into a wave of grief that makes her oblivious to the warning signs she’s being framed. These are clear to the reader, and to her sister as well, which was a nice touch. Soon, Jack is on the run, with the dual goal of clearing her name and identifying her husband’s killer to bring him/them to justice.

The pacing of this thriller is solid. I was engrossed and wanted to find out what happened. Making Jack a penetration tester gives valid reasons for her skills at evading the police while also investigating the murder. She’s also easy to like and root for. The scenes of her evading the pervasive panopticon in London reminded me of a favorite book of mine, The Traveler (review). Those were among my favorite.

Two plot choices annoyed me. They’re spoilers, so highlight the following text to read.

Gabe’s best friend kissing Jack felt out of character for both of them. I think it was supposed to be a clue to the reader not to trust him, but I already didn’t trust him. It was obvious from Jack saying that her sister didn’t use emojis like that on the phone that he set up for the two of them that this meant it was him on the phone. It was unnecessary and made it difficult for me to get over and like Jack again. I know sometimes grieving widows reach out in this way, and it’s not my place to judge, but it felt like a plot device more than a character choice. The other thing I disliked was that Jack is surprise pregnant at the end. Jack was suicidally depressed before she found out she was pregnant as she felt totally alone without her husband. (Even though her sister was very much involved the whole time, even getting arrested to help her.) In any case, the pregnancy being what it takes to snap Jack out of depression because now she has someone to live for really rubbed me the wrong way. Why couldn’t Jack have figured out that she should live and live well because that’s what we’re meant to do to the best of our abilities? Also, children don’t replace the spouse who passed away. That person is still gone. I get it that people feel like a legacy lives on in children, but to just snap out of suicidally depressed grief over a pregnancy doesn’t mean she properly processed her grief in any way, shape, or form. She’s now just living for the child in the way that she, apparently, was just living for Gabe before.

Overall, this is a fun, quick thriller perfect for a summer read.

GoodReads:
I was thrilled!

Check out my full review.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

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A fun, quick thriller perfect for a summer read. A new widow puts her professional security testing skills to work to discover who really killed her husband when she realizes she’s being framed for the crime.
Leave a comment, and I’ll direct link you to my full review!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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I really enjoyed Zero Days by Ruth Ware. Such an action packed book from start to finish! It definitely gave off Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes. All of these fugitive characters are well developed and complex. Unlike most of her other novels, there is no big twist or shocking revelation. The ending was great, and wrapped up the end of this story perfectly.

It's a very Ruth Ware summer for me -- I've now read all her books except The Lying Game. For other fanatics, my favorites are The Death of Mrs. Westaway and The Turn of the Key. Both are more "Christie-esque" in their play on the 'everyone in one big house' trope.

Zero Days was almost the opposite. Our main character, Jack, abandons her home and becomes a fugitive early in the plot, and she can't go home until she figures out who murdered her husband and clears her own name as the prime suspect.

Like many other reviewers, I figured out who the bad guy was very early on. This is atypical for me with Ruth Ware books! I wish there had been a bit more of a twist in that respect. There were a few heart-wrenching moments, especially toward the end that caught me off guard though, so smaller surprises are there!

However, I enjoyed the suspense of a main character in a mystery on the run. It's not a premise that I've read much, and it felt almost like an action movie rather than a book. In fact, I'd love to see this one as a movie or series.

For anyone reading this, please let me know your favorite mystery authors, for fans of Ruth Ware and Tana French. I'm running out of mysteries on my TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC!

I have read every Ruth Ware book. This was my least favorite one. The storyline was interesting and timely since internet/overall security is such an important topic. The main character spends 90% of the book running from the police, and the chase got a little boring. The ending seemed quite rushed and not as developed as the rest of the book.

I have read everything by Ruth Ware. I can go in blind about what the plot with be and have a great time reading but this one was a flop for me. I didn't connect to the story and thought that it was predictable inn so many aspects of the story. *spoiler* The main character finding out she was pregnant at the end off the book to come to tearms with her husband dying was the worst copout of an ending! While I will still continue to recommend other books by Ruth Ware I will NOT be recommending this title.

Jack and her husband are "pen" specialists. They test companies' securities systems. At the end of her latest job, Jack gets arrested and by the time she convinces the police to let her go, she returns home to find her husband murdered. She then becomes the number one suspect and has to go on the run while she tries to find out who really murdered him and why. Good page turner, the chapters were the perfect length and left you wanting to read just one more chapter...The chapters were also in chronological order which was a welcome break from the current trend of jojoying back in time. Another great read by Ruth Ware!

Ruth Ware does it again! A fantastic thriller that keeps you wanting to read more! I really liked the main character and was rooting for he r the entire time. Lots of action and twists you don't see coming. This book is one of my favorites. Thank you Net Galley and Gallery /Scout West for the advance copy

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Zero Days by Ruth Ware.

Ruth Ware is SO hit and miss for me. I have loved some, and then been so underwhelmed by others. Unfortunately this hit latter. My biggest complaint? It did not need to be near as long as it was. Had it been condensed, enriched by more plot, less drag, it probably would have been a lot better. As it was, it was so watered down, which left the ending a relief rather than a surprise.

Some nights are just full of bad decisions. Or bad luck. Jack (Jacinta) is certainly experiencing one of those evenings.

As a security specialist, she has been hired to penetrate an insurance company to test just how well their current level of protection works, but from the start things go awry and Jack quickly finds herself caught by the corporate guards, then taken into custody and questioned by the police. While her husband Gabe works frantically to contact the client and clear her name, a disgruntled ex who happens to be a cop, makes an appearance, gives Jack a hard time and ultimately releases her.

Jack hates being beholden to her ex but the truth is, she needed his help. Shortly after she had arrived at the station, Gabe had gone silent. Jack is exhausted, anxious, and angry when she leaves, only to have her phone die immediately after she calls the Uber which will take her back to her car. Jack wants to race home, but in unfamiliar territory and with no maps app to help, she gets lost several times, takes an inordinate amount of time to get to her house and when she finally staggers through her door she discovers that the worst is yet to come: Gabe is dead, murdered at his computer.

Shocked, Jack staggers to the couch and doesn’t call the police immediately but simply sits in stunned silence. When she finally gets herself together and calls them, they quickly narrow in on one suspect – her. Submerged in grief and determined not to take the fall for a crime she didn’t commit, Jack goes on the run and begins a desperate quest to find who really did kill Gabe- and why.

Before getting too deeply into this review of Ruth Ware’s Zero Days, I’m going to address the elephant in the room – ye olde dead cell phone. Ware loves using malfunctioning tech in her stories, an issue some readers oft complain of, and this story begins with a dozy of a glitch – a woman who relies heavily on her cell leaving home with one that is apparently not fully charged. If this topic is one that troubles you, either be prepared to be annoyed or skip the book altogether. I’ll just add that technology is used heavily throughout the story. As someone who uses tech daily, this tends not to bother me but again, some readers have expressed discontent with this aspect of the author’s books, so be been warned, it is very present here.

The author has an easy-to-read writing style with brisk pacing that keeps us invested in the mystery. She also delivers consistent characterization throughout the novel, although that turned out to be a mixed blessing. Jack staying true to who she is – a likeable middle-class woman who finds herself in a tragic, unprecedented situation – showcases the author’s talent. I hate nothing more than having problems solved in a story by having the character change the nature of who they are. Unless there is a good reason for it, people don’t make large personality changes. That said, Jack starts the tale prone to dumb decisions and stays that way throughout the text. This is less a whodunit than it is a novel of someone racing about stumbling into information. That doesn’t tend to be the kind of narrative I prefer, so while the excellent writing made this a pleasant enough read, it’s not a book I would ever pick up again.

One reason for that is that the plot – from the inciting incident to all the time Jack spends on the run – is completely unbelievable. I know that the truth is often stranger than fiction and something this crazy could actually have happened, but from a reading perspective, I just found the whole thing so ludicrous and Jack’s behavior so hapless, that I couldn’t submerge myself in the tale the author was telling.

This is probably the shortest review I have ever written but there isn’t really much information I can impart on Zero Days. It’s a low-key chase mystery that relies very heavily on the reader’s suspension of disbelief. Fans of the author will doubtless want to give it a try but I would steer newcomers to any of Ms. Ware’s older works. They are all stronger than this one.

I feel like I am more of a Ruth Ware original fan than a current fan. Her newer ones just seem to be 200 pages too long. I miss her dark, gritty, scary vibes she had! This one wasn’t bad by any means, but also not a favorite. I do wish the covers had more umph to them like her first books did.

A security expert goes on the run after she’s wanted for her husband’s murder – in Ruth Ware’s exhilarating Zero Days.

It feels like another routine project when Jack and her husband, Gabe, are hired to challenge a company’s security measures, but just before wrapping up, everything goes awry. By the time Jack returns home, she finds Gabe brutally murdered, throat slit. Despite cooperating with police, she soon realizes she’s their primary suspect and knows her only way out is to uncover Gabe’s killer herself. Desperate and devastated all at once, Jack goes on the run to ferret out those responsible for upending their lives.

Propulsive and pumping with adrenaline, Zero Days is a nonstop, fast-track chase. In the vein of the film The Fugitive, Jack must find those responsible, before she is found by police. The novel strayed somewhat from Ware’s usual style, feeling more straightforward thriller, less knotted mystery, but it nonetheless worked.

I accurately identified the killer early on (small cast of characters), but between close-calls, break-ins, medical emergencies, and the clock ticking down, Ware kept me at the edge of my seat, clamoring to see how it all would end.

Ware has forged a riveting, cinematic, high-stakes thriller adrenaline junkies will relish.

A different take on what I am used to reading from Ruth Ware! I’ve been an auto-reader of hers and my mind wasn’t completely sold on this pivot, I wanted more suspense and thrills! I wanted creepy settings, as are her norms. Overall, a decent read, but the plot wasn’t for me.

This was a medium-paced mystery for me. It was not my favorite Ruth Ware novel as it felt less like a thriller than just a straight mystery.