A quick read with main characters that you’re rooting for. A few of the clues were so obvious that I was frustrated that Jack is so smart but didn’t see them, but I’ll give her a break. She had a lot going on.

Ruth Ware’s new novel, Zero Days, felt different from her other novels. Jack and her husband, Gabe, are pen testers. They delve into security systems for large companies to find any weak spots. When Jack comes home from one of these jobs, she finds her husband has been murdered and she is the no. 1 suspect. She is determined to find the person(s) responsible for his death and clear her name.

From reading other novels by this author, I was expecting lots of twists , turns and surprises but they just were not there in this newest novel. I think it was rather clear what was going to happen at each stage. I felt there was an underlying theme of good vs evil. For every rotten character, there was someone willing to help just out of the goodness in their heart. For every loss there was a gain. For every injustice there was justice.

Even though this felt different from her other novels, I enjoyed it. It was a nice change. I liked the good/evil balance, the hope that life balances out. In my opinion , fans of Ruth Ware are going to enjoy this latest novel. I will be looking forward to her next novel.

Another incredible page-turner from Ms. Ruth Ware. A stellar book that everyone will be reading by the pool this summer. I loved the character detail of Jack and Gabe's relationship. I loved the slow background of the sister's relationship throughout the book. I also loved that I knew nothing about pen testing and learned so much about it as I read through the book.

A great book and I would say it is one of my favorite reads of 2023! Highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and Galley Press for my advanced reader copy.

Zero Days was a bit different from Ruth Ware's usual mystery/thrillers, in that it was more of a techno-thriller in the vein of The Fugitive. Jack (Jacinda) and Gabe are a married couple who do penetration tests on organizations to test for security vulnerabilities, both physical and cyber. After their latest test doesn't work out as planned, Jack returns home to find Gabe has been brutally murdered. Though at first the police are sympathetic, soon they begin to suspect Jack, forcing her to go on the run using her penetration skill set to evade capture and try to find the real killer. Injured and on the lam, Jack must use her few resources and try to figure out who she trust if she wants to stay our of prison by solving the murder herself.
Though I really liked most of her earlier novels, I wasn't as thrilled with Ware's past two. But Zero Days was definitely a return to form for her, even if the subject matter was somewhat unlike her usual fare.

I was excited to see that Ruth Ware has a brand new book coming out in June 2023. This book fell short of my normal 4-5 stars I usually give her books. Jack and her husband are security experts and hack into security systems. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 6/20/23
Genre: thriller
Quick summary: Jack and husband Gabe are security experts - but when he is murdered, she finds herself on the run.

This book was a like, not a love for me. It's a popcorn thriller that moves quickly, and it's easy to read in one day. But it got to be a bit too over the top as Jack raced around a la THE FUGITIVE, and the story behind Gabe's murder wasn't as compelling as it could have been. I think I prefer Ware's more atmospheric thrillers, like THE IT GIRL and THE TURN OF THE KEY.

If you enjoy fast-paced thrillers like FALLING, you might like this one! I can see readers enjoying this one by the pool or beach.

Thank you to Gallery/Scout Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll start with the fact that I read this in just over 24 hours! I've loved Ruth Ware's writing since I stumbled upon The Woman in Cabin 10 many years ago, which is amazing by the way if you haven't read it. For this one we are introduced to Jack and her husband Gabe in the middle of what appears to be some awesome spy/alias break-in type of fun. Jack is in the building trying to access how to get into a company's server room, with Gabe in her ear guiding her while he is safely tucked away at home. Or so we think. After an unsuccessful exit, Jack gets taken to the police station to sort things out. Turns out Jack and her husband are "Pen Testers." They are hired by companies to test their security systems and find the flaws. Both in terms of accessing the buildings and of their software systems. After finally being released Jack heads back home after a very long day. Upon returning though, she finds Gabe has been brutally murdered in their home. She soon discovers the next morning that she is the prime suspect. A goose-chase of sorts follows while Jack starts a mission to find out who killed her husband and why, all while dodging the police and figuring out whom she can trust.

This book was such a fun suspense filled ride. I literally couldn't put it down and stayed up way past my bedtime reading. If you like a good thriller or loved Alias, like myself, I think you'll really enjoy this one. Thank you NetGalley, Gallery/Scout Press, and Simon and Schuster Book Club Favorites for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Ruth Ware's books and this one is no exception. It's a little different than her previous novels in that it's like a female.modern day Jason Bourne. The main character is smart, savvy, determined and will literally give her life to find out the truth about her husband's death.

To me it was a little obviously who was involved but it was well written and kept you interested up to the very end.

This book immediately moved to the top of my TBR pile when I received this ARC.

Thank your netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Ruth Ware’s books and Zero Days is one of her best. Fast-paced from the first chapter, it is a thrill ride as we follow Jacintha (Jack) Cross in her race to solve a horrific and personal crime before the police pin it on her. I read this book in one day! It was so compelling and the story plowed forward. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a thriller.

Step aside Jason Bourne and Jack Ryan because there's a new Jack in town, and SHE will do whatever it takes to clear her name and find out who has framed her. It basically goes without saying that Ruth Ware has done it again, creating another fantastic story. While the career choice of our heroine isn't the most plausible for most readers, Jack is a very relatable character. I found myself really connecting with her because I could totally see myself in her shoes, trying to find clever ways to get out of sticky situations and defend my personal freedom. I really had a hard time putting down this book to do, you know, real-life work. It was a pretty easy read and kept me thinking about how I would do things if in a similar situation. If it's not already on your top books to read in 2023, it ought to be!

*I received an advance reader copy of the kindle version of this book in exchange for my honest review. The options expressed in my review are my own.*

I love Ruth Ware and her latest, Zero Days, does not disappoint! This smart, savvy thriller opens with Jack and her hacker husband, Gabe, breaking into a business. They’re not criminals, but pen testers; they test the security of businesses by breaching security and looking for any vulnerabilities. Jack gets caught escaping the building, arrested, released and exhausted, heads home. She finds Gabe at his desk, his throat cut. In shock, she crumbles. She’s not sure how much time passes, she calls the police. There’s no sign of breaking and entering, an email arrives detailing a new insurance policy and Jack finds herself the lead suspect in the murder of her husband. She goes on the run to find the real killer. A messy, harrowing task, indeed.
Wow! I loved the characters! Strong, well developed female characters are a specialty of of Ruth Ware and Jack and her sister Hel fit the bill! This book was departure from her others. I’m not tech fluent, but that content flowed and was easy to follow. I truly enjoyed this book and I saw on Instagram that Imogene Church is narrating the audio version! Ms. church is one of favorite narrators and could hear her voice while I was reading. Thriller fans, do not miss Zero Days,

I was hooked right from the beginning! Ruth introduces us to Jack and Gabe in a very interesting way... are they breaking into a business, what is going on? The reader is brought into their world, and it is a little different than most. Go on a journey with Jack to find the truth!

This has a pulse-pounding first half. The second half was a bit slow but the mystery starts to unravel. The tech stuff was confusing and boring. No creepy undertones which I always enjoy from Ware. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

3.8
I don't know how people are getting Mr and Mrs Smith vibes from this outside of vague echos in the first little bitty bit, but the fugitive vibes are on point. That said, the fugitive never really did anything for me. I suspect this was well researched, but that resulted in quite a bit of explanation, which slowed what was otherwise a breakneck pace - it was kind of an odd sensation, really.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Scout Press for providing me with an ARC of Zero Days for the purpose of reviewing it!

This book kicks off with Jack (Jacintha Cross) breaking into an office building, and her husband, Gabe, assisting her remotely. That's just part of their job as pen testers though! After wrapping up a nerve-wracking job Jack tells Gabe she'll leave him to his portion of the assignment while she heads home. Unfortunately, she ends their connection prematurely and things very quickly go downhill for both of them. Jack is caught by security, and hauled down to the police station. Only to discover that the contractor who hired them is not answering his phone, nor is Gabe. Eventually, things get sorted out at the station and Jack is free to go.

Completely exhausted she returns home to discover that someone has murdered her beloved husband. Jack goes into shock and freezes up instead of calling for help. This makes the police question why there was such a gap in her release from the station, her arrival home, and when she finally called 999.

She's running on autopilot, grieving, in shock, and doesn't even realize that the police are suspecting that she's responsible for Gabe's death. That is, not until her sister points out that that is probably why they're asking so many questions about the timing of events. With this in mind, Jack returns to the station for follow-up questions the next day. While awaiting the officers she checks her phone and sees a bizarre email. An email that, coupled with the knowledge that the police consider her a suspect, sends Jack fleeing.

Jack is determined to find the person responsible for the murder of her husband. She knows that she didn't do it and believes that if the police have her in custody, they won't bother looking too hard for the actual culprit. With a strong reliance on the skills she has honed throughout years of pen testing, some help from her sister and her husband's best friend she is off and running.

What Jack will soon realize is that even those closest to you are capable of the most heinous betrayals. How will she prove her suspicions? Will she be able to piece everything together in time? The police are always nipping at her heels and an injury is quickly causing her health to deteriorate so the clock is ticking.

Who is responsible? Will she learn the truth and will the police believe her? Jack's journey to find the truth will take a number of unexpected turns, a foray into the workings of the Dark web, the black market, and all that comes with that. Sometimes it takes a deep dive into dark places to prove yourself. Drastic times calling for drastic measures and all that!

This was an entertaining and intriguing read that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a gasp-out-loud thrill ride!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I have really enjoyed Ruth Ware books in the past and thought this was going to be another one, and while it started strong,it never really took off and went anywhere. I was continually waiting for something exciting to happen. The setup was fun, and I really enjoyed hearing about Jack and Gabe's job; I have never heard of a pen tester, it sounded very interesting. The majority of the book consisted of Jack running, picking locks, injuring herself, being sick and changing bandages. The guilty character was pretty obvious about a quarter of the way in, so it took all the guessing and mystery out of the rest of the book. This one was just ok for me.

The Ruth Ware novel coming out in June is fun. No, it isn’t a complex mystery nor a realistic thriller. But it is fun. Once again Ware has taken an old worn out plot line, written many times before, and made it fun with a slight twist and some clever writing.

Zero Days has a uniqueness to its plot in that it takes the old man “on the run” and adds some clever use of a new backstory. The heroine, Jack, and her husband are “pen testers” or penetration specialists on computer security for companies. Jack breaks into the company at night while her techie husband whispers break-in insight into her ear. One night coming home from a pen test, Jack finds her husband dead and herself wanted for the murder. Yes, The Fugitive and 39 Steps all over again; however, with a modern take looking into the world of hacking and the dark web.

Jack, of course, sets off to prove her innocence, and though we pretty much know the whodunit and can easily guess the whydunit early on, the story is really about Jack’s attempts to stay free. I had fun following Jack about London and the countryside hiding from the police and deducing the pieces of the crime. Lots of action. Lots of fast moving pieces to the plot.

Great characters? Well, really they were the usual shallow Ware characters, who takes her lead on characters from Agatha Christie. Setting remarkable? Well, only a few small villages outside of London came into play. Fun plot? Definitely! And sometimes one out of three is enough to keep turning the pages…. 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press this Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

The hype is equating this book to Mr. & Mrs. Smith meets The Fugitive, and I could not agree more.

Jack (Jacintha) and Gabe are a married couple who spend their lives testing security of large companies. When Jack returns home to find that her husband has been murdered and she is a suspect, her adventure begins.

The book was exciting and did a good job holding my attention. I will admit that it is a slow burn but still enjoyable.
Ruth Ware really has cemented herself as one of the top thriller writers.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I appreciate the opportunity for the advanced read. I enjoy Ruth Ware, but this wasn't a favorite- I didn't feel connected to the main character at all, she wasn't personable or overly likable (but also not unlikable which would have made her more interesting!) It dragged on and the killer was pretty obvious early on. I will purchase this book for our library on it's release date.

Let's get this out of the way right from the start. This is not an original premise. Its been done before in a variety of ways. Husband turns up dead, wife is number one suspect and she has to race to prove her innocence and find the real killer. This was The Fugitive meets Ghost, no question about it.

That being said, it worked! I enjoyed it. The opening scene is straight out of Mission Impossible and it was fun. I figured out the the main "villain" within the first quarter of the book. Even so, it was still fun watching poor Jack try to figure out the mystery and race all over London before she gets caught. And there's a great surprise at the end that I didn't see coming. Not my favorite Ware title, that still stands as The Woman in Cabin 10, but I did like it better than It Girl. Predictable, but fun read. Keep em coming, Ruth Ware!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scout Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.