It has been such a long time since the first book in the series that I had a hard time remembering what was happening. I honestly think that one book was sufficient for this character as this wasn’t the best thing I have read in a bit. Tough to finish and frustrating when I finally did. Predictable.

What a tricky sequel to The Woman in Cabin 10! Ruth Ware brought her characters back to give us another twist and turn of events that keeps you wondering up until the end. Packed full of travel, adventure, and suspense, Lo once again finds herself trying to figure out the puzzle all while trying to keep herself safe from predators, her old colleagues, and the police.

This one must be read in order (and if your haven’t read The Woman in Cabin 10 in awhile, you may want to give yourself a refresher) if you want to follow along with the characters and events.

It was nice to pick up with a likeable protagonist from a decade ago. Lo Blacklock is a great main character. She'd a realistic and relatable mix of fragility/vulnerability with a core of steel and a dedication to doing The Right Thing. I didn't reread The Woman in Cabin 10 and my memory of that book is hazy, but there are a ton of helpful (but not intrusive/redundant) reminders about plot and characters, so that jiggled some memories back up to the top. I had no trouble following along with this sequel, and I think it would be fine as a standalone.

The middle of this book was so good! Once Lo begins her new luxury travel journalism gig, she is quick to clock the strange "coincidence" of, after a decade apart, finding herself in the same location as a handful of passengers from the Aurora (the cruise liner where The Woman in Cabin 10 went down). As the tension ratchets up, the reader and Lo are both aware that something hinky is happening, but once Lo's committed to her plan of action — helping out an "old friend" — it's hard to see what she could have done differently. The atmosphere was like when you're aware of being asleep during a nightmare, but you can't seem to wake yourself up. Tense and propulsive, I couldn't put the book down during that middle section. It was a five-star read — until the last few pages.

The last "twist" was just a mess. All of a sudden, clever, scrappy, Lo inexplicably believes some of the other characters are brazenly and bizarrely stupid. Ware depicts Lo leaping to this conclusion as if it's obvious, but it's completely unsupported by what the reader has seen of these characters' intelligence and canniness. What makes it worse is, there's absolutely no reason that one last twist had to happen since Lo figures out what actually occurred just a few pages later. It's somehow more egregious because it was such a minor subplot. It only added perhaps 10 pages to the entire book. Lo grabbed the idiot ball with both hands for no conceivable purpose. Next, in the final pages, someone suddenly stops being a threat to Lo for reasons that don't quite make sense. That damp squib of an ending brought the whole book down to three stars. I've read all of Ruth Ware's books; though I've enjoyed some more than others, she's one of my favorite writers. But (imo) she's never before flubbed an ending like this.

Lo Blacklock is back at it! Needing a break from kids and trying to restart her career, she flies to Switzerland for the opening of a grand hotel. What should have been a chance to relax and enjoy some pampering, the trips turns into her worst nightmare!

Laura Blacklock is back in an all new adventure. When an invitation arrives to her home in New York, Lo decides to renew her once glamorous career as a journalist. Lo has been invited to a luxurious new Swiss hotel owned by the Leidmann group led by Marcus Leidmann. After putting her career on hold for several years to have her and Judah's boys, Lo is ready to swan dive back into the world of luxury travel journalism. Lo will put herself in the middle of a dangerous game once again, where lives are at stake and one wrong move may end her in the slammer.

I love Lo Blacklock. Ruth Ware is a creative genius who constantly creates a beautiful setting with characters at the center. Not only do you have classic elements of mystery but you have a game of cat and mouse where you're not sure who to trust. Ware is one of the top tier mystery writers. Highly recommend reading the Woman in Cabin 10 before this. While this stands well on its own it is the second Lo Blacklock series. Thank you Netgalley Gallery/Scout Press for the advanced copy of this book.

Ruth Ware's The Woman in Suite 11 revisits Lo Blacklock a decade after The Woman in Cabin 10, offering a sequel that feels more nostalgic than necessary. While Ware’s signature suspense and fast-paced storytelling are still present, the plot lacks originality and the main character’s decisions often stretch believability. Longtime fans might appreciate the return of familiar faces, but new readers could find the lack of context frustrating. Despite its flaws, the novel delivers atmospheric tension and a twisty narrative that kept me turning the pages. Ultimately, it's entertaining—but not Ware's strongest.

I preferred The Woman in Cabin 10 to this one, which, while mysterious and a little suspenseful, felt unbelievable and I didn't buy the set up or the characters. They all seemed shady, but not authentic.

We are back 10 years later for a sequel of The Women in Cabin 10. Lo Blacklock and a few other familiar names from Ware’s previous break out book are back. Readers will be excited to find out what unfortunate situation Lo has gotten her self into now.  

What? You don’t remember what the storyline is of The Women in Cabin 10? Or are you one of these people that wrote into Ruth Ware asking her for a sequel? 

Honestly, I can’t think of one reason why anyone would want to sequel to a thriller book like The Women in Cabin 10. I especially don’t need a sequel of a book I read 10 years later. Yet here we are with a subpar sequel. I’d like to agree with a few others that also made this statement, a thriller novel NEVER needs a sequel. Thrillers are meant to thrill.  Not drag on for the next 10 years.

Of course, as a Ruth Ware super fan, an unnecessary sequel or not, I’m still here to read everything this woman puts on paper. 

When it comes to reviewing this book, however, there really isn’t much to say. It’s a classic, fast paced Ruth Ware book we all know and love. Her way of writing that keeps a reader engaged. She creates a difficulty for the reader to put down the book. All of this magic is still very much there.

The content of this book is what I find annoying. The only thing you really have to know about the story The Woman in Suite 11 is the main character Lo Blacklock is she is so stupid. She is naive. The whole story is basically unbelievable because of the main character's absolute stupidity.

This is all really a shame because I was really looking forward to another book from Ruth Ware. Hopefully she has something more exciting up her sleeve and it comes out soon because I miss her writing. This did not fill my yearly Ruth Ware cup.

I wouldn’t recommend this book to my reader friends, but I also wouldn’t not recommend this book to my reader friends. It’s still borderline entertaining. Even though the whole time you will be actually yelling out loud of how dumb Lo is. 

Are you excited for a sequel? Let me know below, I'd love to hear from you.

Amazon Link - The Woman in Suite 11 By: Ruth Ware

Stats: 400 pages - Expected publication July 8, 2025

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review

Rating of 3.5 stars

Ruth Ware returns with "The Woman in Suite 11," a compelling and atmospheric thriller that revisits the life of journalist Lo Blacklock a decade after the chilling events aboard the Aurora. For those who followed Lo's initial harrowing experience, this novel offers a welcome continuation of her story, showcasing Ware's signature gripping writing style.

Ware masterfully weaves together the complex relationships between the characters, their shared history casting long shadows and creating palpable tension. The novel employs an intriguing structure, with snippets of conversations, newspaper articles, and correspondence strategically placed before each part. These fragments act like breadcrumbs, drawing you further into the unfolding mystery and expertly maintaining a sense of unease. Throughout the narrative, Ware excels at keeping the reader guessing, skillfully layering clues and red herrings to ensure the truth remains tantalizingly out of reach until the final reveal. The constant uncertainty about the true nature of events and how the various threads would ultimately connect made for a truly engaging reading experience.

However, a particular plot point surrounding a significant event at Lo's mother's house left me somewhat conflicted. While the pacing and suspense leading up to it were expertly handled, the abruptness of the event itself and its immediate aftermath felt somewhat disconnected from the established storyline. Without divulging spoilers, the direction the narrative takes following this incident felt like a slight departure from the otherwise tightly woven plot, leaving me questioning its overall necessity to the central mystery.

Despite this reservation, "The Woman in Suite 11" remains a captivating thriller that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Ruth Ware and readers who enjoy intricate plots and well-developed characters. The novel's strengths lie in its atmospheric prose, the intricate web of relationships, and its persistent ability to keep you guessing until the very end. While one particular plot development gave me pause, the overall journey is a suspenseful and engaging one.

I was very curious when I saw that Cabin 10 was getting a sequel. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I was hoping for something more fresh and unique, plot-wise. And I think cat-and-mouse is just not a favorite thriller trope of mine. Overall, it was just okay. I wouldn't say it's a must-read, but I'd still recommend it to Ware fans.

Another tense chilling novel Ruth Ware never fails to keep me turning the pages on the edge of my seat.I was drawn in from the first page to the last of this thrilling novel.#netgalley #gallerybooks

This book had me hooked from the start—classic Ruth Ware setup: isolated setting, unreliable narrator, secrets piling up fast. The atmosphere on the cruise ship was claustrophobic in the best way, and there were moments I physically couldn’t stop reading.

That said...I was also low-key annoyed. The main character made some decisions that had me yelling internally, and there were points where I felt like the pacing dragged just when things should’ve been ramping up. And yet, despite all that? I still flew through it.

The twist landed, the tension paid off, and I have to admit—Ware knows how to keep you second-guessing everything. Not my favorite of hers, but still a solid thriller if you’re in the mood for a locked-room mystery vibe with a side of “I want to shake this character.”

At the beginning, I would have definitely given this book two and a half--or possibly three-- stars. But it picked up pace towards the middle of the story, and the ending was so satisfying that I was compelled to give it a four. The story features Lo Blacklock, travel writer, who has just been given the assignment of her career: a chance to embark on a luxury five-star cruise to Norway with exclusive interviews with all of the glittering philanthropists, stars, and socialites on board. The first night, she borrows a tube of mascara from the woman in Cabin Ten. The second night, she hears screams and a huge splash from the veranda in that direction as something heavy is tossed overboard. The third night, she frantically begins questioning people around her as she expresses her concerns about what she has heard, and not one person takes her seriously. The cruise staff attempts to remonstrate her with the cold truth: that there has never been a guest in Cabin Ten. But Lo knows what she knows, and what she has seen and heard. And she has the borrowed object to prove it. Unless of course, her evidence is also gone. Similar to what I read from earlier reviews: the only thing that makes this book hard to read is that the main character is not easy to like. She struggles throughout the story with depression, anxiety, post tramautic stress syndrome, and alcoholism, none of which bothered me in the least, because it's relatable, and part of being human. It was also interesting to see how these issues unnecessarily affected her credibility as a witness, somewhat reminiscent of The Girl on the Train. But what actually bothered me was the protagonist's deeply negative and sometimes entitled outlook on everything and everyone; I think sometimes it was meant to be vaguely funny, but after awhile, it left a bit of a cloud over the story. Her responses to the people around her were consistently sharp and biting, and all of her perceptions critical, from start to finish. And the book is written through Lo's eyes, so that taking a step back from her outlook is hard to do. The other characters, likewise, are vaguely narcissistic and difficult to sympathize with. However, if you come into it knowing that, the rest of the book is fantastic. I loved Ruth Ware's first book "In a Dark, Dark Wood" because of its classic whodunnit mystery premise, and this one is no different. At least ten different characters rise in your mind as the main suspect throughout the story, and even in the last few chapters, I didn't see the conclusion coming. As a longtime mystery fan, it usually takes a lot for me to not be able to find the culprit, and this is one that I sadly, and thrillingly, was unable to unravel on my own. I love the hint of old fashioned flavor in Ware's writing style; both of her books reminded me of playing the board game Clue as a middleschooler, never knowing if Miss Violet or Colonel Mustard are innocent, or if the candlestick is what it seems. I will definitely be hoping for more by this author in the future, and I highly recommend this book as a good read for mystery fans. Be prepared though: it might make you not want to go on a cruise for a long, long time.

Honestly, not my favorite Ruth Ware! I'm a big fan of Ware's, but I don't know if I needed to return to Lo Blacklock... This felt a bit too nostalgic for me, when I would have much preferred an original story. All Ruth Wares are good Ruth Wares, but this one wasn't a fave!

This is your typical Ruth Ware, read-in-a-day thriller, which means it’s enjoyable and fast paced. I will say that being a sequel was a little frustrating just because the new book (this one) never gives a full debrief of what happened in the first book … I assume that’s because you can read this one as a standalone but it’s frustrating to have so many references to a book that published almost a decade ago. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed The Woman in Cabin 10, so I was excited to pick this up! Unfortunately, this sequel didn't live up to the first book at all. The main character made frustrating choices throughout the book and missed things that were completely obvious, taking away from the believability. The ending also left much to be desired. If you're a big fan of the first in this series, you may be disappointed by this installment.

In the follow-up to “The Woman in Cabin 10”, Lo Blacklock is back as a happily married, mother of two. When she receives an invitation to a press opening for a ritzy new hotel, she is surprised but a bit excited too. After urging from her husband, she decides to go and enjoy some pampering and alone time, even possibly an interview from the billionaire owner. What she doesn’t expect is to see some old “friends” and be drawn into a web of deceit and tragedy.

This is fast-paced, intriguing and unpredictable, and with Ruth Ware’s gift of writing evocative stories, I highly recommend this one. I was captivated from beginning to end.

Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this 5-star book from one of my favorite authors.

This is a sequel to THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10, a book I haven't read in a long time. Lo Blacklock and her nemesis Carrie both end up in a fancy hotel owned by a billionaire, supposedly so both can write articles and get back into travel journalism. Lo, traveling without her husband and two sons, is shocked when she encounters Carrie and others from the original book. I did not trust Carrie for one minute, but Lo tries to give her the benefit of the doubt. I found that very naive of her. Thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Gallery/Scout Press for providing an ARC.

5/5
I enjoyed this. Ruth Ware did it again. It kept me turning the pages and I couldn’t finish it fast enough. The character development was great and I loved how the characters grew from the first book! I did enjoy this one more than the first. The twists in this one were like 😳 but I was annoyed at Lo a few times…
I recommend this!

Lo Blacklock is now living in NYC with her family and working as a freelance journalist. She is invited to attend the press opening at Grand Hotel du Lac in Switzerland by billionaire Marcus Leidmann. Once she arrives it becomes a chase to find out why she was brought there. Thank you to the publisher for a copy.