I was excited to pick up Ruth Ware’s latest novel. It is the second installment in the Lo Blacklock series, following The Woman in Cabin 10.

In this second book, we are reunited with Lo who is now married with two children. She is invited to travel to a luxury hotel where she hopes to do an exclusive interview with billionaire founder Marcus Leidmann but instead, finds herself running into familiar faces from her past. When Marcus is found dead, Lo becomes a suspect and must decipher who, among her fellow hotel companions, is the killer.

I enjoyed the setting of this book. Ware did a good job of pulling the reader into this luxury hotel setting in Lake Geneva. However, I found the pacing of the story to be on the slow side (albeit consistent enough to keep my attention throughout the book). A fair amount of time is spent in the first half reminding the reader of the events and characters of the first book… this contributes to the slower pace but on the flip side, makes this book possible to read as a standalone easily.

The storyline has a few twists but be warned that Lo’s character is a bit flawed… her level of naivety is inconsistent with her past traumatic experiences so you’ll have to go along with a few of her questionable decisions to fully delve into this book :)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Ruth Ware and Simon & Schuster publishing for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.

I was super excited when I saw the approved request for this book as I loved the woman in cabin 10, but sadly I didn’t enjoy this one nearly as much.

I gave it 3.5 rounded up. The first 40% was unbelievably dull and drawn out. I almost DNF at this point. Thankfully, the last 60% is a little more thrilling but I’ll be honest, I expected more from a Ruth Ware book.

I’m not really sure that we needed a sequel to woman in cabin 10, but if we did this really didn’t cut it. Laura (Lo) was insufferable in this one. I really did not like her character this time and towards the end had that here she is making another stupid decision vibe.

I feel it was a bit of a let down and that may not be the popular opinion, but it is my honest opinion.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This second Lo Blacklock book was even better than the first (imo)! I really enjoyed the twisty turns the book takes as Lo travels to a posh Swiss hotel at the invitation of a reclusive billionaire's son. Her first journalism assignment since moving to America and becoming a mom has her nervous and excited and shocked when she finds herself reunited with four people who were on the yacht where her last near fatal adventure took place. What follows is a race to escape with an old 'friend' and a desperate attempt to clear her name of murder charges. I was constantly kept guessing throughout this book and loved the dynamic between the two main female characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and gifted physical ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. This can be read as a standalone but reading The woman in Cabin 10 first would help with background context.

🗝️ T H R I L L E R T H U R S D A Y review 🗝️ featuring “The Woman in Suite 11” by Ruth Ware!

Jo Blacklock from “The Woman in Cabin 10” is back again ten years later, but this time she finds herself in a race across Europe to seek out the truth, help a fugitive and try to clear her name from a murder investigation!

Jo took 5 years off from being a travel journalist to raise both of her sons. She is itching to get back into the journalism game, but no one seems interested in her after taking a hiatus from writing.

When a mysterious invitation arrives inviting Jo to the press opening of a luxurious Swiss chateau on the shores of Lake Genova, she knows this is the ticket to getting back out there! The hotel is owned by business mogul Marcus Leidmann and Jo is determined to get an interview with him during her stay.

Marcus is hard to hunt down around his busy schedule, and Jo is shocked to receive a late night invitation to meet him in his hotel room. But it’s not Marcus who answers the door … and instead a person from Jo’s past that is in desperate need of her help … and HER help only!

👏 I love when a sequel lives up to the first book and this one was an absolute banger! The game of cat and mouse across Europe was brilliant and added a ton of tension, anxiety and riveting twists that kept your adrenaline running on high!

Thank you kindly to @ruthwarewriter @simonschusterca @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on July 8, 2025 and is a thriller you don’t want to miss!

I was a bit hesitant going into The Woman in Suite 11 as I found The Women in Cabin 10 quite average. I had no need to worry though as I loved this one! 

Lo is chuffed when she gets invited to the opening of a luxury Swiss hotel. Ready to take on her journalism career full time again after becoming a mother, she knows this is the opportunity she needs to prove herself. On a mission to get an interview with the owner Marcus, she can't believe her luck when she is summoned to his room late at night. But it's not Marcus who wants to speak with her and as things get out of Lo's control, she begins to wonder what she's gotten herself into.

What a fantastic read this was! The beginning sets the scene (stick with it if it seems slow to begin with) and once we know what is going on, it really ups the ante. I was fully invested from start to finish! The multiple twists had me shaking my head in wonder and while you will have to suspend belief at times, the storyline will leave you breathless.

Ruth Ware delivers another gripping, high-stakes thriller in The Woman in Suite 11, a tense and fast-paced sequel to The Woman in Cabin 10. As a longtime fan of Ware’s work, I was excited to return to Lo Blacklock’s world—and this story did not disappoint. The writing is sharp and cinematic, with a constant undercurrent of danger that kept me on edge. I literally felt my palms sweat during several scenes, and I was genuinely anxious for Lo’s safety throughout. Some of her choices made me nervous, but I was always rooting for her.

The plot cleverly builds on the events of Cabin 10, and I do think it’s essential to read that book first to fully appreciate the character dynamics and twists here. Both novels have their standout moments, but this one is especially action-driven, almost begging for a film adaptation.

A tense, atmospheric, and thoroughly entertaining follow-up. Ware fans will love it.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Simon & Schuster for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 is still one of the most atmospheric psychological thrillers I’ve ever read, so I was eager to get my hands on this follow-up. It’s not necessary to have read 'Cabin 10' before 'Suite 11', but it does help in regards to understanding the protagonist’s state of mind - and consequent conduct - in Suite 11. I read this in one sitting - the pacing is tight, maintaining suspense throughout, and there are no wasted scenes.

While the vast majority of this genre feels very formulaic and interchangeable, this is a refreshing whodunit with numerous twists and turns, and then just when you think it's done, it's not - and then surprises yet again.

The Woman in Suite 11 has Lo Blacklock returning after 10 years and she is now married with two young boys.

When she receives an invitation to the grand opening of a Swiss hotel she is intrigued and accepts wth the hopes of giving her freelance journalist career a boost.

Ruth Ware does a great job of refreshing the background from Cabin 10 and once again I was caught up in the story.

Lo has a sense of unease from the very beginning and she is not wrong. Not that stops her from making questionable decisions .

Lo has a sense of relief when she sees familiar faces from the Aurora: Ben, Cole and Alexander to name a few.

There is one more person of note and they need Lo's help.

Lo is of the school one never learns from her mistakes ( I can relate to that) and danger lurks around every corner and lives are at stake.

The rest of the journey I will leave to the reader as I dont want to give anything away. Tension mounts and you will hold your breath as you cross your fingers and hope for the best for Lo.

I thoroughly enjoyed the return into Lo Blacklock's life and cant wait for my hard copy to arrive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada/Simon & Schuster for the privilege to read and review The Woman in Suite 11.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel.

I have read the Woman in Suite 10, but it was several years ago and I didn't recall the characters from this book. Didn't matter, I was able to pick it up from the references the author made to events from ten years previously. This book was what I could call an adventure, but not to the scary extent of some of her previous thrillers. I was relieved when Judah showed up because I knew everything would be OK from then on. But bad things happen when the characters are in the bath - that's why I take showers!

The follow-up to The Woman In Cabin 10 features Lo Blacklock taking a business trip to the opening of a new luxury hotel. What is supposed to be a boost to her journalism career takes a turn when she gets caught up in a murder mystery.

This sequel features characters and minor background information from The Woman In Cabin 10, which I read back in 2016. I do think having the first book more fresh in my mind would have given me a bit more appreciation for Suite 11, but I still enjoyed it and believe it could be read as a standalone (but why not read both!?) There was enough refresher of important points thrown in that were sufficient. I actually went in with fairly low expectations, thinking this would turn into a regular old whodunit, but there was oh so much more! Once the action started, it really didn't slow down, with one twist and turn after the other. The characters were just ok for me with the usual questionable choices, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. Really enjoyed this one. Love all of her books!!!!

I’m so glad I made time to re-read The Woman in Cabin 10. I think it’s necessary to do so before picking up the sequel, The Woman in Suite 11.

NO SPOILERS.

Ten years have passed since book one, Lo has married and started a family. She’s even written a book, Dark Waters, about her experience on the Aurora. Finally, she’s ready to reestablish her journalism career. Her first assignment is a press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Three things:
1) At the gate, she’s told that she’s been mysteriously upgraded to first class from JFK to Geneva International Airport giving her an eerie feeling …
2) Colleagues from her past wander into her present …
3) That little ‘tube’....it reappears.

Ok, first off…I want to visit a hotel where little boxes of macarons are placed on my bedside table in case I am still peckish after the evening meal!

Secondly, throw plausibility out the window and enjoy the ride. You’ll be swept away in a great story showcasing the lengths powerful people will go to get what they want or feel they deserve. Power is a despicable ‘character’ in this sequel! I appreciated the reminder that it’s more important to do things because it’s the right thing to do rather than out of a sense of obligation or repaying a debt. As was the case with book one, I was championing Lo in her refusal to doubt the evidence of her own instinct. This was another fantastic whodunnit/psychological thriller with great pacing and tension.

After your heart rate returns to normal, you’ll be left wondering if a debt is ever repaid or a slate ever wiped clean.

I don’t think Ware is finished with Lo just yet. I’d welcome another book!

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.