A weekend hen party goes awry in this suspenseful psychological thriller.

Leonora, a somewhat reclusive writer, accepts an invitation to attend a weekend house party given for an old school friend and bride-to-be, Claire, whom she hasn't seen for about 10 years. The big house, nestled out in the dark woods, is perfectly suited for entertaining and all starts off well. The hostess, Flo, is Claire's new BFF and has organized all the events, weird as some of them may be. The six guests try to make the best of it for Claire's sake.

Leonora wakes in the hospital unable to remember details about what has happened. All she knows is that someone has died. And the police are questioning here under caution.

This is Ware's debut novel and I enjoyed it for the most part even though I heartily dislike the unreliable narrator trope and the convenient memory loss device. The plot is fairly predictable, and most readers will guess where this is going as the clues are dangled and slowly fall with the revelations. Can't say that any of the characters were appealing or likeable and Leonora especially seemed really slow on the uptake.

I'd previously read several of Ruth Ware's other books, but this was actually better than some of the later ones -- at least I think so. I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator was decent although some of the character voices made me cringe. I also had the e-book handy which helps me when I listen because I can go back and look up something or double check I "got it" as sometimes my attention wanders while listening!

Anyway, solid mystery thriller that entertained for several hours. I got the audiobook from my local library and the ARC way back when from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books.

Ruth Ware writes a very good locked room mystery. I enjoyed the suspense, but I had to work a bit to become accustomed to some of the Britishisms (Clare's hen). Themes of deceit, betrayal, and doubt abound and the setting is creepy enough to bring a chill to the spine. A good find for suspense lovers!

I saved In a Dark, Dark Wood for the plane home from Europe. Turns out it was the perfect antidote for the mind-numbing flight.
Creepy and yes, dark -- this is pure thriller enjoyment -- complete with an Agatha Christie-ish limited list of suspects, Gothic foreshadowing, and a story line that twists and turns. Like all good mysteries, the reader is challenged to piece together all the elements -- who, what, where, when, how and why. I had figured out some of it, but was surprised by the final tying up of loose ends.

Ms. Ware has crafted a perfectly creepy setting -- a cold, modern glass house that looks out a large forest-- a "wood" which looms dark and menacing throughout.
The characters were engaging and the story moved at a steady, never once bored, pace. I must admit that I didn't find the book to be the scary read promised -- to me it was just creepy -- which is plenty for me. (I'm still recovering from reading my one and only Stephen King novel back in my teens.) In a Dark, Dark Wood was an easy read that kept me engaged for hours.

Recommended for your summer reading list-- especially if you have a long plane journey ahead of you.
And, guess what folks, Reese Witherspoon is developing In a Dark, Dark Wood it into a film.
See more at http://www.bookbarmy.com
A digital review copy was kindly provided by Gallery/Scout Press via Netgalley.

Great mystery! There's a reason this one has been on the bestseller lists for so long.

The following review appeared on my blog on January 10, 2016:

Nora Shaw hasn't spoken to her childhood best friend, Clare Cavendish, in ten years. A reclusive crime writer, Nora avoids social interaction with just about everyone. Which is why she's so shocked when she gets an email from Clare's new BFF inviting her to Clare's upcoming hen party. Not having received a wedding invitation, Nora was unaware of the looming nuptials. The last thing she wants to do is spend a long weekend with someone she hasn't seen in a decade, but feelings of both curiosity and guilt convince her to accept the invite.

The party venue—an isolated glass house in the English countryside—does nothing to relieve Nora's anxiety about the hen weekend. Nor does its hostess, a nervous, eager-to-please woman named Flo. The other party guests—virtual strangers to one another—seem almost as ill-at-ease as Nora. As the gathering gets going, things soon go horribly awry. When Nora wakes up in the hospital with only fractured memories of what has occurred, she must connect the fuzzy dots to figure out how someone in the glass house ended up dead. And why she's being accused of murder.

In a Dark, Dark Wood—a debut novel by Ruth Ware—has gotten a lot of buzz since its publication in 2015. Inevitable comparisons to The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl made psychological thriller fanatics (like Yours Truly) take notice. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of the book. Although its big finale was a little predictable, on the whole, I was not disappointed with Ware's freshman effort. The author excels at creating a spooky, unsettling atmosphere that gives a shivery vibe to the whole story. Plotwise, it's a tense, taut tale that's twisty enough to keep the reader on edge. The big reveal at the end isn't all that surprising, true, but the book's still engrossing and suspenseful. Dark, yes. Disturbing, yes. Depressing, yes. And yet, overall, I enjoyed this addicting page turner. It kept me reading in a dark, dark bedroom way, way past my bedtime.

(Readalikes: Reminds me of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language, violence, blood/gore, and depictions of illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of In a Dark, Dark Wood from the generous folks at Simon and Schuster via those at NetGalley. Thank you!)