In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press, April 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 352 pages

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

Sometimes the only thing to fear…is yourself.

When reclusive writer Leonora is invited to the English countryside for a weekend away, she reluctantly agrees to make the trip. But as the first night falls, revelations unfold among friends old and new, an unnerving memory shatters Leonora’s reserve, and a haunting realization creeps in: the party is not alone in the woods.

Review:

I would have given this book a full 5-stars but felt like there was a bit of an issue with pacing... just some parts that were either a bit too slow or maybe had more detail than necessary. However, WOW... what a ride!!

Have you ever picked up a book because it was either blurbed by someone you really like (either another author, an actor or perhaps a magazine)? That's how I stumbled across In a Dark Dark Wood... it was blurbed by Reese Witherspoon, whom I love, so I felt as though I HAD to read it. When I first started it, I was a little worried that I had fallen victim to the hype and it took about 80 pages before I can honestly say that I was completely, 100%, hooked!

What I found most appealing about this story was the way that it was told. Going from the present, where you know something horrible has happened, back to the past, where you are getting the 'bigger' picture, was brilliant. I found that I was devouring the pages as I yearned to learn more... wanted to know what happened... NEEDED to understand.

The characters were... okay. I didn't love any of them but found Nora a great lead to follow. However, she's an extremely unreliable narrator so if that's not your thing, be warned! I, personally, really enjoy that type of story so found it part of the appeal of the story.

Overall, this was a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that I would recommend to anyone who doesn't mind missing out on sleep! You will be up reading until the very last page.