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ishouldreadthat 's review for:
The Death of Mrs Westaway
by Ruth Ware
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I find often thrillers really hit or miss for me — sometimes they’re the most amazing reading experience or they completely fall flat. I hadn’t ever picked up a Ruth Ware book before, so I didn’t have many expectations going in despite hearing great things about her writing. However, I am so pleased to say that I ended up loving The Death of Mrs Westaway and read it in nearly one sitting.
Like with all thriller reviews, I’ll keep this short because you should know as little as possible before going in. There is a lot to love about The Death of Mrs Westaway, and for me I think the main factor is the fact that it feels like a more small scale story than other thrillers I’ve read — I hope this will make sense. I’ve struggled with some books featuring female protagonists because of violence against them, threats of sexual assault, etc. and the way such things are handled. Harriet is not an unreliable narrator, currently an alcoholic, or a drug addict, all of which seem to be recurring themes in thrillers since books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train became popular. What I’m trying to get across is the fact that this book feels different from many other thrillers I’ve read. I really enjoyed the fact that the main tension of the story surrounds the fact that Harriet must make a choice — to commit a crime that could land her in prison or not. She’s an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances, and time and time again proves she’s a good person.
Ware’s writing is wonderfully tense and well-paced — I blew through this book so quickly and couldn’t put it down. In fact, I nearly missed my bus stop because I was so engrossed in the book on my commute. I really loved the story, the twists and turns, and the way everything resolves in the end — it’s a very satisfying read. If you’re looking for an intriguing thriller for the fall and winter, I’d highly recommend picking up The Death of Mrs Westaway, particularly on a dark and chilly weekend. This was my introduction to Ruth Ware and I’ve already read another of her books — I plan to pick up the rest of them as well!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I find often thrillers really hit or miss for me — sometimes they’re the most amazing reading experience or they completely fall flat. I hadn’t ever picked up a Ruth Ware book before, so I didn’t have many expectations going in despite hearing great things about her writing. However, I am so pleased to say that I ended up loving The Death of Mrs Westaway and read it in nearly one sitting.
Like with all thriller reviews, I’ll keep this short because you should know as little as possible before going in. There is a lot to love about The Death of Mrs Westaway, and for me I think the main factor is the fact that it feels like a more small scale story than other thrillers I’ve read — I hope this will make sense. I’ve struggled with some books featuring female protagonists because of violence against them, threats of sexual assault, etc. and the way such things are handled. Harriet is not an unreliable narrator, currently an alcoholic, or a drug addict, all of which seem to be recurring themes in thrillers since books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train became popular. What I’m trying to get across is the fact that this book feels different from many other thrillers I’ve read. I really enjoyed the fact that the main tension of the story surrounds the fact that Harriet must make a choice — to commit a crime that could land her in prison or not. She’s an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances, and time and time again proves she’s a good person.
Ware’s writing is wonderfully tense and well-paced — I blew through this book so quickly and couldn’t put it down. In fact, I nearly missed my bus stop because I was so engrossed in the book on my commute. I really loved the story, the twists and turns, and the way everything resolves in the end — it’s a very satisfying read. If you’re looking for an intriguing thriller for the fall and winter, I’d highly recommend picking up The Death of Mrs Westaway, particularly on a dark and chilly weekend. This was my introduction to Ruth Ware and I’ve already read another of her books — I plan to pick up the rest of them as well!