Bookish Thoughts: In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

I am running. ~ Opening of In a Dark, Dark, Wood

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware, narrated by Imogen Church

Simon & Schuster, 2015

Crime Fiction; 9hrs 34 min

Source: I bought the audio version of this book for my own listening pleasure.

In the mood for something suspenseful, I decided to download In a Dark, Dark Wood to my phone and give it a try. Much praise has been given to Ruth Ware's novel and Imogen Church's narration of it, and it did not disappoint. I can see this novel being perfect on a particularly stormy night . . . 

Crime fiction writer Nora is startled when she receives an e-mail inviting her to a hen party (bachelorette party) for her former best friend, Clare. The two women have not spoken in many years and did not exactly leave on the best of terms. Although reluctant, Nora accompanies a friend to their weekend destination: a glass house in the woods in the English countryside. The home is owned by the aunt of Clare's current best friend, Flo, and seems an odd out of the way place for a Hen party, or so Nora thinks.

The novel alternates between the recent past and the present, as Nora slowly remembers what happened over that short weekend and why she is now in the hospital recovering from injuries--not to mention the prime person of interest in a murder investigation. Who died? What was the motive? What role in Nora play? All of these questions haunt Nora.

I was drawn into the novel immediately, Imogen Church's Nora expressing the tension and a subtle eeriness as the story unfolded.  I had no problem differentiating between the different characters and felt the narrator captured their personalities well. Imogen Church was a good choice as the narrator and one I will enjoy listening to in the future.

The reader gets to know each of the characters, particularly those at the weekend long hen party, as Nora recalls her time there. No one is without motive, although some have stronger motives than others. Nor are the characters particularly likable, but that in no way hurt my enjoyment of the novel. I wanted to know what happened, and found myself listening to the book whenever I could.

The twists were not entirely unexpected, although still exciting to see whether I was right or wrong. It was fun to go back and think on the clues dropped and see how they lined up once all was revealed. In a Dark, Dark Wood was an enjoyable thriller over all. 

To learn more about Ruth Ware and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook. 

For more information and Imogen Church, please visit her website and Twitter.

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