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Read & Listen Book Review | In a Dark, Dark Wood, by Ruth Ware

1/17/2017

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A read and listen book review consist of time spent both reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook. I personally think that this is the best way to read books when you're short on time!  

Read on to find out why mystery/thriller In a Dark, Dark Wood earned a 3 bookmark rating, I found an article that shares that In a Dark, Dark Wood will be hitting the big screen. There is no release date set yet, but I look forward to seeing the big screen interpretation of this novel.

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​​Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press, Simon & Schuster Audio
Release Date: April 19, 2016 (first published 2015)
Format: Paperback, Audio MP3
Pages: 352 | Audio Length: 9 hours 30 mins
Narrator:​ Imogen Church
Source: BEA 2016, Scribd
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Review Date: January 16, 2017
Rating: 3 bookmarks

Synopsis: ​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. 


​In a Dark, Dark Wood has an interesting plot. The entire story centers around a hen party (known as a Bachlorette part in the America for the bride to be). The party takes place in a minimalist glass house located in the middle of the woods during the winter time, and of course, without cell reception.

Personally, I felt that what I was expecting from this story is not what I got. When I picked the book up, it was sold as a dark thriller. It was even compared to Gone Girl...it's hard to believe people are still pitching books comparing them to Gone Girl...anyway, I digress.  I simply wanted more. I was expecting a huge plot twist and it didn't quite hit the mark.
​As far as the pacing goes, in my opinion the book had a had a slow start. I don't feel like I really started getting into things until about the 40% mark. After that it was a very involved and I was engrossed in the story.  One thing I noticed about this book is that it was told in first-person. I usually don't care for first-person stories, but Ruth Ware was able to do it very well. Even with first person, I was able to see the motivations of Nora plus understand the personalities and motivations of the other characters. As for the twist, it wasn't surprising. I sort of felt like I knew who the killer was the whole time, it was just the waiting and reading through the process of how to get there.

The hen party guests, Nora (aka Lee, aka Leonora), Nina, Tom, Flo, and the guest of honor Clare, all fit together like high school frenemies. The relationships were very shallow and yet at the same time, complex.  I really felt bad for Nora as she deals with old wounds and a huge secret that one of her old friends dump on her all while her missing gaps of memory is slowly coming back to her.
​Narrator of the audiobook, Imogen Church, did it excellent job. She has a English accent that fit both the voice of Nora as well as the other characters. Being that the story is set in England, it was very fitting. When I was listening to the audiobook, Church really boosted the value of the story.

While I didn't find the conclusion surprising, I was satisfied with it. All of the open ends were closed and the ending was appropriate for the shenanigans that went on during that weekend. Some may find the big reveal surprising and shocking, but I sort of knew. In the books defense, I'm hard to trick when it comes to plots.

This was a good read, and if the premise of this story is appealing to you, I recommend that you check it out. Have you read In a Dark, Dark Wood? If so, please share what you thought of this book.

Get the Kindle and/or Audible versions here:

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