Book Review: The Death of Mrs. Westaway

This is the third book I read by Ruth Ware. I really enjoyed the first one I read (The Woman in Cabin 10) and the second was mysterious enough to keep me interested but it didn’t wow me (The Lying Game). I didn’t really know what I would think of this book, so I was delighted to see that the author wrote a very good story in The Death of Mrs. Westaway.
Even though I gave it the same rating as The Woman in Cabin 10, I can say, confidently, that this is now my favorite book of the author. I do plan to read her other books, but for now, this one holds the prize for best book by Ruth Ware.

I most enjoyed the atmosphere of the novel. The estate where everything happens was, for me, a character as much as Hal was. It was incredible how the author was able to make that house look so alive. I swear every time Hal went up those attic stairs, I would get a chill. This was a marvelous job, what the author did with the atmosphere of the story and how she was able to make that house look like a suspicious character.

In terms of the story itself, it was incredibly easy to find out who the culprit was and I was not surprised to read about it when everything was reveled. What did surprised me was the whole context and some details that I hadn’t quite worked out yet. It’s true that whenever I read a thriller, I’m hoping to be completely blown away by the culprit’s reveal and though I would’ve enjoyed being surprised by this one (I had my moments of doubt throughout because of some red herrings but from the start I was bent on one character), I can’t say I’m disappointed that I found out early in the story. That’s because I do think the author wrote a good, entertaining story and it wasn’t hard to keep reading to know more.

I think the book took its time to pick up a rhythm but the last 10 chapters were completely breathtaking and the closer I got to the climax of the story, I could feel my heart pumping with excitement. I think that’s the best compliment I could give to a thriller – making your heart race is the sign of a story well written. 

Rating: 4 stars

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