Many thanks to Gallery Books for my free copy of THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware – all opinions are my own.
Book Description:
On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.
Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it.
My Review:
My favorite Ruth Ware novel to date is an extraordinary, atmospheric, slow burning, suspenseful, and haunting mystery that completely consumed me from beginning to end. Think Daphne du Maurier or Agatha Christie with a modern twist!
Hal is in her early twenties, alone in the world with no family, a tarot card reader struggling to pay the bills. One day she receives a letter that states her grandmother passed away and it names her as the beneficiary for the inheritance. Hal thinks this is a mistake because her grandparents died long ago, but since she is desperate for money she decides to play the part as the rightful heir. When she arrives at the estate, however, she realizes there is a history with this family and notices something is not quite right.
The character of Hal is masterfully written and I love her as a tarot card reader. Also, there is nothing better than when the eerie, mystical atmosphere plays a formidable character in the story. The descriptions of the house, the surroundings, and the characters were so vivid, I could picture every detail in my mind. THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY has such a brilliant, compelling, and spellbinding plot – Ware has a way of drawing you in where the outside world no longer exists. And she really knows how to build up her reveals because I literally did not know what was going to happen until the very last page. Ruth Ware is an incredibly talented writer with impeccable style and this book deserves all the stars!
My rating is 5 out of 5 stars!
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