The Death of Mrs Westaway: A modern-day murder mystery from The Sunday Times Bestseller

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It seems . . . well, it seems as if Mrs. Westaway did know what she was doing when she drafted that will.” (c) When reading a thriller &/or suspense novel I like to be able to work out the why and how and be pleasantly surprised by the little pieces of puzzles that were left along the way that I either missed or didn’t think were important to the twists or reveals. I thought some pieces of that puzzle were left out here and in some instances didn’t match-up so therefore this novel just didn’t work for me.

This is not a book focused on fast-paced action, but rather on slowly unveiling the nuances surrounding the mystery. Subtle clues are planted throughout, but all does not come together until the end. This is a mystery with many layers; I found it to be intriguing, intelligent, and entertaining. I was satisfied with how things played out. The Death of Mrs. Westaway is one of my favorite reads of 2018! I recommend for those who enjoy slow-burn classic mysteries. A big thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Ruth Ware for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! In best-selling author Ruth Ware’s fourth novel, The Death of Mrs. Westaway , a young tarot card reader in dire straits is unexpectedly invited to the reading of a will. Though she believes she has been mistakenly named a beneficiary, she decides to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire some much-needed cash. Principal characters Hal travels to eerie Trepassen House, her “late grandmother’s” crumbling estate. She thinks that she is only going to inherit some money, but she soon learns that she has been left much more. At the estate, she meets her “uncles” and uses her keen observation skills to learn more about the creepy family that inhabited Trepassen. When Hal realizes that she has a legit family connection to these Westaways, she begins to dig for more information which leads her into grave danger.The Death of Mrs. Westaway is Ware’s fourth thriller, psychological thriller and suspense novel, and subject of my third Ware review. The book was published in 2018 and said to be her best novel (at least so far). I can agree with that, because I preferred this book over The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Lying Game. The reason might be, that The Death of Mrs. Westaway compounded (and answered) nicely both of my criticisms about the previous books, which were, that the storytelling was kinda uneven. In this book we get to know Hal extremely well, but beside that, there are many meaningful side characters, and precise description of the milieu itself. Overall the writing style suited me better. Despite the fact that her name is in the title of the novel, we don’t know much about Mrs. Westaway. What do the other characters say was Mrs. Westaway like? What do you think of her? Why do you think she crafted her will the way that she did? I will never feel sad again, in spite of everything, in spite of the storm that I know is coming. (c) Nolan, Tom (16 June 2023). "Mysteries: Ruth Ware's 'Zero Days' ". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 20 June 2023.

All hail Queen Ruth Ware! It's no secret that lady authors have been taking over the psychological thriller scene in the past decade (GiRl PoWeR), but there are a handful that seem to come to the forefront when planning out what we want to read over the summer months. Ms. Ware has been a highly coveted name in recent years and for good reason; whether you have read her books from the beginning or are just jumping into her scene, you'll note that she writes a gripping novel with memorable characters and breathtaking atmosphere. While all of her novels would be shelved clearly under the psych thriller persona, this one shined more brightly than the rest, at least in my opinion, due to it's departure into the gothic suspense territory.

Retailers:

Andreeva, Nellie (6 June 2023). "Ruth Ware's Novel 'Zero Days' Acquired By Universal International Studios For Series Development". Deadline . Retrieved 20 June 2023.

My sister is a huge Ruth Ware fan so I, of course, in true sibling fashion, had to decide I hated her on principal and avoid all her previous books. Okay, I'm joking, but that dirty wench spoiled most of the endings to the others so I have had to bag an arc to be able to read this spoiler-free. And I loved it! Such a delicious, hard-to-put-down mystery. The Death of Mrs. Westaway is an addictive mystery novel with a healthy dose of family drama. With it’s engrossing story, characters, and plot twists, it’s a great option for your book club!Image from https://otava.fi/kirjat/rouva-westaway-on-kuollut/ — Cover art for The Death of Mrs. Westaway (2018) by Ruth Ware. Design by Dan Mogford and Trevillion Images. Something about Mrs. Warren seems to echo the classic gothic novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier; her hatred of Hal contrasted with her dedication and adoration toward the late Mrs. Westaway, the dead woman who seems to loom over every character, is not unlike the late Rebecca from the classic gothic novel.