The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware (Review by Danielle Jackson)
Rating: 4/5*
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware is a suspenseful and eerie novel set mostly in a dilapidated, gothic mansion in England. The main character Hal arrives to the estate in hopes of fraudulently receiving a few thousand dollars from the death of an elderly woman to escape her debts (and a threatening debt collector). It does not take long for Hal to realize that she has entered a situation potentially more perilous than her previous debts. With her keen eye for reading people, gleaned from years of fortune telling, Hal must navigate through her situation with the Westaways before she is discovered. This mystery novel has plenty of twists and turns, family secrets and drama. The ending does not disappoint and will have you guessing until the last moment.
While I found this novel to be a quick and entertaining read, I found myself skimming the last 100 pages, which were full of repetitive musings of the main character. I disagree with some who have noted Ruth Ware to be the “next Agatha Christie”, although I do believe she has the potential to write great mystery works with a fresh take if she becomes more concise in her writing style. Overall, I would recommend this novel if you are a fan of the mystery genre with 4/5 stars.