In a Dark, Dark Wood

by Ruth Ware

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

I bought into the buzz that surrounded In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware. The premise of murder at a bachelorette party seemed a little far-fetched, but as it had been a hyped thriller and as it is October I thought I would give it a try.

Sadly, I was disappointed. My thoughts of the absurdity of a bachelorette murder were correct. It was lukewarm at best, with a predictability that became tedious. I had high hopes and the flip-flop between the party and "after" the crime held my interest somewhat but was not enough to hold its retention.

Unfortunately, the characters in A Dark, Dark Wood could have been plucked out of ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager. They created their own drama and rehash it over and over again. This does not even begin to cover the petty high schoolesque cliques which I frankly distance myself from twelve years ago.

I did enjoy Imogen Church's narration. It was pleasant to listen to and the distinction between characters was well played. I could see myself listening to more by her.

I had been looking for a thriller to send chills up my spine and knew In a Dark, Dark Wood was a shot in the dark. Regrettably, Ruth Ware's novel missed the mark and felt doomed from the start.