Who Would Like This Book:
If twisty, character-driven mysteries are your thing, "The It Girl" delivers big-time. The dual timeline keeps you riveted as you piece together clues from Oxford's intellectual halls all the way to the present day. It's perfect for fans of dark academia, whodunits, or anyone who enjoys mysteries with strong emotional stakes and well-developed, complicated friendships. Ruth Ware's knack for atmosphere, fair clue-dropping, and a haunting sense of place is on full display.
Who May Not Like This Book:
For some, the pacing can feel slow and repetitive, especially if you prefer your thrillers fast and tight. A few readers struggled with Hannah, the protagonist, finding her introspection and guilt overbearing at times. Some also pointed out anachronisms or details about college life that just didn't ring true, which might bug you if you're a stickler for realism. And if you don’t like being in a character’s head for a lot of hand-wringing, you might not click with this one.
About:
The story centers around Hannah, an Oxford University student whose testimony led to the conviction of the school porter for the murder of 'It Girl' April. A decade later, new evidence emerges casting doubt on the original verdict, prompting Hannah to delve into the past and present to uncover the truth behind her best friend's death. Ruth Ware's writing style intricately weaves together past and present timelines, creating a suspenseful and engaging narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The novel contains content warnings related to murder, depression, and references to misogyny.
From The Publisher:
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the "claustrophobic spine-tingler" ( People ) One by One returns with an unputdownable mystery following a woman on the search for answers a decade after her friend's murder.
April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.
Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends-Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily-during their first term. By the end of the year, April was dead.
Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah's world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April's death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide…including a murder.
"The Agatha Christie of our generation" (David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author) proves once again that she is "as ingenious and indefatigable as the Queen of Crime" ( The Washington Post ) with this propulsive murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Ratings (65)
Incredible (5) | |
Loved It (26) | |
Liked It (18) | |
It Was OK (11) | |
Did Not Like (3) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (134):
Read It (68) | |
Want To Read (53) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (11) |
3 comment(s)
I've only read 3 books from Ruth Ware and none was a huge winner. I know Ruth Ware is a very hit and miss author for many and unfortunately she is a miss author for me. But who knows I might love another book from her in the future
I’ve read a few of Ware’s thrillers and I’ve thought they were underwhelming. However, this one, while it was a slow build, ended with a thrilling twist.
It was a pretty good story, despite the elements that I usually don't like.
Usually I don't like flashbacks and chapters written in an alternating past and present. In such cases, most often chapters from the past do not interest me at all. This time it was completely different. I was more interested in what happened in the past than in chapters from the present. Maybe it's because it wasn't that much happening in the present in the first half of the book, while the past was very interesting. Regardless of the reason, this scheme worked for me this time.
The plot of this book fits in with what has been popular in recent years. A narrow group of friends, a murder from years ago, one of them is probably the killer. I've read a lot of such stories lately, this one is among the better of them. Although I'm not sure if I will remember it in some time. But the pace of the story was really nice and the ending was pretty good too. I had a good time.
This is my first book by this author, about which I've heard a lot of good things before. I didn't quite know what to expect, but luckily I'm not disappointed. Reviews for this book are rather mixed, so I guess her other stories are better. I think I can try them in the future. Her writing style is okay for me.
What can you read after
The It Girl?
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