Sunday, January 31, 2021

Bookish Mewsings: One by One by Ruth Ware


I keep my earbuds shoved into my ears on the minibus from Geneva Airport. ~ Opening of One by One 

One by One by Ruth Ware 
Simon & Schuster, 2020
Crime Fiction/Thriller; 352 pgs
Source: NetGalley

Set in a luxurious mountaintop chalet in the French Alps, the Snoop shareholders and directors meet to discuss the future of their company. It could mean the end or the start of something new for them, depending on who has their way. A lot of money is on the line and tensions are high between all parties. When one of them ends up missing, believed to be dead in an avalanche as a blizzard blows in, it puts everyone else on edge. When one of them turns up dead, it puts doubts in all their minds. Could the first have been murder too? No one knows who to trust exactly. All they know is that there is a killer among them.

It was hard not to want to snuggle deeper under my blanket as I read One by One, the cold stormy weather coming off the pages. The novel is told from the perspective of two of the characters: Erin, the hostess and one of the caretakers of the resort, and Liz, a former employee of the company who is only there because she owns shares in the company and so has voting rights in any decision that will be made. I liked having the two viewpoints--one from the inside and one from the outside of the group. It offered unique perspectives and insight into the other characters. 

You can imagine most of the characters are not particularly likeable. Topher, the founder and leader of the bunch, is an entitled white man who is used to getting his way. Eva, the cofounder, is polished and also used to getting her way. Frankly, most of the Snoop employees fall into the privileged and entitled camp. I  could not help but feel for Liz, especially in the beginning. She seemed so out of place among the more sophisticated Snoop staff.  Erin and Danny are the resort's caretakers, Erin being the more down to earth of the two, but neither of the same elk as their guests. 

I enjoy a good locked room mystery and this one did not disappoint in the end. I admit I found the beginning to drag on a bit. It takes awhile before the action starts. Once it did however, at about 30% of the novel, it didn't stop from there. Tension was high with suspicion falling on everyone, not to mention the outside threat of the storm which only added to their predicament. The stormy isolated setting was perfect for this type of novel.

While perhaps the whodunit part was not too hard to figure out after awhile, the why of it was an interesting twist, especially as the layers were unraveled. And those seemingly trivial chapter headers .  . . Well, they are worth paying attention to as the story unfolds. I cannot say this is my favorite Ruth Ware novel. But I did find it entertaining and once I really got into it, I found it hard to put down. 


Counts towards the Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge & Winter COYER Challenge.


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32 comments:

  1. Sounds like a nice read. I haven't read a Ruth Ware novel yet, but I've been wanting too. Sorry the beginning of this one dragged though.

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    1. Maureen - I have enjoyed the novels of hers I have read. I have a couple more on my TBR pile I have still yet to read though.

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  2. I think your experience with this book is very similar to mine. I did figure out the solution, but enjoyed the ride. Yes, not my favorite Ruth Ware book, but I'll always try whatever she wants to write.

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    1. Kay - I feel the same way about her books. I haven't read all of hers yet, but I'm making my way through them. :-) Which one is your favorite?

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    2. I think my favorite is actually still her first - IN A DARK DARK WOOD. At the time that one was published, the themes there were not quite as prevalent in books as they seem to be now. Or that's how I remember it anyway. I always thought the house in the book was so creepy. Ha!

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    3. Kay - That is my favorite of hers that I've read so far too.

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  3. Excellent review! I enjoyed this one also.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  4. I still need to read this one. It's that whole snowed-in thing that I'm drawn to the most. :)

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  5. I've heard some mixed reviews about this one but I'm glad you enjoyed it. I do want to read it and think it may be a good read during our hot summer months. I can imagine being in a cold, wintery setting then! :)

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    1. Iliana - The setting would work well if you want to cool off in the summer. :-)

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  6. I like Ware overall but this one was a disappointment for me. I feel like she is pumping books out left and right but sacrificing plot now.

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    1. Ti - The character development could have been better in this one, and except for the slow start, I enjoyed this one. I don't think it is one of her stronger books though.

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  7. Nice, honest review. It was okay, but not my favourite Ware book.

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  8. I have only read one Ruth Ware book but I definitely want to read more soon. This sounds like it would be worth a try.

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    1. Carole - I have enjoyed the three of her books I have read so far. If you give her a try, I hope you enjoy her work.

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  9. I'm glad you enjoyed this book. I haven't read it.

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  10. I keep hearing good things about Ruth Ware's books and I really need to read them one they! This has And Then There Were None vibes, which sounds really good to me!

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    1. Eustacia - This one has been linked to And Then They Were None, so perhaps that was one of the novel's influences. :-)

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  11. I have heard mixed reviews of this one even though people love Ruth Ware's books.

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    1. Helen - I have too. It wasn't my favorite of hers, but I still enjoyed it.

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  12. I couldn't resist a locked room mystery; and all the more if it's Ruth Ware's books! :)

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  13. Ruth Ware! Another author I've heard so much about, but failed to start reading. This one gave me the "And then there were none" vibe, but brr, it's cold.
    ~ Lex (lexlingua.co)

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    1. Lex - I couldn't help but feel the chill of winter as I read this one. Thank you for visiting!

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  14. I really enjoyed this, it’s the only book of hers I’ve read and it sounds like some of her others are better.

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    1. Heather - Then you are in for a treat if you read more of her books!

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  15. I've only read one of hers, but I have this one and several others on the wish list. Good to know about the slower start.

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    1. Sophia Rose - Sometimes I don't mind a slow start, but other times it effects my enjoyment of the book. I think it comes down to the type of book it is. I didn't expect it in a book like this. One by One was my third by her and I have a couple of her others on my shelf to read. I enjoy her books. I hope you enjoy whichever of her books you read!

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