In a Dark, Dark Wood

Nora has a secret. Ten years ago it forced her to leave everything behind and start a new life. But the past catches up to her when she is invited to Clare Cavendish's hen party.

Clare was the best friend she abandoned. The last thing Nora expects to find is an invitation to her hen party. Nora knows she won't be able to leave the past buried if she goes, but anxious and riddled with guilt, she arrives at the hen with her childhood friend Nina. Out in the woods, where cell reception is spotty and the nearest neighbor is miles away, Nora will discover that Clare's future husband is none other than her childhood sweetheart James. The boy she left behind. Forced to relive painful memories, the hen party will escalate into events that will make Nora wish she never tried to confront her past. The opening of this book took me in. Nora is running through the woods, chasing after someone. She's scared, branches are tearing at her and she runs into the road, flinging her arms out to stop an oncoming car. Chapter one begins and she is covered in blood, being treated at the hospital with no memory of what happened, or how she ended up in the road. The story switches between Nora recovering in the hospital, and her memories of the night. The intensity of the hospital scenes are what kept me reading, as Nora wrestles with a mix of emotions trying to figure out why the police are interested in her and the struggle she has trying to piece everything together. The plot, unfortunately, was predictable due to the character's personalities. I knew who the antagonist was before anything happened, and there were too many cliché moments. The only landline phone stopped working and the characters pulled out an Ouija board, which put the group on edge with its messages. I also didn't find Nora to be a very likeable character. I enjoyed Nina's quick wit and sharp tongue, more than Nora's demure nature. She let everyone poke fun at her and tear her down as if she were still in high school. Despite this, I didn't put the book down because I wanted and needed Nora to step up and be a better person. The Nora in the memories was radically different than the Nora lying in the hospital, and I wanted to see how that transformation happened. I wasn't displeased as I saw it unfold. In a Dark, Dark Wood was a quick read and I would recommend it to people who want to read a light mystery. I would be willing to give Ruth Ware another try, as this was her debut novel. I'd like to see how her writing style evolves with a new novel.