One By One; Ruth Ware
Gallery/Scout Press - 2020
A company retreat for 5 employees and 5 stockholders of Snoop, a London start up company, is taking place at a luxury chalet in the French Alps. Between meetings, a skiing bonding outing and a surprise twist initiated on whether or not to sell the start up company, havoc has begun. When an avalanche has left the chalet without power and phone/cell service and one skier has gone missing, later presumed dead, tensions rise, panic sets in and food becomes scarce as well. Suddenly, "one by one," a few more from the group end up dead. Of the guests and the (2) chalet staff members, there is a killer in the mix.
I've read everything this author has written and, for me, this one was a miss. Although I liked the snowy remote locale and luxury chalet, cozy fire etc, the atmosphere just wasn't enough. This mystery took me way longer to get through than expected. It was easy to put down and harder to pick up and never really picked up until the last 30% for me. I felt there were too many forgettable, undeveloped characters and, the (2) characters, Liz and Erin, who were more fully explored felt forced at times. The story is told from the POV of Liz (former employee) and Erin's (chalet hostess). I'm not sorry I tried this one but, overall, I was disappointed. I was able to predict the killer early on as well.
Rating - 3/5
