One by One by Ruth Ware

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 372 pages
Published: September 2020

The thing with having a Book of the Month subscription is that you rarely, if ever, run into any bad books. For the month of September, I splurged on three books (read the next 2 reviews or view my reading list to learn the titles). While I finished One by One by Ruth Ware on the last day of a warm summer in Texas, the book took me to the snowy mountains in the French Alps. This was my first read by this prolific mystery/thriller author. The book centers around the employees of this interesting new mobile app that allows users to listen in or "snoop" on what other people, including celebrities, are listening to musically. 

Anyway, the eight employees including the founding (and stock-holding) members of the company go off to the luxurious ski chalet for a team-building retreat. While there, they learn that one of the founders has ulterior business motives for the trip. An unexpected and dangerous avalanche leaves the guests stranded and one by one (get it?), people start dying. The plot has the makings of a classic whodunit, like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. The two staff members, Erin and Danny, try to maintain a sense of control while waiting for help to come clear the way, but they are in just as much danger. 

This book was suspenseful enough to keep me turning the pages. Ware does a good job of providing clues to lead you to the killer. I enjoyed her beautiful descriptions of the Alps and the snow. It transported me right there, and when she got to the action, I felt emotions as if I were a character in the book. The only thing that bothered me about this book was the length. I think the last portion including the ski chase could have been removed as it seemed to slow down the overall pace of the novel. 

None of these characters are really that likable, which is odd because the story is. I read this book as a read-along with an online book club, but I think it might be even more fun to read when it's cold outside. 

Recommendation: I would recommend One by One as an intense, fast-paced winter read. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.