Weekend getaway to a remote cabin in the woods? Maybe not.

Book Review:  in a dark, dark wood by Ruth Ware

Although she once considered Clare her best friend, it's been ten years since Nora has had any contact with her.  So, she's conflicted when she receives an invite to Clare's hen party weekend.  Her curiosity outweighs her misgivings -- she accepts the invite.  And wakes up in the hospital afterwards with little memory of what happened on the last night, a night that left at least one person dead -- a night that made Nora a suspect in a murder investigation.

Ware uses flashbacks to effectively create a compelling mystery with a menacing tone.  Beyond the initial "why was she racing through the woods?", "who died?", and "what happened?", I have to admit, the biggest mystery for me was why anyone chose to remain Clare's friend once she revealed her toxicity.  That said, Nora's not the only one at the party who's seen Clare's dark side and chose to attend anyway.  Clare has the kind of magnetism that draws people in, despite themselves.

I needed the big secret spelled out for me -- the one that caused Nora to suddenly switch schools at age 16 and cut off ties with most of her schoolmates.  Things slow down a bit after that reveal, mainly because the reader now knows who the likely murderer is.  The rest is just details.  There is suspense (and frustration) in wondering if Nora will figure it out before it's too late.

Aside of a couple of questionable scenes (if you're already spooked, and you find the kitchen door open in the middle of the night, wouldn't you check the whole house before going back to bed?), this novel was plotted for maximum impact. Although the characters didn't really grab me, in a dark, dark wood is well-written with a deliciously spooky setting (a glass house, off the beaten track, in the middle of the woods, with no cellphone reception).