In a Dark, Dark Wood
Written by Ruth Ware
Narrated by Imogen Church
4/5
()
About this audiobook
*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER
*SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
An NPR Best Book of the Year * An Entertainment Weekly Summer Books Pick * A Buzzfeed “31 Books to Get Excited About this Summer” Pick * A Publishers Weekly “Top Ten Mysteries and Thrillers” Pick * A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year * A BookReporter Summer Reading Pick * A New York Post “Best Novels to Read this Summer” Pick * A Shelf Awareness “Book Expo America 2015 Buzz Book” Pick
What should be a cozy and fun-filled weekend deep in the English countryside takes a sinister turn in Ruth Ware’s suspenseful, compulsive, and darkly twisted psychological thriller.
Sometimes the only thing to fear…is yourself.
When reclusive writer Leonora is invited to the English countryside for a weekend away, she reluctantly agrees to make the trip. But as the first night falls, revelations unfold among friends old and new, an unnerving memory shatters Leonora’s reserve, and a haunting realization creeps in: the party is not alone in the woods.
Ruth Ware
Ruth Ware worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer before settling down as a full-time writer. She now lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail (Toronto) bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood; The Woman in Cabin 10; The Lying Game; The Death of Mrs. Westaway; The Turn of the Key; One by One; The It Girl; and Zero Days. Visit her at RuthWare.com or follow her on Twitter @RuthWareWriter.
More audiobooks from Ruth Ware
Zero Days Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One by One Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lying Game: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to In a Dark, Dark Wood
Related audiobooks
Sometimes I Lie: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Greenwich Park Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5His & Hers: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5To Tell You the Truth: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Thing I Told You: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Woman in Cabin 10 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Turn of the Key Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The It Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Family Upstairs: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Watching You: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secrets She Keeps: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Passenger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last House Guest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Missing Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Behind Her Eyes: A Suspenseful Psychological Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What She Knew: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bone Deep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Whisper Man: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Night She Disappeared: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lying in Wait: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girl from Widow Hills Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Perfect Stranger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Truth Be Told: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Family Remains: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Breakdown: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elizabeth Is Missing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stranger in Our Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Before She Knew Him: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rock Paper Scissors: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Suspense For You
Fairy Tale Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Guest List: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Holly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wrong Place Wrong Time: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Silent Patient Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Paris Apartment: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leave the World Behind: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Perfect Marriage: a completely gripping psychological suspense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Flicker in the Dark: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Then She Was Gone: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Know You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bright Young Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Missing Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mr. Mercedes: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Terminal List: A Thriller Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Billy Summers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Fury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dead Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Misery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fool Me Once Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under The Dome: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The It Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Green Mile Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Teacher Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Club: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cartographers: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When No One Is Watching: A Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for In a Dark, Dark Wood
2,483 ratings190 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I know that this book has some quite negative reviews, but that didn't deter me one bit. The fact is, I'm easy to entertain, and I'm terrible at solving mysteries. Maybe those two things contributed to me liking this book so much, I don't know. I just know that I read it in three days, and would have finished it sooner than that if I hadn't, you know, had a life to deal with.
I was fascinated with the setup - a group of (mostly) strangers, alone in a big glass house deep in the woods, completely secluded. Remember that movie 13 Ghosts? I loved it for a similar reason. Because WHO KNOWS what can happen in the middle of the woods in the dark of night? If a book features that setup, I'm in.
I also love the whole unreliable narrator thing, and I think that Nora having lost her memory was a great way to do that. Again, I am AWFUL at solving mysteries, but I honestly had no idea what was going happen at any point. Some people have mentioned that the book was very predictable, but it didn't seem that way to me.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I liked this book a lot, but I knew what was going on. I had figured out the reason why everything happened and whodunnit before the book was too far along. That didn’t make it any less enjoyable, it just affected the suspense. It’s a well-written book and I would read more by the author.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book had me yelling at the characters and completely stressed. I loved it.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I know that this book has some quite negative reviews, but that didn't deter me one bit. The fact is, I'm easy to entertain, and I'm terrible at solving mysteries. Maybe those two things contributed to me liking this book so much, I don't know. I just know that I read it in three days, and would have finished it sooner than that if I hadn't, you know, had a life to deal with.
I was fascinated with the setup - a group of (mostly) strangers, alone in a big glass house deep in the woods, completely secluded. Remember that movie 13 Ghosts? I loved it for a similar reason. Because WHO KNOWS what can happen in the middle of the woods in the dark of night? If a book features that setup, I'm in.
I also love the whole unreliable narrator thing, and I think that Nora having lost her memory was a great way to do that. Again, I am AWFUL at solving mysteries, but I honestly had no idea what was going happen at any point. Some people have mentioned that the book was very predictable, but it didn't seem that way to me.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Waste Of time
I will never recommend to others.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Really good! Love ruth ware. Well written. Next read please.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A plenty-good-enough thriller that held my interest and made me want to figure out what was going on, which kept the pages turning at a pretty good clip. Certainly imperfect (the characters are rather one-note and the plot doesn't entirely satisfy) but for a quick read, just fine.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I loved the story and the story telling! Kudos to the writer and artist.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of my favorites so far. I believe I’ve listened to all of Ware’s books and I truly enjoyed this one.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Another good wintry thriller for December.
This definitely had me feeling the cold air and even at times I felt like I was actually there at the glass house. I will say I kinda had an idea whodunnit pretty early on, but the twist still got me! - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What a great mystery, I had my suspicions but wow what a good ending! You will not want to stop listening. Superb narrator!!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Overall it was okay. The characters are painfully boring. So boring that one chapter was about what coffee maker to buy with one tiny clue slipped in the conversation. The ending was important simply because it shows the female psychopath. How snarky and conniving they can be lurking beneath the shadows. Without that redeeming quality it would have been very boring.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is probably my favorite of her so far! A real twist and turn kinda mystery.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I strongly considered giving up on this book several times; the setting and narration were truly the only redeeming parts.
Be forwarded, 90% of the story takes place during less than 2 days… and this book is 12hrs long. You’re essentially with the characters for every waking minute of their hen party….
The story had promise, but there were just too many absurdities - starting with the fact that main character and the bride to be were estranged childhood friends, with MUTUAL friends… and somehow the main character never caught wind of the fact that the fiancé was her high school sweetheart, whom she’s still in love with 10yrs later… (you’ll find this out VERY early on so it’s not a spoiler).
Aside from that but if drama there is very little going on for the first 3/4 of the book other than endless whinging, whining and drinking amongst the bridal party. None of the characters are particularly likable and most are downright unbearable. (Flo- the maid of honor- breaks down in hysterics nearly every other chapter bc she wants her friend’s weekend to be peeeeeeerfecccct and you’re ruuuuuuining it). Skip to the last 3hrs and you’ll finally get to the actual mystery. Had the book been 4-5hrs, it might’ve had a chance… but at 12… save your time and go for something that has some actual depth.
Side note - in spite how how arduously long it is… the book is STILL left partially open ended. - Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Exactly how did boring Leonora manage to write mystery novels?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This has been my favorite book to listen to since I started with Scribd. The narrator’s voice is so nice to listen to.
But the story!!! The way this story was written had me hooked from the second chapter, and the back and forth was very easy to follow while listening. I’ve listened to some others where they bounce between timeline and woof, it’s a mess. There were characters that I really cared about a lot like Nora and Nellie (usually), and other that kept me guessing why they were making every single move they did like Flo and Clair, and sometimes Nellie too!
The story wrapped up in a nice neat bow and I’m very happy with this read. I think I’m going to get lost in this author’s library now. Bye! - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I’ve really enjoyed this author’s work. Recently come across her and after that book I knew she’d go on my favorites list! This was my third book of hers and it’s no let down! Highly recommended!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Slow at first but the middle to end is very gripping and I couldn’t put it down.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Sadly this has to be my least favorite that I’ve listened to so far. I throughly enjoy Ruth Ware audiobooks though! On to the next one! ☺️
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I thought it was very entertaining. I saw reviews that the ending was obvious but I didn’t see it coming. I thought the narrator was great too. I’d recommend it
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good overall. Quite suspenseful and well written. I thought the ending was muddled and a little hard to follow, so some disappointment there. Imogene Church is a good narrator, although I must say her voice got on my nerves somewhat after a while (!). Definitely worth a listen….☺️
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I don’t think I can say more than the title is accurate. This is a dark tale of deception, murder, and friendship. I thoroughly enjoyed the end. It was so twisted, yet believable. Loved it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Is the narrator reliable? Which characters are telling the truth.. it’s a delicious mystery you get hooked on and can’t stop until you know the answer. one of them is a killer..Try a chapter, excellent narrator, very enjoyable.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Suspense was good. Story telling a bit slow. Over all entertaining.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In a Dark, Dark Wood was so good, I wanted to finish it in a night, but life prevented that. Nora is invited to a hen (bachelorette party) in the forest for her high school friend Clare, who she hasn't seen in 10 years and it turns out Clare's marrying Nora's high school sweetheart James. First half of the book is hen events and revealing of information. The group finds out Nora dated James and that Nora and Clare haven't seen each other in 10 years, this adds tension. Weird things start to happen, making the group on high alert, feet tracks in the snow, playing with a ouija board that spells outs murder. Then the group hears the door leading to outside open. The rest of the book goes back and forth from Nora in the hospital trying to remember what happened and then what played out at the hen that night. The characters all have motives and look suspicious which leaves you going back and forth on who you think is a killer (or would be killer, because you know something is going to go down but not sure what and who). There was some repetitiveness, but overall it was well written and very entertaining.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow! Great gothic + contemporary crime fiction -- Thank you Ruth Ware and Scribd!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I really enjoyed this book, the twists were excited & I felt it moved pretty fast. I did like how it jumped from past to present.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Not scary at all but still a good book overall. I like a good murder mystery!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Disregard any review that says they had already figured it out. I thought I figured it out thought I had again but you really don’t know the full story until you’ve read it to the last page. This was definitely a page turner could not put it down.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fantastic! Such suspense! It keeps you guessing right until the end.