IN A DARK DARK WOOD

I was book hunting when I came across 'The Woman in Cabin 10' by Ruth Ware.I realised that I hadnt read any of her books before and decided to start with the first book.I also happened to read a few months ago that Reese Witherspoons production company is adapting this novel into a major motion picture.Curiosity got the better of me and I picked it up this weekend.

The plot :

This story is being told by Nora, an author by profession,living by herself,is reclusive and is haunted by her past.One day she gets an email from Flo,who is the matron of honour for Clare's (Noras childhood friend)wedding.The email is an invitation to Clare's hen night.

Nora and Clare used to be childhood friends.But Nora leaves her hometown and never looks back after a break up with her boy friend, James.After that she loses contact with everyone she knows from that town and decides to leave her past behind and start fresh.The big question is 'Why?'.

After much thought she accepts the invitation .The hen party is arranged in an isolated glass and steel estate set in the woods in winter..There is no connectivity there.The land phone is dead.And she just finds out that Clare is getting married to her ex,James.
And so the party begins and the next thing she knows is that she is lying battered in a hospital under the suspicion of murder.She has no memory of the events that occur and she is trying hard to fit the pieces together.

My Views:

I have conflicting views about this book.While I was reading it, I loved the fact that it was  incredibly fast-paced and easy to read.I was fascinated and thought that I had got my hands on a super thriller.But after having read it,when I put it down for a minute,I found the plot to be very predictable.The story builds up well but falls flat as it progresses.I figured out the plot even before I reached halfway and that annoyed me.

The poem at the beginning was unnerving and misleading and there was nothing creepy about the story.The characters were a bit exaggerated but from the supporting cast I liked Nina for her sharp wit.There was a lot of rehashing and in places it got a bit repetitive.
The group behaved like they never grew up but  I totally agree with a line in the book which says 'People dont change ,they just get more punctilious about hiding their true selves'.
Maybe it was the seriousness of what happens that it cant be wiped away.However here the whole focus was on the thriller part of it and that went a bit downhill.

Its not like I dont recommend this book.Maybe its something which can be read on a flight or if one is just looking for a quick read.

I rate it a 3 out of 5.