Author: Ruth Ware

Genre: Psych Thriller

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Pages: 384

On a normal morning in June, Kate is walking her dog, Shadow, along the Reach when he runs in to the water to retrieve something. Soon after, Kate’s three best friends from boarding school in Salten, Isa, Fatima, and Thea receive a three-word text- “I need you”. The three don’t hesitate in returning to Kate, and to Salten. That message is never sent unless it is an emergency. They have a feeling that they know what the emergency is about. The Lying Game, a game that they played during their time at Salten, has never ended. It is a game with a myriad of rules, and it landed them all being asked to leave Salten in the fifth-year due to the scandal surrounding the disappearance of Ambrose, the art teacher- and Kate’s father. It is the lie surrounding this that the girls cannot let go of, and the one that may get them arrested…or worse. If you’re going to play The Lying Game, you must be ready to face the consequences.

I don’t know where Ruth Ware comes up with these stories, and I don’t care, as long as she keeps putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, whatever)! I can’t believe that I am saying this, but The Lying Game has just surpassed In a Dark, Dark, Wood as my favorite Ware book! It was awesome, like binge read awesome! The characters were all so well developed, that they were easily imagined. The descriptiveness of the Reach and Salten was phenomenal. I could see it very clearly, with minimal effort. Her writing, as always, was sophisticated and lovely. Much like In a Dark, Dark Wood, this one grabbed my attention from the beginning, and it did not let up until it was over. This is the experience that I look for in a great psych thriller, and I definitely got it with The Lying Game. If you’re looking for that, as well- Go. Read. Now!!

Author: Ruth Ware

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Pages: 320

Crime fiction author Leonora (Nora, as she now goes by) is taken aback to be invited to the hen of an old school friend, Clare, whom she hasn’t seen in ten years. She is really debating as to whether she is going to go, but decides that she will go if another of their school friends whom she has kept in touch with goes as well. When they arrive, they soon begin to regret their decision as they are thrust in to a glass home in the middle of the woods, in an unfamiliar area, with people that they do not know. Nora decides to go for a run, and meets Clare in the drive as she is returning to the house. While in the car, Clare informs her of the reason for her invitation. This drags up many old memories and hard feelings that make Nora want to bolt from the house immediately, but she doesn’t have her own vehicle, and she would have to contend with Clare’s new BFF who is just a touch on the insane side! She, instead, joins in the party and drinks and drugs her way in to dealing with the weekend. Throw in one home invasion, one murder, one car accident, and one bout of amnesia (Nora’s), and you have the rest of In a Dark, Dark Wood.

I will admit that this book began just a bit slow for me. It took me a couple of chapters to really get in to it. Once I did, though, I didn’t want to put it down! I had to know what happened. Ware’s writing in this novel has been compared to Christie, and I guess that I can see where they were coming from in some areas of her writing- she placed the characters in a contained space where it would be difficult for them to escape, etc. She has her own style, though, and I really enjoyed it. The suspense was drawn out, and had me changing my mind about who I thought the murderer was until the last couple of chapters, which is rare for me. That was incredibly enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun psychological thriller, I would recommend this one!