Into the dark woods book
The house in the woods is a perfect setting for such a creepy mystery, and I absolutely love the twisted interlocking webs of messed up relationships that drove this story forward. I’m a sucker for classic Agatha Christie whodunnits and I think Ware captures this feel wonderfully. That being said, I absolutely loved this book. The motive behind the crime also felt odd, and I almost wish Ware had set it up a bit more like Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley character, which will possibly help us understand better how someone’s psyche can be so messed up that murder seems a sensible response to this motive. There are some aspects that stretch belief somewhat, for example that a bad breakup when Nora was just 16, could still have this much effect on her ten years later (why hasn’t she moved on yet?!), and also some twists and revelations that felt more convenient that believable. I couldn’t put it down, and I felt compelled to keep reading not only to find out what actually happened but also to find out how the various relationships develop. In a Dark, Dark Wood is a classic mystery thriller. The novel opens with Nora in a hospital bed, trying to piece together what had happened. What follows is a hilariously awkward weekend with people who mostly can’t seem to stand each other, and then someone is murdered. She decides to attend anyway, and as any mystery lover can attest, this cannot end well. The main character is Leonora “Nora” Shaw, who is surprised to be invited since she hasn’t spoken to Clare since a falling out years ago. In Ware’s take on this classic trope, the characters convene for a bachelorette party organized by a rather obsessive perfectionist maid of honour named Flo for her BFF Clare. The stage is set for a classic Agatha Christie-style mystery: a group of strangers is brought together in a house deep in the titular dark, dark wood where there is no cell reception, no easy way to escape, and where the characters are all bound by dark secrets from their past.
![into the dark woods book into the dark woods book](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EMQAAOSw4CFY47lb/s-l600.jpg)
Within the first few chapters, I knew I was going to absolutely love this book.