But when we get our first in-cabin victim, things start to get a lot more nerve-wracking. The avalanche only confuses matters more. When our first victim goes missing, it’s unclear if she’s actually in danger or is somewhere safe, if she’s lost or if she’s already dead. Indeed, uncertainty defines the early events. But with this mixed bag of a cast, there’s plenty of room for uncertainty. While the co-founders Topher and Eva are easy to dislike, others in the company – like Ani and Tiger – actually come across as genuine and likable. That Ruth Ware starts the book with their hilarious job titles and ridiculous “about me” work bios is a treat in itself. The Snoop team is full of characters trying so hard to look cool, but ultimately coming off as annoying and pretentious. My favorite may be Danny, the chef who works at the chalet with Erin. But is one of them hiding more?īeyond Liz and Erin, One By One offers a cast of fun and often irritating characters. Liz is shy and awkward, with some hard stuff in her past, too. Erin is a people person and good at her job as hostess, but she runs from a dark past and has anger lurking just behind her politeness. Erin and Liz are both hiding things… but does that make either of them dangerous? Might either of them be able to unlock the mystery of who the killer is? In One By One, anything could be possible.Įrin and Liz are both great characters, and each is relatable in her own way. It’s her first novel to follow two different narrators, though in this case it may lead to less reliability. Ruth Ware is a master of breakneck speed thrillers, and One By One is no different. Worse yet, someone among the group is murdering the guests, one at a time, meaning no one is safe. So why is she on a corporate retreat with them now? Because she has shares, and her vote could determine whether Snoop is bought out.Īs tensions between the co-workers run high, an avalanche strikes the chalet, stranding the group with no electricity, no way to contact the outside world… and no way to escape. Though Liz once worked at Snoop, she left a few years before.

The other half follows Liz, there on a sort of business trip with nine employees of a music app startup called Snoop. Half of the chapters come from the perspective of Erin, the hostess of the chalet. One By One whisks us away to a ski chalet in the French Alps. I got it from Book of the Month in September, and though my husband won out on reading it first, I was excited to follow suit. Her latest is One By One, another locked-room mystery, but this time with some new themes and twists. She renewed my love for thrillers with The Woman in Cabin 10, and I’ve since collected and loved all her other novels. Ruth Ware is one of those authors whose books are an auto-buy for me.

One by One by Ruth Ware