Title: The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Author: Ruth Ware
Some time ago, I read Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 and liked it. And recently, a book club friend suggested I try Ware’s newer book The Death of Mrs. Westaway, so I picked up the paperback. I had heard that Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 was a New York Times Best Seller and that her newest book, The Turn of the Key, due to be released toward the end of this summer, was praised by a PBS book reviewer. So, Mrs. Westaway seemed like a good choice.
Ware seems to write creepy, dark, suspenseful British mystery stories that are not really violent or too scary – just right for a good summer read. This novel contains some of the traditional creepy story elements: an old, broken-down mansion where utilities don’t always work, the only caretaker is miserable and sometimes frightening, the death of a relative the main character never knew, the prospect of an inheritance, and a long-buried family secret the main character must unravel – and then there are the magpies!
The story begins when one day, 21-year-old Harriet (Hal) Westaway almost misses a letter in the mail that informs her she is a beneficiary in the will of Mrs. Hester Mary Westaway, a relative Hal has never heard of before. Hal has no other family and is convinced they must have the wrong Harriet Westaway, so she sets off to go to the funeral and perhaps to explain that she’s not the person they’re looking for. For a few days, Hal goes along with all the events still convinced they’ve got the wrong person. But as she meets the rest of Mrs. Westaway’s family, she starts to question not only who she might be related to, but who she is herself.
The old family house where they all stay during the reading of the will and sorting out of the estate is the perfect setting. The main beneficiaries in Mrs. Westaway’s will are an odd group of siblings who don’t really get along. They were all quick to leave home when they could, and all agree that Mrs. Westaway was a terrible mother who set them all against each other when they were children.
The plot is a good one. Early in the book, you might think you know where this story is going and wonder how could this book continue for another 200 pages! Then, the tables are turned, and what we think are the facts turn out not to be true at all. As new facts continue to be revealed, the plot continues to turn. The main characters are well-drawn, although I did find myself referring back to be clear about which brother was which. I finished the book in a couple days, which by my standards tells me the plot is compelling.
Ruth Ware’s books all seem to be traditional gothic, creepy novels. But they are all different from each other in setting, characters, and plot. This one has just under four stars on Goodreads, was a New York Times Best Seller, and was just suspenseful enough for me. It kept me reading but was not so dark or frightening that it would keep you up at night. If you’re looking for a good summer book, this, or one of Ruth Ware’s other novels, may be just the thing.
