Well-written thriller that slowly turns up the pressure until you fear for the protagonist's safety. I enjoyed the descriptions of Brighton and tarot readings. All the clues to the mystery are laid out and I was able to deduce the culprit and some of the twists although motive was tricky. I think this would make a good mystery series as the protagonist, Hal, has a lot of potential and would make a charming sleuth.

Hal (Harriet) is a sad young woman who reads Tarot cards in a booth on Brighton Pier. Things are becoming desperate for Hal. She is trying to make ends meet but tarot pays so little. She is barely able to pay her rent and is in deep trouble with a violent loan shark. Then out of the blue Hal receives a letter informing her that she has received a legacy in her late grandmother's will. Though the details don't seem to add up Hal dares to believe that the legacy may mean an end to her problems. In fact they are only just beginning.

I enjoyed this book with it's gloomy Gothic mansion setting and family secrets so dark that they may be worth killing for. But the story is a little predictable, even though there are a few red herrings thrown in, and it does lag pace for a while in the middle pages. Overall though it is an entertaining read with a very atmospheric setting and a fantastic main character.

The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware was so good that I could no put it down and read it in one day. Hal who is living hand to mouth and has no family receives a letter telling her that her grandmother has died. The lawyer has enclosed the details of the funeral arrangements and the reading of the will. Hal does not believe that the letter has been sent to the right person but decides to go anyway as this may be a way out of her financial situation. This book is very creepy and parts sent shivers down my spine as Hal tries to work out what her relationship to this family really is.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Death of Mrs Westaway is a page turner and it had me hooked right away. Fabulously well written creepy story, wonderfully atmospheric with a gripping narrative. This is one of those books that kept me reading into the early hours as I was so involved with the story.
Ruth Ware is a magnificent story teller, the whole story is perfectly paced and the atmosphere the author creates is exceptional, it’s absolutely impossible to tear yourself away.
I love all of Ruth Ware's books, but this one, in my opinion, is her best yet. Stands out from the crowd of psychological thrillers, highly recommended.

I’ve enjoyed previous books by this author but not so much this one . I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and found it at times dreary.
Glad I had the opportunity to read it though!

Harriet Westaway, called Hal, is broke, totally broke. When she receives a letter stating that her grandmother has died and she is to inherit a substantial sum, this seems to be the solution to all her problems. Yet: the dead woman simply cannot be her grandmother. They share the same last name, but all the dates on the birth certificates show that there must have been a mistake. Nevertheless, she travels to Cornwall to the funeral where she meets “her family”: Harding, Abel and Ezra – presumably her mother Maud’s brothers. Before Maud died three years ago, she never spoke of neither her family nor Hal’s father, she and her mother were all family she had and now, she got three uncles and their families. Hal feels uncomfortable betraying them, even though they apparently do much better in life than she herself and they easily could do without a couple of pounds. But more than the nagging bad conscience she senses that the old mansion, Trepassen, she is staying at has some secrets to hide – especially the deceased Mrs Westaway’s servant Mrs Warren seems to know something she does not want to share – and she recognises Hal. How could that be?

I have read several of Ruth Ware’s novels and I like that she always finds a completely new story and that you are not reminded of any former books – a problem of so many authors who seem to write the same novel over and over again. Even though Ware has become famous for her psychological thrillers, I wouldn’t classify “The Death of Mrs Westaway” as one, for me it is rather a suspenseful family drama without the big thrill but a lot of secrets and mysteries.

What I liked especially was the setting of the old house in which all the secrets have lain buried for two decades. The floor boards creak when you walk on them, there is an old study with masses of books and you can hear the wind howl. Plus, the secretive family who is not very open and welcoming to the stranger and who surely does not want any old stories to be uncovered.

For her protagonist, Ruth Ware has chosen a very unique character. A young orphaned woman is not that rare in those kinds of novels, however, Hal is a tarot reader and has a special capacity of reading people – in order to tell them what they want to hear. She herself does not believe in the cards as fortune-tellers, they are much more providing guidance and concentration at the facts at hand.

The story itself is captivating immediately since you anxiously wait until Hal’s deliberate deception is revealed and she is thrown-out. Then you realise that things might be a bit more complicated and the further you get, the more pieces of the puzzle appear leading to a new picture.

There are many small aspects which make the novel absolutely outstanding, first of all the title which seems so simple since you know right from the start that a certain Mrs Westaway has died. Yet, at the end, there is much more to this than you might have guessed at first. Second, Harriet has a tattoo of a magpie, a reference to her mother and closely linked to Trepassen – which is a corruption of the Cornish word for magpie farm. She calls herself “Hal” which is also the name of the goddess of death in Norse mythology and whom the magpies served.

All in all, a captivating read in which it is worth looking at the details.

A mystery with no domestic violence, no child abuse, no graphic violence, sexual assault, no wives looking out of the window! Finally, a thriller that doesn't make you feel bad with the content.
I loved Ruth Ware's new book to bits. It was very atmospheric, that you feel in the middle of the setting. She engaged me from the beginning till the end. It was not only the mystery I was following, but I was enjoying her beautiful writing as well.
I also liked the fact that it was also a feminist book with many strong women characters in it, our protagonist being one of them. The book hooks you from the beginning and gives you tips all through the way and you wreck your brain to find out the mystery. It’s very cleverly set up and there are no loose ends. So, she tied up everything well in the end.
I really can’t fault this book, I enjoyed it a lot. It’s definitely one of my favourite thriller recommendations of the year.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Always been a little tempted by Ruth’s work and this was my first go ,I did enjoy it ,there are not many characters so you can keep up ,not too hard who was behind things but u are quite into hens story u not that fussed
Was a bit confused with the names and maybe author was too ,kept shipping about between a variety of M starting letter names an just when I’d got it I’d get a bit confused Maggie Maude Magdalena etc
Not a hugely complex novel or layered but did give a good enough atmosphere and I really felt for Maggie .
Worth a read and I may well tuck into another one of hers
Thanks a lot netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this

I love the bleakness in Ware's novels. I love her independent female protagonists, they don't need a man to rely on, or solve their problems, a lot different than the usual damsel in distress.
The Death of Mrs Westaway was an exceptionally well-written book. We follow the story of Hal, crushed by her mother's sudden death she's trying to make a living inheriting her Tarot reading business on Brighton pier, until a letter changes her life forever. She's been pulled into an inheritance drama, which takes her to miles away from Brighton to misty Cornwall where a grand mansion full of magpies, lies, secrets and the reality about her mum's past awaits her...
The story was bleak and the gothic atmosphere was as magical as Cornwall's foggy mornings. Blending Tarot reading into this story was genius. I loved the ending and definitely didn't see the 'main' surprise coming.

Ruth Ware doesn't disappoint. I've read all her books since In a Dark Dark Wood and looking forward for the next one out. A 5 star mystery / thriller with quality writing, solid characters and flawless plot line.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy reading everything Ruth Ware creates.
This story had a really interesting premise, but I felt that the build up was a bit slow. The twist was predictable and not that surprising at all.
I enjoyed the book, but it could have been better.

This is the second book that I have read recently where the house it was set in felt like an extra character. I don’t think many readers will wish they lived in Trespassen with its gloomy, sinister feel. The main character is Hal (Harriet) and I’m sad to say I just couldn’t take to her. We seemed to be privy to her every waking thought and it was just too much for me. Perhaps the age difference between us was too great and younger readers may fair better. Overall it is a good story, very atmospheric and with a few surprises.

How much do I love the books of Ruth Ware? Let me count the ways...the well plotted stories that never let up, the almost gothic sense of menace behind the everyday occurences and the relatable protagonists are a good place to start!
'The death of Mrs Westaway' reminded me of a cross between 'Rebecca' and 'Peril at End House' by Agatha Chrisite. Alternating between Cornwall and Brighton, young Harriet(Hal)Westaway is an end of the pier tarot card reader. Broke, orphaned and being chased by loan sharks, the arrival of a letter informing her that her grandmother has died and she is a beneficiary of the will, comes like a blessing.
But as she looks for evidence to prove she is the granddaughter of Mrs Westaway, how long can she convince the rest of the family that she isn't a golddigger? What happens when she starts to think that she has found the family she has always been looking for? Who scratched 'Help me' into the glass of the attic window,why were the bolts on the outside of the attic door and why does the housekeeper hate her so much?
A riveting book with twists and turns that keep you going to the very last page, this is going to be another success for Ruth Ware!

I've read all of Ruth Ware's books and loved this one as much as the others. I started off thinking how's Hal going to get out of the deception if found out, but off course it wasn't going to be as straight forward as that, and the mystery of her mother and father and family kept me reading and guessing.
Recommended read.

I love Ruth Ware's books, and in this one she creates a wonderful tribute to the Christie / Golden Age era. Hugely enjoyable

I was hesitant to read this as I struggled with 'In A Dark, Dark Wood'. But I'm glad I gave this a try.

It did take a few chapters to really get going but once it did I didn't want to stop. I needed answers. What happened to Maud? Who is Hal's father?.

Throughout the book I had a few theories for both questions. I ended up sort of being correct with who Hal's father was. But I didn't see it coming what happened to Maud, although looking back I probably should of.

The writing flowed a lot better than the previous book I read. I did expect it to be darker, more intense type of book but it was still very enjoyable. I recommend it.

The Death of Mrs Westaway is another excellent novel from Ruth Ware. I really enjoyed The Woman in Cabin 10 so I was looking forward to reading this.
The story starts with 21-year-old ‘Hal’ or full name Harriet. Who works as a Tarot reader on Brighton Pier. She is finding it hard to make ends meet, after the death of her mother three months Loan shark after her, after she borrowed some money. At first she paid the instalments but the interest got higher and higher. She then ignored the phone calls and the letters. As she is sitting in her flat, wondering what she is going to do, she sieves through a pile of envelopes that she thinks are all bills, when she comes across a handwritten letter from a solicitor that her Grandmother had left her an inheritance. All her money woes are over. The only problem, that she doesn’t know anything about a grandmother or any other family for that matter. She thinks that the letter is a mistake but, she goes along with it, as she thinks that the family is rich. They won’t miss a few hundred quid.
This is a creepy, atmospheric gothic mystery set in a rundown mansion. Hal discovers the secrets of her family and the real cause of her mother’s death three years previously. I really enjoyed this. It gripped me from the very start. I also cannot look at a magpie in the same way again…

The Death of Mrs Westaway is another compelling read by Ruth Ware. Set in the present day and the mid 1990s, the story of Harriet (Hal) Westaway is told in the first person as Hal struggles to negotiate her financial struggles as she eeks out a living as a tarot card reader on Brighton pier after the death of her mother 3 years earlier. When she receives a letter naming her as a beneficiary in the will of Mrs Westaway - her supposed grandmother, Hal grapples with her conscience over whether she should go along with the error as a way of escaping the loan sharks in Brighton or face the consequences of her debts. Her decision and subsequent actions reveal an intricate web of family secrets and lies with shocking consequences.

I enjoyed this novel and was compelled to keep reading despite it being fairly formulaic. Whilst I didn't guess the ending entirely - it wasn't a complete surprise either but this didn't stop me from finding it to be a satisfying conclusion and I think fans of mysteries & thrillers will not be disappointed with this offering.

Harriet (Hal) Westaway is living in a dingy flat, the one she continues to stay in after her mother passed away after an accident. With bills piling up and a loan shark circling, she is shocked to find a letter from a solicitor advising her that she may have come into an inheritance from her Grandmother.....the only thing is that it wasn’t her grandmothers name.
Hal is a ‘cold reader’, she tells fortunes in a booth on the Brighton Pier. She knew she played people for a living but could she deceive her supposed relatives for a slice of the inheritance? But when she arrives at Trepassen House she suddenly wonders what she has got herself into.
Wow, I loved this book. I haven’t read one with such a gothic, dark atmosphere in a long time. I kept on thinking I could hear the swish of long skirts down the corridor but in fact, it is set undoubtedly in modern times.
Even though Hal initially sets out to play her ‘relatives’, she is very likable and I felt Hal’s reading and interpretation of the tarot cards was very interesting. With the creepy housekeeper Mrs Warren, to the fighting siblings and the lovely, kind ‘aunt’ Mitzi, these characters come alive. There were many twists and turns which had me guessing all the way through, while I silently cheered Hal on to find the truth.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and thank Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC to read.

Ruth Ware is an author I really enjoy reading so I was looking forward to her latest novel. The plot appealed to me as soon as I read it, and I was interested to see what would happen when Hal started out on her mission.
I found the plot to have some good twists and turns, despite being a tad far fetched in a couple of places. I found the story line and the characters easy to connect with and follow.
A nice twist at the end that I hadn't suspected at all which I am never disappointed by from Ruth Ware.

This has all the elements of a classic murder mystery story with a touch of the Gothics thrown in. There's a creepy mansion with an ancient, unfriendly housekeeper, a will-reading that reveals family members will not inherit and a tarot-reading girl, an orphan, who has been hoisted into this strange, dysfunctional family. It is a very enjoyable read with some nice twists and scary bits. My only gripe is that the atmosphere, setting and situation of the story is so firmly 1950's at the latest, the use of modern technology and speech jar and just don't fit. That said, this will appeal to a wide audience and kept me page-turning eagerly.