The It Girl is about Hannah, the university roommate of murder victim April. Hannah’s eye witness testimony puts away John Neville, university porter, in prison for life. However, a decade later when he dies in prison, pleading his innocence to the very end, Hannah starts to wonder - did she get it wrong? Did she see or miss something that meant she is responsible for letting an innocent man rot in prison? We join Hannah as she tries to backtrack and uncover ten year old secrets. The book is told in ‘before’ and ‘after’ segments as we go over the events prior to, and as a consequence of, April’s death.

This book was absolutely incredible. There was a point where I thought I had it all figured out, but the author kept me guessing until the very end. I couldn’t put this book down - this was so thrilling, so tense. I was audibly gasping at certain points.

This was a rollercoaster and an absolute must read. Ruth Ware is already a known name in the thriller/mystery genre; her name on everybody’s lips when it comes to recommendations. I myself have already read some of her previous works, and I plan to continue working through her backlist. Fantastic story and fantastic execution. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this book.

She really is the author who always delivers a compelling thriller that will have you completely gripped, It kept me playing detective till the very end and loving every chapter.

This was a good read and I do like and admire Ruth Ware's books. Truthfully though, I am sure I have read something so similar to this before, it could have taken some more original swerves or elements. It also felt a little long to me. That said, if you haven't read a similar book, you'll really enjoy it!

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good mistery!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

An enjoyable read but not as big as I expected. I enjoyed the different timelines and the way that the book played out in present day and 10 years previously. The twists in the story kept me somewhat interested but I felt something was missing from this book, possibly just down to my own taste

I always enjoy a Ruth Ware book so was super excited for this latest one. I absolutely loved this book!!!
It didn't feel like a Ruth Ware book - it was unlike anything she has done before.
I genuinely didn't want to put this book down, and didn't want it to finish. I had no idea where the book was going, and was gripped with every new shocker!
I think this would make a great film - and Ruth Ware writes with such a filmic style I could imagine everything playing out so vividly.


Thoroughly recommend this book!

Hannah’s roommate at university was murdered and Hannah has never got over this, it haunts her almost every day.
Years later the man found guilty of the crime has just died in prison and this has brought all the bad memories back.
A reporter has decide to look into the case because he believes the man in prison was innocent.
Lots of twist and turns in this story and some good characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Wasn’t expecting this one to end the way it did. Liked the characters and the setting.

As a huge Ruth Ware fan I was not disappointed with this book. For me she is a modern day Agatha Christie with clever storylines which take you where you weren't expecting to go.

This is another excellent storyline which had me hooked straight away with yet another fantastic ending.

My first Ruth Ware and I’d heard such good things about her novels. A kind of standard thriller type story with the usual big reveal at the end, it was fine, the story was pacy enough and kept me interested. Not the best most groundbreaking thrillers of its type, but still enjoyed reading it.

April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It Girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends - Will, Hugh, Ryan and Emily - during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead. Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, has died in prison.

This story has a dual timeline that's told in alternating chapters between the past, before the murder, and the present day. Hannah is a first year student at Oxford University. She shares a room with April. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into the book, but once I was in, I was hooked. I liked how the story slowly unfolded. John Neville had died in prison protesting that he was innocent of April's murder. With as many twists and red herrings, it's hard to guess who was responsible for April's murder.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #SimomandSchuster and the author #RuthWare for my ARC of #TheItGirl in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Foley, Clare Mackintosh, Adele Parks, Louise Candlish, Sarah Vaughan are all up there as my go to books as soon as they are released. Ruth is perhaps one of the most reliable creators of a thoroughly gripping murder mystery. The novel is engaging, compelling and as it gallops towards a climax that you wont see coming. I always reach for her books and they never disappoint. Modern day Christie?

This book was actually my very first Ruth Ware, and it’s got me so excited to read her other works!

It was Hannah found April’s body ten years ago. It was Hannah who didn’t question what she saw that day. Did her testimony put an innocent man in prison? She needs to know the truth. Even if it means questioning her own friends. Even if it means putting her own life at risk. Because if the killer wasn’t a stranger, then it is someone she knows…

This book had elements of a classic whodunnit type thriller/mystery as we delve into the past while Hannah questions what she actually saw the day of April’s murder. I love a classic murder mystery formula and this very much delivered on that front, with a nice dual timeline plot to keep the intrigue up.

For the first two-thirds of the book, we alternate between the present day and 10 years prior, leading up to the events of April’s death. Once we reach this event in the past timeline, the book switches to entirely present-day plot, and figuring out exactly what happened on that night ten years ago.

I feel like I related to Hannah’s character in a lot of ways - feeling like she didn’t always fit in at uni and wanting to impress those around her. I mean you definitely can’t compare Bangor to Oxford university, where this book is set, but I found her to be a good main character. April did annoy me slightly - she’s your typical rich kid got into Oxford and lords it about over everyone. But I think the dynamic between the two of them worked well for the story.

Early on, I had pretty much figured out parts of the ending. However there were plenty of twists and turns that did leave me completely shocked! I don’t mind when the ending to a book is predictable if the unveiling of the ending and all the plot points coming together is done well.

I’ve heard mixed reviews on this book, and while it didn’t blow me away, I am very satisfied with how the book ended and the journey it took to get me there.

Ruth Ware is one of the giants of the palatable thriller genre and I had high hopes for this; her latest book. If you love her previous works/others of this ilk, you’ll have a nice time. It’s nothing remarkable and the ~big reveal~ is a bit lacklustre, but it’s a perfectly fine book and one I’m glad to have read.

There are so many really promising ideas here - story, varied characters, setting, effective dual timeline, romantic interest, friendships, stalking and murder. So disappointing then that this book fell flat simply because it is so very long and repetitive. The author seemed to be working under the impression that the longer the book the better, when really this could have been so much more convincing if it were half the length and the story moved with more momentum. Disappointing overall, but kudos to the author for so many really good ideas.

This started off a little slowly. But by around a 3rd of the way through I became gripped.
Ware had me thinking I knew the truth early on. However as the book went on I starting wondering between a few different characters. None being the one who was the real killer.
I just didn't see that twist coming. It was an interesting twist to say the least.
April was an unlikeable character. The before chapters showed how she mistreated so many people to the point there were so many options for who her killer could be.
By the end I was on the edge of my seat. Wondering if Hannah would survive.

This book had me gripped from the first page. I loved the dual timelines of before and after as it allowed the suspense to build right until the end page.
I sometimes guess the twist endings in thriller books but I can honestly say I did not see that ending.
Thank you to netgalley and Simon & Schuster publishing to provide this Arc for review.
All thoughts and opinions are all my own.

I am a huge fan of Ruth Ware, she is one of my favourite authors where I look forward to her next novel coming out and know I will buy it instantly. I enjoyed the start of this book, loved the setting in Oxford and the characters wer good to get to know but somehow it just felt flat as I got three quarters in, it just didn’t feel like Ruths usual writing at all, even after we knew the ending it still felt drawn out, it felt padded, not something iv ever felt with Ruth. I still enjoyed it however and I will still look forward to Ruth’s novels in future.

I banged through this like a grasshopper on acid, probably my favourite Ruth Ware novel to date - I sank into it immediately and barely looked up until I was done.

The past present vibe and the twin settings of Oxford and Edinburgh were brilliantly done and the group dynamic of characters cleverly written to keep you guessing.

A murder, a possible miscarriage of justice and a woman finally trying to look at her past with clear eyes is central to the plot and Ruth Ware has written an old school mystery with a modern twist and it is utterly compelling throughout.

Recommended.

It was Hannah who found April’s body ten years ago.It was Hannah who didn’t question what she saw that day. Did her testimony put an innocent man in prison? She needs to know the truth. Even if it means questioning her own friends. Even if it means putting her own life at risk. Because if the killer wasn’t a stranger, it's someone she knows.

I absolutely loved reading this! Ware creates a very intense, toxic atmosphere that builds throughout the read until it reaches a dramatic climax. Ware sets this in the Before and After and I enjoyed following the two as they catch up and overtake each other. The writing style definitely made me want to keep reading. I also liked Ware setting a lot of this at Oxford University, it really added to the intensity and atmosphere of isolation.

The characters are very strong in this and I enjoyed the different personalities Ware gave them. I particularly enjoyed Hannah's character, she is likeable and vulnerable and she was very interesting to get to know.

Overall, 'The It Girl' is an intense, intoxicating thriller that I was obsessed with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy.