The Death of Mrs. Westaway

I have to say that this is my favorite Ruth Ware book to date. I’ve read both The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Lying Game, but The Death of Mrs. Westaway takes the cake when it comes to suspense. Hal Westaway, or Harriet, the main character, receives a letter one day letting her know that her grandmother Hester Westaway has passed away and that her presence is required at the family home for the reading of the will. The only problem is, Harriet’s grandmother passed away long ago and she never knew her father’s side of the family–or her father for that matter. Her mother, Margarita Westaway, has also passed, so there is no real way of knowing exactly what is going on. Hal goes to the home hoping to get a small inheritance without telling the family that she is not Mrs. Westaway’s granddaughter. The story becomes completely twisted with the crazy behavior of the housekeeper, Mrs. Warren, and Hal’s “uncles.” Who is who, and can Hal find some clues as to her mother’s past and her connection to Mrs. Westaway? This book was written very elegantly, and the story fluttered on like a cool breeze on a warm summer day. I had a difficult time putting the book down, as it was a “just one more chapter and then I’ll go to bed” kind of book. The characters reminded me of those from the boardgame Clue, and I imagined them in a similar mansion. Both creepy and full of hidden secrets, The Death of Mrs. Westaway is a fabulous read!