Pages: 312
Published: 29th May 2018
Genre: Mystery
On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.
Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the centre of it.
This is a book that contains a healthy sprinkling of familiar plot devices but also has the character and emotional depth to give it an equal air of distinctiveness. A mystery that goes into impressive detail on its themes and with eerie vibes that belie its contemporaneous setting, it is an engaging read where fascinating family dynamics are at play over the course of two timelines.
It has an atmosphere that almost lulls you into thinking that it is set in the past, until the mention of modern technology such as mobile phones and laptops. This works in its favour, giving it a menacing edge and a greater feeling of intrigue that adds to the explorations of tarot and fortune telling, which in turn act as effective counter to the very real world issue of financial hardship.
The concept is one we have seen before. A young woman alone in the world with next to no money, suddenly inherits the fortune of a rich family member whom she never knew existed, and has to live through the aftermath with the rest of her long lost relatives who were omitted from the will. It does not throw up many surprises, although it is entertaining to see the mixture of suspicion and empathy that Hal is treated with from there.
From her impoverished lifestyle in Brighton to the estate bestowed upon her in Devon, the book really emphasises how this new reality is so different to what she is used to. They are poles apart, and Hal’s imposter syndrome is well conveyed, making you as the reader put yourself in her shoes and wonder how you would react in her situation. It helps you become more invested in her story, too.
The mystery is not who Hal’s mother is, although we get a very compelling backstory in the past timeline. It is soon clear that someone wants to stop her from claiming the inheritance and uncovering the truth about what happened in the past, and is willing to go to any means necessary. There are five suspects and it is not an easy one to figure out, as other than the scary housekeeper and shady doctor, all three of her uncles have a veneer of respectability.
It becomes more tense later on as the author adds unnavigable weather conditions to the list of staple tropes, and it truly is hard to know who to trust. Throughout the story, Hal is made to come across as very alone and vulnerable, with the more affluent Westaways an intimidating contrast to that. However, there is also a toughness there and she can take care of herself when she needs to.
The three uncles are also nursing secrets from the past involving Hal’s mother, but they carry themselves in very different ways. Aubrey is airy and larger than life for the most part, although beneath that lies some complex emotions. Elliott is casual about the whole thing yet there is always an edge to his remarks, while Harding is formal almost to the point of light relief, and his anger over not receiving an inheritance owes much to his pomposity. On the other hand, his wife Mitsi is extremely likeable and her relationship with Hal is a particular highlight.
In Hal, we have a main character who we can really latch on to, and while the plot goes in a few roundabout directions and can hardly be described as fast paced, the storytelling is very engaging. It never drags and due care and attention is given to the themes of poverty and how Hal has to make an unstable living, along with how she has struggled to adjust to her mother’s tragic death. A shout out must go to the ending too, as that takes the odd unpredictable turn and ultimately things are wrapped up nicely.
Overall, while on the face of it there might not be much originality in terms of the more general concepts, all the individual pieces of this story come together well and help to create an absorbing mystery. The characters are given a good degree of development and that juxtaposition between Hal and her rediscovered family members is effectively written, with these factors proving at least as compelling as the plot.
The blurb makes the rather bold statement that Ruth Ware is the ‘Agatha Christie of our time’. I certainly would not go that far, but this is certainly the best of the four books I have read by her to date. It was an engaging mystery and the characters made it all the better for me.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 