The It Girl by Ruth Ware

Commenting on THE IT GIRL by Ruth Ware, The Wall Street Journal’s Tom Nolan says it “may well be her best book yet.” I concur. Ware (author of multiple thrillers, including One by One) tells the tale of a group of Oxford college students: Hannah, Will, Hugo, Emily, Ryan and April. The chapters are headed Before and After, referring to the time before April’s death when they were all freshmen at Pelham College and to the time ten years later when Hannah and Will are married, living in Edinburgh, and expecting a baby. The others have moved on, too: Hugo is a successful doctor, Emily has returned to Oxford as a professor and Ryan is married with two young girls. At that time, the man convicted of April’s death dies in prison which prompts renewed interest and stirs Hannah’s own doubts. Despite resistance from Will and possible danger to herself and the baby, Hannah pursues a variety of ideas, culminating in an exciting, threatening encounter. Readers will be surprised although the before flashbacks provide a confusing collage of insights into the personalities and possible motivations of the students, teachers, and employees at the college. THE IT GIRL is a LibraryReads selection for July and received a starred review from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Mystery fans will not be disappointed.