Title: Zero Days
Author: Ruth Ware
Published: July 5th 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 352
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Mystery
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 4 stars
Her husband has been murdered and she's the only suspect. What should she do?
Hired by companies to break into buildings and hack security systems, Jack and her husband Gabe are the best penetration specialists in the business. But after a routine assignment goes horribly wrong, Jack arrives home to find her husband dead.
It soon becomes clear that the police have only one suspect in mind – her.
Jack must go on the run to try and clear her name and to find her husband's real killer. But who can she trust when everyone she knows could be a suspect? And with the police and the killer after her, can Jack get to the truth before her time runs out?
Review:
Ruth Ware's eighth novel Zero Days came with compliments from Simon and Schuster Australia. This latest fugitive woman on the run style novel combined with a modern Agatha Christie murder mystery is a suspenseful and tension filled read.
Zero Days is an exciting morphine filled thrill ride from start to finish. We meet Jack, a woman who is trapped in a deadly cat and mouse chase in the hopes that she can help find the person who murdered her beloved husband. Jack is also hoping that she can clear her own name, as she has been cast as the only suspect in her husband's murder. With Jack and her husband Gabe both engaged in positions of security protection, a tricky form of business, these hired hackers have placed themselves at high risk. When Gabe is murdered, Jack knows that it is only a matter time before the people who killed Gabe will come back for her. Jack is forced to go on the run and this precarious position puts her directly in harms way. Every move Jack makes must be carefully considered. Can Jack discover the truth as to who murdered Gabe?
Ruth Ware is hands down a top ten all time favourite author of mine. From the brilliant Turn of the Key to latest year's sensation The It Girl, I have loved almost all of this British author's moreish booklist. Zero Days was a highly anticipated 2023 read. I was full of edgy tension and heated expectation when I went into this book.
Zero Days immediately read like a contemporary feel Agatha Christie title. The murder of Jack's husband Gabe in the early sections of the book really set the tone for a traditional murder mystery style novel to ensue. I loved this aspect of Zero Days and I must say that it compelled me to keep my head buried in this book for the duration. Zero Days does have a kind of adrenaline junkie style slant and the action level is really pumped up the max for the best part of this novel's course. I'm not a big fan of fugitive or suspect figures on the run style narratives, but I did enjoy the pace of Zero Days. I was definitely team Jack, and never for a minute did I believe that she had anything to do with the final fate of her beloved husband. I just felt really sorry and sad for Jack. I also cringed as she was injured and hurt. I hoped that Jack could find some extra inner strength to finally bring her husband's true killer to justice and seek retribution for the terrible loss of her lover Gabe.
Ware's narrative is well written and her dialogue is very natural. The characters are believable and gave very acceptable responses to the tough situations that they found themselves in. The policing aspect thanks to the resulting investigation into Gabe's death was credible and genuinely intriguing. I liked the very top of the minute themes that were included such as our fascination with modern technology, personal protection, hacking systems and social media relations. Ware also zones in on different types of relationships in Zero Days, these include a spouse, sibling, close friend and colleague. It was good to see Ware attack these human relations well in the context of the pressure placed on her cast. Zero Days exhilarating read and I loved the tour from start to finish.
Thriller lovers will need to make Zero Days their first book of the spring season (or autumn/fall if you are in the northern hemisphere). I always love Ruth Ware's novels and this one is a very good addition to the British bestselling author's collection.
Zero Days by Ruth Ware was published on 5th July 2023 by Simon & Schuster. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of Zero Days, Ruth Ware, here.
*I wish to thank Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
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