Review: "One Perfect Couple," Ruth Ware

By Liz Soares

Lyla Santiago is a diligent, no-nonsense scientist. When her boyfriend, Nico, eagerly tells her they have a fantastic opportunity to participate in a reality TV show, she has serious doubts. Big questions.

Does she really want to spend up to 10 weeks on a remote island in the Indian Ocean? Does she really want to vie to be that “One Perfect Couple?” Lyla spends her days with test tubes, investigating mosquito-borne viruses. She is not bikini-ready, and certainly has no desire to be.

Nico, however, is a buff, aspiring actor who sees “One Perfect Couple” as his big break. As he makes his case, Lyla reluctantly sees some benefits. She could use a break—her work is not going well. She could respect Nico’s goals, give herself a mini-vacation, and avoid the worst of reality TV travails, because she’s sure to be voted off the island within a couple of weeks.

Alas, the alarm bells only get louder when Lyla and Nico make the long, exhausting trip to the other side of the world. Their cabin on the yacht, the Over Easy, which is transporting them to Ever After Island, is far from luxurious. Has the show really been picked up by Real TV? Why are there no health professionals on the staff? Do some of the contestants know more about the situation than Lyla and Nico?

Then, after only a day of filming, a massive storm hits the island and everything really goes south.

There are nine contestants left on their own on the island—the first person to be booted off and the producers and staff have headed for the mainland for the night. Food and water is limited, and the power is out. One member of the group has diabetes. Another appears to be a sociopath, and he seems to be abusing his partner. The group’s only hope is the radio, which is still operating—but no one seems to be hearing their mayday calls.

Meanwhile, the body count is rising—are the deaths accidents or murder?—and Lyla doesn’t know who is friend and who is foe.

Ruth Ware is one of my favorite thriller writers, and she does not disappoint in her latest novel. Lyla is a strong, likable protagonist who has been plunged into an incredible situation. One Perfect Couple  is a page-turner with a satisfying conclusion. It was a great way to jump start my summer reading.

Review: "Zero Days," Ruth Ware

By Liz Soares

When we meet Jack, she’s broken into a corporation’s headquarters. Her goal is to get into the IT hub. Her husband, Gabe, guides her through the labyrinth of hallways from home, via a Bluetooth earpiece. He’s the digital intruder, furiously working on his computer.

Tension mounts, as Jack must enter the room through the ceiling. Security officers are alerted and Jack is chased through the building. Police are waiting for her, and she’s arrested.

Suffice it to say that Ruth Ware’s latest thriller gets off to a heart-pounding start.

And it never slows down.

Jack—it’s a nickname for Jacintha—is actually a “pen tester.” She and Gabe have been hired to find out just how secure the Arden Alliance insurance company is. Not surprisingly, the police don’t believe her, and she spends hours in the police station until she can prove she is who she says she is. When Jack finally gets home, she finds her husband has been brutally murdered.

Her shock, and sorrow, are immense. Jack has no qualms about helping the police with the investigation. She wants Gabe’s killer to be found as soon as possible. But she quickly realizes that they’re focusing their investigation on her.

Jack, as her career choice indicates, is willing to take risks. She goes on the run, determined to find out who murdered her husband. The book starts at “Minus Eight Days” and counts down from there.

Our heroine is nimble, athletic and resourceful, and she needs to be to keep one step ahead of the police. She gets some help from her sister, Helena, and Gabe’s best friend, Cole. But she’s really on her own, as she dyes her hair and breaks back into her own house. Jack hitches a ride with a truck driver and spends some time hiding out in a remote seaside cottage. Along the way, she injures herself, and the wound festers because she’s afraid to seek medical treatment.

As if this were not enough, Jack also has to unravel complicated cybersecurity issues in order to solve the mystery of who killed Gabe.

In the hands of a lesser author, this plot could have lapsed into melodrama. But this is Ruth Ware I’m talking about. This is a nail-biting, page-turning adventure with a very satisfying ending. Bravo!