I think what I love most about Ruth Ware is the novels she writes are so different than her last. She keeps you guessing with every one!
One by One is set in a secluded French chalet. Erin and Danny are the hosts, whose job it is to make their guests feel as comfortable as possible during their stay. The guests for the week are 8 members of a tech startup giant, Snoop. Snoop allows you to listen to whatever another "snooper" is listening to. And they have made millions. However, some members of the team want to sell, while others want to expand. And as the title implies, one by one, the guests start dying. Once an avalanche hits the chalet, knocking out power, and making it impossible to reach the town, this dream vacation quickly turns into a nightmare.
I loved this book! Ruth Ware is an amazing writer.

Another amazing story by Ruth Ware! It was so good I didn’t want it to end. This story has such a unique premise - set in a beautiful French ski chalet, a tech company’s shareholders and some staff are on a “retreat.” With many twists and turns, I was unable to put this one down!

This is my third Ruth Ware novel and she does an phenomenal job at setting up an atmospheric and tantalizing mystery thriller.

During a company retreat, coworkers are snowed in together due to an avalanche and tragedy begins to strike, as these coworkers' trust in one another will soon be tested.

One by One is an atmospheric and entertaining read, but it lacks what I've most looked forward to when it comes to a Ruth Ware book: twists.

If you loved “And then there were none” by Agatha Christie, you’ll love this as well!
A skiing team gets caught in an avalanche, looses signal, runs out of the supplies and people start going missing.
Ruth Ware never disappoints. Many people love her The Turn of the key, but my favourite is In Dark Dark wood. Only thing that fell a big exhausting was the backstories of all the people! It was hard to keep track after some time. Apart from that, this gets an A for whodoneit mystery.
3.75/5⭐️
Thank you Netgalley, Ruth Ware and Gallery Books for the ARC. This review is not influenced in anyway.

I have read all of Ruth Ware’s novels and not only did this one not disappoint, but I considered it her 2nd best book, topped only by The Death of Mrs. Westaway. Ware has proven herself a consistently excellent writer who excels at literary mysteries, and every novel is different. After reimagining The Turn of the Screw in her last book, this time Ware strongly evoked Agatha Christie while still crafting another completely original story. Highly recommend!

Hold onto your poles, guys and dolls, because we are about to go off piste with this one.

(See what I did there?)

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC that I received in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I’m not going to work up to it: I’ve read all of Ruth Ware’s books and I think she has finally found her absolute peak stride. I also think I have hit my stride as a reviewer because I’m not even trying to work in the skiing puns in this second paragraph. They’re just here.

I was iffy about this book. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was also thrilled. I saw NetGalley had the new Ruth Ware and that I was going to get to read it and I about peed myself, but still, I was wary. The thing is, I don’t like nature/survival stories. I am not athletic. So I hear that the book is about survival after an avalanche and I’m like.... ehhhhhh.....

But y’all. This is not that. This is not Hatchet, the redux. This is a story of corporate greed, secrets, scandal, betrayal.... all of those great words that make your spine tingle. It also really reminds me of a modern Agatha Christie book in both the theme and tone and Ware’s talent! If I’m being honest, after Westaway I thought she’d probably peaked with Turn of the Key, and in a ways—not a specific way, but rather in the way that she gives you a chance to see one part of the reveal very early on—she repeats what works so well in TotK, but no. Still no. No, no. This is even more graceful in terms of navigating a plot, baiting an audience into thinking they know the end, and then surprising them with a “well, you were almost right.” It lets you have that moment of smug superiority that you did see part of it, but then there was so much you didn’t see. But then, it’s not your fault. How could you be expected to see what was in front of you... when the visibility was so bad outside?

Fabulous book! 5 stars.

I loved this book! It makes you want to 1) go to a ski resort, 2) NEVER go to a ski resort and 3) KEEP READING! The characters and setting were great. This is my favorite Ruth Ware novel!

One by One by Ruth Ware is a great who done it. In the spirit of Agatha Christie's, "And Then There Were None", we find a group of shareholders of the highly successful music app gathering at a ski resort in the Alps to decide the fate of Snoop and those invested in it. Of course, they don't agree whether to sell or keep going. Someone disagrees most strongly and dead bodies start adding up. This was a fun quick read.

I would like to thank Scout Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This review will appear at All About Romance closer to the release date.

Grade: B-

Despite being a thriller/suspense sans romance newbie, Ruth Ware’s name is familiar to me - her books are prominently displayed by my local bookseller, and we gave two of her books DIKs at All About Romance. So when I saw she had a new book out for review I snapped it up. One by One is a contemporary twist on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, and I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, while the set-up hooked me right away, the execution is disappointing. I liked it, but I wasn’t thrilled. (wink, wink)

Before this story begins, Ware prefaces the book with two items - the first is an About Us page for a company called Snoop. Despite the seven biographies and modern twists on traditional job titles (head of beans; chief nerd; friends czar; head of cool), readers are left to guess at what Snoop does. But since every bio includes a Listening to field, it seems likely Snoop has something to do with music. The second - possibly related? - item is a BBC news story headlined 4 BRITONS DEAD IN SKI RESORT TRAGEDY. The article references two tragedies in the French ski resort of St. Antoine: an avalanche that killed six, and the discovery of a remote ski chalet - a house of horror - where investigators found four Britons dead and two more with injuries requiring hospitalizations.

One by One unfolds after nine employees (and one former employee) of Snoop (a popular music streaming app that allows listeners to “snoop” on what other snoopers are listening to), arrive at a remote ski chalet in France for a corporate retreat. While a powerful snow storm looms in the distance, it’s clear a storm of a different sort is brewing within the group. A buyer has made an offer to purchase Snoop and the potential profit is massive; unfortunately, the group who hold voting shares is split on whether to accept the offer. Co-founder Eva (30%) and bean counter Rik (19%) are ready to sell; co-founder Topher (30%) and his best friend and chief nerd Elliot (19%) aren’t; the swing vote belongs to Liz, a former employee who owns 2% of the voting shares. Liz is a wild card; she never felt like she belonged when she worked at the company - never cool or hip enough, awkward, always on the outside looking in - and as the story gets underway, it’s clear not much has changed.

Arriving at the chalet the group is greeted by Erin, their hostess, and Danny, the chef. Erin and Danny - friends and co-workers - sense the tension, but do their best to put the group at ease. Although it’s clear several of the guests have already had more than a few drinks en route, Erin is quick to offer cocktails and Danny’s appetizers she tries to match up faces with the names on her guest list. Her rapid head count reveals a problem - one extra person. After Erin approaches Eva and Topher and explains the problem, Topher’s PA admits he forgot Liz in the guest count. Erin doesn’t have another single room available in the chalet, but a furious Eva and tipsy Topher are adamant Liz has her own room. Erin calms them by suggesting some of the other employees pair up, and makes the adjustment. Liz, from her vantage point on the periphery, notices something is wrong. By the furtive looks directed her way, she assumes the problem has something to do with her.

One by One suffers from a few problems right from the start. Told exclusively via chapters that alternate between Erin and Liz’s perspectives, we never really get to know the secondary characters. Liz, our “insider,” is clearly unreliable from the start - she’s paranoid, defensive, scared and strange - and I didn’t trust her. Erin, an outsider, is similarly unreliable despite her quick assessment of the group - she doesn’t know any of these people, and her interactions with everyone except Danny are limited by her job. When the group sets out to ski the following morning, Erin cautions them to stay on established trails because the danger of triggering an avalanche skiing off piste is high, and urges them to keep their first outing short because the weather is worsening. Based on the acrimony of the group, the forbidding skies, the challenging terrain and varied ski levels (from advanced to novice), it comes as no surprise that the group fractures almost from the start. When Topher challenges them to stay out a bit longer, Liz loses her temper and refuses. She returns to the chalet, and the other skier’s eventually make their way back, too - but one person is missing. Fear and accusations of foul play arise almost immediately, but then an avalanche nearly buries the chalet, and cuts them off from the outside world.

Secluded, snowed in with no way to summon help (phone lines are down, and cell phone reception is spotty), no power, conditions outside too treacherous to leave, and stuck with a potential killer in their midst, the group turns on each other. The set-up works; unfortunately, despite the atmospheric and creepy setting, the limited PoV forces readers to guess who these people really are, and why - aside from the buy-out offer - they might want to kill each other. And then another guest is found dead. Liz’s chapters become even more chaotic and fearful - it’s like she’s suffering from a mental breakdown, while Erin - desperate to stay alive - keeps her head and tries to stay a step ahead of the killer.

Ware gets the pacing right; from the moment the skier goes missing, there’s a frantic, desperate feel to the story. She ramps up the tension with each new dead body (there are three in as many days), and there’s a palpable sense of dread wondering who might be next. Unfortunately, we don’t really know any of these people, so I never formed an emotional attachment to any of them. I was still invested in identifying the killer, but once I knew who I wanted to know why - and this was the biggest letdown of all. Ware relies on surprise character revelations and convenient plot devices to explain the murder spree. Look, I like a killer surprise (ha!), but when the author deliberately games the story so there’s no possible way readers can guess the villain, it isn’t clever. Or fair. A climatic, breathless ski chase sequence near the end nearly redeems the novel, but loose editing (the killer breaks their collarbone in a crash, gets up and keeps skiing as if nothing happened), and an abrupt, awkward ending spoils the thrill.

Aside from my complaints about the killer and the underdeveloped cast, One by One suffers from one too many plot holes, and an ending that never seems to end. Things happen in the last third that we’re told couldn’t happen earlier in the story, people disappear - and no one really seems to care, the story goes on too long, and our narrators never really grew on me. Although Ware cleverly blurs the line between our traditional sense of good vs. evil, I just wasn’t invested enough in these characters enough to care overmuch.

One by One boasts a clever set-up, but the execution failed to thrill this reader. Recommended with reservations.

One by One is a fast paced suspense novel set in a remote ski chalet in the French Alps during a terrible storm. When a corporate retreat for a tech company is booked into the chalet, secrets and distrust set off a chain of dramatic events. Narrated from two characters’ points of view, this is a novel that will keep you reading!

Advanced readers copy provided courtesy of #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Ruth Ware's novels for pure escapism. I can only give three stars, however, as her novels are increasingly taking on a cookie-cutter feel as she consistently cranks out a new book at least once a year. As with her over novels, this title has its characters trapped in a situation in which someone is clearly a murderer with the tension of "who is next" building throughout the novel. I enjoyed the setting of this novel at a snowy chalet. The author brings a great deal of sensory richness to her writing by describing elaborate dishes, the lush surroundings, and details about the characters' appearance and clothing. I feel that this author has the potential to create a work of greater substance, but for now her mystery novels have all of the fun of a good Agatha Christie and are a delightful distraction from the trials of the real world.

There is no question that Ruth Ware can spin a tight mystery. One by One is set in a posh chalet where a small group of "beautiful people" involved with a hot start-up company have come to hash out whether or not to accept a buyout offer. The novel is told from the perspective of two narrators which works well; Erin is the chalet girl and Liz is the sort of odd-girl-out in the group. One by one members of the group are killed while everyone is trapped in the resort after an avalanche.

I was not surprised at the revelation of the killer's identity, but I found that it didn't matter because the story was still suspenseful and engaging. I enjoyed Ware's writing style and look forward to more of her books. The only reason I don't give this five stars is because of the predictable outcome and the fact that very few of the chalet guests were likable characters; several of them were a bit underdeveloped which perhaps contributes to that.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ruth Ware keeps me on the edge of my seat with One by One. A. Company get away goes quickly down hill as one of their members goes missing and secrets start to unfold. Ware brings forth an unforgettable who dun it mystery with the tone of unreliable narratives. It’s like Gillian Flynn wrote an Agatha Christie novel! So good!

Wow!! Really enjoyable! This is a whodunnit mystery turned thriller, it’s basically Clue meets Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”.

Slow start but picks up momentum. The story takes place at a ski lodge- the author does an excellent job of setting the scene. It’s told in alternating chapters by Erin, one of the workers, and Liz, one of the guests. There is a large cast of characters, they kept me guessing each chapter. Overall a fun read- I can see this turning into a Netflix series.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC!

Ruth Ware uses a dual narrative style for her newest psychological suspense novel. Told from the view of Liz, a shy, standoffish, frumpy former employee and minority shareholder of Snoop and Erin, a seemingly confident, professional employee of Chalet Perce-Neige and avid skier.

The founders and shareholders, as well as their assistants and other important members of the social media startup Snoop are spending a few days at the remote Chalet to make an important decision on the buyout of their company. The potential buyout would leave the shareholders with a considerable amount of money, but the vote is split between the two founding members, Topher and Eva and the other majority shareholders, Rik and Elliot. This leaves Liz with a major decision to make, one that she would rather not be involved with in the first place.

Chalet Perce-Neige is located in a remote location in the mountains of France. It is so remote that the only way to access the chalet is by funicular, however, the scenery is breathtaking and the skiing is to die for. As the guests arrive Erin notices tension among the guests, but when an avalanche strikes and the residents at the chalet become trapped together the tension becomes deadly.

What I enjoyed about this book is the eerie atmosphere created by the seclusion and the avalanche. The sense of no escape from a murderer living amongst you lends itself to a heart racing, suspenseful tale. Ware creates such an ominous atmosphere with the growing cold and the lack of light that you feel yourself in the house trapped with everyone not knowing who is unleashing terror. I did find, however, that it was easy to determine the twist (maybe it was intended) however, it didn't take away from being able to enjoy the conclusion. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed her past novels or novels with a steady rise of suspense. Also, if you enjoy authors such as Paula Hawkins, Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, J.P. Delaney, or A.J. Finn, you may enjoy this book!

This was so good! I live Ruth Ware and this is why! It was a thriller that hooked me from the beginning and I couldn’t read it fast enough. The characters are good, the writing was fantastic and I didn't guess the ending half way through. I would definitely recommend!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Ruth Ware does it again. This locked room thriller can stand out from the pack as a corporate retreat at a ski chalet goes terribly wrong. An avalanche, suspicious deaths, and mysterious clues kept me guessing and glued to my seat after startling revelations.

This book definitely reminds me of Agatha Christie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a great little mystery with a lot of action and moves along quickly. It's everyone's worst nightmare, stuck in a chalet in the mountains, snowed in, with no electricity and people start dying. Yikes! What's not to like? There is only one thing that kept me from giving it five stars, the killer. I guess because I figured who it was all along, it was somewhat anti-climactic. I'm not sure how others feel about that, and maybe it was meant to be that way. I felt it was totally worth the read, and there is great suspense, so I do highly recommend it.

I enjoyed this latest by Ruth Ware. The book is set in a remote and upscale ski lodge, which was an interesting setting. I liked the back and forth POVs and I liked how it starts off with a sort of Agatha Christie/Clue vibe where the dead bodies pile up and the suspense revolves around who will be next. The killer seemed fairly obvious, and, indeed, is revealed somewhere around the halfway point. Then the book becomes a game of cat and mouse, with nice tension. I felt the ending was perhaps a bit flat and the character studies weren't the best, but overall it was a fast moving and suspenseful read that was fun and kept me interested.

Almost perfect as far as thrillers go and I couldn’t read it fast enough. Detailed relatable characters, a good mystery that I didn’t guess too soon, and a truly phenomenal setting. Definitely recommend this.