This was my first Ruth Ware book! It's a solid thriller. I don't feel like the story itself is anything new; I've read other thrillers with the same premise. However, it was still entertaining and the writing kept me intrigued to find out who had done it. I enjoyed the past vs. present timelines, but I would have liked a twistier ending!

This thriller of a mystery will have you glued to the pages LONG into the night, so be prepared to NOT want to put it down, once you start reading it! What happens when the long held assumptions you've had about your past, end up being not factual? What if suddenly you have to question everything between now and that point in time? Who do you trust? Who CAN you trust? This dfelt book takes a look at the lies we tell ourselves when faced with an absence of information, and how those assumptions can be totally wrong! This one will keep you guessing til the roller coast end

I think I've read every book Ruth Ware has written, and I'll continue to do so. "The It Girl' was a master class in suspenseful writing. I'm usually pretty good at guessing who did it, but this one kept me guessing until it was too obvious not to know!

Hannah Jones is a small town girl walking into Oxford with high hopes and expectations. The first person she meets is April Coutts-Cliveden, an It Girl of epic proportions. The two of them become fast friends, and their circle includes a variety of individuals all trying to succeed at one of the best universities in the world. Then it all comes crashing down when April is murdered. Flash forward to years later when Hannah and Will (one of the Oxford group) are married and expecting a baby and the man who went to prison for April's murder dies--and someone starts asking questions. The questions make April question everything she saw that night and everything and everyone since.

Excellent murder mystery. It seems that there are a ton of Oxford murder mysteries as of late, but this one smokes them all. Hannah's insecure and makes the reader wonder if she's an unreliable narrator and the entire cast of characters makes you wonder what they know and what they're hiding. Tense til the end, this is easily one of Ms. Ware's best books. So far.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC of this book.

On her first day as a new freshman at Oxford, Hannah meets her gorgeous roommate April and several of April's old friends. Soon, the 6 students become close friends although most agree that wealthy April has a wicked sense of humor.

When April is murdered, Hannah testifies that the college porter John Neville had been stalking the girls, had been seen leaving the building at the time of the crime and he is convicted of April's murder.

Ten years later, when Neville dies in prison after years of protesting his innocence, Hannah is contacted by a reporter with questions, and she has to wonder if she was wrong about Neville. Now married to April's old boyfriend Will, Hannah can't let the circumstances surrounding April's murder go and wonders if Aprils pranks led someone else, perhaps someone from their group, to murder her. Realistic and suspenseful, the story holds true until its terrifying conclusion.
This book, Ware's best book yet, which I received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review was impossible to put down.

Ruth Ware’s latest novel delivers an entertaining and twisty read that will have readers racing to figure out what is actually going on. April is the It Girl at Oxford, and she pulls in ordinary Hannah into her friend group, her life gets so much better. But when April dies, Hannah’s life isn’t the same. Over a decade later, April’s alleged murderer dies in prison, but new evidence suggests they may have had the wrong man all along… If you enjoyed Ware’s other thrillers, where everything is not quite what it seems, be sure to pick up The It Girl! I want to keep this review spoiler free, but I will say I enjoyed this one very much and I think it is one of the thrillers of the summer for sure! (Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy for review)

Ever heard the expression "don't poke the bear"?
The plot of this book made me think of that expression, as that is just what Hannah Jones does.
Years prior, Hannah's roommate was murdered, and it was Hannah's testimony that was key in John Neville's conviction. But did she get it all wrong? Is the real killer still out there?

When a writer/podcaster reveals new potential details to Hannah, she is determined to find answers, no matter how much that information could change her life. The story is told in the past and present, with the BEFORE being prior to April's death, and the AFTER being upon the discovery of her body.

I didn't particularly care for April, the IT girl, who uses her wealth as a crutch to get whatever she wants. Did she pay her way into Oxford? Or is she as smart as her classmates at this elite college? Either way, she uses pranks to bring down each of her so-called friends. And as you read through how far she took things, I had to wonder if she crossed the line and that's what led to her death.

It is in the after sections of the book, where Hannah begins to question her own testimony. Was John Neville really as creepy as she made him out to be, or was he just doing his job?

The author did a good job of throwing doubt and casting others as possible suspects. At one point, it seemed that all facts led to one person, but I assumed that was the author's intent so we wouldn't see the big twist. And yes, I'll admit, I didn't put together what really went down, although I knew Hannah had things wrong.

The pacing of the book with two timelines kept me engaged throughout, and I liked how the puzzle pieces came together. While Hannah can't undo her mistakes, she at least did her part to bring closure to the case, which I admire. If you are into mysteries/thrillers, check this one out!

The first 60% of this book was fast paced and engaging. The tension slowed dow considerably after April’s murder when the “Before” chapters ended. It started to drag in places, and I’m on the fence about the introduction of the November Rain character - the name was horribly cheesy. Feels like the ending should have come sooner, but I was happy with the eventual resolution.

The It Girl is an intricately woven mystery that hooks you from the very beginning with well fleshed out characters and an intriguing storyline involving a closed case murder from a decade prior. Switching back in forth in timeline, the story is told through the eyes of Hannah, now pregnant with her first child, who is forced to relive the events of her university days when her posh roommate was murdered. When new details come to light, Hannah starts to question her own account of what happened and that ultimately led to the conviction of a potentially innocent man.

This thriller is a slow burn that casts suspicion on everyone. A fantastic summer read with a surprise ending. Definitely recommended for fans of Ruth Ware and Tana French,

Thank you to NetGalley, Ruth Ware, and Scout Press for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!! I have enjoyed all of Ruth Ware's book,s but I truly believe this is the best one I've read. The story pulled me in right away, and I loved how she told the story from both the "Before" and "After" viewpoints. I cannot wait to recommend this book to our patrons and my friends. But a warning-don't start if you have anything else to do, as you won't want to put it down!

Another great book by Ruth Ware! I loved the Oxford setting and the St. Elmo's Fire vibe. The alternating timelines between present day and ten years prior, when the characters were all freshmen worked well in telling the story. Ware kept the suspense going throughout and I was totally surprised by the ending. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of The It Girl.

If you like twists and turns and are a fan of the red herring device, this is the book for you. My only criticism is that it was a tad too long .The chapters alternate between the present and the past all from the heroine, Hannah’s, point of view. Ten years ago, Hannah’s college freshman roommate was an ”it” girl who was exciting and the center of everything..that is, until she was murdered. Hannah testified and the janitor was jailed. Ten years later, Hannah learns the janitor has died in jail still professing his innocence.. A reporter has informed Hannah that there is new evidence that the janitor may have been falsely imprisoned. Who was the murderer? Hannah rounds up the old college gang to help solve the murder. Here is where the suspense and red herrings come into play.

I have been loving thrillers with a university setting lately - and this was no exception. Usually, I don't find myself actively trying to guess the ending - but this one had me questioning everyone!

I love Ruth Ware and think The It Girl was phenomenal. While our victim was completely unlikeable, we were still rooting for closure for our main character and roommate of the murdered "it" girl. Told in a dual timeline, like so many thrillers these days, this still felt fresh and I enjoyed the cast of characters we found ourselves with.

Overall, I don't think this is one that will stick with me for awhile - but I do think I could find myself recommending it to other thriller fans!

I say it every time I review a book like this but I love anything set on a college campus or at a prep/boarding school. Just love that atmosphere. A good mystery!

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie. This book gets close to her type of mystery, you can probably read it in a day or two, it is gripping

The It Girl starts strong, but I can’t help but feel as though I’ve read this story before. It takes place between the present, and ten years ago at Oxford. It follows Hannah, and her friend group, leading up to the murder of her roommate, it girl April. Based on Hannah’s evidence, the wrong man was convicted of the crime. She starts digging, and everything comes unraveled. As in all of Ruth Ware’s books, everyone is a suspect.

April died one night in their suite in Oxford. They were both in their first years there and for Hannah, April's roommate and best friend it was a trauma that she has spent years trying to put behind her. Hannah's testimony helped put a man in prison for the murder but Hannah has always been riddled with doubt about whether Neville, the convicted murderer of April really did the deed. Suddenly Neville is dead too and the guilt is too much for the now-pregnant Hannah who is married to April's former boyfriend, Will. She is on a seemingly impossible quest to find the killer of "The It Girl". This quest will prove to be dangerous and involves a look into the past, a meeting with one of April's family members, and a shocking discovery. I have read several of Ruth Ware's novels and this is definitely the best. Thanks to #NetGalley#TheItGirl for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another great suspense novel from this author. Who killed the girl who had everything? Many suspects, and a few twists… .Don’t plan on putting the book down until you know!

Hannah came to think of her existence as divided into two sharp halves— before and after.

Before and After are how the chapters of this exciting story unfold.
Before: Hannah is new to college and is assigned April as her room mate. Hannah's circle of new friends include April's boyfriend, Will; Ryan and Emily and Hugh.
The before storyline carries the reader through the friends growing relationship with each other and ends with the night that changed the rest of Hannah's life, when she and Hugh find April murdered in Hannah and April's rooms, after watching a porter that had been stalking Hannah, leave their building.
After: Hannah left college after April's murder and the trial and ultimate conviction of the porter, John Neville. Hannah eventually married Will and they are expecting their first child when Hannah's world is turned upside down again. John Neville dies in prison still proclaiming his innocence. After a reporter contacts Hannah about some concerns about Neville's guilt Hannah begins to look back on that dark moment in her past.
The problem, Neville really never had a motive but there were so many other people who did.
The finally chapters are incredibly tense and I admit that I never figured who was the true killer until it was revealed. Another great thriller by Ruth Ware.
Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery/ Scout, Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to enjoy this thrilling e-ARC

This is my second Ruth Ware book, but it won’t be my last. This is one of those books that goes back ten years and then is the present. I am a reader that enjoys that back and forth. I feel like it helps to build the depth of the character. I loved the twists and turns along with the ton of foreshadowing. I did not care for the main character Hannah. I cannot put my finger in it but she just annoyed me. Even with that, I overall enjoyed the book.

The IT Girl
By Ruth Ware

An Inventive and Intriguing Who DonE It Novel

SUMMARY
The modest Hannah Jones and the flirty April Clarke-Cliveden first meet as roommates at Oxford. April had it all. She was intelligent, luminous, and otherworldly. She was also a little intimidating to the hardworking Hannah and their tight circle of friends, Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily. By the end of the second term, April is dead. A porter at the college, John Neville, who had been stalking Hannah, was convicted of murdering April. Hannah and Hugh had witnessed Neville leaving Hannah and April’s apartment right before they found her collapsed body on the floor.

Ten years after April’s death, Hannah is working in a bookshop. She and Will are expecting their first child. They have both put the tragic past behind them and now live in Edinburgh. The news has just reported that John Neville has died in prison. Days later, a reporter calls Hannah for an interview, and she reluctantly agrees to meet. Following that meeting, Hannah begins questioning what she saw that night and whether or not Neville could have been innocent, as he had claimed all along. But if Neville didn’t kill April, then who did?

REVIEW
THE IT GIRL is a skillfully-crafted novel alternately told from Hannah’s perspective both before and after April’s murder. This “who done it story” is inventive and stocked with intriguing clues that will have your head spinning.

Both Hannah and April’s characters were delightfully well-developed and a study in contrast. Their unique circle of memorable friends added depth and interest to the story.

Author Ruth Ware weaves a tale that grabs you with the potential of an innocent person serving a life sentence in prison and the pregnant Hannah’s arduous attempts to find the true killer ten years later. THE IT GIRL will have you turning pages until late into the night.

Author Ruth Ware lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the best-selling author of In A Dark Dark Wood (2016), The Woman in Cabin 10 (2016), The Lying Game (2017), The Death of Mrs. Westaway (2018), The Turn of the Key (2019), and One by One (2020).

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Publisher Gallery Books
Published July 12, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com