Jack and her husband are "pen" specialists. They test companies' securities systems. At the end of her latest job, Jack gets arrested and by the time she convinces the police to let her go, she returns home to find her husband murdered. She then becomes the number one suspect and has to go on the run while she tries to find out who really murdered him and why. Good page turner, the chapters were the perfect length and left you wanting to read just one more chapter...The chapters were also in chronological order which was a welcome break from the current trend of jojoying back in time. Another great read by Ruth Ware!

Ruth Ware does it again! A fantastic thriller that keeps you wanting to read more! I really liked the main character and was rooting for he r the entire time. Lots of action and twists you don't see coming. This book is one of my favorites. Thank you Net Galley and Gallery /Scout West for the advance copy

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Zero Days by Ruth Ware.

Ruth Ware is SO hit and miss for me. I have loved some, and then been so underwhelmed by others. Unfortunately this hit latter. My biggest complaint? It did not need to be near as long as it was. Had it been condensed, enriched by more plot, less drag, it probably would have been a lot better. As it was, it was so watered down, which left the ending a relief rather than a surprise.

Some nights are just full of bad decisions. Or bad luck. Jack (Jacinta) is certainly experiencing one of those evenings.

As a security specialist, she has been hired to penetrate an insurance company to test just how well their current level of protection works, but from the start things go awry and Jack quickly finds herself caught by the corporate guards, then taken into custody and questioned by the police. While her husband Gabe works frantically to contact the client and clear her name, a disgruntled ex who happens to be a cop, makes an appearance, gives Jack a hard time and ultimately releases her.

Jack hates being beholden to her ex but the truth is, she needed his help. Shortly after she had arrived at the station, Gabe had gone silent. Jack is exhausted, anxious, and angry when she leaves, only to have her phone die immediately after she calls the Uber which will take her back to her car. Jack wants to race home, but in unfamiliar territory and with no maps app to help, she gets lost several times, takes an inordinate amount of time to get to her house and when she finally staggers through her door she discovers that the worst is yet to come: Gabe is dead, murdered at his computer.

Shocked, Jack staggers to the couch and doesn’t call the police immediately but simply sits in stunned silence. When she finally gets herself together and calls them, they quickly narrow in on one suspect – her. Submerged in grief and determined not to take the fall for a crime she didn’t commit, Jack goes on the run and begins a desperate quest to find who really did kill Gabe- and why.

Before getting too deeply into this review of Ruth Ware’s Zero Days, I’m going to address the elephant in the room – ye olde dead cell phone. Ware loves using malfunctioning tech in her stories, an issue some readers oft complain of, and this story begins with a dozy of a glitch – a woman who relies heavily on her cell leaving home with one that is apparently not fully charged. If this topic is one that troubles you, either be prepared to be annoyed or skip the book altogether. I’ll just add that technology is used heavily throughout the story. As someone who uses tech daily, this tends not to bother me but again, some readers have expressed discontent with this aspect of the author’s books, so be been warned, it is very present here.

The author has an easy-to-read writing style with brisk pacing that keeps us invested in the mystery. She also delivers consistent characterization throughout the novel, although that turned out to be a mixed blessing. Jack staying true to who she is – a likeable middle-class woman who finds herself in a tragic, unprecedented situation – showcases the author’s talent. I hate nothing more than having problems solved in a story by having the character change the nature of who they are. Unless there is a good reason for it, people don’t make large personality changes. That said, Jack starts the tale prone to dumb decisions and stays that way throughout the text. This is less a whodunit than it is a novel of someone racing about stumbling into information. That doesn’t tend to be the kind of narrative I prefer, so while the excellent writing made this a pleasant enough read, it’s not a book I would ever pick up again.

One reason for that is that the plot – from the inciting incident to all the time Jack spends on the run – is completely unbelievable. I know that the truth is often stranger than fiction and something this crazy could actually have happened, but from a reading perspective, I just found the whole thing so ludicrous and Jack’s behavior so hapless, that I couldn’t submerge myself in the tale the author was telling.

This is probably the shortest review I have ever written but there isn’t really much information I can impart on Zero Days. It’s a low-key chase mystery that relies very heavily on the reader’s suspension of disbelief. Fans of the author will doubtless want to give it a try but I would steer newcomers to any of Ms. Ware’s older works. They are all stronger than this one.

I feel like I am more of a Ruth Ware original fan than a current fan. Her newer ones just seem to be 200 pages too long. I miss her dark, gritty, scary vibes she had! This one wasn’t bad by any means, but also not a favorite. I do wish the covers had more umph to them like her first books did.

A security expert goes on the run after she’s wanted for her husband’s murder – in Ruth Ware’s exhilarating Zero Days.

It feels like another routine project when Jack and her husband, Gabe, are hired to challenge a company’s security measures, but just before wrapping up, everything goes awry. By the time Jack returns home, she finds Gabe brutally murdered, throat slit. Despite cooperating with police, she soon realizes she’s their primary suspect and knows her only way out is to uncover Gabe’s killer herself. Desperate and devastated all at once, Jack goes on the run to ferret out those responsible for upending their lives.

Propulsive and pumping with adrenaline, Zero Days is a nonstop, fast-track chase. In the vein of the film The Fugitive, Jack must find those responsible, before she is found by police. The novel strayed somewhat from Ware’s usual style, feeling more straightforward thriller, less knotted mystery, but it nonetheless worked.

I accurately identified the killer early on (small cast of characters), but between close-calls, break-ins, medical emergencies, and the clock ticking down, Ware kept me at the edge of my seat, clamoring to see how it all would end.

Ware has forged a riveting, cinematic, high-stakes thriller adrenaline junkies will relish.

A different take on what I am used to reading from Ruth Ware! I’ve been an auto-reader of hers and my mind wasn’t completely sold on this pivot, I wanted more suspense and thrills! I wanted creepy settings, as are her norms. Overall, a decent read, but the plot wasn’t for me.

This was a medium-paced mystery for me. It was not my favorite Ruth Ware novel as it felt less like a thriller than just a straight mystery.

TITLE: ZERO DAYS
AUTHOR: Ruth Ware
PUB DATE: 06.20.2023
AUDIO: Simon & Schuster Audio
NARRATED BY: Imogen Church
LENGTH: 14h 10m

There is something about Imogen Church and the way she narrates all of Ruth Ware’s NYT bestsellers - they are all tantalizing, thrilling, and nail biting fun.

Zero Days is a techno thriller very different from what I am used to with Ruth Ware’s books and I love it. I’m Zero Days, the chapters count down as Jackie “Jack” try to find her husband Gabe’s killer. Jack and Gabe are penetration specialists who break in to companies to find their weaknesses - Jack breaks in to buildings, while Gabe, the familiar voice in Jack’s earpiece, stays at home hacking into the companies who hired them. Jack comes home after a job to find her husband murdered and Jack becomes the prime suspect. To clear her name and find her husband’s killer, Jack must use all her skills and talents she has ever learned.

The narration was fantastic, and I loved how clear each character was - I do love Imogen Church’s voice and accent - I find it comforting and a delight to listen to.

I highly recommend this audio book - very easy to follow.

Good fast paced book. Felt like an action movie, not a scary thriller. I enjoyed it and felt like nothing I had Read recently.

"Zero Days" was another great, suspenseful thriller by one of the modern-day Queens of Suspense, Ruth Ware. While a little different than her previous novels, this is still one that you are not going to want to put down!

Love, Love, Love this book! Like everything from Ruth Ware, this did not disappoint!!! She keeps me guessing and keeps me up all night reading. This was a very quick read for me. Highly recommend if you like her other stuff or like old style mysteries.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets The Fugitive.
🔐
Jack and her husband, Gabe, are the best in the business when it comes to checking security. They’re hired to break into companies to see how well their systems hold up. When Gabe is murdered Jack is the number one suspect. She tries to clear her name, but the police believe she’s the killer so she must go on the run. With the help of her sister and husband’s best friend, Jack does everything she can to find out who killed her husband and why before they catch up with her.
👨‍💻
What this adult thriller had going for it: it was very fast-paced. I read it in one sitting and the audiobook was done very well with lots of sound effects and different narrators. What bothered me: I figured out a lot of what took Jack forever to get and that was annoying. Also she was seriously hurt most of the book and that was difficult to read constantly. It made me a bit ill myself. Ware can be but or miss for me, though. It’s a 3 ⭐️ read for me.

CW: blood, death/murder, illness, hospitalization, death of parents (recounted)

This was so different from Ware’s other books that I’ve read. But I loved the change.

It’s a thriller, but not psychological. Suspenseful crime, maybe? I don’t know its precise, accurate category, but I enjoyed the ride immensely.

The beginning pages had me believing I was going to read about a modern Bonnie and Clyde (I skimmed the description). That could’ve been fun as well.

Jack’s journey was harrowing. I felt for her. Wanted her to get the truth. I never trusted Cole and since we weren’t introduced to any other shady characters, I knew he was involved in some way. It was more wondering WHY Gabe had been murdered, for me.

Clearly some aspects were over-the-top and slightly unrealistic. I couldn’t see Jack eluding police for as long as she did. And her managing all she did with a serious injury…

But it was fun. Intense. I think it wrapped up nicely. Some parts were slower, and even though I was hooked, at times I felt like I may have skimmed/read too quickly and missed something. Overall, one of the Ware books I’ve enjoyed in recent years.

I was disappointed in this book. As I was reading, and the main character just kept running and narrowly escaping, I felt like I wasn't reading a Ruth Ware book. I was not surprised when I learned who the culprit was, I didn't really care about the characters, and I didn't care for the journey - but I don't choose to read this type of book. I look forward to Ware's return to form in her next book.

I really enjoyed this one! It is fast paced and engaging. I did get a little bored with the repetitiveness, but overall, enjoyed the more thriller style. I did call the "bad guy" though.

When it comes to thrillers, Ruth Ware is a name that's at the top of my list. What I love about Zero Days is that from cover to cover, I was hooked. There wasn't a page that didn't hold my attention. The story was fast paced, the characters captivating, and the ending was absolutely perfect. There were so many times during this book where I was at the edge of my seat. I cannot wait to see Zero Days on all the best seller's lists!

I've been back and forth on some of Ruth Ware's latest titles, but this one again did not disappoint. The premise alone made me think of my favorite movie growing up: The Fugitive with Harrison Ford. I wondered if the plot would get redundant, but it didn't. Ware definitely did her research and included a LOT of information about the dark web. I was intrigued and I highly recommend this one!

Zero Days
By: Ruth Ware

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ware is always an auto-buy for me to expect the unexpected in the strangest settings. She keeps me guessing g and turning the pages until I am finished.

Jack and Gabe are hired to penetrate buildings to see if their security is safe. As Jack gets caught and is sent home she find her husband Gabe dead. Of course she is the main suspect. Can she clear her name or is something more sinister happening!

This one will have your heart racing and turning the pages.

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Ruth’s got it. A great followup to her last smash hit. Her characterization and pacing keep me on the edge of my seat and her books last me last then two days because of it. LOL