Ruth Ware is always one of my go-to authors for suspenseful novels. I really enjoyed this her latest one and felt on the edge of my seat the whole book!

4.5 Stars, rounded upwards.

What would spring be like without another Ruth Ware mystery? I hope never to find out. My thanks go to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the review copy. This book goes up for sale Tuesday, June 20, and those that love a fast-paced, high octane read should order a copy.

One of the finest things about Zero Days is the premise. Our protagonist is Jacintha “Jack” Cross, and she and her husband, Gabe, run a pen testing business. I had never heard of pen testers before; these are people that are hired by corporations to hack into their systems and then report their areas of vulnerability so that they can be corrected before unfriendly hackers find them. Jack is the physical penetrator, and so while Gabe is home worming his way into the client’s network, Jack is on site, physically breaking into the business’s building.
This reviewer has two immediate family members that are fairly high on the IT food chain, so I asked both of them whether this is a real thing; they assured me that it is, although they had never heard the abbreviation. Most penetration testers don’t physically breach the physical building; usually it’s a tech breach only.
On this occasion, Jack meets up with a security guard that doesn’t believe she’s there legitimately, and by the time she straightens things out and gets home, her husband is dead.

When I read my notes, I can find plenty to criticize. At the outset, as Jack is breaking into the site, she has her earbuds in and Gabe is talking to her, and there is some conversation about the sex they’re looking forward to after the job that I find jarring and out of place. Yes, the purpose is to let the reader know that their marriage is strong, but I would have preferred greater subtlety. Then the cops decide Jack is their number one suspect, and when I see that Jack is going to investigate in order to clear her own name and find Gabe’s killer, I actually groan, because this is such a tired, overused trope. And the vast majority of this novel is Jack being chased, Jack running, Jack hiding, Jack running some more.

However, when it’s time to read--and I have several books going at a time, some galleys, some not--I find myself reaching for this one every time. Ware’s pacing never flags, and there’s creativity in the choices Jack makes that are reminiscent of Thomas Perry’s legendary Jane Whitefield series, but with technology added. I love that it’s the woman in this pen business doing all of the physical work, and Jack is a genuine badass, which makes my feminist heart beat harder. She is injured badly in one escape, and I fret over her and even wonder how she’s carrying it off, given the severity, but Ware convinces me that Jack is propelled by adrenaline and a complete indifference to her own safety and health, now that Gabe is gone. There is a small twist thrown in at the end that I find annoyingly predictable, but it’s almost an afterthought, and so it doesn’t impact the main body of the story. And there are occasional brilliant, original bits of figurative language that I love.

In point of fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jack Cross again.

For those that love an adrenaline rush, this book is recommended.

Ruth Ware writes a variety of thrillers across different settings and time periods, but she typically has a female protagonist who, on her own, has to figure out what happened, including who is lying to her and who is betraying her. This story focuses on security, both physical and cyber security. Jacintha (Jack) Cross, along with her husband, tests security for different companies. Jack breaks into the physical premises while her husband tests the cyber security. After one mission, Jack returns home to find her husband murdered, and before she knows it, she is a suspect. She goes on the run, hoping to find the true murderer before she ends up in jail or worse, herself. This is a fast paced story taking place over a matter of days. There are a few red herrings early in the story but the story follows a somewhat predictable path if you have read the author's other stories. Either way, it is a fast paced enjoyable read, but not my favorite by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. My opinion is my own.

I love all Ruth Ware books. Zero Days reminds me of a movie.

Jack Cross and her husband Gabe are testers to see how secure a company's computer is to find its weak link if any. One job goes wrong, with Jack getting caught. When she finds her husband murdered well, she ends up the suspect with her fingerprints on the weapon. Run Jack Run and that's what she does to try and clear her name and find the murderer.

I recommend this book to those that love a highly fast paced murder mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'd recommend going into Ruth Ware's most recent thriller without reading anything about it (it may be too late at this point!). The book really starts off with a bang but unfortunately was not as engrossing as Ware's other novels. Zero Days was much more action packed / legal thriller vibes than I'm used to from Ware, and it just missed the mark a little bit for me.

Zero Days starts off with a bang.. and hooked me from the beginning. We see the love and trust between Jack and her husband, Gabe. So, how does she become the prime suspect in his murder? I flew through this book. I wanted to know what happened to Gabe and if Jack was really as innocent as she claimed to be. This story was full of action, and at times, I didn't see how anything could possibly pan out for Jack. I will say that, for me, the story was intriguing and interesting, but it was a lot different than the other Ruth Ware books I've read. I enjoyed this one just as much (maybe even more) than some of her previous books, but it definitely has a different vibe.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the e-ARC to review.

Zero Days releases tomorrow.. June 20th!

Zero Days is a fun summer thriller. It’s fast-paced and exciting, with plenty of twists and turns. It will have you rooting for a strong female protagonist.

Synopsis: 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. To add to her horror, the police are closing in on their suspect—her.

Suddenly on the run and quickly running out of options, Jack must decide who she can trust as she circles closer to the real killer in this thoroughly enjoyable, heart-pounding mystery from an author whose “propulsive prose keeps listeners on the hook and refuses to let anyone off until all has been revealed”

Zero Days has the vibe of the Fugitive and Mission Impossible. And right from the start the book Ware has us counting down days until a mystery event. Fans of action movies will love this fast-paced, emotional and high-tension read.

I thoroughly loved Jack; she’s tough, capable, and determined. I also enjoyed learning about a new career path. Who knew penetration experts or “pen testers” were a real thing? This really worked for me and sold how Jack would have developed the skills she’d need to unravel this complicated mystery. Seeing her break out of a police station, sneak into a giant company during working hours, and break into a rather secure home demonstrated her out-of-the-box thinking. Jack was a complete badass – being able to extricate herself from numerous tricky situations – I couldn’t wait to see what next and how she would escape it!

While Zero Days addresses a real life technical issue in today’s world, Ware gives us the pieces we need to keep up with the story. And I have to admit, I was rooting for Jack the whole time despite the odds stacked against her.

I just read that this book has been optioned by Universal. Oh, please let it be so! And please Ruth Ware, write us some more books with Jack so we can see what she solves next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this not to miss thriller!

I really enjoy reading Ruth Ware's books. They are all so different. Zero Days is unlike anything I have read by her before. It was a very fast-paced, action-packed thriller with a spy novel feel. I loved the relationship between Jack and her husband Gabe and was so sad that he died right away, but I really felt for Jack and the predicament she was in. I liked her, even if she did make a few bad choices (but honestly, who wouldn't under those conditions?) I was kept on edge of my seat from the very beginning. I liked learning about her relationships with other characters in the book and trying to decide what happened. I had a couple of theories and wasn't initially correct in my guess. Overall, this was a fun read!

2.5 rounded up to 3.

While I didn’t care for the story, I must commend Ruth Ware on her writing. That is what draws me back time and time again. The writing style is absolutely mesmerizing. I am always excited to see what is coming next in her stories.

However, this story was really basic. It felt like a simple cat and mouse chase with no real wow factor. I was waiting for a big twist or something really shocking to happen and it never did. The characters were really well written and I felt for the situation but was confused at so many decisions that Jack made. If it weren’t for the writing, I most definitely would have DNF’d this book early on.

After only a few chapters, I regrettably chose to DNF Ruth Ware’s latest—which feels like a crime in itself.

Unfortunately, the Ware who penned some of my all time favorites including “The Woman in Cabin 10” and “The Death of Mrs. Westaway” seems to be gone for good, readers. The writing that once kept me on the edge of my seat for hours on end has faded into yawn-inducing chapters that span for hundreds of pages, and I fear this may be the last of her novels I try for some time.

Marketed as a “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” retelling, this book hardly jumps right into action. Rather, it read (for me) like a lifeless meditation on grief for the first several chapters, and I found myself falling asleep mid-page. There just wasn’t enough of a hook to keep me invested, and in a year with so many promising titles on the to-be-read shelf, I didn’t too much of a hard time setting this one aside for good.

I found the pacing of this book to be a little slow in light of the premise--it was setup like it was going to feel urgent and the passage of time crucial (as we near zero day, even before we know what that is) but then all of the action dragged out. Ruth Ware always does a good job of establishing motivations for her characters, and that held true here. The way everything came together was compelling and well plotted. Readers that enjoy a "quest to prove innocence" plot will enjoy this, I think it just wasn't for me.

Ruth Ware has created a fast, fun summer read in Zero Days, a techno thriller that you will not want to put down.

Jack and her husband, Gabe, are hired by companies to test their security measures – both physical and cyber. Jack handles the on-site tasks (breaking and entering). Gabe, speaking to her through an earpiece, does the electronic work from their home base. When the novel opens, a job goes awry and Jack is detained by the police. She eventually persuades them to release her, hours later. Returning home, she finds Gabe murdered.

It soon becomes clear the the police consider Jack their primary suspect. In fact, things have been arranged to make her look very, very guilty of her husband's murder. Jack goes on the run in a frantic effort to discover the true killer.

You may guess the villain's identity early on – I did. But that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. I read it all in one sitting.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early review copy.

A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting this digital ARC. Unfortunately I found this book predictable and unevenly paced.

I've enjoyed many of Ware's books, but this missed the mark for me. The twist was a bit predictable early on, so it made it hard for me to stay engaged. . Some of the plot points about society depending too much on the internet and those implications is definitely something for the reader to consider. While this one didn't work for me, I'm likely to check out her future books.

Jacintha "Jack" and her husband Gabe are "pen testers," meaning companies hire them to hack/break into their security systems to identify weaknesses. When Gabe is murdered, Jack becomes the prime suspect and is nearing arrest. She goes on the run to find the real killer.

This is a departure from Ware's gothic mysteries/suspense. It's more of a suspense cyber-thriller with a fugitive trope. While it's not my favorite Ware book, I appreciate that she tried something different, and this book has a very interesting premise. I am not very familiar with hacking or cybercrime, and Ware obviously did a great deal of research into the topic, but she managed to make it easy to grasp and fascinating.

Things started fast-paced and exciting and then became uneven, but I still flew through this quickly. Ware is a terrific writer, and I appreciated how many different settings she brought to life as Jack is on the run. I saw that this had been optioned for film, and it will make for an exciting adaptation, as it does read a lot like a tense, action-packed movie. And it was fun to see a female protagonist be the one with the physicality to pull off multiple stunts and action sequences. With its unique and adrenaline-fueled set-up, this fits the bill for someone looking for a popcorn thriller summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press for the opportunity to review this ARC.

*3.5 rounded up

What a wild ride! With non-stop action, we follow Jack and her husband, Gabe, work in a risky industry. They break into buildings to test the company’s physical and computer security. You'd think it'd be no surprise that Gabe turns up dead. What is surprising, Jack is the number one suspect. Follow along with her journey to prove her innocence. This was an entertaining and intriguing read that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a great mystery and a phenomenal thrill ride. Ruth Ware has done it again!


Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This felt very emotionless for a book about the death of the main character’s spouse. The “reveal” too was too obvious, no real red herrings established to make it a surprise at all. The POV shift during the arrest was a cheap way to work a twist into an otherwise boring scene and frankly felt like a cheap trick rather than anything interesting.

Ruth Ware is always a go to author for me for a good thriller/mystery. This was a very fast paced read and kept me wanting to read to find out what would happen next. Only thing is I wish there was more explanation with the ending.

The first person POV is never my favorite and this one was just a lot of excessive verbiage and being all up in the characters head. Yeah, I get she is on the run for a reason and yeah, she is injured, but this is just not the style of book that grabs me. I did really enjoy how she worked it all through and the information and background concerning tech security was very interesting.

Jack and her husband, Gabe, are successful penetration specialists. They are hired by companies to penetrate their security, finding weak spots in the system. The actual breaking and entering is a thrill for Jack. Gabe handles the computer systems and guides her remotely. The goal is in and out without being caught. Unfortunately, this job ended with Jack arrested. When she finally gets home, she finds her husband murdered and she is a suspect. With the cops looking at her they aren't looking for the killer, so Jack runs.

She is one step ahead of the cops when she is injured and staying off the radar in the London area isn't easy. Hiding isn't going to solve Gabe's murder but being in jail isn't going to either. With her options limited, Jack has to trust someone, but until she knows why Gabe was killed, who to trust could be just as dangerous.

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

*3-3.5 stars.

Jacinta 'Jack' Cross and her husband Gabriel Medway run a company called Crossway Security. They conduct physical and digital penetration tests for businesses to test their security and make recommendations for how they could do better. Gabe runs the computer diagnostics while Jack does the on-site attacks.

On one such job, Jack is caught red-handed and gets arrested until she can prove she was hired to run a pen test. Finally released and returning home in the wee hours of the night, she finds Gabe brutally murdered. Because she does some inexplicable things before calling 999, she quickly becomes the #1 suspect of London's Metropolitan police. All that is needed is the motive...and then an email provides that too.

It looks like Gabe's murder was a hit and that Jack has been set up to take the fall. Realizing that she's about to be arrested, Jack makes a desperate run for it. She needs to prove her innocence and find the killer but where to begin?

I found this story to be predictable and repetitive. The 'who' is fairly easy to guess although the 'why' is interesting. Jack spends most of her time running and hiding and very little time investigating. After she receives a very bad, self-inflicted wound, it's hard to believe that she can still do the physical stunts she carries out. Most of us would be passed out or hospitalized. The story has too many details and not enough thrills or twists this time around--an entertaining-enough beach read but not one of Ware's best.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.