Member Reviews

I loved this book. I have read a couple of Ware's books, and this is by far the best of the titles I've read. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what would happen next and I wasn't disappointed. I don't get surprised by books often, but I did not see all of the twists coming and I love that about Ware's books. I'd highly recommend this title.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A fast paced thriller, but one that didn’t pull me in. I have been wanting to read a book of Ruth Ware’s for a while and this is my first one. I definitely think it was a “me” problem, not the author. I don’t believe I was in the right headspace for a thriller at the moment. I liked Ruth’s writing style and her character building. I will definitely be coming back to this book at later time (maybe when the nights are longer and colder).

I want to thank NetGalley, Ruth Ware and Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This seemed a little different to me than a lot of Ware’s other books. I felt like I was immersed in Mission Impossible. There was a lot of action and very technical information. I liked the main character quite a bit.

I figured out part of it pretty early on, but that didn’t detract from the story. It moved at a good pace. Overall, a pretty good read.

Was this review helpful?

Exactly what I expected from a Ruth Ware novel. Immediately drew me in and I couldn’t stop reading. Some of the technological details took me a while to fully understand, like when Jack was meeting the guy from the dark web. I wasn’t immediately sure what was going on but picked it up. Jack was a fantastic character, full of resilience. I loved how it ended.

Was this review helpful?

This summer's new release from Ruth Ware, Zero Days, is a bit of a departure from her previous work. While many of her books have a distinct gothic, old-school mystery feel to them, this one is very contemporary and somewhat technical in premise. I confess I'm a fan of the more traditional mysteries, but this one was fast paced and a quick easy read.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

Was this review helpful?

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (Although I did read the majority of this in a library copy instead!)

I’ve always been a Ruth Ware fan. The plots are somewhat far-fetched (and in the case of The Lying Game, rage-inducing), but they’re fast paced and entertaining, and I usually can’t see the twists coming. I also appreciate that while Ware is definitely a mystery/thriller writer, she doesn’t really confine herself to one specific corner of the genre. She’s tackled the gothic, the locked room, the dark academia, and now she’s trying her hand at a techno-thriller. And it just did not work for me. I think that’s part of the reason I ended up reading this when my library hold came up, instead of jumping into the ARC when I first downloaded it. I requested the title because I like the author - the plot synopsis didn’t do much for me, and tech thrillers aren’t really my thing (in spite of my adolescent love of the movie Hackers).

The mystery centers around Jack, a pen tester, whose husband Gabe gets murdered in a pretty gruesome fashion. The two of them work together to test security systems - Jack does the physical breaking and entering, while Gabe monitors from home and tries to get into the computers. Then they report back to the company about all they’re doing wrong (or occasionally right) with security. When a routine job goes awry and Jack ends up being detained (this is apparently an occupational hazard from time to time), she returns home several hours late to find that Gabe has been brutally murdered. And being the spouse, Jack is of course the number one suspect. She knows she didn’t do it, and we know she didn’t do it, but the police don’t seem to be trying all that hard to come up with alternative suspects, and the evidence doesn’t look great for Jack. Given that she has an asshole ex who was also a cop, and abused his power to screw with her after they broke up, Jack doesn’t exactly trust the police to do their job, so she sets out on her own to find out who killed Gabe.

Jack spends about a week on the run, gathering evidence and narrowly escaping detection in ways that strain believability. At one point she sustains an injury, which just keeps getting worse, and yet somehow she’s still as physically capable as she’s always been? (even less believable when you consider that she’s running on precious little food and sleep) Like most reviewers, I had the twist figured out pretty early, a rarity for me with Ware’s books. And although I kept reading until the end, I wasn’t all that invested in the outcome. I have no idea how accurate any of the tech stuff actually was, but it reminded me of nothing so much as my teenaged attempt to write a thriller about hackers, having watched the movie Hackers too many times. Like I said, tech stuff just doesn’t interest me, and if I’d read this synopsis for a novel by a different author, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up to begin with. I kept hoping maybe Ware was going to do something different with it, but it’s pretty boilerplate.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the Arc! I requested this book hoping it would be like some of Ms. Wareś other books that I enjoyed. However, it was a little too action-y for me. I don´t really read books like this, so I wasn´t able to finish it. However, people who enjoy more of these action packed thrillers with tons of running may enjoy it. It just wasn´t for me.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this thriller about Jack, a security expert who is forced to go on the run after her husband is murdered and she is wrongfully suspected of killing him. I was hooked from the very first chapter and could not put the book down. The author does a great job of building suspense in even the smallest moments, such as when Jack is forced to shoplift, and I loved how ordinary problems, such as a cut, become life-and-death difficulties as time passes and Jack begins to run out of resources. I was pleased with myself for figuring out one twist, and delighted that I couldn't figure out how things were going to turn out until the very end. There are also some reveals at the end of the book that I thought were absolutely perfect and brought things to perfect closure. This is one of the best books this author has published, and I highly recommend it to fans of suspenseful books starring female leads.

Was this review helpful?

While some thriller/mysteries seem cliche, Ware provides a unique story in Zero Days. Main character Jack Cross (and her husband Gabe) has great knowledge about digital security and hacking systems, so companies hire the duo to see how protected they really are, while allowing the two to expose weaknesses in their systems.

Early in the novel, Jack finds her husband murdered and, because she's seemingly been framed for the murder, she decides to go on the run, rather than cooperate with the police. She hopes to clear her own name of this crime and is on the run for the entirety of the novel from that point on. The story is action packed, but also somewhat predictable and repetitive.

The story has twists and turns, but as I said, most were relatively predictable and the killer's identity is (in my opinion) easily guessed early on, which makes the story less enjoyable to read. However, that said, it is still full of action and mystery and is a unique story, worth reading!

Was this review helpful?

Ruth Ware is one of my favorite writers, and this book was in my top 3 of my favorite books of hers! A total page-turner with lots of twists and turns.

Was this review helpful?

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoy this author and this book didn’t disappoint. I’ve still been thinking about it off and on for a month since so read it. Great read.

Was this review helpful?

This book kept me guessing from start to finish! Although I did have moments of wanting to scream, NO! Don't trust him! in the way of any great mystery, I enjoyed this fast paced thrilled. I could absolutely see this being turned into a movie. This felt different to me than the typical Ruth Ware fare, but that worked for me. Keep me turning pages and keep me guessing and I'm sold

Was this review helpful?

Love Ruth Ware’s takes on other stories.

This is The Fucative and it’s brilliantly done! Jack and her husband Gabe runs company that tests the effectiveness of securities. The story starts with Jack penetrating a company just to see if she can.

When she arrives home, Gabe is brutally murdered. Just like the fugative, Jack becomes the prime suspect and has to prove her innocence.

With the help of her sister and Gabe’s best friend, can Jack save herself? Or will whomever came after Gabe be after her too?

Always love me a Ruth Ware book!

Was this review helpful?

This is a story about a high tech murder.

Did you enjoy The Fugitive? Do you feel like it was excellent but wouldn’t work as well today because of all of the technology watching us? Well! I’ve got a book for you. This was a non stop thriller! I loved the pacing & the suspense created by an innocent person having to run from all of the entities that should help her.

Thank you so much @gallerybooks @scoutpressbooks & Netgalley!

Was this review helpful?

I've been a Ruth Ware fan since the beginning, but this is definitely not the best of her offerings. I just couldn't believe she went on the run in the first place (not a spoiler), and although I HATE it when thriller reviewers say they knew right away . . . I did. The minute she interacted with the character. A lot of the plot is about the blood trickling from the would and how it will feel to jump from a window or a ledge or a window on a train. I loved In a Dark Dark Wood, The Lying Game, and the It Girl. So I will still look forward to the next offering.

Was this review helpful?

"Zero Days" by Ruth Ware is a carefully constructed thriller that combines elements of mystery and betrayal, with a protagonist thrown into a whirlwind of murder and deceit. The narrative is fast-paced, opening directly into action as we are introduced to Jack and her horrifying realization of her husband's death. However, while Ware's description of Jack's race against time is adrenaline-filled, it often struggles to maintain momentum. The suspects and the unfolding mystery struggle to sustain the initial promise and sometimes feel unoriginal. It offers an exciting premise and a strong female lead, but the execution of the plot twist and supporting characters left me wanting.

Was this review helpful?

I unfortunately DNF this book about about 20% in. I just couldn’t connect with the characters and wasn’t getting pulled into the plot. It wasn’t for me but I think it’s a great book for someone.

Was this review helpful?

Oh wow this one was definitely a page turner. What happens when professional's who try to break into buildings to get around security. This couple works together to do that but one night it goes haywire and when she returns home her husband is dead and she is afraid she will be the accused. This author does an amazing job taking the reader into the book and making you feel you are a part of the action. Well written with characters you can root for.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you so much @ScoutPressBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 20 June 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Jack & Gabe are penetration specialists who are hired by companies to break into physical locations & digital systems to reveal security weaknesses. Jack handles the physical side of things while Gabe handles the digital. Jack returns home after a job to find her husband murdered & it becomes apparent very quickly that she is being framed for the murder. In order to clear her name & find her husband's killer she must use all of her skills to solve the mystery.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the opening chapter sucked me in
- such an interesting profession & unique premise for a story (I kind of felt like a spy reading this)
- the suspense!! I was on the edge of my seat throughout
- that it is a different kind of mystery to everything else she has written

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- there is a lot of running from one place to another place (this is the majority of the story)
- there is only so many ways to describe a fatal wound & it was mentioned a lot

Was this review helpful?

It's a typical whodunnit, with a similar plot to Mr and Mrs Smith. It kept my interest, but wasn't as twisty as some of her other books. It felt a bit formulaic.

Was this review helpful?