The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini was an exhilarating read from start to finish. The novel masterfully combines suspense, complex characters, and unexpected twists, making it a standout in the psychological thriller genre.

The story centers on Tate Kinsella, a temp worker at a London bank who becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation after a woman falls to her death from the bank’s twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace. Tate claims she met the victim, Helen, the previous night at an office party and had talked her down from the ledge, but now finds herself entangled in a web of suspicion and deceit. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that Tate is an unreliable narrator, keeping secrets that gradually come to light, challenging readers to piece together the truth.

Mancini’s writing is both engaging and atmospheric, drawing readers into Tate’s tumultuous world. The alternating timelines between the present investigation and past events provide a comprehensive understanding of Tate’s character and the circumstances leading up to the incident. The author’s background as a criminal defense lawyer adds authenticity to the legal proceedings depicted in the story, enhancing its realism.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Tate Kinsella is attending an office Christmas party when she runs into a woman named Helen, sitting on the ledge of the building’s roof, contemplating suicide. Luckily, Tate is able to talk her down and the two women continue to bond. The next day, Tate discovers that a woman has fallen to her death off of the roof of the very same office building. Could it be Helen, returning to the site to complete the attempt that Tate intercepted? Or is something else entirely?
Ruth Mancini’s first U.S psychological thriller, “The Woman on the Ledge” is a story about revenge, the #metoo movement and the women who bond over both. All of these things, plus so much more, adds an element of mystery and intrigue to the immersive plot. Set over the Christmas season, too, it is the holiday thriller I did not know I needed.
Initially, we are introduced to Tate on the day she is arrested and we slowly learn the truth as she tells it to her lawyer, Sarah. But, of course, this isn’t the whole truth. The story continues from the perspective of the dead woman, told before her death, vacillating back and forth until the real truth comes out. Of all the possibilities I thought of as I tried to solve the mystery, the actual outcome was something that completely caught me off guard. The unexpected ending was the best part and, although complicated if you don’t pay attention, it was also satisfying and complete.
There are the two main female protagonists, of course, but there are two other women who play a rather important role in the drama as well, along with several other females and a few male characters as well. The cast of characters is intricate and interconnected, as strangers bond and become friends and friends pretend to be strangers as histories come into the past. Although “Ledge” is easy to read and addicting, the plot will get ahead of you if you aren’t paying attention.
Mancini is a criminal lawyer, so you can guarantee the legal details can be relied on. That being said, Mancini’s artful writing is complemented by her research in all the other plot areas as well, and “Ledge” flowed smoothly, making turning it easy to turn the pages. Running the emotional gamut, from anxiety, to sadness, to outright rah-rah cheering for the characters, “Ledge” doesn’t let up until the final sentence. I wish Mancini the best of luck in bringing more of her novels across the pond, as I guarantee they will be raging successes.

I love a thriller! I especially love a thriller that surprises me. I also love a thriller with multiple POV. This is the author's U.S. debut and I need more! This is such a well written twisty thriller. Did I mention surprising? Definitely go in blind. Then sit back and enjoy the ride.

A woman is arrested for murder, claiming she barely knew the victim and was only trying to save her from jumping. This gripping, twist-filled story kept me hooked with its unexpected twists and turns—definitely a must-read!

4.5 Stars The Woman on the Ledge is a uniquely crafted, emotionally gripping, darkly twisted psychological thriller to keep you guessing until the end. It was my first read by Ruth Mancini and will not be my last. She did not disappoint!!
The suspense, drama, mystery, secrets, lies, obsession, revenge, taut tension, fast-paced action with more twists than a switchback road, and shocking ending make this a nonstop wild rollercoaster ride! In addition, the theme behind the story is emotionally charged and deals with some impactful issues.

A woman falls to her death from a London bank's twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace, and the police arrest Tate for her murder. She tells the police that she had only met the victim for the first time the previous night at her office party. The woman was threatening to jump from the roof, but she could not talk her down. Tate claims she is innocent and that someone is setting her up to take the fall for the murder. So why do the police keep picking holes in her story? Even her lawyer doesn't seem to believe her. It soon becomes apparent that she is keeping secrets. But who is she trying to protect? And why? What happened on that roof?

I was utterly captivated from start to finish. If you enjoy a riveting suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and everything isn’t what it seems, then I recommend you give this a read—

I want to thank Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking for a thriller and this is more a character study of an event. I was bored and was ready for it to end long before it did.

Thank you Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the eARC of The Woman on the Ledge! All opinions in this review are my own.

While I was initially a bit disappointed that this book isn't told using the second person perspective (since the blurb is written like it is), I quickly got over that and became engrossed in the story. I love that each part unraveled a little bit more of the story so you're left with not quite being sure who is lying and who is telling the truth.

Was it a little over the top? Absolutely. Does it matter because it is fiction? No, it does not.

Mancini demonstrates her talent in The Woman ln the Ledge and I can't wait to read another thriller by her!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was such a different type of mystery and I loved it! The story is great and broken up into pieces that reveal secrets and many twists. Highly recommend

The story dragged for me at times, but I really enjoyed it overall, and loved the ending. It was fun to receive the story in bits and pieces the way the MCs lawyer would too, but the time jumps threw me off a couple of times.

This book was unique and not at all what I expected. Someone is framing you for a women's death and all you did was try to talk her down the ledge. Theres a bunch of twists and turns and of course lots of secrets. This was really good, I liked the plot and gave it a four stars.

I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews this for and while I enjoyed it, maybe I am in too much a reading slump currently to really love / get into anything. The writing was creative and I thought there was some twists but overall it wasn’t as thrilling as I was expecting. Maybe this is more of a mystery than thriller though? Not sure but three stars from me!

This almost felt like two books. The first part delves into the messed-up life of Tate, the main character, and then into a clever, well-crafted plot for revenge. That's where I really became invested in the story.
It's an intricate plot filled with brave, smart, determined women. Clever story idea! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this intriguing read.

🔹 My take: 5/5

🔸The plot begins with a woman who has fallen from a 25 storied London corporate building. Soon it is realised that this is no suicide but a planned murder. Tate is being framed for her murder but in her defense she reveals that she had met the woman only the previous day on the roof terrace. The girl was threatening to jump from the building but Tate had talked her out of it and then dropped her at residence later. Investigators find many loopholes in Tate’s story during interrogation. Even her lawyer is suspicious of her when dots do not connect. Was there any connection between the woman and Tate or was it a pure coincidence that Tate walked into the murderer’s plan. The web of lies, revenge, obsession and intrigue make this an interesting read.

💖 Wows - It’s a well written plot with no loopholes and multiple twists. The best part is the thrill quotient starts from page 1, continues to keep you on edge throughout and the chills are not just reserved for the climax. The corporate scenarios about access cards, security footage, office parties, gossip are very relatable. You will be left guessing about how some random exchanges are actually interconnected and part of the overall scheme. I shouted ‘Holy cow’ at multiple places when secrets unravelled and I was completely shocked. Even the emotional aspect about the bond between different characters has been brought out well. I understand the hype about this book now. I was this immersed in reading a thriller after a long time.

💔 Ows - Nothing that I disliked in this book but I will advise to read the trigger warnings if you do pick it up since this one is not for faint hearted.

💫 A thriller fan??? You should read this..
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @ruthmancini @harperperennial and @netgalley for sharing the DRC in exchange for honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reading Between the Wines book review #25/130 for 2024:
Rating: 5 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: The Woman on the Ledge
Author: Ruth Mancini
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: This book was so GOOD! I did not know what to expect but I know it wasn’t what I read!! There were so many twists and so many moving parts, I felt like I was on a treadmill that kept speeding up but I did not want to get off. The writing of this book felt like doing a puzzle. Each chapter, each part, was like putting a piece of the puzzle until the whole story was laid out. Then I had to use my hand to close my mouth. I LOVED the why behind Maddy’s death. This is definitely a favorite of this year for me. Go read this book before the elevator opens and all the secrets come spilling out.

Cheers and thank you to @HarperPerennialAndPaperbacks and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheWomanOnTheLedge.

#TheWomanOnTheLedge #RuthMancini #HarperPerennialAndPaperbacks #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Crazy book full of twists and turns. I didn't think I would like it when I started it but ended up a 4 star thriller for me.

Engrossing and with great twists!

Tate Kinsella is working as a temp in a bank. She's at the bank's Christmas party when she decides to go to the rooftop terrace to smoke a cigarette. It is there where Tate realizes she is not alone. A woman who says her name is Helen is sitting on the lede. She seems to be ready to jump! Tate starts talking to her and convinces her to come down to safety. They leave the party together and spend some time in a bar before calling it a night.

The next day, she gets a call from Helen. Helen has left something at the bank and will Tate mind going back to the office with her. Tate has no idea that this decision will complicate her life immensely. By the end of the night, a woman has fallen from the rooftop and Tate is the prime suspect!

The more Tate talks to the cops, the worse her story becomes. What really happened that night? Did the woman fall to her death on her own or did someone push her? And if so, why?

Ruth Mancini's plot was devised with the right amount of suspense, darkness, secrets, and a more than satisfying conclusion. I couldn't put this one down. The twists were the best!

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Harper Paperbacks via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Tate Kinsella got to where the crowd had assembled on the street outside the building where she worked, she tried to push though to see the body in the middle. The woman had fallen from the roof, hundreds of feet up. Tate couldn’t get through the security guards though, and when she said she’d just been in the building with the woman, the security guard asked her to stay.

The police showed up and got everyone under control, and one of them pulled Tate aside to question her about what had happened. She explained that she had met a women the night before at the company Christmas party. She’d said her name was Helen, and she was about to throw herself off the roof. Tate had stopped her, talked to her long enough to change her mind. They had spend some time together talking, drinking, sharing how they’d both made messes of their lives. And then they had both gone home.

The next night, Helen had called Tate, saying that she had lost an earring the night before, when they had talked on the roof. It was a diamond, a family heirloom, and she begged Tate to let her back in the building. Against her better judgment, Tate agreed to go back to the building with her. Tate had gone upstairs to look for the earring, while Helen looked in the stairwell, in case it had dropped there. But Tate never found anything, and then she couldn’t find Helen, so she went outside to see if Helen had left the building (or gotten kicked out by security). That was when Tate had seen the body on the ground and knew that Helen had used her to get back into the building and do the deed she’d been stopped from the night before.

But as Tate told her story to the police officer, she saw the woman’s shoe, and it wasn’t the red high heel that Helen had been wearing. It was a sneaker that belonged to Maddy Blakely, the wife of Tate’s boss Dan, the man she’d been having an affair with.

Tate gets a lawyer who listens to her story and helps Tate navigate the police interviews. It becomes clear that the police believe she was involved, and her lawyer clearly has some doubts about her client’s innocence as well. But eventually Tate is released on bail, as there is no evidence to put her at the scene of the crime. But as the days go by, things in Tate’s story just don’t add up, and the lies are revealed.

But what exactly happened on the roof that night? Who was responsible for the death of the devoted wife and mother whose life ended? And who will pay the price for it?

The Woman on the Ledge is Ruth Mancini’s U.S. debut, and she is starting things off for us with a bang. This story has layers and layers of secrets and lies, deception and calculation. When you first start reading, you think you have an idea of what might be happening. And then you go a little further and it all changes. Further still, and it’s a completely different story. As it unwinds, slowly and deliberately, it pulls you in deeper and deeper, until you have to find out all the details, right on to the very last page.

This is a tightly written thriller, with so many moving parts, and I loved them all. Mancini is clearly playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers. This story is nuanced and complex, and the truth comes out piece by piece until the final curtain drops. The Woman on the Ledge is as mind-spinning as the best crime writing out there, and I think it will be the talk of 2024. This is your chance to get in on the ground floor and go all the way to the top with a writer whose name you’ll want to remember.

Egalleys for The Woman on the Ledge were provided by Harper Perennial and Paperbacks through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Right now, I am honestly just mad that The Woman on the Ledge is the only novel published in the US for Ruth Mancini. This book has all the things I need and love in my mysteries/thrillers and it sure goes out with a bang! I never for one moment had this storyline figured out, and it surprised me over and over again right until the very end. I definitely see why there are so many rave reviews for this novel, and I can say with 100% honesty that the hype is real! I think going in blind is a huge bonus here, but if you are hesitant with triggers, I would recommend looking those up beforehand as Mancini does dive into some sensitive topics in the story.

There are a couple of different perspectives in The Woman on the Ledge, and despite having only one narrator for the audiobook, it was incredible. I loved Annabel Scholey and everything about her was spot on for me from her pace to her narration as a whole. I have a feeling I will be obsessing over this book for months if not years to come, and I sincerely hope we don't have to wait years for another book release here from this author. 😭 This is an epic read, and if you enjoy mysteries, thrillers, or police procedurals (yes, I am mentioning that genre too), this is absolutely a must-read and you will not be sorry!

This was the perfect psychological thriller. Hang tight! May I suggest you DON'T read the synopsis and you just go in completely blind and enjoy this binge worthy book. The type of book we all want, one that whisks us away, a book that basically turns its own pages, a book that we don't want to put down. In fact, not only did I read this on my kindle, I also bought the audiobook so I could keep listening to it while I went about my day.

Okay, you want a little more info? I'll share some, but I won't spoil or give anything away.

A woman falls from the top of a high-rise and dies. Tragic. Tate was there, things look suspicious to the police and they end up arresting her for murder. Tate jumbles things up in her reporting to the police about where she was, what happened and why. She's in a load of trouble. Luckily she is given an attorney to help her. As the story progresses we learn what and why and how and I absolutely loved the journey Mancini took us on!

This would make for a great vacation read. Bingeworthy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Paperbacks for the gifted eARC of this book.

Jump Feet First for this Twisted Treat


Ruth Mancini keeps readers turning pages and questioning every detail, in her psychological suspense thriller, “The Woman on The Ledge.”

For readers who love an unreliable narrator and equally compelling crazy, turn of events action, then “Ledge” is the perfect novel.

More than once, I was questioning who was who, and who did what, and why? The action is relentless. The storytelling is delightfully labyrinthine. The surprise ending is unforeseen and unforgettable.

Just read this fantastic book. Any other details are irrelevant. Needless to say, it’s on my five 5️⃣ star ⭐️ winners list.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Ruth Mancini, and Publisher Harper Perennial, Harper Paperbacks, for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.