Get Ruth Ware’s books ranked and ranked so you know exactly which one of these books to read next. This helpful list includes updated ratings and reviews of each and every one of her popular psychological thriller, mystery, and suspense novels to date. You’ll also get a free printable PDF of Ruth Ware’s books to track your reading. Let’s get literary!
All Ruth Ware Books Ranked
QUICK TAKEAWAYS
- My pick for best Ruth Ware book is In a Dark, Dark Wood.
- GoodReads readers’ top-rated pick is The Turn of the Key.
- The best-seller worldwide is The Woman in Cabin 10.
I have read every one of Ruth Ware’s thriller books published to date. Below is my full list of the best, ranked and rated, starting with my favorite:
- In a Dark, Dark Wood ★★★★★
- One by One ★★★★☆
- The Woman in Cabin 10 ★★★★☆
- One Perfect Couple ★★★★☆
- The Turn of the Key ★★★☆☆
- The Lying Game ★★★☆☆
- Zero Days ★★★☆☆
- The It Girl ★★★☆☆
- The Death of Mrs. Westway ★★☆☆☆
Alternatively, see the list of Ruth Ware’s books in order.
Reading Tip: You do not have to read Ruth Ware’s books in order of publication. They are all standalone novels that are not part of a series. They can be read in any order.
My Ruth Ware Book Reviews: Why You Should Read These Mystery Novels
#1 of 9: In a Dark, Dark Wood (2015)
Plot: In a Dark, Dark Wood is about the bachelorette party from H-E-double hockey sticks. A lonely writer named Leonora attends an old friend’s pre-wedding bash deep in the English countryside.
The Bachelorette party storyline is told in the past. In the present, Leonora is in the hospital after an accident. She is suspected of murder and is trying to remember both what happened and how she got there. Thus begins a deadly spiral of events.
Review: I thought this was an exceptional thriller and debut novel! I absolutely could not put it down. Leonora’s “present” situation kept me glued to the pages to figure out her past.
Also, since bachelorette parties can make for strange bedfellows, I thought this was the perfect setting for an unlikely group of characters to deal with each other in an isolated location. It simply has all the markings of a suspenseful read.
#2 of 9: One by One (2020)
Plot: In One by One, eight coworkers from a trendy London tech start-up become cut off from the outside world by an avalanche at a ski resort in the French Alps.
It may seem cozy, but the group begins to dwindle as the hours pass without any sign of a possible rescue. Characters begin to die “one by one,” and ulterior motives and dark secrets are slowly revealed as tensions mound.
Review: This atmospheric winter thriller book kept me fully engaged and guessing “whodunnit” (and who would stay alive) as I read along in the “dead” of Winter myself. It remains one of the best Ruth Ware books for me.
Reading Tip: I recommend reading in print or digital format and taking notes on the many characters, who can be hard to track.
Related Post: One by One Summary
#3 of 9: The Woman in Cabin 10 (2016)
Plot: In The Woman in Cabin 10, travel journalist Lo is reeling from a home burglary when she receives the assignment of a lifetime to spend a week of work aboard a small, luxury cruise ship in the North Sea.
But something more ominous is on the horizon. A drunk and anxious Lo believes she witnessed a woman thrown overboard. Yet, all the passengers remain accounted for, and her concerns are generally dismissed.
As the ship continues to sail, a wave of twists builds up in this intense setting.
Review: It’s one of those mega-bestselling, unputdownable thrillers everyone should read. At the same time, you must let go of your logic and escape with this one, as many plot points don’t add up. Overall, it’s still well worth the read for thriller fans.
#4 of 9: One Perfect Couple (New Book 2024)
Plot: In One Perfect Couple, Lyla agrees to go on a new reality TV show with her aspiring actor boyfriend, Nico. They arrive on “Ever After Island” and meet the four couples they will compete against.
The production of the show feels odd, leaving the cast feeling uneasy. Then, a storm cuts the cast off from production (and the rest of the world). They are each left fighting for survival as supplies decrease and both tensions and dead bodies increase.
Review: Overall, this was a great beachy escape read. The premise was unique, and the plot went beyond the usual “locked room mystery,” with the storm causing as much harm as the people stranded in “paradise.” There are some twists, but they aren’t jaw-dropping. Still, it’s a fun ride for those looking for a guilty pleasure beach read.
Reading Tip: I recommend reading in print or digital format and taking notes on the many characters, who can be hard to track.
#5 of 9: The Turn of the Key (2019)
Plot: In The Turn of the Key, Rowan gets a live-in nanny job for a picturesque family at a remote mansion in the Scottish Highlands.
But, her dream job becomes a nightmare when a child dies and she finds herself in prison awaiting murder trial. She writes to her lawyer, trying to explain the odd events that led to her incarceration and prove her innocence.
Review: What may make this book so beloved is that the reader immediately knows Rowan is in prison. It keeps you hooked to learn how she got there and whether she will be convicted. There are some surprising twists. Also, the “haunted mansion” deep in Scotland makes it feel very ominous.
Most Ruth Ware fans will enjoy this spooky mansion mystery, especially as a moody Fall thriller book.
#6 of 9: The Lying Game (2017)
Plot: In The Lying Game, human remains are found in a small coastal village, and a local woman named Kate texts her old boarding school friends that she needs them.
This intriguing opening scene sets the stage for the story of four girls known for their incessant lies and problems at the school.
They reconvene as adults, and while Kate remains guarded, the remainder of the group, led by new mother Isa, slowly uncovers the truth behind the lies. Ultimately, they must decide whether to lie or tell the truth.
Review: This one felt very “middle-of-the-road” for me. I don’t have anything super positive or negative about it. It was just your average psychological thriller. I recommend it only if you love dark academia and/or want to read Ware’s full catalog.
#7 of 9: Zero Days (2023)
Plot: In Zero Days, Jack and her husband, Gabe, are a team hired to break into buildings and security systems.
When Jack finds Gabe tragically dead, she’s on a race against time to figure out who did it, as the police are narrowing in on her as their lead suspect. While she tries to remain untraceable, she still connects with her sister, Helena, for moral support and Gabe’s best friend, Cole, who works in tech security and may be able to help her.
Review: The chase heats up, but don’t look for any major twists in this one. While I enjoyed the reading experience (especially on audio, as it was well acted with different voices) and found it satisfying, nothing made it especially great to me. It’s best for those who love suspense and don’t mind the lack of plot twists.
#8 of 9: The It Girl (2022)
Plot: The It Girl uncovers the truth about the death of Oxford’s popular student, April Clarke-Cliveden, a decade earlier. Indeed, she was a woman of “two faces,” as many “it” girls are in a high-pressure academic environment at a young age.
April’s friend Hannah is now married to another of their friends, Will, and is expecting a baby. But, when April’s convicted killer dies in prison and a journalist presents evidence he may be innocent, Hannah’s “nesting” stage of life becomes interrupted by a desperate search for the truth.
Hannah reconnects with the remainder of her college group of friends to shed new light on the past, and the results offer twists along the way to a thrilling conclusion.
Review: This book gets mixed reviews. I know many people who loved it, but I found it too long to remain invested in the storyline. Overall, I recommend it to the biggest fans of dark academia.
#9 of 9: The Death of Mrs. Westway (2018)
Plot: The Death of Mrs. Westway is an ominous and mysterious novel about a tarot card reader named Harriet who believes she has wrongly received an inheritance letter. After she attends the funeral of the deceased elderly woman, though, she starts to believe something is hiding beneath the surface.
The closer she gets to the family, the more she finds mysterious connections to her life. These suspicions unravel slowly to reveal the truth, and the story builds to one very suspenseful conclusion.
Review: This novel is at the bottom of my rankings because of how slowly it burned. I became bored by the story until it reached the end, a pretty epic conclusion that kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend it to those who don’t mind the delayed pacing.
Printable PDF Checklist of Ruth Ware’s Bestselling Books
RUTH WARE’S BOOK LIST
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About Thriller Author Ruth Ware
about
Ruth Ware is a #1 New York Times bestselling British author. She debuted as an adult novel writer under this pen name with In A Dark, Dark Wood in 2015. Previously, she wrote young adult fantasy novels under the name Ruth Warburton.
She has been described as a modern-day Agatha Christie. She has described her own fiction books as being “full of murder, family secrets, toxic friendships and things that go bump in the night.”
Prominent in her books are isolated settings and fairly large casts of characters.
More Books and Authors Like Ruth Ware
If you like Ruth Ware, try authors like Alice Feeney, Riley Sager, and Agatha Christie. Their suspenseful thrillers with atmospheric settings are perfect for fans of plot twists and page-turning books.
Recap
TOP 3 PICKS
Get ready for some mysterious thrills and start with the best of Ruth Ware’s books ranked:
- My top pick is In a Dark, Dark Wood.
- GoodReads readers’ top-rated pick is The Turn of the Key.
- The best-seller worldwide is The Woman in Cabin 10.
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
I was shocked to see the Death of Mrs. Westway in last. I appreciated the slow burn, maybe because the ending was such an explosion. It was my favourite by far.
I’m so glad you loved it! Reading is always so subjective.