Zero Days by Ruth Ware is a fast paced action-packed read. I’ve read a few of Ware’s books now and know she has a big fan base. She’ll also be attending the crime writing festival I’m going to next month in England so this is a timely read. Although I kinda felt it was pretty obvious whodunnit here, the why was certainly unexpected and Ware also complicates the who with some murky shadow-lurking types.

Zero Days
by Ruth Ware
Published by Simon & Shuster UK
on 05/07/2023
Source: Simon & Schuster
Genres: Thriller / Suspense
ISBN: 1398508403
Pages: 352

Goodreads

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.

It soon becomes clear that the police have only one suspect in mind – her.

Jack must go on the run to try and clear her name and to find her husband’s real killer. But who can she trust when everyone she knows could be a suspect? And with the police and the killer after her, can Jack get to the truth before her time runs out?

Ware does a great job with Jack’s character, balancing a woman grieving the love of her life, with one needing to get shit done nonetheless. It’s the combination of the likeable pragmatic steely resolve of Jack’s character, and a narrative that has us counting down the days until an unknown event, that make this a page-turner. Ware also manages to weave in detail about Jack’s work in security and is either a stealthy cat burglar in real life, or has done quite a bit of research. In many ways it made me sad that we didn’t get to see more of Jack and Gabe in action together as they make (made) a great team and their work is (was) fascinating.

We don’t meet a lot of other players in Jack and Gabe’s life so in some ways it was easy to guess who was involved, but the lack of motive and malice means it’s less obvious than it might have been. And though justice is ultimately served I wasn’t sure we were offered complete closure. I don’t believe Ware usually writes series but I wondered if she was keeping the door open for us to meet Jack in a future outing. I must admit I think she’s certainly too fascinating to waste in a one-off.

Zero Days by Ruth Ware will be published in Australia by Simon & Schuster in late June 2023.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.