The It Girl

I love a good mystery, so I often turn to this author for an enjoyable read. Her Agatha Christie-type mysteries never disappoint and The It Girl is no exception.

This story is set at university in Oxford, England, where Hannah Jones first meets roommate April Clarke-Cliveden, the ultimate “it” girl with a vivacious, outgoing personality. The two girls easily make friends, and their group includes Hugh, Ryan, Will, and Emily. But, by the end of the first term, April is found dead. Who among them would murder her?

Was it really the somewhat creepy porter, John Neville, who was found… show more.

The It Girl is set at Oxford University. The story alternates between two timelines: the past, showing Hannah’s studies at Oxford, culminating in the murder of her best friend and roommate; and the present, in which Hannah starts to wonder if the wrong person was convicted of the crime.

Each timeline has its own unique feel – hedonistic and edged with darkness, versus anxious and full of doubt – making it easy to keep the two strands distinct in your mind as you race towards the clever final denouement.

I’d recommend any of Ruth Ware’s beautifully written page-turners, but this… show more.

Life throws us many curves. How some of us deal with them at times forces an action that is unforgivable. Others take pains to hide the act and watch as another is punished for it.

However, in some cases circumstances recall the unforgivable act and the realization that the ‘guilty’ one who died in prison was also a victim. No matter how much time may pass, or how close the friendship, the threads of secrets unravel. No protagonist crime fighter here, just a friend searching for the truth to discover the real who and the why.