Mystery and thriller often go hand-in-hand, but some stories are excellent mysteries but not solid thrillers and vice-versa. And then there’s Ruth Ware’s One By One: a mystery, a thriller, and a great book.
Snoop, a company built on a music app, decides to hold its business retreat in the French Alps at a luxurious chalet. When the novel starts, the count is several employees plus two chalet employees—a caretaker and a chef—perched atop a mountain of snow. When a secret business deal is announced, tensions rise. From there, a member of the party is lost, and another member is murdered.
As a mystery, One by One is an offering worthy of a read by any Baker Street aficionado. All the little details add up to a satisfying conclusion. Even chapter introductions play their part. As a thriller, it’s even better. The mystery is solved well before the end of the novel, a nice twist, and leaves the rest of the novel in the world of suspense. How the author orchestrated the finale was better for this reviewer than the reveal of the murderer. The final segment of the book to the climax is exciting to say the least.
One of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” movies was set on the summit of a snowy mountain as well. I couldn’t help but think of that version as I started this novel. Don’t worry, this novel is quite different from that rendition of her excellent novel. The business subplot, the dual points-of-view, the skiing sequences, and the killer’s motivations differ from Christie’s classic. And how the author listed the cast of characters at the start was genius. From that page onward, I was hooked.
One by One is a spellbinder of a novel with engaging characters and a unique setting. Well-written, fast-paced, stylish, and packed with details mystery readers love, this novel is sure to satisfy even the most discerning bibliophile.