Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of In a Dark, Dark Wood

In a Dark, Dark Wood
robinmy avatar reviewed on + 2115 more book reviews


Mystery writer Leonora "Nora" Shaw wakes up in a hospital with several injuries. As she goes in and out of consciousness, Nora hears the police in the hallway talking about a murder. Nora doesn't remember what happened, how she ended up in the hospital, or who is dead. She recalls receiving an invitation to a bachelorette party for her old high school friend Clare, a person she hasn't seen or talked to in over ten years. Nora is reluctant to attend until she learns that another friend, Nina, has also been invited. When Nora arrives at the mysterious glass house in the woods, she learns that Clare is marrying James, the man who broke Nora's heart ten years ago. As the party begins, Nora can't wait for it to end so he can get out of there. And when someone dies, the accusations fly.

The first half of this book drew me in. I loved the descriptions of the house which was located deep in the woods. There was no cellphone reception, so the party was cut off from the real world. The people attending the party ranged from annoying to self-centered to just plain weird. I wouldn't have wanted to be there. In the middle of the book, you learn who was killed. After that the pace of the book slows down and Nora makes some dumb decisions. I guessed the killer and the motive in the middle of the book. I'm not sure what took the police or Nora so long to figure it out. At least it was entertaining listening to them slowly tell us what happened. My rating: 4 Stars.