Ranking Ruth Ware Books

Updated on July 25th, 2025

Ruth Ware is one of my favorite authors, and I wanted to take the time to rank her books I have read.

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Who is Ruth Ware?

Ruth Ware is a British thriller author. She published her first thriller, In A Dark, Dark Wood, in 2015. Since then, she has published 9 more books, with the latest being The Woman in Suite 11 in 2025. I first came across Ruth Ware’s books in 2016 when I stumbled upon The Woman in Cabin 10 at Barnes & Noble. I was drawn in by the cover and the plot summary, and I loved the book. Since then, I have read a total of 7 of her books, which I want to rank here.

Ranking Ruth Ware’s Books

#7 The Lying Game

The Lying Game is the third novel published by Ruth Ware in 2017. The story follows four girls, Isa, Kate, Fatima, and Thea, who attended the private boarding school Salten House. At the school, they became notorious for telling lies. Their poor actions resurface 17 years later when they receive a text from Kate stating “I need you” and they return to the tide mill where they used to hang out as teens.

The story is told from the perspective of Isa and switches between the present of Isa receiving the text from Kate and arriving at the mill to the past of her time at Salten House. Isa is a somewhat likable protagonist. She made poor decisions as a teen, but she has since done well in her career as a civil service lawyer and is also the mother of an infant whom she travels to the mill with. That said, I did become frustrated with her because she was not open to her partner about what was going on.

Furthermore, I feel like a big downside of the book is the plot. You soon learn why Kate sent the text, and you later learn more details, but I found the plot overall too slow, with not much going on. I also predicted the twists, which was disappointing. With all that said, The Lying Game is my least favorite Ruth Ware book I have read.

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 5/10

#6 In a Dark, Dark Wood

In a Dark, Dark Wood is Ruth Ware’s first book, which she published in 2015. The book follows Nora when she is invited to her former best friend’s hen do (bachelorette party) after not speaking to her for 10 years. Nora reluctantly accepts the invite, and everything seems fine at first. However, when the night falls, Nora realizes they are not alone in the woods.

The setting of the book is creepy because the hen do takes place in a glass house in the middle of the woods. Nora is a mostly likable protagonist, and I liked her friend Nina who Nora came to the party with. However, I did not enjoy the plot that much. The book switches between the present, when Nora is in the hospital, to the past with the events that happened at the glass house. There are red herrings in the book, and I did not know who did it until the end. I do feel like In a Dark, Dark Wood suffers from being Ruth Ware’s first thriller novel. At least for me, most of her later books are better.

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 7/10

#5 Zero Days

Zero Days is Ruth Ware’s eighth work published in 2023. The book follows Jack and her husband, Gabe, who are penetration testers for high-security facilities. Jack uses her breaking-and-entering skills while Gabe uses his computer hacking abilities. After a routine assignment, Jack returns home to find her husband murdered. However, the police suspect Jack, and she goes on the run to clear her name and find the real killer.

Even though Ruth Ware is known for thrillers, Zero Days is quite different because it is more action-packed since Jack is continuously on the run from the police. That said, the plot did become quite repetitive because she would go to one location and then shortly after have to make a run for it because the police caught up. At the same time, she is slowly getting closer to the truth. I did find it predictable who was connected to Gabe’s murder, but there were some twists I did not expect. I also liked the ending, and it wrapped up most of the plot. Overall, Zero Days was a good book, but the action-packed, fast-paced plot was not my personal favorite.

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 7/10

#4 One Perfect Couple

One Perfect Couple is Ruth Ware’s ninth book published in 2024. The book follows Lyla, whose life is in a rut because her post-doctoral research died out. Also, her relationship with her aspiring actor boyfriend, Nico, is not going well. Nico is then given the opportunity to audition for a new reality show, One Perfect Couple, and Lyla reluctantly agrees to join him. They are then whisked off to Ever After Island, where they will be competing against four other couples. However, things take a turn for the worse when the contestants find themselves stranded on the island.

The book was hard to get into at first because there was a lot of setup. For the first third of the book, you are given the backstory of Lyla and Nico and then introduced to the other contestants. The contestants were introduced all at once, so it was hard to remember which characters were couples. After the contestants become stranded on the island, the pacing picks up and the book becomes more engaging. I did like Lyla as the narrator because she is rationally minded, and she only joined the reality show to support her boyfriend. I did like the plot better than In A Dark, Dark Wood, but I enjoyed some of Ruth Ware’s other books more.

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 8/10

#3 The Death of Mrs. Westaway

The Death of Mrs. Westaway is Ruth Ware’s fourth book published in 2018. In the book, Hal Westaway is a 21-year-old trying to make it on her own after her mother’s death. One day, Hal receives an inheritance letter stating that her grandmother, Hester Westaway, has passed. However, Hal’s grandmother died 20 years earlier. Hal pretends to be the long-lost granddaughter to receive the inheritance and have the financial security she desperately needs.

Even though the plot is slow-building, I enjoyed it since the main focus is on whether Hal will successfully get the inheritance money and the family drama around the will. Also, the setting of Hester’s estate at Trepassen House is creepy. The inclusion of the One for Sorrow nursery rhyme in connection with the magpies at the estate makes the setting even more ominous. I liked Hal as a protagonist because she is doing what she can to make it on her own. Also, Hal is a tarot reader on Brighton Pier, and she does tarot readings throughout the story, which I loved. I did not expect the ending, which is always a plus when reading thrillers.

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 9/10

#2 The Turn of the Key

The Turn of the Key is Ruth Ware’s fifth book published in 2019. The story follows Rowan Caine, who is hired as a live-in nanny for a family with 4 children. In her care, one of the children died. Rowan is now in prison for murder and is waiting for the trial. However, Rowan claims she is innocent. The story is told in the format of a letter she is writing to a lawyer to prove her innocence.

I found Rowan to be a realistic protagonist because she has some unlikable qualities but at the same time you want to know the truth about what happened. Also, on her first day on the job, the parents leave to go out of town for work, and Rowan is left alone with 3 of the kids. Therefore, you cannot help but feel for her with all the pressure she experiences. As far as the plot, the story begins with Rowan finding the ad to be a nanny and her interview, and it goes through the experiences she had in the home. If Rowan did not cause the death of the child, I wanted to know what actually happened. There are also twists in the story that I did not expect. The only downside is the ending because I felt like it was a bit too open-ended.

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 9/10

#1 The Woman in Cabin 10

The Woman in Cabin 10 is Ruth Ware’s second book which was published in 2016. The book follows Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist who is given the opportunity to spend a week aboard a luxury cruise in Norway. However, that night after boarding the ship, Lo witnesses a woman being thrown overboard, but all the passengers and staff are accounted for in the morning.

I loved the setting of a luxury cruise ship sailing in Scandinavia and visiting the fjords in Norway. I also thought the plot was well-paced, and I liked the mystery surrounding the woman. Furthermore, each part of the book ends with excerpts from emails, newspapers, and forums, which is an interesting addition to the story. I also liked Lo as a protagonist, and there were unexpected twists in the story. The ending was great and wrapped up the story well. All in all, The Woman in Cabin 10 is my favorite Ruth Ware book

Available at Bookshop

Rate: 10/10

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Have you read any books by Ruth Ware?