Review of The Woman in Suite 11 – Chilling, Nightmarish tale
Table of Contents
My Rating 3.9 out of 5
Plot Summary – The Woman in Suite 11
Ruth Ware‘s debut novel was ‘Dark, Dark Wood’ in 2015 and in 2016, she published “The Woman in Cabin 10′ . Nine years after that, in 2025, she returns to Lo Blacklock, in ‘The Woman in Suite 11’. This follows a similar framework of Ruth Ware’s novels – exotic locale, multiple characters come together and evil happens! This time it begins in an uber-luxurious Chalet in the Swiss Alps and moves to another luxurious resort in the UK, near London. The uber rich are in attendance, a few select journalists, influencers and travel bloggers are there to dutifully report their observations. What could go wrong?
In the world of Laura Blacklock (Lo to those who know her), plenty does! In the 10 years since the events of Aurora, Lo has become the mother of two delightful boys, written a bestseller based on her experience, enjoyed her time as a celebrated author. But her days in the sun are over and mundane chores of domesticity have started to bore her. Looking to get back in the saddle as a Travel blogger, she accepts the invitation to the press opening of Le Grand Hotel du Lac on the shores of Lake Geneva, a 4-day all expenses paid holiday.
The hotel is owned by the Leidmann Group, whose Chairman – Marcus Leidmann has personally signed the invitation. After some hesitation, and with the help of a little push from her husband, Judah, Lo decides to accept. Upon arrival – after her surprise upgradation to First Class (not Business) – Lo finds some familiar faces at the press gathering. Not from the travel circuit, but from her travails onboard the Aurora, is that merely a coincidence or is someone pulling the strings in the background, trying to orchestrate a gathering of that ill-fated adventure?
After some puzzling occurrences and a startling discovery, the setting moves to the suburbs of London, when Lo shifts to a hotel there. It is here that tragedy strikes and Lo Blacklock is caught right in the middle of it. Miles away from her family, with strange things happening all around her, Lo is disoriented and feeling trapped. This is a whodunit where the needle of suspicion keeps moving and like Lo notes in a piece of paper – many people could have committed the crime – they all have some motivation and also the opportunity. The challenge is to find who it really is!
In a style typical of Ruth Ware’s earlier novels, this also brings together a mixed bag of characters at a singular location and then when a crime takes place, all of them are suspects. The novelty of such a concept has become jaded and despite the reader figuring out who the actual culprit is, well before the final reveal, you read on, either expecting a different ending or to satisfy minor curiosities like the motive and manner of the crime. Hence, as predictable as they come! On the positive side, it is well researched, characters are nicely fleshed out.
Conclusion – The Woman in Suite 11
A defining feature of Ms. Ware’s writing nous is how she builds her main protagonist. Even here, Lo’s predicament of having to balance the need to have a career and also be there for her young family is something many of us can identify with. This need and the value of a close knit family can be felt even more acutely when one main character is away – here, distance does make the heart grow fonder. Overall, a nice read, though slightly predictable. Time to change the game, time to UP the game as well. As long time readers, many of us know that Ruth Ware is capable of much better, and that best is yet to come!
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