Seeking to stay safe, Leah accepts whatever is asked of her without questioning it. Leah Reynolds serves as the protagonist, ushering the reader through a panic-filled experience while the world seems to be crumbling around her. Ware sets this piece in a nondescript community, but layers on the dread of what is taking place. I have heard of her and seen many of the books she’s published, but never got around to reading them. Recommended to those who love a story with multiple plot lines not always seen throughout, as well as the reader who needs a little time filler between larger reading projects.Īs this is my first experience with Ruth Ware, I hoped for a positive experience. A chilling story that forces the reader to second-guess much of what they know. When things take a significant turn for the worse, Leah makes the ultimate sacrifice, knowing that it will be the only way to save herself and honour the father who has placed his trust in her. The confrontation is harrowing and a few are lost along the way, but Leah stands firm, hoping to help her father however he needs. When the Reynolds home is rushed by the police, Leah and her family flee through the back door, worried what might happen to them. His constant counselling about safety does not go unnoticed as he shows the children proof of the bombed-out cities and schools on television. Tasked with building a stone wall around their isolated home, Leah and her siblings work their hands to the bone in order to appease a father who loves them very much. Leah Reynolds and her family are fighting to survive, living in a war zone and forced to protect themselves when no one else will. Brief and to the point, Ware is able to weave in some powerful messages as the pieces soon fall into place. Having not yet read any of Ruth Ware’s work, I thought this short story, part of the HUSH Collection, might be the ideal launching point. Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful comments by other reviewers.

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