Challenge Corner discussion

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Turn of the Key and In a Dark Dark Wood returns with another suspenseful thriller set on a snow-covered mountain.

Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them?

When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?

25% (view spoiler)[ So, this book is taking a while to get going. It's not bad, but I'm at 25% and the avalanche hasn't happened yet. Most of the lodge guest characters are jerks. Maybe someone will surprise us. I'd suspect that Liz is going to be the killer, but she seems so anxious, even in her own private thoughts... (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[ I was wondering if Inigo actually talked to the police. And since no one has found his body, he could be hiding. Maybe it's because of his name, and I'm wondering if anyone has killed his father and should prepare to die. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ Holy crap! Liz is an unreliable narrator. She's the killer. And poor Erin is stuck there with her, with a possibly broken ankle keeping her from going anywhere. I hope Danny's group gets back soon. (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ I'm glad that Erin and Danny have come out of the trauma intact. They were both completely innocent bystanders. If Liz had only killed Eva, she could have positioned herself as more of a victim -- since Eva got her drunk and set her up to be sexually assaulted. The whole company was built on Eva's lies and blackmail. I feel bad for the other employees. Some of them were real jerks, but they didn't deserve what Liz (and Eva) did. (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[I must've missed something big because I don't remember reading about a murder taking place (hide spoiler)]

Liz (view spoiler)[I think she has no self-confidence and is obviously lacking in self-esteem. I feel bad that she felt so invisible among the group. (hide spoiler)]

I like it all right so far, but not much has happened in the first 25%

50% (view spoiler)[Erin and Danny are definitely bringing up some excellent questions. I think that they're setting it up so that Inigo looks like a killer (since he might not have actually called the police) so that makes it too easy to "predict" so I'm thinking he's not the killer because it's being made too obvious. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ I had a feeling it was Liz, only because I really couldn't see why she was included among the guests and she's had such a hard time with her self-esteem. It makes sense the way it unfolded and I can see how she pulled it off. I suspected it was her, but once Ani was murdered in her locked room I knew it had to be Liz! But my question now is what's going to happen in the other 25% of the book? Hopefully Danny and the others get back and no one else is killed. (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ I am glad there were no more murders. I thought for a minute that Erin had been poisoned, so I'm glad that she was smart enough to not drink the tea. I do feel bad for Liz that she went through what she did, but there are other ways to get revenge or should I say justice. (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[ this really took a while to get rolling. I didn't mind getting to know everyone, though! Erin seems interesting as she tends to everyone
I like the story being told from her perspective (hide spoiler)]

Liz(view spoiler)[ I don't know, she seems shaky
and she's coming in to money so I don't think she'd kill anyone (hide spoiler)]

Team building(view spoiler)[ that skiing trip idea sounds awful! What kind of boss doesn't realize not everyone wants to do what they think is fun. what a jerk (hide spoiler)]

I don't (view spoiler)[ really like anyone yet. Just Erin and Danny (hide spoiler)]

50%

Ani(view spoiler)[ well.....I don't think Eva is dead....and I can't believe I took so long to recognize the "and then there were none" scenario! I got it as soon as someone referenced it - so now everyone is suspect, including those that are dead or missing!!
I would think Eva would only want to knock off Topher but I guess she could want to kill others? (hide spoiler)]

and(view spoiler)[ I would think Inigo is either in on it (since he was having his affair with Eva) or...he's gone too! The note could have been faked and he might have faked talking to the police in order to help cover/help Eva. I still don't know why Eva would want to kill everyone.....but maybe I'm wrong and someone else is killing everyone... (hide spoiler)]

75%

Well.....(view spoiler)[ they had me fooled. I didn't suspect Liz at all - but I didn't even think about her hiding things and being so unreliable.
we still don't know why she killed Eva, which is the missing piece and why I didn't suspect her. I wonder who does know - who snooped in her bag? (hide spoiler)]

and I'm done too

Wow(view spoiler)[ I liked that much more than I thought I would. that last bit of skiing down the hill was fast paced and frightening. I'm sad for what Liz went through but that video showed she did that second shove - she killed because she could. I'm glad Erin made it out alive! (hide spoiler)]

I also like(view spoiler)[ that we had those last few chapters. I think they really helped pull the book together. We spent so long in the beginning with a slow story until it got going - because we were getting to know everyone
I'm glad we got a few chapters of them away from the Chalet and with Danny and Erin having more equal footing (hide spoiler)]

this one was great! I'm glad we all liked it!

Started this like hours ago and I have no idea where I am lol. Oh man, today is going to be fun.

Ch 26: (view spoiler)[Okay wow, I'm a lot farther than I originally thought. So far it's pretty interesting and I'm wondering what happened on this mountain.. was she pushed? Did she fall? Wait, it is a girl that's missing right? LOL - I need coffee before I fall asleep.. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 40: (view spoiler)[...hmm another murder? Okay, who has the hobby of murdering people? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 75: (view spoiler)[Wow, all of that sounds super awful and my legs hurt even though I didn't get hurt and I don't know how to ski.. so far, I think I'm safe lol (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[Okay, that was good and I'm glad that those two lived at the end. There's just something about the writing that makes Ruth's books completely addicting. (hide spoiler)]

lol! Yay!! I'm so glad you liked it too, Alaina!! Your updates are hilarious!

I agree, her books are very addictive and they are hard to put down!!

(view spoiler)[ I know Liz's ski accident near the end sounded awful right?
and the whole time Erin was skiing with her broken ankle! Ugh!! I can't even imagine the pain! (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "lol! Yay!! I'm so glad you liked it too, Alaina!! Your updates are hilarious!

I agree, her books are very addictive and they are hard to put down!!.."

Yeah, I’m not even going to lie. I cringed so much during all of that.

25% - I knew something was going to happen because after all this is a Ruth Ware book - looking for red herrings...reminiscent of Ten Little Indians

50% - Still don't know who the killer is, but I love the relationship between Danny and Erin - I hope they both survive

75% - Yes I kind of figured out who the killer was around the same time Erin did. I hope she makes it out alive

100% - wow what an ending - loved the chase through the snow...great story

Jammin Jenny wrote: "25% - I knew something was going to happen because after all this is a Ruth Ware book - looking for red herrings...reminiscent of Ten Little Indians

50% - Still don't know who the killer is, but I..."

I'm so glad you loved it, Jenny! You rated it a 5 and the rest of us gave it a 4, so that's what I call a fantastic BR!

Won't be able to stay away from this one.
One by One

I have the audiobook pre-ordered so I'll be able to listen to it in a few days :)

Starting now!

(view spoiler)[Looks like a setting from hell, right from the start. What th hell was I thinking when decided to read about a corporate outing, considering that I pretty much, uh, despise all that bullshit? (hide spoiler)] I'll be back :)

Ch 16 - This is my first Ruth Ware book and I'm loving it so far. (view spoiler)[Poor Liz, she's in a really tight spot with all of them pressuring her (hide spoiler)]

Ch 31 - (view spoiler)[I'm suspecting everybody now but I have a bigger suspicion on one of them. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 56 - (view spoiler)[Okay never mind me feeling bad for Liz. She's so scary! I don't know how Erin is going to make it out alive. (hide spoiler)]

Finished - wow, I loved it. If you have a recommendation of which book by Ruth Ware I should read next, let me know :)

I agree with everything that was said about the ending and (view spoiler)[the chase in the snow. (hide spoiler)]