The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware
Description:
“EVERY FAMILY HAS ITS SECRETS.
When Harriet Westaway receives an unexpected letter telling her she’s inherited a substantial bequest from her Cornish grandmother, it seems like the answer to her prayers.
There’s just one problem – Hal’s grandparents died more than twenty years ago.
Hal desperately needs the cash and makes a choice that will change her life for ever. She knows that her skills as a seaside fortune teller could help her con her way to getting the money.
But once Hal embarks on her deception, there is no going back.”
My review:
I am giving this book a rating of 3 out of 5.
I enjoyed the premise, especially the tarot reading aspect and the mystery swirling around a hidden identity, though I feel like this story could’ve been told in far less words.
Much of the story itself consisted of scenes that read as almost identical, seemingly exploring the same emotions/thought processes, without the forward momentum you’d expect from a thriller. Despite this, I think the main character, Hal/Harriet, was fairly well-drawn and I liked her. However, I’m not sure she really had a major arc; I found her to be the same character she was in the beginning, just with a very slight shift in perspective, despite the intense, drastic, life-altering experiences and revelations she went through/worked through; which isn’t really realistic, given that she’s just 21 years old and still finding her feet in life as it is.
While Mr Treswick and Mitzi seemed to be well-written characters, even if they’re secondary in terms of the plot, the three brothers (Harding, Abel, Ezra) were near impossible to distinguish at times. I’m not sure they were as well-developed as other characters.
The setting was vivid and, in places, immersive. Again though, much of the descriptive language became repetitive and I found myself craving action or longing for a revelation after pages of exposition.
The ending felt a little rushed as well, like the author wanted to focus on the drama of it instead of tying up the loose ends that’d been left unfurled by the various revelations throughout.
Based on the reviews, I was hoping for a more haunting or ghostly atmosphere – though uncomfortable rooms and an unpleasant housekeeper didn’t quite hit the mark.
I’d have liked to have seen more of an echo of the footprints left by Mrs Westaway, too – while her children mentioned her all the time, and letters/diary entries hinted at her horrible behaviour, she didn’t actually have a lingering presence in the house or, really, in the story (i.e. for all of Hal’s internal processing, there’s little to no exploration of the title character in terms of her potential association with Hal).
Ultimately, I do like this story – even if I did manage to puzzle out the twists quite early on – and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys slower-paced thrillers and novels that feature tarot card reading.
Read in: April 2026
Format: Paperback
I’m including the date and format in which I experienced this story for transparency, since whatever is going on in the world (and a reader’s private life) at the time of reading, along with a book’s reading format, can impact an individual’s enjoyment of a story.
Disclaimer: I purchased this book. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and have not been influenced by the author or publisher in any way. This book review does not contain affiliate links.