Read Time:2 Minute, 6 Second
A getaway to a luxurious chalet in the French Alps may sound like the perfect getaway for some: a week of scenic views and fresh powder and gourmet food. But in the thriller One by One by author Ruth Ware, a popular tech company’s dream getaway quickly turns into a nightmare when disaster strikes.
The story travels to the French Alps with eight coworkers from Snoop, a tech company that produces a popular app that allows users to listen in on other people’s music choices. As they settle in and prepare for a week of meetings and skiing, attended by host Erin and chef Danny, it becomes clear that this isn’t just a vacation. The company’s shareholders have been brought together to make an important decision about the future of the company—but their discussions and debates are halted when a storm rolls through and one of the shareholders goes missing.
As the team members are still trying to figure out what to do about their missing shareholder, an avalanche cuts the power and buries the path to the closest town, leaving the remaining employees—and the two chalet hosts—in a cold, dark chalet with diminishing food supplies and no connection to the outside world. Tensions were already high, but this terrifying new situation starts to push everyone over the edge. The remaining guests try to deal with it in any way they know how. Some look for companionship, some lock themselves away, and some try to carry on with their business. The different personalities clash, and things just take one more bad turn after another, upping the tension around every turn of the page.
The story here is told through the eyes of two different characters: chalet host Erin, who’s still haunted by a terrible experience on the slopes, and former Snoop staffer Liz, who’s much less fabulous than everyone else but was invited on the getaway because she’s a shareholder. Neither is an especially strong character, so readers may not get emotionally invested in the characters and their story. But the mystery, with its twists and surprises and suspicions, will easily keep readers engaged.
With its remote setting and its growing tension, One by One is the kind of novel that will keep you guessing—and keep you coming back for more. It may not be especially well-developed, but this twisting mystery still makes for an entertaining read on a chilly night.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.