New Release Isolated Mystery Review | ONE BY ONE, THE GUEST LIST, & THE EIGHTH DETECTIVE

[@vickief5213]

"Exactly my catnip." What a great phrase to describe a book!

[@paulinelafford4773]

Just finished The Guest List. I really enjoyed it. I liked the multiple voices, the character development and the multilayer plot lines. I thought the mystery and feeling of dread was well done. Appreciated the different story telling style.

[@Luna-po5ui]

Tooootally with you on The Guest List. Not only did it hit all the tropes I don't like, but I guessed just about every facet of the mystery which made it kind of a boring read despite the great atmosphere. I would love to hear you give a spoilery in depth discussion of that book, because I feel like you'd really be able to narrow down WHY some readers (like me) really fall on the mystery side of the mystery thriller divide. And now you've REALLY amped up my excitement for the other two books! Can't wait to read them. (Btw if you ever have recs for good mysteries/mystery series with romance, I'd be super interested in that vid!)

[@garfreeek]

It's so weird that One by one was basically the hunting party, but executed well! So glad you convinced me to read that one! It's douchy characters that get their comeuppance done right, the mystery was clear (As opposed to telling us who dies in the last chapter.) and as you said: I just really liked the central duo's chemistry! (I feel both of them were layered, real people. And positive representation is always awesome! ) Finished the Eighth detective last night. And wow was that book meta! I absolutely loved it's variety in stories, dissecting of the stories and the cool avalanche of twists at the end to put everything into different perspectives! Mini Spoilers: And weaponizing editing mistakes as a plot device?! BRILLIANT!! Thanks so much for bringing these two classics to me, as always your taste in mysteries just clicks with mine! 😁❤️

[@AlexaDonne]

This makes me want to discuss spoilers with you! I had thoughts about both The Guest List and One By One but they're super spoilery. But I agree: One by One is one of the best executions of this trope that has come out in YEARS. I also had issues with the writing in An Unwanted Guest which was a bummer. (and honestly it just means I'll end up writing my own isolation thriller to exercise my feelings/wants haha)

[@billyjustus8639]

Oh! That's a video I'd love to see.

[@cathyl3526]

The Guest List had too many coincidences. I was like come.on.

[@AlexaDonne]

@@cathyl3526 Yeahhhhh. I did enjoy it but I also guessed the twist literally in the first chapter. I think I'm too familiar with tropes haha.

[@bookslikewhoa]

I'm always open for a kiki on isolated closed circle mysteries! My WIP is one right now, so I'm gaining a new appreciation for how hard they are to pull off in a satisfying way

[@darins8756]

I loved The Eighth Detective, especially the closed-circle mystery, but I also loved the framing chapters, and how in later chapters the author transformed our understanding of what we had read before (my favorite thing that an author can do). I am so glad you reviewed the book because I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise.

[@garfreeek]

Same here! Read it last night and had to go back to the review! I can't say the stories themselves were always my favorite. But the did so many different things in an interesting way! And the way the overarching narrative pulled everything together and played with it! ❤️ I'm on holiday with family and after my sixth gasp of surprise they just wanted to read it themselves!

[@bts_vinyl]

I was kinda thinking about not picking up One By One because I'd seen some reviews recently that said it was really boring. But they did come from people who tend to be thriller readers as opposed to mystery readers. So now you've convinced me to give it a shot!

[@bookslikewhoa]

Yes, I think if people are wanting a true thriller, this one won't satisfy

[@monicamerle1417]

Thanks Mara, now i know I'm going to enjoy One by One. I have my copy on its way from bookdepository because i love Ruth Ware's books so i pre-ordered back in June but I was starting to worry hearing all those negative reviews. However; as soon as you compared it with An Unwanted Guest now I'm relaxed. I really like that one. Also, I read Lucy Foley's previous The Hunting Party and I disliked a lot, not interested in The Guest List at all. She uses the same formula in every thriller. 🤗

[@eobrien1]

You are exactly right about Ruth Ware - her thing is doing a classic mystery, thriller blend. I have read all of hers, and I will say though that One by One is the most classic mystery style for sure. Next would be Woman in Cabin 10. I think you’d love Turn of the Key tho bc I think it’s a retelling of a classic. Death of Mrs. Westaway has a kind of gothic feel if that’s your thing. Every book of hers is different though. That’s what I love about her. She’s not afraid to try new things and switch it up. If you’re not a thriller person, I’d skip The Lying Game. That one is really a straight up thriller for the most part.

[@mlibbym]

Ooh, LOVE that lipstick. I can't describe why I feel so strongly about this one in particular, but it just makes you look lovely

[@FMsukina]

I agree, Marina! How awesome is it that it matches the red on the covers of "The Eighth Detective" and "One by One"?

[@bookslikewhoa]

Oh thank you!

[@IrmiRose]

The new Ann Cleeves is an isolated closed circle, The Darkest Evening. It’s the latest Vera Stanhope novel (the novels upon which the detective drama VERA is based, and I loved it. Not as isolated as an island but fully ICC adjacent 👍

[@bookslikewhoa]

Yes, I'd call it adjacent or a cozy - it was good!

[@liannadunten7326]

My mother is a big Nystery reader, so I get lots of Christmas present ideas from these videos! Also, your lipstick perfectly matches the cover of The Eighth Detective, and I'm here for it.

[@billyjustus8639]

I'm stoked that you enjoyed 'One by One'. Ruth Ware is my current favorite mystery writer. (Of course, notwithstanding Agatha Christie, which was how I found your channel.) It's been my experience that 'Woman in Cabin 10' is a bit divisive, strong opinions all around. My personal fave of hers is either 'The Lying Game' (love a boarding school) or 'The Death of Mrs Westaway' (despite being a slow start). Neither are closed circle though.

[@blessedtobealive]

I felt like something was missing from The Guest list (and the hunting party) but I couldn't pinpoint it and I only gave it a 2.5 stars. It's nice to hear your thoughts on it.

[@cotemoraga3608]

That's what I felt as well, I enjoyed The Hunting Party a little bit more (3 stars), but The Guest List, 2.5 stars for me too, just so disappointing, maybe she's just not the author for me...

[@blessedtobealive]

@@cotemoraga3608 Interesting. I preferred the Guest List because it was a planned murder whereas, the Hunting Party was spontaneous and in the moment.

[@TheGoofy1932]

Glad to hear you liked Ruth Ware so much. I've been considering it for a while and now I'm definitely adding it to my TBR. I love an isolated closed circle or locked room mystery.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@amandap2579]

Missing the live show tonight but very excited to see what your feelings are on One by One! haven’t picked up a Ruth Ware before this one but that snow really got me. Also, personally, I love how nonchalant the term ‘body drop’ gets thrown around with mysteries

[@bookslikewhoa]

Haha, yes, we get pretty cavalier with corpse talk in mysteries! :D

[@kwalton7690]

I'll be honest...I did not like the close circle mystery in The Eighth Detective and I can't really go into that without spoilers. This is a trope that is more miss than hit for me so when an author can pull it off: Agatha of course, Shari Lapena (An Unwanted Guest) and perhaps Ruth Ware (I have not read One By One but really like Turn of the Key) I will pretty much read anything that author puts out. Even though I wasn't crazy about The Eighth Detective (though I did really love two stories within the novel), it was such an impressive swing for a first novel that I still will be interested in what Alex Pavesi writes in the future. I still need to read The Guest List

[@bookslikewhoa]

I think I just loved the ambition of The Eighth Detective, which for me, worked more than it didn't. But of course, YMMV!

[@toxicpurple1]

i always knew i liked this trope but had no idea what to call it until i found your channel! i think i’m going to have to pick up eighth detective!

[@artjournalstories7313]

Yeay! I'm really glad you loved One by One and now injected by Ware's mysteries :) I think you'd like The Death Of Mrs Westaway. That was even less thriller-y. It's not a closed circle mystery, but a mystery very well written. Happy reading! x

[@bookslikewhoa]

I'm excited to explore her back list!

[@DAGuy726]

Oh my! I was so close to DNFing the eighth detective from the bathtub short story through the end. I finally finished 2 or 3 days ago and I doubt I'll be thinking of it again.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Goes to show -- a book for every reader & a reader for every book! :)

[@abbiel7566]

Just read One by One on your recommendation, and I absolutely loved it!!! So glad I was inspired to pick it up 😊

[@MathewRyan1111]

Am almost finished with One By One and while I am enjoying it I will file it more under thriller than mystery. I also will say that while Agatha Christie often leaves bread crumbs for the reader to solve her mysteries, Ruth Ware leaves big ole slices of bread. Avid Christie readers will figure out the mystery before its revelation! But it's still a lot of fun and there is some suspense throughout. I recommend!

[@Lorie336]

Looking forward to reading all three at some point. 😊❤️❤️❤️

[@Lvsl_iftdv]

Would you consider doing a video on Japanese closed circle mysteries? I haven't read them yet but I plan on reading The Decagon House Murders, The Honjin Murders and Murder in the Crooked House (all by different authors). I saw you've already spotted some of them on your Goodreads account! I'm so happy to have found a booktuber who loves this trope as much as me, thank you for these videos!!

[@cherimcelroy7431]

I loved your review. I totally agree with your assessment of One by One and The Guest List. Now I need to buy The Eight Detective, lol. And yes, almost all the mystery/thriller books I read are heavy on the thriller element.

[@oowatwat]

Your makeup is mesmerizing! I'm also gonna go look for these books now!

[@monicamerle1417]

Ruth Ware is definitely a mystery writer rather than a thriller writer. You should give her books a chance. Also she's the only British contemporary mystery female writer who's an auto buy for me 😊

[@sharonlarson5331]

I've read all three of these books. I agree that One by One was too drawn out; I thought it started to drag in the final third. I also thought she borrowed heavily from Dame Agatha. I was all on board until toward the end. I did enjoy The Hunting Party even though so many of the party were unlikeable. I think the trope of "who was murdered?" has been done now, twice, and can be put to bed for a while.

[@dianal7837]

I've read most of the Ruth Ware books. I did not like The Woman in Cabin 10 as much as One By One. The characters are better developed and the storyline more plausible. I would recommend In a Dark Dark Wood. It is a bachlorerette party at a secluded home so also has the closed circle vibe.

[@lawsonlawson11]

Reluctant to take a chance with One By One. The Woman in Cabin 10 was really quite poor. The Eigth Detective (Eight Detectives in the UK) is one of my favourite books of the year.

[@uptown3636]

Mara, I'm interested in reading The Eighth Detective, but I've heard that some of the short stories included therein are reworkings of Agatha Christie works. I don't want to spoil some highly anticipated books on my TBR. Would you say that any of the short stories spoil any Christie classics?

[@Annie-gn8gh]

Read ' Woman in cabin 10' couple of months ago... Really liked it apart from some little things that bothered me ( keeping what bothered me to myself until you read it 😉)

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi I think I know what you meant. If it's the same thing that bothered me. It really made me just like the book

[@Annie-gn8gh]

@@MarilynMayaMendoza hahaha yeahh you get it 💯

[@Tinahgirl83]

I haven’t read The Guest List because I didn’t like The Hunting Part at all. I have One by One but haven’t read it yet. The Eighth Detective I just finished yesterday. I really enjoyed it until the last 40 pages. The way that it ended and all the reveals just made me super irritated and angry, so I wound up giving it only 2.5 stars. I enjoyed the short stories in the collection a great deal, and how the end explanation came about just infuriated me. I felt like the mystery aspect of it was ruined by the reveals. I adored the story you’re talking about, and thought it was a brilliant homage. I’m hoping to enjoy the Ruth Ware. So far I haven’t really enjoyed any of the three others I’ve read. Everybody calls her “the new Agatha Christie,” and her works always read (to me) more like thrillers/suspense than straight mystery.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Ah, see, the last 40 pages took me from really like to love with The Eighth Detective, so that just shows -- a book for every reader & a reader for every book! :)

[@jaydenreads-kg7pw]

I just started “The Hunting Party”, by Lucy Foley and I’m really liking it. I’ll have to check out “The Guest List”.

[@bardsblond589]

I have read almost all of Ruth Ware's other books. I've seen some mixed reviews for One by One and I suspect what is going on is that it is much more of a straightforward mystery whereas most of Ruth Ware's other books fall under the rubric of thrillers. I really enjoy her books and I'm sure I'll like One by One because I really like mysteries and love closed-circle mysteries. But it will be interesting to see whether you like Ruth Ware's other books since what you liked about One by One, i.e., that it's a mystery and not a thriller, could be what is causing some of her usual fans to dislike One by One.

[@books_and_ki]

I have The Guest List and I will be hauling One by One this month. The Eight Detective doesn't sound as good to me. I think Sawkill girls is also an isolated island thriller, although that it isn't a new release.

[@deborajohnson5717]

I enjoyed The Guest List!

[@emilywatts8244]

I loved The Guest List. I agree that its not a Isolated Mystery. I love mysteries that remind me of the quote from Toward Zero: "When you read the account of a murder - or, say, a fiction story based on murder - you usually begin with the murder itself. That's all wrong. The murder begins a long time beforehand... The murder itself is the end of the story. It's Zero Hour.” I DNF'd The Eighth Detective. The short stories were ok but the in between parts did not interest me at all. The first short story was the best part for me.

[@kwalton7690]

Loved 90% of Towards Zero (the last chapter kind of threw me) but such an underrated Christie.

[@emilywatts8244]

K Walton It is so underrated. The ending is a little strange and the solution outlandish. I think it works a little better when it’s Miss Marple in the TV show

[@kwalton7690]

@@emilywatts8244 Yeah doesn't quite stick the landing (though overall I think the mystery is solid) but has one of my favorite first couple of chapters ever in a mystery novel.

[@KieranLikesCake]

Towards zero didn't work for me but I think that's a combination of it being my first christie so my expectations were super high and the ending.

[@emilywatts8244]

KieranLikesCake I get that, definitely not a good first Christie! I’m not even sure I liked it the first time I read it. The characters and unique structure grew on me.

[@VivekMishra-vq4jv]

Nice lipstick Explain well too

[@charlottevizzuett9422]

Hi Mara, I really liked One by One as well, I think Ruth Ware have been polishing her work with each book and I started liking her books from The Death of Mrs Westaway, before that I have only read The Woman on Cabin 10 and didn't really enjoyed, but maybe it will work for you. About The Guest List, I totally agree with you, it had all the tropes I don't enjoy and ended up being a bit anoying for me.

[@Punkersfictionreads]

Closed Circle Mysteries are my favorite books of all time. So I’m always searching for a new one. I’ve read One By One and I did not enjoy it that much but I’ve read three of her books and I think her writing just isn’t for me. I’m so happy you enjoyed it though!

[@jacublabra]

Omg I finished One by One a couple days ago and I loved it! I liked the characters would’ve liked more bodies but it was still so fun to read. I also read The Guest List and I didn’t like it as much, it was alright but idk what made me not like it that much. I’ll definitely read the 8th Detective

[@srnc]

I guess that for me, the fact of The Eight Detective being so meta stopped me from enjoying it completely. I don't know how to express myself, but apart from the "HAH I RECOGNISE THE TROPE" kind of moment, to me the meta quality of the short stories made it more an exercise in writing than organic short stories? I didn't see the characters as characters, more like variables in a maths equation (which does makes sense given the situation lmao). Also the spooky vibe kinda put me off because I was not looking nor prepared for it. And the triple plot twist at the end kind of cheapened it for me? IDK it was overdone. The ICC story though was my favourite and the very ending was just *steretypical Italian chef's kiss gesture*

[@bookslikewhoa]

See, I loved everything you're describing :D -- different strokes for different folks! :)

[@KieranLikesCake]

I go into most thrillers wanting a good mystery element and most of the time end up disappointed. I think that's why I ended up like The Guest List so much. I hope I enjoy the other two just as much.

[@garfreeek]

I'm a bit hesitant about the guest list. Lucy's previous book about the hunting lodge had all the ingrediënts. But she did not tell us who got murdered till the bitter end. That made for a brilliant thriller, but removed all actuall detecting! It was such a waste of a great everything else!

[@KieranLikesCake]

@@garfreeek I have heard the two books are super similar so it will probably not be for you. I think I just liked that everyone had a reasonable motive for killing the victim.

[@uptown3636]

I live for these isolated closed-circle videos. I've been wondering, Mara, did you coin the term "isolated closed-circle mystery" to describe this subgenre? If so, pure genius!

[@bookslikewhoa]

I'd be surprised if I'm 100% the first one to use it, but I made it by mashing up "isolated mystery" and "closed circle mystery" :)

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

I read all of Ruth Ware's books except for one, Mrs Westaway

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

Continuation sorry- the author writes well but has disappointed me in all of her books with her endings. Even the ones right before this one ,"Turn of the key " was ridiculous at the end in my humble opinion. I love all the tropes that you speak of they're my catnip as well, to steal your wonderful phrase. I also hope that more authors will write dystrophic of mysteries. I haven't read this book but in one booktubers review said this was a ripoff of Agatha Christie's then they were none. I hope this is not true, but I will wait my turn at the library for this one. I love your content. I always hear a word I haven't heard for a while or have to look up in the dictionary. I love that!

[@AnimeFanX11]

I dont mind spoilers. Can you spoil me what are the five tropes in The Guest List that you disliked so much?

[@MathewRyan1111]

Oh my goodness @bookslikewhoa I'm listening to the audio version of One By One, and I love it, but my GAWD Liz' anxiety is getting on every nerve I have. I'll also be interested to see if my suspicions 1/3 of the way through the story end up being accurate. Long time Christie reader here and I'm recognizing some elements.

[@MathewRyan1111]

Update: Yes, my suspicions early on in the book ended up being accurate!

[@Dania34]

Someone could make a drinking game out of the number of times book reviewers use the term “trope”!

[@danielle3347]

This is great, awesome recommendations discussion! I read The Guest List and enjoyed it but some of the boys club & CW elements were a little painful to get through. One by One is on my list to pick up next! I also want to recommend The Mist by Ragnar Jonasson (www.goodreads.com/book/show/46125723-the-mist). It's third in a series but read fine as a standalone to me. I think it's along the same lines but might be more thriller than mystery(?), and the primary who-done-it is amongst 3 people in the isolated farmhouse so potentially not quite the trope? I dont know the exact specs needed for isolated closed circle mystery in terms of number of people etc but I really enjoyed it😊

[@bookslikewhoa]

I read another Ragnar Jonasson and unfortunately didn't enjoy the writing :( but thank you for the rec!!

[@teanlit2949]

I also prefer a who done it. I don't think I'd like The Guest List though I think the atmosphere would be amazing.

[@nodisclaimers5138]

i feel like red scare (lipstick) by trixie & katya would look bitchin on you.

[@bookslikewhoa]

I may break down & get it!

[@fangirl1981]

Somebody Killed His Editor by Josh Lanyon

[@Paperista]

I've loved every Ruth Ware except One by One. Compared to her other books, One by One was way too wordy taking forever to describe things like each ski trail. A waste of my reading time, I wanted her to get on with it. Also, it was so obvious who "done it" from the beginning. I found it much too slow and boring. Her work is usually much more interesting and exciting. I also read The Guest List, my first Foley book. I enjoyed it I also read Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena and found it much more interesting than the latest Ruth Ware. I hate saying that as she is honestly one of my favs.

[@prairierose1115]

Was quite disappointed in The Eighth Detective.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Goes to show -- a book for every reader & a reader for every book! :)

[@eveb.6568]

The stories in "The eight Detective' are so clearly copied from Agatha Christie's, it's embarrassing and impossible not to notice. Is it done on purpose? It's clearly taken from 'And Then There Were None', "The Clocks' and others. Also an idea of a 'gigantic fluorescent hound' copied directly from Conan Doyle's 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. Way to copy, Alex Pavesi!...