The It Girl

Written by Ruth Ware

Narrated by Imogen Church

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the “claustrophobic spine-tingler” (People) One by One returns with an unputdownable mystery following a woman on the search for answers a decade after her friend’s murder.

April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.

Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the year, April was dead.

Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide…including a murder.

“The Agatha Christie of our generation” (David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author) proves once again that she is “as ingenious and indefatigable as the Queen of Crime” (The Washington Post) with this propulsive murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jul 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781797139111

Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer before settling down as a full-time writer. She now lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail (Toronto) bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood; The Woman in Cabin 10; The Lying Game; The Death of Mrs. Westaway; The Turn of the Key; One by One; The It Girl; and Zero Days. Visit her at RuthWare.com or follow her on Twitter @RuthWareWriter.

Reviews for The It Girl

[Gary Gallo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall interesting plot and ending. However, the book is too long and the flashbacks very repetitive. This could have been a very good short story.

[KMH MEREDITH · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this author! I loved this book! And, Imogen Church is my absolute favorite narrator! Thank-you Ruth and thank-you Imogen!

[Tiffany Kotschevar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Way too much detail and drawn out. Story is ok.

[Amanda Cunningham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My first time listening to an audio book and I’m kicking myself for not doing this sooner! Loved the reader. She truly brought it to life.

[Mary · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Too long, meandering around a 20 yr old’s mind is just not that riveting.
Narrator was irritating as well.

[Rebecca Moore · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good story, but man was this long. I’m not sure if I have ever listened to a story this long in my life. Listening to this every day for hours, and I would see there was still 7 plus hours. A lot of this story could have been cut out, but I still appreciate a good story. This was good, yet I still think there was a lack of perspective from April and maybe that was how the story was supposed to be, but we didn’t get to the reason of why she pranked everyone, nor did we understand many of her reasons for doing anything she did. While the story was good, I wish it had been different in that many of the characters were surface level despite having SO much time and story centered around them.

[Trisha Cruz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Didn't really know where the story was heading (which could be good or bad) but that fact was overshadowed by how irritating the main character was portrayed.

[Sarah · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I normally enjoy Ruth Ware’s books, but not this one! The only mystery involved in this story was how it made it to print!! The main character was so whiny and insipid that I wanted to murder her. The book could have used a decent editor. Pages were wasted on the main character stating again and again and again and again how much she loved her husband or how inadequate she felt she was in regards to everything. It was beyond annoying. Such a disappointment and such a waste of my time.

[Carah Marquez · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good overall - I do recommend - pretty good twists and turns. I felt the end dragged on a bit, and I got a little irritated at the endless pregnancy/baby in utero descriptions - go ahead and read it - overall, good “whodunit” fun!

[Jeilee Letcher · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was long and dull. I only read it for book club and I didn’t regret it the entire time just most of the time.

[Rebecca Moss Ellsworth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book had plenty of surprises right up to the end. I always love Ruth Ware’s books and this didn’t disappoint. It was a little slow going at first but I was reading instead of listening on the audiobook. When I switched I got right into the story. Imogene has narrated several of her books and she makes the characters come alive.

[Phillip Swanson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kept me hooked! Love the reader for her audiobooks. The story is well written, drags you in and holds you. Lovely.

[Mariam Shah-Rais · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think that the book is way too long and many passages and details could have been shortened. Despite the fact that I neither liked the egocentric character of the murdered girl, nor the hysterical whiney protagonist (made all the more so by The narrator), the plot kept me fixated.

[Alma Cristina Muñoz Albarran · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very entertaining. I was on the edge at all times.

[Arielle Horner · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Drones on and on. Should’ve just been a short story.

[Rlynoyb · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not the best of her books IMHO. Hannah really got on my nerves and so did April. I was not really interested in the whole college setting but thought it still might be a good read. It was very mediocre for a Ruth Ware book. Also she referred to her bump way too many times and how many freaking times did she say 10 years. It just dragged on and on. I had an idea of who the killer was and I turned out to be right. I also figured out how the character did it before the big reveal. I probably only stayed through to the end for the why which was a big of a nothing burger.

[Marianna Brough · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The length of the book was intended to increase the suspense, but doesn't quite do it.

[Josie Diaz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love Imogen’s narration. The twist and turns! I was not expecting the ending.

[Dawn Shull · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I always love her books. Not as great as the woman in cabin 10 but still great.

[Brandy Simmers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing for a while but the clues were there…not my favorite Ruth Ware but Imogen Church slayed the narration as always. The characters are developed nicely and I enjoyed the back and forth of the story from the present to the past.

[Kandace Simpson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! This was amazing. The twists and turns right up to the end. I usually don’t like a book that takes me back and forth but this one was very well written.

[Terri Keehan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*small spoiler alert* Had me guessing up until the end! I just wish there was more revealed about Neville—maybe he really was sinister and things were uncovered later.

[Cindy Freese · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ware’s latest thriller is compelling and well crafted. It’s not exactly a slow burn, but rather lengthy. After I figured out the killer, I wanted it to end already.

[Diana Richman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This kept me guessing all the way through. Great book

[Katy Arditti · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This should have been a novella. Read to Chapter 5 then skip to chapter 33 and that’s all you need to read this book. It didn’t add anything to the thriller genre.

[Hilary Martin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Unnecessarily long and tedious. Narration very well done and that’s the only reason I was able to stick with it.

[Michelle Tollefson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author’s description of the characters helped entangle them into the plot so eloquently. I particularly enjoyed the struggle to figure out who was behind the crime. The end of the story brought some satisfaction which sadly, not all novels do.

[Mari Hamilton · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The plot was good, but overall it was way too drawn out.

[summer baker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Way too long and not much happens until the last quarter

[Kim Clark Whitfield · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It’s dragged on for way too long. Just wasn’t a favorite for me. I struggled to finish it, but had to see it through. The ending was good it wrapped everything up, it just took forever to get there.