What She Never Said by Catharine Riggs

​I just finished this latest thriller by Catharine Riggs, and I really enjoyed it! The first part of the book, and the characterization of Ruth, was four to five stars in my opinion. The second part of the book, and especially the end, wasn’t quite as strong, so I landed on three stars.
 
Ruth Mosby is the VP of operations at a retirement home for the wealthy in Santa Barbara. After working there for there for decades, she finds herself struggling to keep her job and her calm as new corporate management starts ruling with an iron fist in order to cut costs.
 
But when residents at the retirement home start dying off, Ruth gets suspicious. She works with her long-time neighbor and ex-detective Zach to figure out who is behind the deaths, but the two of them have a painful and dark secret that suddenly threatens to come to the surface.
 
The book mainly shifts between the POV of Ruth and Zach, although at times there are short inserts from the ‘Angel’ – the individual who is behind the deaths. Ruth is a very interesting character. She is ornery, obsessive-compulsive and almost too much of a stickler to like: she hides her compassion under a tough exterior. Zach, an alcoholic who is loosely practicing sobriety and still suffering from the trauma of his past, is unique and compelling, too. I could have done without hearing from the ‘Angel’: the motivations behind this individual didn’t fully fall into place or click for me. Also, it seemed clear to me who this individual was for a large part of the book.
 
Overall, I loved the uniqueness of reading a story focused on characters in their twilight years! I found the characters of Zach, and especially Ruth, to be the stand-out element of this book.
 
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. This will be available September 10!