Ruth Ware is the Queen of suspense. I have never read a book of hers that I didn’t LOVE. This was fantastic .... keeps you on the edge of your seat .... an absolute must read!

I will freely admit to getting caught up in the hype for this book. Simon & Schuster graciously provided me with an ARC and I jumped in. I've never read anything by Ruth Ware before.

The book pretty well starts on a high with some letter writing, but it seems to go on and on, I honestly was afraid that would be the format for the whole book. Not that I have anything against this format, when done correctly it can be great. But here it didn't exactly work for me and I know I am going against the consensus with my thoughts.

I have a habit of not reading the blurb or forgetting some of the details when I get around to reading something, in this case it might have backfired. The death of a child is a touchy subject for me and I might have shied away from this one. But I persevered and after 10% I couldn’t get into the writing style. I like first-person POV’s but feel sometimes that lends itself perfectly in audiobook format. So that’s what I did, I bailed and grabbed the audio from Scribd.

I’m glad I went that route just for the simple fact that once I was invested I needed to know what was going on. The audio was perfect in that I could finish it off faster and know what happened to put myself out of my misery, so to speak. So kudos to the author for evoking that feeling in me. I had to suspend my belief too many times and that might have left a bad taste. I found this book to be rather creepy and actually disturbing. There is so much build-up and the ending was, disappointing. Oh, I get cliff hangers and all that but I didn't get the closure I craved and honestly needed. It almost felt like the author either had a deadline or word count to adhere to and wham it's done!

All in all, it was an ok read, I'll probably try another Ware book sometime in the future.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster (via Netgalley) for an ARC.

Turn of the Key (believe it or not!) was my first Ruth Ware novel. I did have a hard time with it at first as Ware's writing is incredibly descriptive, which I know a lot of people love, but personally I find it a bit distracting. She describes an old home with loads of character, that has been both restored and modernized. The main character, Rowan, joins a seemingly regular family in their seemingly haunted house to become their nanny. I became really engrossed in the storyline around the middle, where strange things began to happen, ghost stories were told, and everything was giving me a creepy, haunted house story feeling. Ware throws in a bit of a shocking twist at the end, but I was hoping for a little more creep factor to go with it. I gave this story a 3.5/5.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank you to the author, the publisher and to Netgalley. This is the third book that I have read by Ruth Ware. It was really good. Definitely a psychological thriller. I found it very creepy (in fairness I am scared and creeped out very easily) and couldn't read it before bed.
A lot of unexpected twists and turns. I would recommend this book.

It's been a minute since I've read a book by Ruth Ware and, as usual, she didn't disappoint! This one might just be one of my favourites from Ware.

Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.


This book follows Rowan Caine, a live-in nanny for a well-off family in the Scottish Highlands. While searching online for something else, she stumbles upon the ad for the position and she jumps at the chance to live in a luxurious smart home with a generous salary. Little does she know she will end up with a dead child on her hands, awaiting trial in prison. Told in the form of writing letters to a lawyer from prison, Rowan explains the circumstances and makes one thing very clear - she did not kill that little girl. But if Rowan didn't, who did?

The writing of this book was the usual well-done style of Ware with a new development - some slightly more terrifying, I would even argue bordering on horror, elements. I've gotten better over the years at reading scarier books (ok, I'm still kind of a baby, but I'm able to compartmentalize that it's just happening in a book...) but this book really spooked me. It probably didn't help that I read the majority of the book at night!

I won't go into the plot too much because, well, this is a thriller, but I will say that the ending was a complete shock to me but looking back, I can see all the little pieces leading up to it. During the book, I had no clue how things were going to end but once everything was revealed, it all clicked into place. It was that perfect balance between not being too predictable but also not coming out of left field.

Overall, a really well done gothic thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end!

I am in a state of shock right now. I cannot believe how masterfully crafted Ruth Ware’s new mystery title is. There were absolutely no flaws. I have found my favourite book this year, no questions asked.

The novel centres on a nanny who moves in with a family who live in a “smart” home in Northern Scotland. Initially the interview process goes smoothly, but as soon as the parents leave things start going wrong. This novel is a modern take on the haunted house trope as the nanny struggles to live in a house that may or may not be haunted by the ghosts of the previous owners.

The characters were each individual and everyone contributed to the overall story in a meaningful way. Every one of them could be the murderer, even the main character, as the readers blame shifts constantly between characters. Each one also reveals different things about their personalities throughout the novel and it is difficult to determine who is telling the truth and who is playing a character.

The real strength of this novel is its build-up, which itself feels atmospheric and makes for an interesting bulk of the novel. It was very interesting to think about all the different clues and how they would come together to both make the police think one way as well as what really happened. Those clues often did not even start out as clues, as everything felt like it was shifting throughout the novel.

The reveals took until about 85% of the way through to start but they used all of that space afterwards to quickly and easily reveal so much and leave out just enough to make a huge reveal on the final page, that was just earth-shattering. That final reveal really bumped my probably already 5 star rating to new heights. I loved this novel and would recommend it to anyone who wants the suspense to actually kill them, as they just read about daily life.

I am surely now about to read a whole bunch more of her books, so I don’t even need to ask if you guys want me to. Until next time Happy Reading!

5 stars

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware was a highly anticipated book for The Traveling Sisters and was one of our more lengthy group reads we have had. Some of us couldn’t wait to get their hands on this one and start reading it right away while others took a bit before diving in. This lead to such a fun discussion as we all added in our thoughts as we read it. So did it live up to our anticipation? YES!! We highly recommend!!!

Yey Happy! Tell me a story!!

I am sure I have already told you!!

Unlock Happy, turn the key, isolate yourself and let this creepy and smart house entertain you for for a few hours. Happy the home app that families can’t live without creates a unique setting here with an isolated Gothic estate turned luxury smart house.

Ruth Ware creates quite the entertaining gripping page-turner while building suspense and weaving in some dark history to the estate with modern conveniences. She kept us on our toes, trying to figure out if new technology was good or evil here. Something sinister was going on for sure and I enjoyed this one from start to finish.

I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.


I have heard of Ruth Ware but never read any of her books. I was so pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of The Turn of the Key. I have a deep love for dark, suspenseful reads and I still remember the feeling of how I felt after reading Gone Girl. Every suspenseful read since has been hyped to be “the next Gone Girl”, and I have been let down in one way or another. 

<b>Until now. </b>

This book was a wild trip. I finished this book at 4:30 in the morning. I was laying in bed  thinking “What the hell did I just read?” I was absolutely shocked. This book left me with so many questions and I want to talk about this book for hours on end. 

The suspense of this book is a slow burn, but it hits you and you are shattered.

I will be discussing spoilers in this review, but first, some non-spoiler details. 

Rowan Caine finds an ad for a nannying position for the Elincourt family. They live in Scotland, wealthy, have four girls and are offering great pay. They have had other nannies. This advertisement sounds absolutely perfect, and we all know if something is too good to be true, it usually is.

The Elincourts live in this “smart house” connected through an app called Happy. The lights are controlled, there’s cameras throughout the house, and the refrigerator lets you know when you need to add items to the grocery list.  Let me just say that this just makes me think about how technology plays such an important part of our lives and the dependence on Happy begins the creep factor of this book. 

This book starts with Rowan writing a letter to a lawyer, and wants to prove her innocence

One of the Elincourt children ends up dead. 

<b>The characters:</b>
Rowan Caine: the nanny in question who is unnerved by a creepy house and some creepy behavior from children. 
Sandra and Bill Elincourt: the parents who travel due to their jobs as architects. 
Rhiannon: the Elincourt’s fourteen year old daughter who boards in a private school. 
Maddie: eight years old, tells Rowan that the ghosts wouldn’t like her.
Ellie: five, and followed Madddie.
Petra: 18 months. A chubby baby who literally had one of the sweetest moments in the book.
Jean MacKenzie: worked for the Elincourts and watched Rowan.
Jack Grant: the Elincourts’  handyman and love interest for Rowan. 

<b>TW: manipulation, lax parenting, abandonment, violence, death of a child, assault, murder.</b>

If you haven’t read this book, please just read this with not knowing too much. It’s truly best that you go in not knowing!


. This book was everything suspenseful I needed.


Review with full spoilers on Goodreads.

I really enjoyed this story although I didn't feel sympathy for the main character until closer to the end of the story. Heatherbrae House was a very interesting setting because of the mixture of old architecture and new technology. I definitely wouldn't have felt comfortable staying in that house! The twists at the end really surprised me. I will definitely read more books by this author!

This was my very first Ruth Ware book and I really enjoyed it! I liked the writing, the storyline and its characters. It was suspenseful and kept me guessing until the very end. I thought it had a bit of a slow start and the ending could have been done a little better but still a very enjoyable book. There were a few twists that I did not see coming (which is rare for me!) It was creepy in all the right ways. I recommend checking it out! Out now!

Thank you to @simonschusterca and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Simon & Schuster, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Rowan Caine excitedly takes a job as a nanny, in a remote area of Scotland.  Looks like she is finally going to get what she always wanted.  The pay is amazing, the location beautiful, and the home spectacular.  The house, while lavish, is also a "smart" home, with cameras and speakers and a voice-activated assistant.  Of course, when they say something is too good to be true.....

The mother is a bit of a stickler for routine, and may be a little overly cautious.  She has a three ring binder with everything that Rowan could ever need to know and then some.

The father is a letch,  who makes his intentions clear the first night Rowan arrives.

The children are....a handful.  Petra is almost two, and that says it all.  Ellie is five, and adventurous but is under eight year-old Maddie's thumb, who makes it plain that Rowan is not wanted.  Rhianna is 14, and goes to boarding school.

Rowan is there only one evening before the parents leave for a business trip.  Not enough time to get to know the kids, the house, or the danger.  It soon becomes evident why this family can't keep a nanny.  Before long, one of the children will be dead, and Rowan will be in a Scottish women's prison.  Perhaps if Rowan hadn't lied...

 
My Opinions: 

The story is told by Rowan, in a letter she writes to Mr. Wrexham, a lawyer, in hopes of convincing him to take her case.

The book is about lies and deceit, and family dynamics.

I found the lengthy descriptions of the house to be a bit much.  I realize that much of it was information relevant to the plot, but i really didn't need to know about colours of walls and wallpaper....

The house itself became a "character", just as the ghosts do, providing the reader with two more potential suspects.   Since it wasn't until close to the end that we discover who died, all of the children, as well as the parents, Jack, and the housekeeper could have done it -- well maybe not Petra.  I loved the fact that I did not guess the perpetrator.

I do feel that the ending was a little too rushed.

While Ruth Ware's writing often has a gothic feel, this one also incorporated modern technology, and made me wonder how much I really want a "smart" home.  Do I want to be under constant surveillance?  As well, if someone else could trigger the commands, or the system mal-functioned,  it could be a nightmare.

I would definitely recommend this book to any Ruth Ware fan, and to anyone who needs a good old-fashioned mystery with a modern twist.

Ruth Ware returns with a gripping, eerie mystery. The delivery of The Turn of the Key is likely to be a hit or miss amongst readers, but the writing style worked for me.

The story is told by the main character, Rowan, who is recounting events in detail through lengthy letters to a solicitor. Rowan could be considered an unreliable narrator, though she maintains her innocence throughout.

The initial pacing of the plot was slow, but as the suspense really began to build the story gained momentum and I was glued to the pages. The overall atmosphere of the novel was creepy, tense, mysterious, and twisted.

When character motivations were revealed I was surprised and eager to see what else was in store, what more was to come. I tried to take a guess at who or what was responsible for the disturbing behavior and the crime, and I only got it all right at the last possible moment.

The end revelation brought forth a final understanding/realization...I only wish there was more to it- the conclusion- I felt underwhelmed and needed a bit more.

All in all, this was an entertaining story. If you're interested in a gothic style thriller, consider reading The Turn of the Key.




**Complimentary copy for review provided by Simon and Schuster Canada. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.**

I think this is Ruth's best book so far. The style that she chose to tell this story in is great. It keeps you wanting to turn the page and read more. The ending is so perfect. Anyone who is a fan of Ruth already will love this and if you're not a fan yet, this will make you one.
#turnofthekey #netgalley #indigoemployee #oneofthebestbooksoftheyear

This book gave me all the creeps and anxiety a good thriller should making me question my decision to read it before bed! Well written and excellently executed it left me questioning what was really happening in That house until the very last page when it's literally all laid out to you. Now not to take anything away from the greatness of this book but it was My only real complaint about the book. I don't know what I expected but it just left me shaking my head thinking are you kidding me! Surprising yes but just left something more to be desired. As a whole I really enjoyed this book and I'm sure many people enjoyed the ending so this is just my opinion I would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a creepy suspense!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

4.5 Stars

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware is a page-turning thriller that will keep you guessing. The main character is relatable, and the old haunted house in Scotland is exciting to read about. It is a perfect read for a fall TBR.

This is the first Ruth Ware book that I have read and I can honestly say that I am now an instant fan. The Turn of the Key is such a wild ride! There are times while reading where it seems obvious where the story is headed, but then Ware adds more elements to the plot and leaves her readers second guessing. The Agatha Christie comparison is definitely spot on.

Rowan is a character that is very likable for her down-to-earth honesty. Also, the book is in the format of a long letter she has written to an attorney who she hopes will see her side of the story. Her story is both compelling and at times terrifying, making it an interesting thriller.

I haven’t read many books set in Scotland. This setting is perfect for a mysterious plot. There are little bits of history and descriptions of the beautiful scenery. As well, the old house in the country is an intriguing part of the story with its ghost tales and strange new technology.

If a thrilling fall read is on your wishlist, The Turn of the Key is one to check out. This one has a perfect main character and an idyllic setting. It is a gripping thriller that will surprise you.

4.5 stars!

Gothic and suspenseful. Atmospheric and addictive. Twisty and mesmerizing.

A nanny hired to watch over four children in the remote countryside in Scotland. An old mansion house upgraded with all the latest technology. Unexplainable happenings. Unmanageable children. Add all of these together and you get the perfect formula for a brilliantly spellbinding gothic mystery thriller - that’s exactly what this novel was!

Rowan is a nanny who is hired by the Elincourt family. I loved every part of Rowan’s flawed character. There were so many layers to her background and personality – I enjoyed following her through this eerie and mysterious journey.

I have read and enjoyed all of Ruth Ware’s books. Her writing always pulls me into a trance of feeling as though I am right there with the characters. I loved the haunting and engrossing atmosphere throughout this story. The pace and flow were perfect – kept me intrigued and curious from start to finish.

I read this with the Traveling Friends and we all enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to read and review!

The Turn Of The Key is available now!

I have read two previous novels by this author and although I enjoyed them, this one was the best yet. It is a domestic thriller with a decidedly creepy feeling, complete with some great twists. I will be recommending it to all my customers that are fans of the genre. It was a very entertaining read that people will find hard to put down.

Ruth Ware does it again. This was a suspenseful, atmospheric thriller, with a really compelling setting in the middle of the Scottish highlands and a house with a believably creepy backstory.

I have read all Ruth Ware’s books and this one is my favourite to date. This creepy, psychological mystery got the pacing just right and I read it in two days. The ending wrapped up a bit quickly but I also did not guess the final plot twist. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC and to Ruth Ware for writing another page-turner. Can’t wait for her next book.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for a copy of The Turn of The Key by Ruth Ware for review.

The Turn of The Key has a definite ghost story feel to it. A woman who has been accused of murdering a child in her care as the live in nanny writes a letter to a lawyer telling her side of the story. As I am not much for ghost stories and am an avid avoider of anything creepy, this book really wasn't for me. I enjoyed the overall idea but it leaned too far into something my older sister would love to tell me over a fire in a creepy dark woods when there was a storm coming.

I think this one was a case of a good story told to the wrong person rather than anything else.