Summary : The narrator opens the novel by attempting to write several letters to a barrister, in hopes that he will listen to her rather bizarre story and represent her. She is currently in jail awaiting trial for the murder of a child. The young woman, who calls herself Rowan, is desperate. Like most convicts, Rowan claims she is innocent and feels she could be proved so if only the esteemed Mr. Wrexham could represent her.

When Rowan finally launches into her story, it is a tale of Gothic proportions. Rowan applies for a job as a nanny to a couple of wealthy architects with four children of varying ages. The house is a mishmash conversion, part old, part frighteningly modern with its all too smart house panels and cameras. The children have been through several nannies in succession, each frightened off by something. Immediately after her arrival, the parents head to a convention, leaving her alone with the children. There is little instruction other than a thick, detailed binder which she is expected to read.

Shortly after the parents drive off, Rowan discovers that there are noises in the attic, mysterious occurrences, a handsome, if enigmatic, groundskeeper and a garden of poisonous plants. She is also faced with emotionally scarred children who have to adapt yet again to a stranger in their lives.

The story ratchets up slowly, drawing the reader in, until the shocking turn of events that gets her arrested after one of the children dies.

Comments: The Turn of the Key has all of the elements of a classic Gothic tale — a nanny, a mysterious house, a lecherous man, things that go bump in the night and even access to poison. In lesser hands, this story could have been just one among many in the genre. But Ruth Ware has added some unique twists that keep the reader wondering right up until the end…and beyond. Read it to find out what that means!

Highly recommended for readers of suspense, mystery, psychological suspense and classic “girl running away from castle” books.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another bestseller right here for Ms Ware. I read this in one day and as her others I loved it!!!!!!!! It has that gothic, creepy, scary even, creep you out vibe to it that Ruth Ware is known for!!!!!!!!!!!! Rowan applies for a live in nanny position but the sweet darling children are not as they seem and nothing about the house is either. She is left alone on her second day for two weeks with the children while the parents are off working. The children become problematic, the house is turning creepier by the day. Bad things happen in this house and Rowan hasn't seen the worst of it yet. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Pocket Books/Scout Press for my honest review

The Turn of the Key is the latest story from Ruth Ware. Ms Ware has the reader wondering along with her "heroine" what is going on, ghosts or human trickery. Throughout much of The Turn of the Key Ms Ware manages to keep the reader on the edge of their seat wondering how this story is going to unfold. I was given an early copy to review.

Ruth Ware doesn’t disappoint with her newest novel, The Turn of the Key!! Edge of your seat thriller, captivating, and keeps you wondering....
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Rowan Caine is a young lady that has worked as a nanny and in a daycare center. Rowan responded to an ad for a live in nanny that she saw in the newspaper, and was swept up to Heatherbrae house in Scotland for an interview. Things seem too good to be true while she is at her interview - the children are well behaved, the mom is attentive and friendly, and the family is incredibly wealthy and offering an astounding yearly salary to Rowan. Rowan excitedly accepts the job and wraps things up in London to return to Heatherbrae. From here, things rapidly get strange. Rowan is left to care for the children and piece together what is causing the problems - is Heatherbrae haunted by the ghosts of its past, or is there a more earthly explanation for these troubles?

One of my favorite things about Ruth Ware’s books is how different, yet captivating, they all are. The Turn of the Key is written in a completely different style from her previous books, as it is a collection of letters written by Rowan. The letters start out short and choppy, as Rowan can’t quite decide how to start. However, they rapidly move into longer letters that unveil the nail biting tale that unfolded at the Heatherbrae house. I couldn’t put this one down, and was continuously working to piece together the clues given to us. However, the ending still surprised me, and I reread it just because I was so surprised!!

Another great thriller from Ruth Ware- I need you people to hurry up and get this book when it is published (August 6th) and quickly read it so we can talk about it!!!! Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advance copy!!

#TheTurnoftheKey #RuthWare #SimonandSchuster

This is Ruth Ware's best book yet! The combination of supernatural with thriller/suspense is one of my favorite themes. I couldn't put this one down and read it in one day. The twists that came at the end of the book, OMG! I also enjoyed the way it was written and organized as a group of letters to the main character's possible solicitor/attorney. This one has just the right amount of creepy to suck you in right away. Read it now!

Perhaps it is because I was looking forward to this book so much that it was a real let-down to me. “The Woman in Cabin 10” was so much better. I constantly felt like I had read this book before, it was that unoriginal. Even though there were twists that I did not see coming and I loved the author’s writing style,, they were not enough to salvage this book for me.

“The Turn of the Key” by Ruth Ware is essentially a letter written by a woman in prison to an attorney whom she would like to retain. Previously, she had been working as a nanny in a remote house in Scotland, a house rumored to be haunted. Though the position paid very well, the young nanny quickly found out that the job would not be an easy one and that there were many unusual circumstances she would have to contend with. The book is told from the nanny’s point of view and the reader follows her story through several twists and turns before ultimately discovering the events that led to her imprisonment.

Ruth Ware is one of my favorite authors she’s a must buy author and I always pass her books to my aunts because I love every single one!! So when I got approved on netgalley I will have to admit I did a happy dance!! Rowan Caine is in a rut she’s miserable at her daycare job she didn’t get the promotion she was hoping for, so while just aimlessly scrolling through jobs she stumbles on a live in nanny job. The salary is amazing so she sends her CV in and keeps her fingers crossed! When she gets the call for the interview she’s amazed the house is a huge mansion it’s name is Heatherbrae House it’s also a smart house and it’s been completely remodeled. Every room has a camera and every single appliance and door are operated by phone or tablet. At the interview she’s informed at least four nannies before her have suddenly quit they believe the house is haunted and there were some past deaths way before the new family moved in. Rowan accepts the job packs up her life and moves in. Left alone after only a day which shocked her, she’s now the nanny of three young girls. With a house with a sordid past and even a poison garden and one of the little girls who inform her “their not happy she’s there” what could go wrong, a handsome gardener who seems to appear whenever something seems to go wrong, and the main character who openly admits she’s not always honest left alone at a House in the middle of nowhere this very gothic dark mystery will have you eagerly turning pages way past your bedtime! I give this five stars!

Not my favorite Ruth Ware, who I love. The twists, once they finally came, had me trying much too hard to find them believable.

Friends. I've been waiting for this one to come out. Ruth Ware made a total fangirl out of me from the first 15 pages of The Woman in Cabin 10. From then on, I've purchased each book of hers on release day. Let me just tell you. The Turn of the Key gets 5 stars from me. And, it's really like a 5.5 out of 5.

The reason this book is so good is because you feel yourself in the main character's shoes. Rowan (no spoilers here, okay?) truly bonds with the little girls she is a Nanny for. She has no choice but to bond with the littles and make the best of it all when she's left the day after arriving to this big, locked up, secure, "smart," mansion out in the sticks.

Ruth tells the story using one long letter from jail and a few follow-up letters at the end of the book. You'll forget it's a letter. And, you'll find yourself immersed with Rowan in the dark, drafty hallway when the lights all go out. You'll find yourself wincing as you read about the technology that is not so, "smart," after all. You'll hold your breath as the key turns.

It felt a little bit like a game of Clue was unfolding as I met new characters. I was suspicious of them all, like a true fan of thrillers. But, then there are the girls. They will melt your heart. You'll feel for them. You'll want to look out for them the way she does.

Then, the twist. I mean, I knew it was coming. But, I didn't expect the one that came. And then, like a grand finale, one after another the fireworks started.

I finished this book in my car because I had to step away from it with 10 pages left. I sat in silence for a good 5 minutes when I swiped the last page

Some books stay with you. This one will.

Thank you to @Netgalley @ruthwarewriter @gallerybooks @pocket_books for this advanced copy. I've never been so excited to tell others about a book they couldn't read yet. I'll have to wait until after release day, 8/6/19 to discuss it with all of my friends. Friends, do yourself a favor and order this one now. It isn't like other things you've read.
#bookreviews #theturnofthekey #ruthware #thriller #readgoodbooks #ilovepageturners #weekendisbooked #5stars #netgalley #gallerybooks #pocketbooks #sendmeallthebooks #lovetoread #bibliophile #bookworm #readnext #justfinished

Rowan is hired as a live-in nanny for a wealthy family in Scotland- it seems like a dream job- a significant monetary raise from the nursery she currently works at, a high-tech "smart house" to live in, an attractive groundskeeper just next door. But soon she learns nannies have been quitting left and right, and there's allegations of the house being "haunted". The story is told in the form of a letter, ad Rowan writes to a lawyer from jail- where she is after being accused of killing one of the children she is caring for- this isn't a spoiler- it's exactly how the story begins.' I feel like this idea was so interesting, but the majority of the story just dragged on... and on... and on. We hear about Rowan's day to day life as she starts her role as a new nanny; what the children are eating, doing, playing with, etc. Also, I wanted to know more about these parents who left their small children and unruly teenager with a girl they had just met! I felt like I was just waiting for something more to happen for the majority of this book.... and then it finally picks up in the last 15-20% or so, and it feels like everything just got crammed in, like the author was already allotted all her pages already or something. While I was definitely surprised by part of the reveal, it was really pretty unrealistic, and the main reveal was less surprising. Overall, due to the slow burn and not amazing ending to make up for it, this was unfortunately not my favorite read! I'm sorry I cannot give a more positive review.

"I  am the nanny in the Elincourt case, Mr. Wrexham.  And I didn't kill that child."   Things have gone horribly wrong for Rowan.  When she stumbled upon the advert for the job, she couldn't help but be pulled in.  A live-in nanny position in beautiful Scotland... and with the cherry of a generous salary on top.  She's over the moon when she lands the position, but she soon learns there is something not quite right about Heatherbrae House.  A "smart house" where everything is controlled at the touch of a button, where hidden cameras can watch every move...a house that is said to be haunted.  And now a child is dead, and Rowan is being held for murder. 


Ruth Ware's latest novel, The Turn of the Key, had me hooked almost immediately.  Deliciously creepy and darkly atmospheric, it summoned up memories of whispering ghost stories in the dark on long-ago nights.  It gave me the same chill, the same eerie foreboding as Ware dropped little snippets of foreshadowing at a perfect pace.  I also loved how this book was written in the form of a letter to a lawyer, Rowan desperate for him to take up her case.  The fact she was building the story slowly in a letter, a means of communication that would usually be much more concise, gave me the sense that there had to be a reason to all this slow-building detail - a feeling that every layer was important and must culminate in one explosiveness outcome, which made the book all the more compulsive.  I just HAD to find out where it all led!  Sure enough, it was a twisty ride, and I couldn't get enough. The reason this was a 4-star read for me rather than a 5 - and I'm going to keep this vague so as not to give anything away - is because there are a few details that didn't get resolved, and it left me hanging a little. All in all, though, it was a an addictively good read, and I will be recommending it.

I checked out of Goodreads for several weeks due to taking some time off to watch my boys play ball and work being extra worky on the days when I was actually in the office. I returned this week FORTY reviews behind – not including this selection which didn’t even manage to make it to my “Currently Reading” list. Now I’m wondering how many more of these there are. I’m starting with this one because my momma always said if I didn't have something nice to say I shouldn't say much at all.

If you know me, you know I’m not a blurb reader. Apparently I’m also not real good at slap-you-right-in-the-face clues via way of titles. I requested this book without knowing anything about it simply because I enjoyed In a Dark, Dark Wood and because I can’t help myself when it comes to requesting things from NetGalley. I will warn you, if you have a problem with this sort of presentation . . . .

I know I’m going on. And I know you must be wondering when the hell I’m going to get to the point – to the reason I’m here, in this prison cell, and the reason I shouldn’t be. And I promise you, it’s coming. But I can’t – I can’t seem to explain the situation quickly.

Ruth Ware is not the author for you. As for me? I kind of dig this style of delivery. However, I didn’t like this story the first time I was forced to read it back in the dark ages high school when it was called The Turn of the Screw. If I would have known it was a retelling of that old slog I would have avoided it. Sorry, Ms. Ware. I probably still won’t read blurbs in the future, but I’ll definitely read more of your books.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Wow, wow, wow! Five star read for me. This is the kind of suspenseful mystery I'm always looking for. Spooky, unexpected, well-written.

🗝 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝒃𝒚 𝑹𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒆 🗝⁣⁣
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The synopsis of The Turn of the Key is so promising: Rowan has been hired as the new live-in nanny in a huge, remote manor in Scotland. Although she learns in the interview that the house has an odd history and the past several nannies left without notice, the salary is too good to pass up. Upon moving in, Rowan soon finds out that this position is not the perfect job she thought it was. The children are a far cry from angels, the smart technology home is creepy and ominous, and she begins hearing things go bump in the night. ⁣⁣
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I was thoroughly invested in the storyline for the majority of the book...until things became repetitive. The home is eerie and Ware does a good job at creating a gothic atmosphere. However, the plot become mundane as we read the minute details of the girls’ daily routines, driving them to school, putting them to bed, etc. I kept waiting for something to happen but the real action doesn’t take place until the last 30 pages. ⁣⁣
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This was a decent read and I did enjoy most of it but my issue with this book is the fact that several plot points go unresolved and the twists, although I didn’t see them coming, were not fully fleshed out. I won’t go into detail as I don’t want to spoil anything, but I was hoping for more out of this book since it started out quite strong. Fans of Ware’s previous books will most likely enjoy this one. ⁣⁣
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Rating: 3/5⁣
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Publication Date: August 6⁣
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Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.⁣⁣

The Turn of the Key is told in the form of a letter that Rowan writes from a Scottish prison to a solicitor that she hopes will take on her case, as she has been accused of murdering one of the children that she is a nanny for.

Rowan tells the complete story of how she came to land this job of nanny to three daughters, eventually a fourth returns from boarding school, all the way through to how she is accused of killing the second eldest daughter.

The home of her employers is a smart home where everything works via a smartphone app and the home also has surveillance cameras. Further unnerving to Rowan is a handyman that she doesn't trust and a maid who doesn't treat her well, the poor behavior of the children, and unexplained events in the house that she learns has a tragic history.

The plot of this story is well executed and unique. The characters are well developed, and most importantly, the setting of this isolated smart house really ramps up the creepiness. This one is a bit of a slow burn and I was completely shocked by the plot twist.

This is my second Ruth Ware novel and she is now an auto buy author for me. I highly recommend you check this one out.

Mythanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books, who gifted me an e-copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I love Ruth Ware, and I loved THE TURN OF THE KEY. Each of this author's novels is so different from the rest that, with each new publication, I'm thoroughly impressed with her range.

THE TURN OF THE KEY lays a gothic lit "foundation" that is styled with contemporary "fixtures"--in many ways a type of "form meets function," considering the home in which the main character resides.

Potential perpetrators populate this slow-build mystery, in which familial conflict takes center stage. Ramping up the suspense are the remote, mismatched house, its rambling grounds and secretive staff. Likewise, the narrative method is perfectly suited to this story as it calls into question the reliability of the narrator and ultimately introduces other startling perspectives..

Fans of Ruth Ware will welcome another installment of her signature character-building and perfectly paced plotting.

Rowan is hired on as nanny in a smart/Victorian house that is secluded in a small little town. She finds it difficult to not only mange this increasingly infuriating smart house, but also the second oldest little girl Maddie. She’s trying her hardest to bond with each of the four girls, but as she struggles she notices that there are some odd things that are going on in this house. Is it a ghost that is keeping her awake at night? Or a human being with malicious intent?

This book was so fantastic! The only downer is that the end leaves a lot of things in the air, such as what really happens to Rowan? Other than that, it was such an engaging read that I couldn’t put it down. It’s set as a letter to a lawyer, but you wouldn’t be able to tell until she brings up the lawyers name and tries to plead her case. It’s both creepy and thrilling. I really felt like I was in the book and experiencing all the creepiness that went with it. I’m surprised I was able to sleep after I would read one of the more creepier chapters 😂 Ruth Ware is such a fantastic writer and I really enjoy all the books I have read by her so far. Definitely recommend!

TBH I requested this book from NetGalley with both trepidation and hope. I had read Ware's bestselling hit, The Woman in Cabin 10, a couple of years ago and was surely in the minority when I panned it as just another unreliable narrator novel but I wasn't ready to give up on this author just yet. I'm so glad I didn't!
The Turn of the Key is an atmospheric gem, a Gothic tale with modern day nuances. Among the questionable characters are a creepy old house equipped with modern "smart" technology, a new nanny, absent parents, a sexy handyman, an odd housekeeper and four sisters of various ages and abilities.
The structure of the novel is that of a letter written by the nanny, Rowan, from a Scottish prison to her prospective solicitor. She's accused of a murder she says she did not commit and proceeds to tell the solicitor, a Mr. Wrexham, exactly what happened during her short but highly volatile tenure as nanny to the Elincourt children.
Everyone is suspicious in there own way and the house itself has a tragic past which adds a touch of the supernatural to the story and makes the tale a spine tingling page turner.
The conclusion is well thought out and strikingly sad in an understated way.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this selection prior to publication which will be released on August 6, 2019. 4.5 stars.

I have read several remarkable books this summer and now have The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware to add to my list. Rowan landed a job as an au pair/nanny in Scotland. She was thrilled by the pay, the mother of the children, and the opulence of the house. But she hadn’t been on the job for long when she realized that something was very wrong.

Written in the form of a letter to an attorney, this novel kept me guessing and racing through the pages to find out whether Rowan was or was not guilty. The end stunned me and earned a spot as one of the best thrillers I have ever read.

Ruth Ware has written her best novel yet!.

I found my self commiserating with Rowan, a young woman who packed up from her job and apartment in England to move to an isolated house in the Scottish countryside to become a live in nanny to four young girls, She's never met the teenager, who won't be home for a while. And one of the kids is an infant. Yes, the money is good, and she hated her old job, so at first this seemed like a match made in heaven. But then she's left to fend for herself, with just the girls and a glitchy smart home, that keeps emitting random sounds and gives her grief when she tries turn adjust lights or open her curtains. The one other adult on the property, the chauffeur and handyman, Jack, is called away within the first few days, so Rowan is left to her own devices, with 3 sullen little kids, creepy noises, and acres of property where the kids are allowed to roam free. And then there's Jean, the occasional housekeeper who is obvious in her dislike for Rowan.

The story is told as a series of letters from prison, where we know Rowan has been convicted for murdering a child. She proclaims her innocence as the letters form a narrative timeline of her brief but harrowing time in the house. While I had inklings about the ending, it was the surprise twist BEFORE the ending that took me completely by surprise. I loved how the book had a gothic flavor with a modern twist, No spoilers here, you'll have to read The Turn of the Key to find out what happens!