Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this ebook arc in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers/mysteries.

Rowan works at a daycare and is looking for a change. When she finds an opening as a nanny at someone's house for a large salary, she immediately applies. The job is for 3 girls in the middle of nowhere in a huge smart house where nannies keep mysteriously quitting. None of this stops or scares her, and she really wants this job. Luckily she gets the job but gets left alone almost immediately after starting. She does have Jack the groundskeeper to keep her company and help her out, but creepy things keep happening...

I guessed several things that happened, but there were still twists that I never saw coming. It was a little creepy and kept me guessing, my favorite things about a thriller!

This book kept me guessing the whole time. Ruth Ware is a great storyteller. She is becoming one of my favorites. This story reminds me of an old gothic novel mixed in with all the new technology. Something for everyone.

Rowan Caine stumbles across the perfect job in the classified ads. Nannying a rich family with three kids. The job is located in a luxury house in Scotland which offers all the modern conveniences, and the pay is too good to be true. Of course we know what they say about something being too good to be true....

Ruth Ware is an author I have come to count on for dark twisty books. I didn't even realize how many of her books I read until looking at Goodreads: In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game and the Death of Mrs. Westaway--all of which I have enjoyed. Turn of the Key brought more of the dark twistiness I have come to expect from her books, and it kept me guessing until the end.

This book has all the ingredients of a good twisty read. There may/may not be ghost and cameras spy on her all day long. The house also has a technology system full of bugs that seems bent on torturing her at weird hours. The cast is also suspect. Anyone could be the bad guy--the terrible Dad, the absent mom, the gardener, the odd fourteen year old who knows a little too much. I couldn't put this book down (except at night since I was afraid I wouldn't sleep!), and enjoyed the twistiness till the end.

fun and twisty! good, spooky novel to get you in the autumn mood. i liked the multiple twists and the fact that i didn't see any of them coming.

Ruth Ware is one of those authors who delivers clever, imaginative stories again and again. Turn of the Key joins her earlier work and more than lives up to the hype and anticipation surrounding its publication. With nods to classics like Turn of the Screw and Rebecca, Ware tells an imaginative tale of an emotionally damaged young woman dropped into the middle of one of the strangest family situations I’ve read in a very long time. Ware takes the remote-old-house trope and drags it into the 21st century by adding smart-house technology, thereby creating a truly all-seeing, electronic “Mrs. Danvers,” which is enough to make anyone shiver in their boots.

As she does, Ware drops bombs of information gradually throughout the story, which serve to keep the reader saying “just one more page,” and which had me reading well into the night. The final bombshell was one that I had thought about but dismissed as too awful, but there it was...making me put the book down, close my eyes, and sigh deeply.

One of the things I appreciate about Ware’s writing is her subtle but well-crafted attention to characters and their relationships. In Death of Mrs. Westaway, the relationship between siblings was key; here it’s the relationship between fathers and daughters that sparks and drives the action.

I look forward to more from Ms. Ware’s imagination! Recommended.

Rowan Caine finds the job posting of a lifetime as a live in nanny for an affluent family in the picturesque town in the Scottish Highlands. She doesn’t know that this decision will lead her to writing to a lawyer from her prison cell…and this is how the story begins.

In true Ruth Ware fashion, this story takes place in an isolated location with a limited cast of characters. This one, a modern victorian “smart home” with a family of three daughters and two absent parents. There are lots of red herrings and characters who are hiding things; main character included.

Overall I liked this. Super creepy with a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. There were a few loose ends, but the end was one that I didn’t see coming.

Ruth is and will always be one of my favorites! I actually loved this way more than her latest book! The spook factor is real and I was left feeling so satisfied. Loved it!

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware is dark, creepy and suspenseful. If you haven’t read this one yet then I highly suggest you add it to the top of your October TBR list!

The main character Rowan, is the live in nanny that will intrigue the mysterious aspect of your intellect with her not so perfect background and eerie storyline. If you’re a lover of slow burns then you’ll definitely enjoy this one, as Ware did an excellent job to build the suspense all the way to the very end of this book. The creaky floorboards, the disappearances and the ridiculous smart house tech mishaps in this book will play with your psyche as Ware intended. Did I mention I was reading this book at 3am while both of my roommates were sleeping?!

The ending seemed to end rather abruptly and I had a few unanswered questions afterwards but other than that this book would’ve been 5 stars for me! (I give it 4.5 stars)

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware is about Rowan Caine, who takes a post as a nanny with a staggering salary. When she arrives at Heatherbrae House she falls in love with the luxurious smart home fitted with all modern conveniences. She steps into a nightmare, one child dies and she is in prison writing to her lawyer. She tries to explain what happened but most of all that she is not guilty of murder. Although a strange premise, this was an excellent book. The book keeps you guessing who is responsible for the weird incidents happening in the home. The plot built slowly and gave the characters time to be developed. Suspenseful thriller right to the end. Thank you to Net Galley for providing an advanced reader’s copy.

I've heard great things about Ruth Ware and was excited to read this title, but for me, I feel like Ware took a major wrong turn. The Turn of the Key is slow for a thriller with too much time spent on the humdrum of everyday life as a nanny. The protagonist spends most of her time interacting with two children, so there's not a lot of opportunity for interesting conversations or deep character development, and Ware fails at creating a truly spooky, atmosphere at Heatherbrae House. The Turn of the Key doesn't get truly thrilling until the last 25%, but then finishes with a horribly dissatisfying ending.

I received an e-ARC of The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware from NetGalley and Gallery Books and I’m so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read this anticipated release from Ruth Ware. I really enjoyed reading another book by this author, her writing is very captivating and atmospheric. Her previous novel, The Death of Mrs. Westaway, was very gothic in its setting and I got a similar feeling from the setting of The Turn of the Key.

A brief synopsis:

Living in London and working as a nanny, Rowan Caine stumbles across an advertisement for a live-in nannying job for the well known Elincourt family in Scotland at the Heatherbrae House. With an overwhelmingly high salary to persuade her, Rowan chooses to apply for the position and she’s determined to get it — even if it means exaggerating her work experience.

When she arrives at the house, she’s greeted by a Victorian home decorated with technology and video cameras in every room; a “smart home” as most of the electronics are run by an app. When Rowan meets with the mother of the three children she’d be nannying, she cautions Rowan that the previous nanny’s left their post because they claimed the home to be haunted. Rowan brushes aside the warnings and claims she isn’t the superstitious type.

Rowan’s days nannying full-time at the Heatherbrae House don’t end up going quite as she planned. With the Elincourts away on a business trip, and three daughters being extremely difficult to handle, as well as strange things beginning to happen in the attic, Rowan begins to rethink how she dismissed the previous nanny’s claims.

When Rowan begins to start digging into the past of the house, she ends up discovering secrets that may make her have to reveal her own. When a terrible tragedy happens that points her to being a murderer, she writes an honest letter to a lawyer, relaying the entire experience to him and pleading for him to see her as innocent and represent her at the trial.

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The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware begins with the opening of a letter. Rowan is writing to a lawyer, and chooses to write the entirety of what happened with the Elincourts, from the very beginning, relaying every detail to him in hopes that he will represent her in a murder trial.

The letter becomes less direct and the writing style flows into the story itself. It occasionally shifts back to Rowan addressing the lawyer here and there, but then goes back into the novel form. While I liked this style, I felt that it did not resemble a letter throughout its entirety. The addressing of the lawyer in the middle of the book felt a little out of place to me. However, I thought this style was unique and while it wasn’t crafted completely seamlessly, it was very well-written.

Throughout the book, I felt the day-by-day explanations became a bit too slow — the pacing was very much a slow burn. While I loved being able to visualize all of the small details, I kept wondering when something was going to happen. Even the moments something did happen, I expected more.

What did captivate me about this story was the children. I found myself feeing frustrated for Rowan when they kept dismissing her and saying that they hated her. While I did not like Rowan’s attitude towards them, I did feel like the way the daughters were developed through the story was really well done.

I wished that there had been more about the parents, however. Sandra is prominent in the beginning of the book, but then there’s sparse emails and brief phone calls throughout the rest of the story and no conclusion of their thoughts at the ending. I was really wanting to see more of them and to get a look into their lives more. I felt like the ending left me hanging too much in regards to them.

I also wanted to see more of a conclusion with the handyman, Jack Grant. I have so many questions about his involvement and felt like it was left completely open ended with his character. I would have loved a more thorough ending in general and felt as though it was rushed and I ended the book feeling slightly disappointed with the twist at the ending.

While I did absolutely love the setting, the writing style, the gothic feel to the atmosphere, and the character building in the children, there were some aspects to this story that would have made it better for me as a reader. Overall, I think this story is a setting-driven slow burn that I would recommend to those looking for a great autumn read.

So, so good! I have enjoyed all of Ruth Ware’s books, and her latest is just as riveting as her others. When a young woman takes a post as a nanny in the remote Scottish Highlands, it’s clear early on that something is amiss. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough, and it was a shock! I highly recommend this great story.

Rowan Caine wasn't really looking for a new job when she stumbled across the ad, but the offer seemed too good to be true. A great gig as a nanny for a wealthy family in the Scottish Highlands. She was even a little surprised that she got the job. When she arrives at Heatherbrae she finds three young girls, a high energy mother, an absent father, and a home where technology controls everything. What she didn't expect was for Sandra and Bill to take off the day after she gets there, leaving her alone with the three girls, the creepy house, and the handsome Jack Grant. It doesn't take long for Rowan to start to question her decision. The housekeeper is rude and treats Rowan like dirt. Maddie is a difficult child and makes her life miserable. And then there are the noises coming from the attic above her room. Scary, creepy noises that keep Rowan from getting the sleep needed in order to deal with three young girls. And then the oldest daughter, Rhiannon, comes home from boarding school ready to reveal all of Rowan's secrets. Will Rowan survive her time at Heatherbrae?

From the very first page of The Turn of the Key the reader knows that Rowan is writing a letter from jail. You know that she has been arrested for murder and she is pleading for a lawyer to take her case. In her letter, she explains what happened. And it takes the entire book. I was really intrigued by the "smart" technology of Heatherbrae. We are an "Alexa" family and have a lot of reliance on smart technology. Not as much as Heatherbrae, but enough for me to recognize similarities. I also loved that it was set in the area of Scotland where I have been. However, as an adult, there were a few red flags that started flying with Rowan's behavior. It seemed like she had a bit of a temper. And even came close to striking one of the girls. I couldn't figure out why someone with such a short fuse was in a profession that works with children. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS. I was really shocked by the first big reveal. The ending was less shocking than that first reveal. But the way it ended really tied up the loose ends.

Bottom Line - I really did enjoy The Turn of the Key. Ruth Ware's mix of Gothic and technology really gave the book a unique feel and created an engaging read.

Details:
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
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Pages: 352
Publisher: Galley/Scout Press
Publication Date: 8/6/2019
Buy it Here!
Thank you, NetGalley for the book in exchange for a review.

I have always been a fan of Ruth Ware's books and she does not disappoint with this one. Thanks netgalley for the galley. If you like slow burn mystery, this one is for you. It was so engaging and keeps building the intrigue level.

In perfect Ruth Ware style, the storyline sucks you in immediately. When Rowan is introduced, you feel curiously drawn to her despite the knowledge you have that she is sort of a shady character. You’ll know that she’s made some mistakes in her past and also suspect that her childhood makes you sympathetic to any choices she may have made.
So when she shows up at this house “on the right side of town” accepting a deal seemingly too good to be true, she begins her journey to care for a family of children (with quite a lot of baggage of their own)!
The last thing I’ll say about this amazing story, is that Ruth Ware has an astonishing way to intertwine characters and providing layers of storyline that will keep you at the edge of your seat!
I haven’t read a Ruth Ware book that I didn’t love!

‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

What would you do if you were in jail for murder? Try to get someone to help you, of course. That is exactly what the main character in Ruth Ware's latest, The Turn of the Key, attempts to do. From her jail cell, Rowan Caine writes her lawyer begging for his help.

I work in a courtroom in the criminal court system and hear trial after trial of people accused of various felonious crimes, including murder. I heard countless defendants testify. However, their stories are always fed bit by bit as the attorneys ask questions. This book is a defendant's story as it happened, from her point of view, from start to finish.

While I enjoyed the format, I found the story hard to get into. I am glad that I finished reading it because the surprise ending makes the story worth reading.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the story takes place inside a smart house. The house is so central to the story it could be considered a character itself. Ware makes us question whether the convenience of smart technology is worth the lack of privacy.

The story is a slow burn but worth reading.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/9/19.

Ruth Ware's latest book check's off everything you need for a modern psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the end! Haunted house...death...unreliable narrator, what more do you need?

Coming off the heels of Riley Sager’s new book, Lock Every Door, which I would also categorize as a gothic thriller, this book is just what I needed and more. You know when you finish a book with a specific feeling? It is almost a combination of longing for another book just like it, a little bit of sadness because you wish you could reread this book with fresh eyes, and joy because it accomplished the exact feelings the author anticipated. Basically, I was feeling all that and then some.

This book surrounds 24-year-old Rowan Caine who currently works in a childcare center when she stumbles across an article looking for a nanny, offering a generous salary, which was tied together with a bow. That bow is a beautiful “smart house” named the Heatherbrae House located in “beautiful Scottish highlands.” I promise I am not giving anything by saying this because Ruth Ware makes it known early on --- Rowan ends up in prison and one of the children end up dead… dun dun dun!

There are two main factors that I think made this story unravel beautifully: the way the story was laid out and the setting.

I don’t want to say too much about the way the story was laid out because I felt that was crucial right off the bat. What I will say is that it kept the story flowing in a way that you slowly gathered details, but in a somewhat fast-paced way. I know that sounds a little crazy, but that is the best way I can describe it. It was executed beautifully. I promise.

The setting is a story in itself! A fricken smart house! Not just any smart house, a converted smart house that is a combination of modern and vintage design. The descriptions are beautifully creepy. I wonder if the author took the time to design this house separate from the story. Regardless, I want to see this house come to life! The thing is, I can’t think of a book I have ever read with this type of setting. That in itself really adds to the thrill of this read.

Hats off to Ms. Ware for writing such a fabulous read. In my opinion, this is definitely the best book she has written to date.

Rowan takes a nanny job in a remote area of Scotland. The salary is great but the house has a history of short term nannies. Is is the house or the children? Rowan is about to find out what hides beneath Heatherbrae, a home that is a strange mix of Modernism, Victorian and equipped with the latest tech gadgets.

The Turn of the Key is told by Rowan in a series of letters to a solicitor in which she unfolds what went on during her stay at Heatherbrae and how she is not guilty of committing murder.

Rowan herself is a particularly odd character and the book focus on the child care but not on the actual children. Readers don't get to really know the children and as a result of this there is a discord between the reader and the characters. Perhaps that was the purpose but it didn't allow for me to connect, which meant I didn't really care much for what happened to them.

This doesn't meant that the book isn't good because it is and the thrill of what is going on is an exciting road of twists and turns. Some you see coming and some you don't The build up is a bit slow but the read is most definitely worth it.



* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I finished The Turn of the Key a couple hours ago and I'm still in shock at the ending. The book is written in a series of letters by Rowan, the nanny, from jail to a defense attorney. She has been arrested for murdering one of her charges. She works her way back from the beginning of the story to how she has been arrested. This book was unputdownable from start to finish as I had to keep reading just one more chapter. I felt so bad for Rowan. She has met the three little ones once and then on her first full day, she is left in charge while the parents leave for a week on business. Then all kinds of weird things start happening in a house that she's not familiar with and the house is operated by technology! I highly recommend if you like thrillers in general, and specifically thrillers with a gothic feel. I will be adding Ruth Ware's other books to my tbr list! Thank you to Netgalley and Pocket Books for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.