The Keeper of the Key

This book, which has a fantastic cover, is a great introduction for YA readers to the gothic horror/haunted house genre. Morgan House is super creepy and there are some great haunting scenes in this one. Also has a great lesson to just tell the freaking truth to people and don’t be a jerk, unlike all of the male characters in this book. Fast read, spooky fun.

Nicole Willson’s *The Keeper of the Key* is a masterful contemporary Gothic novel that blends supernatural elements with domestic horror, creating a suspenseful and chilling read that keeps you on edge. Following the success of her Bram Stoker Award-nominated *Tidepool*, Willson delivers a gripping narrative that dives deep into themes of trust, control, and the eerie unknown.

The story centers around sixteen-year-old Rachel, whose life is upended when her mother decides to move into Morgan House, an old and dilapidated mansion owned by her mother’s boyfriend, Geoff. The transition from her familiar life and friends to the isolation of St. Mary, Virginia, is a difficult adjustment for Rachel. Her reluctance is compounded by Geoff’s stringent rules, particularly his inexplicable prohibition against entering the basement.

Morgan House itself is a character in its own right—creepy and enigmatic, with a dark history that Rachel begins to uncover. The mansion’s sinister nature manifests in strange and terrifying ways, with Rachel experiencing nightmarish visions and being inexplicably drawn to the forbidden cellar. The haunting imagery and foreboding atmosphere created by Willson are particularly effective, enhancing the novel’s Gothic tone.

Rachel is a compelling protagonist, characterized by her bravery and determination. Her struggle to adapt to her new life, coupled with her growing curiosity about the house's dark secrets, drives the narrative forward. Willson crafts Rachel’s journey with depth and emotional resonance, making her confrontation with the supernatural elements of Morgan House both personal and poignant.

The tension in *The Keeper of the Key* is skillfully built, with each revelation adding layers to the mystery of the mansion and its connection to Rachel’s visions. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, maintaining a relentless pace that keeps readers eagerly turning pages. The tragic events that unfold further intensify the sense of dread, leading to a climax that is both surprising and satisfyingly eerie.

Willson’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, with a knack for creating vivid and unsettling imagery that lingers long after the book is closed. The juxtaposition of the mundane and the supernatural is handled with finesse, ensuring that the Gothic elements enhance rather than overshadow the emotional and psychological depth of the story.

*The Keeper of the Key* is a haunting and thought-provoking novel that will appeal to fans of Gothic horror and psychological suspense. Nicole Willson has crafted a narrative that is both chilling and engaging, with a fierce heroine and a chillingly atmospheric setting. This novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys their horror with a side of deep emotional impact and a touch of the supernatural.

I’m not big on teen/young adult books anymore but there was something about the synopsis of this book that really pulled me in. In The Keeper of the Key we meet Rachel, a 16 year old who is being dragged out of her town to go live with her mom’s new boyfriend in a big creepy house. The thing is, it’s not just any house; Rachel hears, sees and feels paranormal entities that won’t leave her alone.
The writing felt very eery and magical at the same time. It was extremely easy to follow the story along, especially because the author keeps playing with the readers curiosity to find out what’s happening inside the house.
I feel like some readers might find Rachel a tad bit annoying but her way of thinking and doing things felt extremely real. The character resembles a real life teenage girl and i could feel my inner 16 year old relating to Rachel a lot.
The story in itself is very interesting. We learn more about the town, the people and the house as the book takes us on a spooky ride. I would’ve enjoyed it more if the horror aspect shined a bit more, some scenes felt a bit bland and repetitive, but i can understand the decision - after all, it’s meant to be read and enjoyed by teens too.
I definitely recommend The Keeper of the Key to gothic horror fans who want something a little tamer but still fun nonetheless.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Parliament House Press on Net Galley. To me this book is suitable for ages 13-16 or above if you are into these types of books. This was my first “horror” book I’ve read. It wasn’t really scary but it was definitely different. The book references Rachel resembling Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice and that reference followed me during the entire read. I feel like this book was inspired by Beetlejuice. Rachel seems like your average immature 16 year old girl that has been through tragedies that not many face at the ripe age of 16. She definitely has unresolved issues that are present throughout the book that are most noticeable with the way she treats and speaks with others. Based on the description of the book, while reading you will make inferences about what is going to happen. But I can tell you, you will be wrong. I was definitely wrong and was not expecting what happened. Give this book a read and see if you would like to visit Morgan House.

There's just something about a gothic YA book that always pulls me in! This gave me sort of Wednesday vibes which I loved and Beetlejuice (the main character even looks like Winona). This book is just very spooky and immersive. I love the writing style, the setting and the characters. I definitely want to reread this one during Spooktober to get all the vibes!

I'll admit - I wasn't expecting to get as sucked into this as I did, but this was a single=sitting book for me. A mystery centered on a Gothic house with a suspicious female protagonist? Immediate yes.

Rachel finds herself moving in with her mom and her mom's new boyfriend after the death of her father, and there's just something not right about the house they've moved in to. It's ancient and creaky, and for some reason Geoff - her mother's boyfriend - has the basement absolutely off limits. At the same time Rachel is trying to find her footing in a new town with new friends, like Nick, while trying to understand the strange things that keep happening in the house and the news of young women who have gone missing over the last few years.

I physically couldn't put my Kindle down once i started this book because I had to understand what was going on - the writing was enthralling, and I thought I knew exactly where the story was going when it turned my expectations back on myself with a plot twist. Nicole Willson absolutely knows how to create tension and draw out suspicion, and I really enjoyed their writing style...it very much reminded me of An Inspector Calls. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery/haunted house/Haunting of Hill House-type story, and I can't wait to read more of their work.

-spoilers contained in this review- This was a great book that really surprised me! In the first half I felt like there was more telling than showing in the way it was written. It improved as the book progressed. I wish that the FMC’s first kiss was more believable. I automatically knew something was up with Nick just with how awkward it was. I also already knew the house would get burnt down when she took a mental note of the gas and matches randomly in the basement, so I would omit that. Otherwise a fantastic read. I love how real all the characters are. Their flaws are top notch. The parent teenage struggle is relatable and this book made me feel like I was a teenager again. Props to the author for making a wonderful book that I could not put down until I finished it! That says a lot and it doesn’t happen very often.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW! What a great book! This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Great writing style! My first by this author but will not be my last!

Loved this book. I usually do not read horror book but this book had me wanting to continuing to read .For me, I live in Maryland so enjoyed seeing towns/cities I recognized. Morgan House, it not a house I would want to stay by myself. The twists and events in the book had me captured and I just wanted to know what goes going on.

This book was a great time if I'm honest. I love a good haunted house story and this delivered on every aspect of the horror genre I love. The twists and turns caught me off guard and kept me on my toes and even though I guessed a few plot points the ending took me by surprise. I think any person who has a parent getting into a new relationship will see themselves in Rachel and I just had a great time overall with her character.

Really, really enjoyed this one. The setting was great - sad small town with secrets, secluded, old and creepy house. I also liked our main character, 16-year old Rachel. Sure, her relationship with Nick is super superficial and insta-love. But I didn't mind this at all, when normally I hate romances like this. In this case it seems very believable, since Rachel is only 16 years old, sad and angry, moving to a new town where she knows no one.
Now the horror...haunted house, gothic vibes, unexplainable nightmares and sleepwalking, her mom's creepy new boyfriend and a basement with a dark secret. It really creeped me out but I also could not stop reading, this was a one sitting book for me and I had a lot of fun. Definitely recommend!

The Keeper of the Key is such a good story. I rated this story 4 stars because I couldn't put it down for a second the whole time. I truly recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.

Thank you so much to Parliament House Press, NetGalley, and Nicole Willson for this ARC. I really enjoyed this novel—if you love a good haunted house book with semi-annoying characters, then I would recommend.

So at first I thought I would hate this book b/c the mom and boyfriend totally brought out the angry teen in me. They were so obnoxious in how they didn’t seem to listen to how Rachel felt and were more concerned with their own happiness and creating a life together. I would get so frustrated on her behalf b/c no one cared about how she felt about all the changes that were happening and whether or not she was happy.

As the story progressed, it got more interesting. Grandma was definitely cool and the new boyfriend seemed okay, but I wasn’t 100% sure about him. And mom seemed to be making more of an effort to listen to Rachel, which I appreciated. The story didn’t evolve the way I expected and I liked that. I was surprised by what was really down in the basement and why she seemed to be haunted by something dark and sinister. Overall, a solid paranormal Ya book that I think a lot of teens will enjoy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This would make a fun spooky movie.

A fast paced YA haunted house story, The Keeper of the Key sits at a very balanced spot between classic and subversive, not really bringing in ideas out of the ordinary but developing them in an original, satisfying way.

A very subjective issue I had with a part of the plot:
Throughout the novel, we’re in a bad situation and want to get out of there. The issue is that, instead of a real thing stopping the characters from leaving, we have them just decided to keep going. Are the decisions understandable? Maybe. But in this very specific plot, there were multiple moments where we were give out and no one took them (MC’s mother tells her that if she doesn’t want to, they don’t have to move; tells her she will call off the engagement if MC wants her to, etc.).‘’I’ll do this to keep my mom happy’’ is not enough when we’re dealing with a shady guy and very obviously shit house. It stressed me out in a non-thrilling, but annoying way. I would have much rather have external circumstances that prevented the characters from leaving, be them supernatural or not, instead of reading the ‘’oh well, guess I’ll have to pretend I’m okay with this’’ monologue time and time again.

However, it ''redeems'' itself as the events of the 70% go on.

The characters are not the most developed but I don't expect them to be in a less-than-300 page book; they're good enough, and the teenager we follow is both a... well, dumb teen, and the ill-mannered voice of reason I like to have as a main character.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Parliament House Press, for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Rachel's world gets turned upside down when her mother and Geoff, her mother's boyfriend, announce a sudden move to Geoff's house. He and the main character do not get along, and the sinister house does not help. Especially when it seems like the house itself wants Rachel gone.

The premise of this book got me hooked. I love family drama and haunted houses, and the combination was right up my alley. The book was fast-paced, really easy to read and digest, perfect for teens who want a light, slightly creepy read. The horror aspects were very light, and the mystery was very well maintained throughout the story. It kept me invested throughout the whole book.

I feel the need, however, to criticise two things: the repetiveness of Rachel's "night problems" in the first half of the book and the pace of the relationship. I do understand the need for both of them, as they were part of the plot construction, but, personally, I was slightly bothered.

Overall, the book was very fun and enjoyable! 4 stars from me!

This book, honestly, took a turn that I was not expected, but was easy enough to put together once the pieces fell into place. But with an intro excerpt from the story of Bluebeard, I thought I knew exactly what I was getting into, and I was pleasantly surprised that that wasn’t the case, when all was said and done.

As thankful as I am that I decided to push through the lull this book experienced at about a quarter in, I wish that The Keeper of the Key got to its point quicker. If it had, this certainly had the potential to be an out of the park 5-star read. But because it didn’t, I feel that the overall ambiance and impact of the book suffered as a result.

What most interested me about this book in particular was the allure of a gothic fiction novel that rested as the unique intersection of gothic and young adult. Gothic fiction having a reputation for being willing to go places that would certainly not be suitable in your average young adult novel, I was curious to see how those themes would playout for a reading population that typically wasn’t the target.

The overall composition of the book was very easy to follow and digest. The writing teetering between typical fiction prose and something otherworldly, which further contributed to the experiences that Wilson was no doubt seeking to elicit throughout the journey into Morgan House and its surrounding township. The issue is that the blurred line between showing and telling became a tad obvious in points of the story where things were often explained outright rather than built up to and experienced wholly by the reader. In this way, a lot of the reactions felt manufactured rather than organic when they arose.

Similarly, it also contributed to a phenomenon where you likely could have skipped several pages in between each one read and still completely understand the story and what happened to our protagonist, Rachel, as she sought to uncover what it was being hidden with Morgan House’s walls.

Rachel, herself, is also a bit insufferable in the way she goes about things, but this can largely be chalked up to her being sixteen years old, which further emphasizes her naivete to a world she thinks she understand, as well as her petulance when things aren’t exactly how she herself thinks they need to be. There were several moments where I, myself, had to remind myself that Rachel was only sixteen, as there were several instances where it read to me like she was intended to be written as an adult with fully formed experiences.

The several horror scenes that did occur were interesting, until they became repetitive. In truth, these scenes when analyzed together gave away the twist of the book long before it was actually revealed and thus made the reveal a bit lackluster, even if some elements of it were interesting.

Beyond Rachel herself, the rest of the characters are fully fleshed out and thus feel wholly secondary to the protagonist and the house that sits and represents the edifice of her ire and curiosity both.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that The Keeper of the Key was a bad book, per se, but it was lacking something that I had gone into it thinking would be there. I enjoyed what was given to me, though not quite as much as I would have liked. For this reason, I’m rating it 4 stars.

I do, however, recommend this book for individuals who like a darker plot in their young adult fiction, for those that enjoy gothic fiction and gothic horror but would prefer to digest something a little more tame, and for individuals who enjoy a love story with a twist.

I also would like to thank NetGalley, Parliament House Press and Nicole Wilson for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Very well written YA gothic horror which kept engrossed throughout.

The writing style is effortless and flows beautifully. The description of the house and hauntings are atmospheric and creepy without being OTT.
The characters are pretty flushed out, yes there is a hint of the stereotypical bad relationship between the new step-parent and the kid, but it serves a large purpose and pushes the storyline. The 16 year old FMC is likeable and a typical teen, depicted through attitude and language, without it being condescending to the target audience.

Overall an enjoyable read that I would recommend

Thankyou to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Parliament press for the ARC for review

This was a good atmospheric gothic read. I really felt drawn into the story with all the horror happening in the house.

It has a lot of twists and turns.

If you are looking for a book to read into the night under the covers - this one is for you.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. All opinions are my own

The Keeper of the Key initially caught my eye because who does love haunted houses? But it's so much more than that; it's about a girl and her struggles. Rachel has had a rough couple of months, having to deal with her father's death, her mother moving on from her father, and her mom's new boyfriend, Geoff. Rachel and Geoff from the start never seem to be on the right page, both disliking each other for different reasons. When her mother announces that they are moving into Geoff's house, away from her whole life, Rachel loathes him and his house even more. The house even seems to not like her either; she starts having intense nightmares and waking up in strange places that are impossible to get to sleep walking. But there is no other excuse for that behavior until there isn't. Meanwhile, Rachel tries to find good things within the new town; there isn't much but a boy, Nick. They start to get close, forming a relationship, learning about each other, and figuring things out for herself. Nicole Wilson writes a great young adult horror/gothic novel with twists and turns that are never expected. This book kept me up at night wondering what was happening in the next chapters.

I enjoyed "The Keeper of the Key" right from the start, with its creepy ghost moments and gripping premise that kept me hooked. Although the villain felt a bit predictable and the ending didn’t quite live up to my expectations, it was still a fun read. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys modern Gothic YA horror.

The story follows 16-year-old Rachel, who reluctantly moves into a creepy mansion with her mom’s boyfriend, Geoff, who insists she stay out of the basement. As Rachel experiences terrifying visions tied to the house, especially after a family tragedy, she must uncover the truth before the house traps her forever.

Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me this complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and BooksGoSocial | Parliament House Press books for this ARC for review. This was a super fun and a bit creepy thriller. Rachel is 16yrs old and definitely DOES NOT want to move into a huge, creepy mansion with her mother's boyfriend< Geoff, and leave her friends and change schools. The only saving grace is that Rachel meets a guy named, Nick. He seems fun, even if he took her to a cemetery for their first date. Rachel continues to fight with Geoff, and she hears weird noises in the house. Then she starts seeing things that aren't really there, or are they? Is Rachel going to survive living in this house?

Rachel’s mum’s boyfriend is overbearing, with far too many rules, but Rachel can’t do anything to change her mum’s mind about them moving in with him. When Rachel moves to Morgan House, an hour away from her old life and everything that she knows, straightaway she experiences nightmares and horrific visions. The only saving grace of the move is Nick, a local guy who listens to Rachel and believes her.
Fast-paced and a great inclusion of so many gothic horror tropes alongside the intensity of being a teenager. This was a fun read!
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.

YA gothic/horror/thriller
3.75 ⭐️
A suspenseful book with a creepy house at the center and mysterious and unusual happenings. At times the book reminded me of Starling House because of the focus on the house element and the house almost as a character itself. While I was interested in the plot, the characters were not as likable as I enjoy in my books. Overall, a fun and creepy read. Thank you NetGalley and Nicole Willson for the ARC!

As teens and young adults devour shows such as Wednesday and films like Beetlejuice are being revitalised for a new audience, a book like this is just perfect for right now. A pretty scary, gothic, haunted house mystery, where the floorboards creak, basement doors lock unexpectedly, and a creepy wannabe stepdad all combine to make a compelling YA read.

16 year old Rachel doesn't want to have to give up her old life to go and move with her mom to a creepy old house in the woods with her mom's new boyfriend. But she wants her mom to be happy and with her dyed black hair and penchant for wearing purple and black, with the occasional Cure t-shirt, many people think she'll be really happy in a big ole spooky house. But things get pretty terrifying pretty quickly, and with the help of the cute boy she meets in the bookshop in town, Rachel tries to solve the mystery of Morgan House.

I read this book in one sitting, it's a real page turner, and will be devoured by a teen audience.

Nicole did an excellent job writing this book. It had a good amount of tense moments, along with other light-hearted moments. It had very relatable content for young adults/older teens regarding relationships and family dynamics. After reading this book, I'm glad that I don't have basement😏 I enjoyed the book and would recommend to others.