Rowan jumps at the opportunity to become a live-in nanny for a wealthy family in a secluded Scottish manor. Heatherbrae House, however, is far from the idyllic escape Rowan envisioned. The house itself is a character – a digital marvel that soon becomes more of a nuisance than a helpful tool. As strange occurrences begin to plague Rowan – flickering lights, disembodied voices, and cryptic messages – her sense of security crumbles. The children she cares for add to the mounting tension. The revelation of past disappearances of other nannies further fuels Rowan's paranoia, making her question not only the house's secrets but also her sanity. Of course, Rowan is hiding her secrets, which are slowly unfolding.
The story unfolds through a series of letters Rowan writes to a lawyer, pleading her innocence after being accused of a horrifying crime. This epistolary format suggests a sense of urgency and allows the reader to experience the story solely from Rowan's perspective, leaving her reliability in doubt. However, the letter writing creates a distance from the story. It takes the reader out of the action, and Rowan's narrative seems like an afterthought. The conclusion has answers but leaves the reader hanging, which is never a great feeling with a wrapped up mystery. Disappointing conclusion.

I love epistolary novels. This one was well done as it drew you in. Sometimes you thought it was going to be a supernatural book, but it hadn't been advertised as such so I kept going. And it keeps you guessing right until the last word.

I try and try to get into Ruth Ware - the hype is there and booktok lives for her new releases and rereading her older novels each spooky season. I read this twice and just couldn't fall in love. I'm a true fan of Turn of the Screw, which might be what threw me off falling in love with this play on that classic. Certainly a good, middle of the road thriller, just not worth the hype I've seen her / this book receive.

Ruth Ware's Turn of the Key is a well-written and suspenseful thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very end. The story follows a young woman, Rowan, who takes a job as a nanny at a remote estate called Hundreds Hall. The house is haunted by the ghosts of its former inhabitants, and Rowan soon begins to suspect that something sinister is going on. The book is full of twists and turns, and Ware does a masterful job of building suspense. The characters are well-developed and believable, and the setting is atmospheric and creepy. Overall, Turn of the Key is a great read for fans of suspenseful thrillers.

Here are some of the things that I liked about the book:

The characters are well-developed and believable. Rowan is a sympathetic protagonist, and the other characters are complex and interesting.
The setting is atmospheric and creepy. Hundreds Hall is a dark and foreboding place, and Ware does a great job of creating a sense of suspense.
The plot is full of twists and turns. I was never quite sure what was going to happen next, and the book kept me guessing until the very end.
The writing is clear and engaging. Ware is a talented writer, and her prose is easy to read and follow.
Overall, I highly recommend Turn of the Key to fans of suspenseful thrillers. It's a well-written and atmospheric book that will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

Here are some of the things that I didn't like about the book:

The ending was a bit anticlimactic. I was expecting a more shocking or surprising conclusion, but the ending felt a bit too predictable.
Some of the characters were a bit too stereotypical. The evil housekeeper, the creepy butler, etc.

Overall, I still enjoyed Turn of the Key. It's a well-written and suspenseful thriller that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. However, I do have a few minor criticisms.

Rowan has just gotten the job of a lifetime. She’s the live in nanny for a wealthy family who live in a smart house. Once she gets there though, strange things start happening. Creaking floorboards and smart features going awry are just the beginning. Rowan also learns that nannies don’t stay at this job for long; four have left in as many years. Can Rowan stick it out, or will the creepy goings on drive her away like the others? Ruth Ware is an amazing writer. She draws readers in with a mystery from the very beginning in all of her novels, and this one begins with Rowan writing a letter to a solicitor from prison. Then, things slow down quite a bit. The writing style is great; the letter writing is a unique way to reveal the details of this story yet it also slows it down. The letter is overly detailed, so the real action and Ruth Ware’s signature twist doesn’t occur until about three quarters of the way through. That last quarter of the book made all of the build up worth it though!

Rowan Caine is the newest nanny at the Elincourt house, a beautiful (obviously remote) estate (obviously rumored to have a dark, haunted past). Rowan gets the job after running into some luck, but it quickly becomes apparent that she maybe shouldn’t have been so eager to work for this “perfect” family.

The book is set up as letters from Rowan to a very good lawyer, trying to explain to him how she ended up in prison, for a murder she insists she didn’t commit. Unravelling events that led to her incarceration, she describes constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, malfunctioning technology, and troubled children to keep safe. All after horrible sleep from the sounds she hears at night.

I really, really liked this book from Ruth Ware. She does such an incredible job of keeping you on your toes while building slowly to her fireworks conclusions. By revealing secrets with perfect timing throughout, I finished this book so fast, also because I was getting so creeped out I needed to know the ending! I also really appreciate that Ware gives us all the endings by the end. I can appreciate leaving some things open to interpretation, but I liked that the big questions were tied up nicely in this one.

I also have to give huge props to Ware for her creative ways of telling stories. I really liked that this book is set up as Rowan’s letters to a lawyer, trying to convince him of her innocence and explaining how she felt around the Elincourts and in their home. I loved the brutal honesty in Rowan’s voice because I would have gotten so sick of taking care of the little brats she had to.

I just enjoyed the ride of this book, everything falling into place in a way that made sense and loving feeling properly creeped out the whole way. Suspicions and supernatural and everything in between. I’ll admit there are a few tiny holes and questions I still have but overall I loved this book.

The Turn of the Key starts with a shocking reveal and it's hard to imagine how Rowan who starts off as a nanny could end up accused to a horrible crime. I liked the style of The Turn of the Key sort of gothic mystery meets technological thriller. I never knew where Ware was going with the story. The beginning dragged a bit but I felt invested by the midpoint. The climax wasn't anything I saw coming. Can't wait to read more of her mysteries.

A very long and drawn out read. There were a few twists and surprises toward the end but I was simply not impressed.

This book will certainly appeal to those who love a good retelling and those who are already familiar with The Turn of the Screw. Ware has updated the tale and fitted it to her unique and suspenseful voice. Instead of ghosties, Rowan Caine must deal with the eerie eye of technology throughout her new living space in conjunction with getting to know the children she cares for.

While I think Ware's perspective on technology and it's capacity for horror is relevant, I wasn't sold completely on it being terrifying necessarily. The book is definitely readable, but overall a little forgettable.

I was excited to get to this one. Once the plot got going, I found it to be little slow. The "smart house" aspect was fun, and I enjoyed the nanny trope. However, I didn't care for the ending.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. The twists that came at the end really surprised me. I liked the character and the way the story flowed. I thought at times the story could have moved a little faster, but I know that she was building an atmosphere so it made sense.

Loved this book! Definitely my top tier Ruth Ware. Her other books usually fall somewhere in the middle for me, but this one was so gripping from the start. Turn of the Key is a twisty mystery with a modern gothic feel. There were so many elements that I genuinely love in thrillers here. For example, the fact that you constantly question whether or not something paranormal is going on! The smart mansion was such a fun addition to the story as well. It contributes to a lot of the creepiness that Rowan experiences on the property. Last, but not least, the creepy kids! Ah I love some creepy kids in horror & thriller books. I’m so glad I picked this one up! Thank you so much to Scout Press and NetGalley for sending me an arc!

Ruth Ware is a great suspense writer. You can't go wrong with her books. This is a page turner.. An ad for a live in nanny in the Scottish Highlands is answered by the narrator and the nightmare begins! One that ends in a child's death and her in prison. Writing to her lawyer from prison, she tries to explain the events. Not everyone is as they seem. The house is wired and employs every high tech device. The writing is fast-paced and will keep you turning the pages.

If you're ever looking to pick up a new book you can't go wrong with a Ruth Ware thriller. She will keep you on the edge of your seat. This isn't my favorite Ware novel. The shifting POVs and flashbacks aren't as seamless as The Woman in Cabin 10 or the Death of Mrs. Westaway. Solid read through and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

3.5
This novel is twisty with just the right amount of suspects. A child is dead and Rowan is pleading for legal help from prison, through increasingly urgent letters. This is how the story starts and when she begins a long narrative, it is the majority of the novel and written in first person. Rowan relays what happened from her recruitment to be a nanny for a married couple of four children, to her arrest for murder. Along with Rowan, readers learn about the Smart House the family lives in and the screen options to control the fixtures and cameras in the home. When the busy, working couple abruptly leave the children in Rowan's care, she tries to do her best to care for them, with the age range of a toddler to a teen. Her best is not good enough for everyone in the family. When creepy noises and strange happenings occur, she is scared, but also determined to find the truth behind them. As many know or have guessed, this is a re-imagining of Henry James' s "The Turn of the Screw". This is a good read for those who like a little bit of "scary in the night" vibes with a techie element.

Thanks to the Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the e-galley. I mainly listened to the released audiobook.
My reviews and ratings are my own.

Though I’m very late to reviewing this one, I really enjoyed it! It kept me interested, and I would recommend it to anyone who dabbles in this genre.

Ruth Ware’s latest thriller is a fun, twisty read. Set against the backdrop of a huge “smart house,” the book follows Rowan Caine nannying for two young children. The picture-perfect house, as well as the family who lives in it, though, are far from perfect, and Rowan finds herself accused of murder. Ware’s modern gothic haunted house story doesn’t disappoint.

WOW! This book BLEW MY MIND! I absolutely loved it. It's easily my favorite Ruth Ware book to date.

Love Ruth Ware books and this was not exception! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book - apologies it is coming a bit late!

This is one of the weaker Ruth Ware stories that I've read and I truly hated the ending. The events didn't make sense, plus there was just a lot of excess story lines. I look forward to better ones.