This book was very atmospheric. Chilling in parts and even made me feel nervous at times wondering what was going on. In many ways a great book. The one choice I can't get over is how the main charecter is writing to her lawyer. It interrupts the stories flow, sometimes jarringly so.
That being said, I love Ruth Wares books and can't wait to see what she does next.. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Ruth Ware is back on form! This novel is so much better then her last two books in my opinion. The first half of the book is exciting with plenty of of possibilities in this almost gothic psychological thriller. Only complaint is that the answers only come on the last few pages and feel a little rushed rather than the slow reveal to the big twists I was expecting. Still, thoroughly enjoyed it!

I received an advance copy of The Turn of a Key. I do enjoy Ruth Ware's books, some better than others. Borrowing descriptors from others, this book is somewhat creepy in place and has a few twists. Best book ever? No, but pretty darn entertaining.

Another compulsively readable novel by Ruth Ware!

The suspense and creep factor kept me turning the pages and the characters and setting were well developed and established. I enjoyed the epistolary narrative as well as the homage to Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. The only drawback for me was the ending, which felt a little rushed as the final twist came on literally the last page, so there was no opportunity for further explanation. But overall, this novel was a big hit with me and one I'd definitely recommend!

Ruth Ware has been on my TBR list for awhile, but this is the first book of hers I've read. The entire story is through the eyes of a nanny who has apparently landed a dream position as a live in with remarkable pay, but this position isnt as perfect as it first appeared to be. The family has recently gone through a string of nannies due to unexplainable activity in the home. As the story is only told through Rowan's eyes, there isnt much development of the other characters in the book. You only get Rowan's point of view and suspicions of the other characters, which makes the mystery a bit tougher to figure out. I found this to be a unique who done it mystery that was easy to read. Overall I give it a 3.5.

A dead child! The nanny in prison! She swears she didn't do it. Rowan moves from London to Scotland to what she thought was her dream job. A private nanny to 4 children and more money than she imagined. An amazing house at first glance, then becomes strange. It's architecture a mixture of old world and ultra modern was enough to throw anyone off kilter but that wasn't enough. High tech equipment including cameras with sound everywhere.
Things quickly change and the chaos begins. This chilling story had me turning the lights on!
The book was a quick read but by no means dull. This is my first book by Ruth Ware. I'm very interested in reading more of her books!



Special thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I really liked this one - right up until it ended, rather abruptly and oddly given the lead-in to the resolution. It felt like someone called "TIME, pencil's down!" and the author had ten seconds to resolve everything and did the best she could with the time she had... It made this a 3-star read for me instead of a 4-, and left me feeling oddly unsatisfied, which is all the more frustrating since the slow burning build to the dramatic end is one of the things I usually like most about Ware's writing. It was still an enjoyable read, but the ending left me wanting more and felt like an unfortunate change-up...

I wholeheartedly-on-the-edge-of-my-seat-and-check-a-third-time-that-the-window-is-latched-can't-stop-won't-stop loved this novel.
Having read THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 and THE DEATH OF MRS WESTAWAY, I am familiar with Ruth Ware's writing, but they both failed to ignite me in the way that this book did. I was with Rowan from the very first page. We know she is in jail for committing a murder, probably a child in her charge as a nanny at Heatherbrae House, but we don't get the full story until literally the last few pages. Quite the slow burn. BUT that doesn't mean that this novel isn't full of creepy moments, the "smart" house is one giant danger zone, and there is a garden that is the thing of nightmares, and dodgy characters, the groundskeeper/handyman, cleaning woman, and neighbor all come to mind.
There is nothing formulaic about this book even though it falls strongly into a gothic mystery category. Ware's writing kept me guessing, and I was very satisfied by the ending. WHY DIDN'T I PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER? She definitely lays them all out there for the reader; it's up to you to put them together correctly.
THE TURN OF THE KEY puts me solidly in Ruth Ware's corner. She has captured my heart with this mystery novel. Rowan is a woman I won't soon forget.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket Books for the ARC.
thelithaven.com

Review of “Turn of the Key” by Ruth Ware

I had never read a Ruth Ware novel before, glad I did. Is Ruth a modern day Agatha Christie? Perhaps.
From the start, we know someone was killed, but not “Who” or “How.” Nor do we know “Who” the murderer was.
Since it is written from the point of view of a nanny, already convicted as a killer, the narrative unfolds as the nanny is trying to get a “better” lawyer to represent her. She starts at the beginning and takes the reader through the events and people involved.
The suspense is thick as the truth is slowly revealed.
The red herrings are plentiful.
Having the isolated house ruled by a computer program reminded me of the smart home in “The Girl Before” by J.P. Delaney. Nice modern touch.
I also enjoyed the garden of “antique poisons.”
The ending had several surprises which wrapped up the “Who” was killed and “How” as well as “Who” the murderer was.
There are a few minor loose ends but overall, a good mystery, filled with suspense.

Wow, this is a scare the pants off of you, bump in the night, page turner! I didn't see the end coming at all. I could barely put it down. I've read other titles by Ruth Ware, but I think this is the best one yet. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Ruth Ware’s latest novel, Turn of the Key, is a compelling read, taking us on a ride as a London woman becomes a nanny up in the Scottish highlands. She’s in what may be a haunted mansion, but with super high tech flair. Previous nannies have all quit, and the children are also a handful, but the salary is enticing. Ware keeps the tension up all the way through, and the several twists and reveals near the end come out of the blue, but with a believable rationale. This is a terrific book for those who don’t mind tension and can sleep easily after a little horror.

“Dear Mr. Wrexham, I know you don’t know me but please, please, please you have to help me”

The book starts with that first quote above. Immediately, I was grabbed. “What happened? What is going on?” From there I was hooked. This is the type of book that will tell you the ending (of sorts) and you work your way backwards.

I think Ruth Ware did a fantastic job on regards to the level of detail in the book. I could see the house, Especially in Terms of the Smart House feature and how that could make you feel watched. I could empathize with Rowan and how she felt.

Rowan is the main character in the book and she sees an advert in the local paper for a nannying position in Scotland that seems to good to be true. She decides to take the leap and apply. What follows is the day to day duties of caring for the 3 youngest children and eventually the difficult teenager, Rhiannon.

Along with the typically suspense Ruth is known for, she also mixes in some supernatural that has you feeling the same way as Rowan, “am I going crazy.”

I would recommend this book for Ruth Ware lovers. I really enjoyed this book and could not stop reading it!

I was lucky enough to receive and early copy of the book and I loved it. Thank you Scout Press.

The Turn of the Key kept me on the edge of my seat. It had all the elements of a great thriller. I was disappointed with the ending - it felt as if there was so much left unsaid and ended too abruptly. Even with that said, I highly recommend the book.

I have read all of Ruth Ware's books and have enjoyed all of them - this one is no exception. I devoured this book in just a couple sittings. Ware has a way of keeping me guessing (and I'm almost always wrong) until the end of the book when she pulls a fast one and twists in a different direction. This ending made me say "ah ha!" and everything throughout the book just made sense. Another wonderful novel by Ruth Ware - I'm already recommending to co-workers and patrons at my library!

Excellent, creepy, gothic thriller. As a huge fan of Ms. Wares books, I was very happy to get a copy of Turn of the Key, and it did not disappoint. I believe this is her best book yet. The book begins with a nanny in prison awaiting trial for the murder of a child who was in her care. What then ensues is a super scary mystery that will literally keep you guessing until the final few pages. As the nanny pours out her story in letters to an attorney who she hopes can help her, she tells of the creepy house she was hired to be an into after all the previous nannies left quickly after their employment began. Fantastic, suspenseful book, read in one day. Highly recommended.

Thank you netgalley for an early preview of this book for an honest review.
Wow, Ruth Ware has done it again. Fantastic plot twists and an ending that wasn’t predictable. It is one of her best books. Great psychological thriller.

Maybe Ware’s best book yet. This was a page-turner, full of twists, that kept me up late reading it. I absolutely loved the creepy vibe, and it evoked The Turn of the Screw but brought it into the 21st century. Great characters too. A must-read for fans of mysteries, ghost stories, and epistolary novels.

Loved it! Completely loved it! The Turn of the Key is a thoroughly absorbing tale full of just the right combination of creepiness, mystery and suspense in this new modern gothic mystery.

The story is told through letters Rowan has written to a new lawyer she hopes to win over to her side by explaining the child's death. She believes that if she can just fully explain everything then perhaps he can help her out of a potential murder conviction. What starts it all is her application to become a nanny in a remote part of Scotland. The family is seemingly perfect with an incredible smart home and Rowan is more than happy to accept the position. Even though the previous nannies haven't stayed long at all, she brushes off the warning signs and is determined to make this work and love the children. Soon, little things begin to happen that she can't explain as the mystery starts to unfold.

The unfortunate thing about a review on a mystery/suspense story is you can't really say too much without potentially spoiling something. What I will say is that I was engrossed in the story so much that I read the majority of it in one day. I also can say that going into the last pages, I still didn't have any of my theories completely nailed down. And if you're lucky like me, you'll get to read it during a long Saturday morning thunderstorm with dark skies that just adds to the ambience of it all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket Books for this advanced copy and the opportunity to provide my honest review.

This is my first exposure to the writings of Ruth Ware ... I had no idea what a treat I was in store for .... this gem was gobbled up quickly. The story unfolds in a very unusual manner ... our main protagonist Rowan Caine is sending letters to attorney , Mr. Wrexham in the hope of enticing him to represent her. She is imprisoned for a murder she did not commit.
She stumbles upon an advertisement for a nanny position in Scotland ... and immediately desires to seek out an interview. She travels to Heatherbrae House for the interview and is immediately enthralled with the gorgeous remodeled Victorian mansion located in the remote Scottish moors. The orderly and regimented mother, Sandra Elincourt presents her family of four girls: 8 year-old Maddie, Ellie is five, baby Petra is just eighteen months old and the fourth girl is Rhiannon .... fourteen years old going on twenty-four and away at boarding school. Maddie whispers in her ear as she's leaving" " It's not safe ....They wouldn't like it" When pressed on the meaning she intimates that the "ghosts" wouldn't like it. And, then she learns that the last four nannies have abruptly left under mysterious circumstances
Her first day is momentous .. Bill the husband makes a pass ... and she learns that they're leaving immediately on a week long business trip .. and she's immediately in charge of the girls, the house, and the two dogs.. On her first night she is awakened by the sounds of footsteps pacing above her ceiling ... apparently coming from a walled off attic. Maybe this place really is haunted!
Ruth Ware spins an amazing pervasive undertow of unrelenting menace permeating a narrative that is punctuated with feelings of trepidation and impending doom. Thanks to NetGalley and Scout Press / Simon & Schuster for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this gem in exchange for an honest review.. Excuse me ... I have to back and download her earlier books ... immediately!

In typical Ruth Ware fashion, this book kept me guessing all the way to the end. She will lead you through twists and turns to keep you spellbound. I couldn’t have predicted this surprise ending. Thanks Ms. Ware for challenging and entertaining stories!