I’ve read all of Ruth Ware’s books, and this one has been my favorite so far! A very twisted and ominous story that will capture your attention immediately and leave you wanting more. A dream job as a nanny takes a turn for the worst for Rowan Caine. She is isolated in an old Victorian house with four young girls left to her care, while soon learning about the house’s sinister past. The plot build up and eerie suspense was superb. This book has a dark edge and complex plot that I cannot recommend enough!

I absolutely loved it! THE TURN OF THE KEY is creepy, twisted, and disturbing, and totally absorbing — a modern-day The Turn of the Screw, but far more entertaining.

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware starts out in a letter written from a Scotland jail by Rowan Caine, a former nanny, to Mr. Wrexham, an attorney. She's pleading for him to represent her in court as she's been accused of murdering a child, her former charge.

Rowan then goes on to tell the story of how she got her nanny job with the Elincourts at their supposedly haunted estate, Heatherbrae House. There are several references to the Victorian, which I can't help but think is a nod to similarly styled books that came before this one such as Jane Eyre or Turn of the Screw.

Nanny position? Check. High salary? Check. Creepy, secluded location? Check. Possibly haunted? Check.

The characterization is spot-on and the suspense, especially at the chapter breaks is skillful. What puts a modern twist on this seemingly Gothic, Victorian inspired novel is the technology Rowan has to deal with at Heatherbrae House. The father of the house is a technology buff and has installed a very Big Brother-esque system called Happy that basically runs the place. There are cameras everywhere to track Rowan's every move as well as thumbprint locks and other devices.
I read Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood and it wasn't my favorite book. With The Turn of the Key, she has really come into her own as a true master writer of suspense and thrillers. There are certain scenes that are so gripping and terrifying that I could not stop reading. I just have to add that I never thought footsteps could be so scary.

Just when I thought the book couldn't get any better, it did. At the eleventh hour, we get a big twist that is so salacious, it's almost cathartic. Love her or hate her, you have to be curious about what will end up happening to Rowan, which is really the whole drive of the plot.

There are so many twists and turns, even right up until the end, that truly keep the suspense going. I felt like the ending might not be as satisfying as it was. The whole book is written in an epistolary/frame story style and I loved every bit of it. In true Gothic novel form, the reader is both satiated but still left with a little bit of mystery about nearly every one of the characters. This is a must read for sure.

I have read all of Ruth Ware's books. This one wasn't my favorite, but it certainly kept me starving to know what was going to happen at the end! I just wasn't sure how everything would come together and I will say a few of the surprises were actual surprises to me which is unusual. The quick and dirty: Rowan is a nanny who gets a well paid and prestigious job caring for 4 girls away from her usual city of London. I loved that the story took place in a remote part of Scotland in a home that was both gothic and modern at the same time. I think I expected the "technology" of the house to play a larger role in the overall mystery. I am not sure how, or what I expected, but the revelations for the most part felt separate from that aspect which made me wonder why it was needed at all. The final reveal was what I expected; but by the end of the book with all the other information gathered, helped close the book. I definitely think this is a worthwhile read that will keep you guessing from the start!!!

<i>“‘Don’t come here,’ she whispered, still refusing to look at me. ‘It’s not safe.’”</i>

Like many who adore Ruth Ware’s works, I couldn’t wait to ready The Turn of the Key. Especially after seeing the cover art, I was on a mission to read is as soon as possible. I tried Netgalley and Edelweiss but unfortunately wasn’t approved (understandable since I'm sure it's in high demand!). I was determined enough that I emailed directly to Simon & Schuster via Ruth Ware’s contact page. They were kind enough to email me back the next day and sent me an e-copy. Obviously, The Turn of the Key was moved to my number one priority.

I have not read The Turn of the Screw however, after reading the summary, I could believe it if Ms. Ware had been inspired by it.

There was definitely a feeling of being a contemporary Victorian ghost story. I thought there was a great balance of traditional mystery and modern technology. Ruth Ware is truly the Agatha Christie of our time.

Cover art: Absolutely adore it
Length: Perfect, never a dull moment and it went by so fast
Who I recommend it to: Ruth Ware fans and those who love thrillers
Twistiness: It had the chill factor, there was nothing to suggest the twist, I thought it was brilliant. <spoiler>After the first one and a mention of the fact that Bill had a previous family/family while he was with Sandra, I had a thought maybe Rachel was his daughter but was still surprised when this was true</spoiler>. It's definitely one of those books where you want to go back and read it with the knowledge you have now.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Inc. for an ARC through NetGalley!

This my first read of a Ruth Ware book. WOW! The beginning grabs the reader - a 27 year old woman in prison for a child's murder - is pleading to a well-known attorney for help.

Rowan is not happy with her current position at a daycare center. She takes a job with Sandra and Bill as nanny for 4 children (well paid) in the Highlands of Scotland. Though the house is Victorian, there are many computerized devices within. The parents leave for a conference less than 24 hours after Rowan starts working there.

The first day is awful and it doesn't get much better for Rowan. Between the cries of a baby, a 5 year old and a decidedly wicked 8 year old ( the 14 year old will be home soon), Rowan more than has her hands full. Of course, let us not forget that with all of Bill's strange computerization there are few places (if any) that are private.

Luckily ( or we shall see) Rowan befriends the driver/handyman, Jack, who assists her through these early days.

However, why have there been 4 nannys who have left within the past 14 months? ,

A spectacular story - Thanks to Gallery, Pocket Books and NetGalley for a brilliant suspense read !

Ruth Ware should be known in most of households due to her creativity, wonderful writing skills and a great imaginative character as an author. I read most of her books. I loved them. As for this one I liked it a lot, although it was not her best book written. Saying that, I still enjoyed the book a lot! Her wonderful ability to keep us in suspense and uncover piece by piece puzzles to all the story and dusted with some paranormal flare is a wonderful skill that makes me read this author's every published book there is!

This is a creepy, fast-paced, gothic suspense novel by Ruth Ware. I really enjoyed the setting and the character development. I did, however, feel the ending was too abrupt and would have liked more context. Overall, another great read by Ruth Ware! I always enjoy and look forward to reading her books.

Thanks to Ruth Ware, Gallery/Pocket Books, and Netgalley, for providing me with a digital advance copy of The Turn of the Key. Rowan Caine takes a job as a nanny in an isolated Scottish house, which is rumored to be haunted. Will she be scared off like all of the previous nannies? Can she figure out what is really happening? I loved this book and devoured it in less than 24 hours. A Gothic Scottish setting, an old mysterious house, a secret garden, the possibility of ghosts in the attic - what more could one want? This book kept me guessing, and the writing was excellent. Highly recommend.

Ware is a master at building suspense and she succeeds once again with "The Turn of the Key." Ware has an uncanny way of writing situations that cause me to get the shivers and double check the locks on my doors - and I love it! This is a very descriptive, well-plotted title that kept me guessing until the last page; I was truly sad to come to the end. A fast-paced read, although the ending did feel a bit abrupt, and I wish some more context had been provided. Still, this was an exciting, creepy read that will be sure to be popular.

I will start by saying I am a huge fan of Ruth Ware. I have read every book so I was very excited when I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Net Galley.

For me, this one started a bit slower than some of the other Ruth Ware books I have read. While the first half was not filled with suspense I was still unable to put it down. The book was very descriptive and I could envision the house and the characters. Rowan is a character that you just want to root for, even though you know she is hiding something.

The book is written as a letter detailing the events of her stay at the house. When I reached about 75% on the book it really turned in to suspenseful page turner that I could not stop reading. From that point on the action was non stop until the end. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Ruth Ware! If you haven’t read any of her books you are truly missing out.

Ruth Ware has made a name for herself the past couple of years with "The Woman in Cabin 10" and "In a Dark, Dark Wood," and she is without a doubt one of the modern=day queens of suspense. Ware really knows how to build suspense and keep the readers engaged with the plot, but there was just something about "The Turn of the Key" that makes me feel like it perhaps not one of her best. Maybe it was that the plot was TOO slow or that some of the plot twists are just a little too unbelievable, but it was not one of my favorites.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

As a number of reviewers have already mentioned, yes . . . this is a homage to James' The Turn of the Screw. When I see a book like this coming out--a book that is somehow a re-telling of one of my favorite, classic novels--I'm typically filled with anticipation and, simultaneously, with dread. I want to read it but also worry it will be a bust. It's hard to read a re-telling without comparing it to the original. And I should provide full disclosure here: I have a strong affinity with James The Turn of the Screw.. I wrote a chapter of my dissertation on it, I've taught classes on it (and on James himself), I've presented papers on the it, and published on it. So I have pretty strong feelings about the original novella.

And having said all of that, I thought this was fantastic. I think part of the trick is that Ware did not try to just re-tell the story with a modern twist. Instead, while there are clear allusions here (in fact, I'd say the title is my least favorite part--too heavy-handed), the story is its own and doesn't try to simply replicate the original. It's a fun and creepy read. There were several parts that made the hair stand up on the nape of my neck and others that made me doubt the narrator, much like a reader experiences with the Governess in the original tale. I even like the subtle nod to the unnamed narrator in James' original--I won't say more, but it was clever.

If you're looking for a strong literary novel to parallel the original, then you might be disappointed. However, if you've read Ware before and understand she writes in the vein of the domestic noir and thriller, plan to expect the same. I've read two other novels by this author and this is my favorite so far.

I know that many of my patrons will enjoy this book. I myself did not love it...perhaps it was my mood. I have not read her other books either. It was slow and pretty creepy. I felt like it was gothic which is not a favorite genre for me. I do have this book on my list to order and I am sure it will be popular.

I knew that book by Ruth Ware will be good, but I didn’t suspect that it’s going to be sooo good. Creepy, fast pace, twisty and keeping me on the edge from the first to the last page. Hunted house, wired family and one nanny who tries to figure out what is happening around her. Just one day, fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, but since it's Ruth Ware (and the fact that I loved the story, for the most part), I'll bump it up. Turn of the Key is Ware's fifth novel, and I'll tell you right now that all five of them are worth binge-reading (well, maybe not The Lying Game hehe). Turn of the Key is the most suspense-driven novel that Ware has provided readers yet; with it's slow building suspense oozing from the pages.

Rowan Caine lives around London, working as a daycare instructor at Little Nippers. Her job is horrible, and she's desperately looking for something to lift her spirits. While scanning the papers for possible job opportunities, she comes across the job of a lifetime. It's a nanny position for a family with four children—£55,000 a year, and room and board with the family at a gorgeous renovated "smart house" mansion in the countryside of Scotland. Rowan can't turn down this opportunity and applies for the job. After she arrives for an interview at the family's Heatherbrae House, she woos over the mother and gets the job immediately. As her stay in Heatherbrae begins, Rowan begins to question why she took this job. The children are rambunctious, to say the least. With the oldest away at boarding school, Rowan's hands are full with these three little girls constantly testing her patience. Rowan's stepping into a nightmare, but what she doesn't know is that it will end in murder.

Turn of the Key 's story takes place as Rowan is writing a letter to a prospective attorney, since she has been accused of the murder, and her possible motive for this crime does not help. Rowan needs to prove her innocence, and by telling her story, she's hoping this lawyer will take her case. I appreciated the originality with Ware's storytelling this way, but it'll be hit or miss with readers, for sure. I'm curious to see how you feel about it, so after you finish the story, please let me know in my comments how you felt about this writing style.

Turn of the Key would have been my favorite Ruth Ware read, because I was literally captivated for 80% of the story. I couldn't put it down, and the story was so suspense driven, I was on the edge of my seat. While Rowan was dealing with the children's crying and outbursts, I felt it was kind of ironic how my neighbor's kid was acting up at the same time. It must've been fate or something, but everything about Turn of the Key is atmospheric and absorbing. I forgot about the real world around me while reading this story. You will not be able to put this book down. All my brain could do was lock into the characters, turn the pages, and bite my nails while I was trying to figure out what was going to happen.

However, the story cops out after 80% with how it wraps up. The way Ware ties up loose ends in Turn of the Key is terribly disappointing, and it really knocked a star completely off my rating just for that. With all the suspense that the story delivers, I felt like a balloon deflated right there, begging for air to fill me right back up.

Overall, go into Turn of the Key with an open mind. I absolutely loved it (for the most part), and I think you will too. The writing is impeccable, as always, and Ruth Ware continues to deliver that atmospheric suspense that she's been made famous for. I continue to be a big fan of Ruth Ware, and you know I'll be impatiently waiting for her next story!

I'm a big fan of Ruth Ware's work, but this book is my favorite so far.

This was fast paced and creepy, with an interesting hook, and an unexpected twist. I love how the story unfolded in letter style.

Recommended.

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Her best since In A Dark, Dark Wood! What a gripping, creepy thriller! A child is dead and our heroine nanny is in prison but how did we get here? The book is told in epistolary format (which I love) letters from the nanny to the lawyer. It's been a while since I raced to finish a book. This was a lot of fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.n.

Honestly, this was my least favorite of Ruth Ware's books. I was captivated in the beginning- I really like Ruth Ware’s other novels! This one was excellent through about halfway through and then it starts to get weird and unrealistic. It’s not that it's bad... it’s just very anticlimactic. The ending leaves a whole lot to be desired. I love everything else by her, but this book is not my favorite.

Slower-paced suspense with a modern gothic feel. Ruth Ware keeps the reader absorbed with her descriptive writing and eerie plot perspective. Every aspect of this novel, from characters to setting, are dark and twisted, leaving the reader in anticipation the entire way through. The utilization of the slow-burn build only exemplifies the impact of the narrative.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Scout Press for this ARC