Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“The Keeper of the Key” by Nicole Willson is a young adult gothic thriller set in rural Virginia, where Rachel and her mother move into an eerie, isolated house. With its chilling, atmospheric setup, Morgan House is a key player in the unfolding horror, blending supernatural elements with real-life tensions. The house’s hidden past and the unsettling behaviors of Rachel’s mother’s controlling boyfriend, Geoff, amplify the disturbing dynamics within the story. Be aware that there is some blood/gore with the supernatural aspects, and the mother’s boyfriend is also very controlling of Rachel’s behavior. The book also features an unhealthy, toxic relationship with Rachel’s own boyfriend.

From the beginning, “The Keeper of the Key” hooks you with its spooky ambiance, immersing you in Rachel’s disquieting experiences. While the plot incorporates classic haunted house tropes, it manages to add fresh twists that keep you guessing, though some parts involving the basement were a bit repetitive. There are moments of genuine suspense as Rachel encounters ghostly presences and experiences terrifying scenes that lend the book a distinctly creepy atmosphere. The setting feels gothic yet modern, making it suitable for a YA audience (though there are some adult themes) while still embracing darker themes.

While Rachel’s boyfriend, Nick, is introduced as a romantic interest, their relationship is problematic, with Nick showing toxic traits that mirror the unhealthy relationship between Rachel’s mother and Geoff. The "insta-love" element between Rachel and Nick feels rushed and doesn’t offer much depth, detracting from the story’s focus on the horror aspects. There were some aspects of their relationship that were unsettling, and it was odd that Rachel never seemed to question any of it, like how she had never been to Nick’s home and how she knew basically nothing about him while he was also very pushy about the physical aspect of their relationship.

Another aspect that affects the book’s impact is the pacing. Although the book begins with a promising setup, it experiences a lull about a third of the way through. The story could have benefited from a quicker progression to keep readers fully engaged. Despite these drawbacks, the final third of “The Keeper of the Key” introduces unexpected twists about Morgan House’s secrets, giving the story a relatively unpredictable ending. Although the twist might not fully shock all readers, it adds layers to the mystery and wraps up the story in a way that brings closure to Rachel’s journey.

For fans of YA horror, particularly those intrigued by the intersection of gothic and young adult fiction, “The Keeper of the Key” offers a solid, darkly engaging experience. While it may not reinvent the genre, “The Keeper of the Key” delivers a mysterious plot with just enough intrigue to keep you hooked until the end.

The Keeper of the Key fallows Rachel a 16 year old girl who in the past year lost her dad and her home. Rachel and her mother, Tara shared a small flat. And though Rachel is still morning the loss of her dad it seems that Tara is more than ready to move on.

Tara and her boyfriend Geoff decide it is time they all lived under one roof. The problem is that the roof in question is that of Morgan House. While Rachel is willing to give it all a shot for her mothers sake there are more than just creepy vibes in Morgan House, a lot more.

The only thing, or should I say person who make the move worth while for Rachel is a boy in town called Nick. With a morbid personality and long dark hair Nick catches Rachel's interest immediately.

Unfortunately, things in Morgan House go from bad to deadly quite quickly and it seems the only person who is willing to help is Nick. That is until Rachel finds out about Amber. Will Rachel figure out the truth or die trying?


It may seem surprising but the book did cover a lot of topics, grief, loss, change, betrayal, the importance of trust. I was also glad to see how it dealt with over bearing stepparents and feminism. The was also a line by the grandmother that I think prevented the spin of the book from becoming sexist towards men which I found to be a positive.

While there were lots of well handled topics, I felt this book was not a five star.
Perhaps because I am older than the target audience, but a lot of the book seemed predictable.
Tara was made out to be a desperate woman so intent on a relationship that she wilfully ignored the abusive behaviour of Geoff to the point of marrying him despite his abusive treatment of her daughter.

Rachel's constant romanticising of Nick's bad behaviour. And even when he constantly hounds her to have sex with him again. (though his attempt to get her alone could have been to murder her.) It felt as though the character played into the dumb victim cliché.

After so much of the book being about Geoff's toxic behaviour I was annoyed that none of it was cleared up. Yes we know he had a toxic family growing up but honestly his behaviour could have been dealt with better. I feel like it was an over flogged red herring. I'm not sure subtilty had anything to do with this book. While again I am much older than the target audience I think even a teen age me would have seen where this was going.

I think having Nick admit he was living in the house the whole time was a big plot hole. Ghosts I can understand, even poltergeist but were we really to believe that Geoff never realised someone was in the house all those years he lived there?

Rachel realised Geoff had lived with other people just by walking into a room but Tara didn't? and lets remember Rachel was still grieving her father and Tara wasn't. So if Tara's trust issues were so bad why was it Rachel who noticed all of this?

Over all I think it was the atmospheric writing that kept me reading. I did like how Willson wrote a turn of phrase. I do wish they weren't repeated as much as it did become white noise near the end of the book. There were definitely parts where I felt I was there. So I do think I like Willson's writing style, it's just a shame the story was so heavy handed.

Worth a read but not a reread for me.

I’m a sucker for anything gothic, so I was excited to read this. I loved that the house had a mind of its own. It felt like a well-developed character, which added to the overall eerie experience.

I didn’t particularly like Rachel, which made it difficult to care about what was happening. I was intrigued about what was really going on, the story behind the house, and what Geoff was hiding, but as to caring what happened to Rachel, I struggled.

I got a bad vibe from Geoff right from the start. Like Rachel, I knew something wasn’t right with him. The fake cheerfulness, his controlling and judgemental manner, and his insistence that Rachel should change aspects of herself grated on my nerves.

I had similar feelings toward Nick. I didn’t like how their relationship moved super quick and it seemed unrealistic. However, I guess Rachel’s isolation and loneliness could account for that. One thing I did like was that the author did a fantastic job of developing them and I believe they were supposed to be unlikeable and untrustworthy.

The plot moved slowly, which made it hard to stay invested. It also felt like nothing was happening at times. However, I thought the ending was constructed so well and it was a satisfying ending. Overall, a decent read.

I enjoyed this YA Gothic mystery read. Rachel is a 16-year-old whose life is turned upside down when her mom decides to move them to Saint Mary Virginia to live in a creepy old house owned by her boyfriend Geoff. Rachel and Geoff don’t get along and when she starts to see dead women and other creepy things, he thinks she is making it all up. She meets Nick, a mysterious boy who becomes her boyfriend, but something isn’t right about him. The storyline was good and I love a creepy read for the fall. Some of the parts gave me chills, which doesn’t happen often! I also love the twist at the end. I didn’t see that coming! If you’re looking for a creepy read this one’s a good one!

Keeper of the Key was a fun little surprise. I only occasionally read in the horror genre but this had a spooky house, teen angst, a broody love interest, and mystery to solve.
I love most when YA books have realistic teenagers. Yes, I understand the appeal of the capable teen protagonist but I’m sort of over it. I want teens being teens and this book does not disappoint. You can feel all the heightened emotions and the utter distain for the truly oblivious adults.
I also thought the spookiness was just right for upper YA- chilling but not distressing. The MC really goes through a lot with relational growth and this mysterious boy and her mom’s less than nice boyfriend. I loved trying to figure out who was the true villain in the scenario. I do feel that the title of the book… well you’ll see if you read it.

The cover sold me for this book and once I started reading I just couldn't put it down.. I was indeed intrigued with all the situation, the rushed marriage, the moving to a weird house, the girl with problems.. Well the direction I thought it was completely changed and I loved it.. The FMC was definitly a fierce girl and that was indeed amazing

Now this was a creepy read! Loved the vibes all throughout and the ending was very satisfying. A solid 4.5/5 for me!
Hated Geoff tho. Lol

I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more and more about the Morgan House and about Geoff. I wasn't expecting everything that happened and were revealed to go that way. I did guess bits and pieces of it. Like not trusting some characters.

I really liked Rachel! She was very realistic and wasn't entirely dumb. Besides with Nick.. but 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'm glad that she stands up for herself and that she didn't just take being walked all over.

From the start I didn't like Geoff and I certainly did not like how he treated Rachel. And her mom?! Omg she was making me so irritated because she wasn't listening to her daughter or standing up for her against Geoff at all! Until the end ish. Geoff had me yelling at my phone while reading, about the hair dye, the vegetarian and eating eating and holy fudge especially about when he went through her sh*t?! Found condoms and had the audacity to get mad?! Omg I was getting so pi**ed!! Glad that her mom finally! Finally stood up for her fecking daughter!! If anyone ever were to talk to my non-existent child like that?! Feck that! I'm gone. Lmfao Her mom wasn't my favorite at all really, but she wasn't as bad as Geoff!

The creepy bits!! They were written so well! Had me getting goosebumps and chills and had me getting scared every so often! I literally had to put my phone down at one time and just go dudeeeeee ewwww stopp too spooky! Lmao I loved it!

The ending felt very satisfying to me. I really enjoyed how it was written. And I guess right to an extent, wasn't entirely correct about everything and everyone, but imma take it. I actually would love to have this on my shelf, and not just because it has a gorgeous cover, well.. that's part of it, but because I also really enjoyed the story!

I highly recommend this book! It gives off amazing gothic creepy haunted house vibes, perfect for spooky season ngl!

The Keeper of the Key is a tense, atmospheric gripping YA thriller. Nicole Wilson has a great writing style and enjoyed how she developed her characters. Mixed in with some very creepy moments, it has a wonderful supernatural feel. With this story being a YA, it tackles some important intense emotions for both parents and young adults alike. Nicole portrays this very well which makes me like this book even more.

Would love to listen to this as an audiobook in the future as it would make a great book to listen to.

Thank you Netgalley and Parliament House Press for this eArc

4 stars

First of all, I want to thank Nicole Willson, Parliament House Press and NetGalley for this eARC. Here, my honest opinion.

A gripping YA thriller with gothic vibes.
Rachel has just moved to live with her mother and her new boy-friend. The old house is big and spooky, and she can’t access the basement and some of the rooms. She begins to hear and see horrible things, but nobody is willing to believe her. Who is really Geoff? What is he hiding?

An old haunted house? I’m in!
The first thing that I noticed is the wonderful cover, and the story is up to the expectations. I liked the growing tension and this kind of situation where the main character doesn’t know if what she experiences is real or it’s only in her mind.
The ending is quite predictable and a little bit rushed, but I enjoyed the reading.

The cover is fantastic and fits the story perfectly! The writing style is unique. This was an entertaining story I enjoyed and would recommend! Special Thank You to Nicole Wilson, Books Go Social and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was curious about this book and figured I’d give it a shot. But as the story unfolds it felt like many other books with haunted houses that I have read before. The characters didn’t feel unique and I found it difficult to care for the plot and everything taking place. If you like haunted houses then read this book. It just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

There were a couple of reasons why this book caught my attention. Of course the book has a wonderful cover. The colors, the symbolism, the vibe, it made me all really curious about the story. I also love those older classic gothic novels where the line between people going crazy and ghosts is really thin. So, I ended up requesting a review copy via Netgalley and I was really happy that Parliament House Press granted me a copy.

I have mixed feelings after reading this book and I don't think I can explain those mixed feelings without spoilers. If you're not a young adult and if you're planning on reading this book, I'd suggest skipping my review. The book has a great atmosphere and vibe, the situation our heroine is in is a delicious mix of realistic and horrific, and the finale is amazing and really moved me to the edge of my seat.

However, this book is clearly aimed towards teens. And don't get me wrong, I do want them to learn about healthy sex in their YA novels. However, that's part of the issue. The moment the sex scene happens, it's already quite clear for the reader that something about this guy is off. And for me that automatically changed the consent part of the sex scene. Technically the girl can't give consent, because she doesn't know the full truth about her partner, which makes the scene disturbing.

And, the story would have been just as great without the sex. The story would still be scary. I think teens, sadly, will recognize themselves in the heroine and the entire situation with her parents. I do love how the book has our heroine constantly accused of going crazy while she knows that something is really wrong with the house. The writing style will also clearly work for teens. Why would you add a sex scene, adding literally nothing, that eventually feels just wrong?

The cover is gorgeous. I loved the setting and the gothic, spooky atmosphere until about halfway. Then everything started to feel a little bit repetetive. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Keeper of the Key by Nicole Willson [ad/gifted]🗝️

*thank you to @netgalley, the publisher @parliamentbooks and the author for a free e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. despite this book being gifted, all thoughts and opinions in this review are my own*

synopsis: There are a thousand things sixteen-year-old Rachel would rather do than upend her life to move into Morgan House, an old, run-down mansion owned by her mom’s boyfriend, Geoff.

But when her mother announces they’re relocating to St. Mary, Virginia to live with him, Rachel’s cut off from her friends and life as she knows it. St. Mary is a remote, lonely place, and the best thing about it is Nick, a guy she knows is worth keeping when he takes her to a cemetery on their first date. Rachel struggles to get along with Geoff and his mile-long list of annoying house rules—in particular, his bizarre insistence that she stay out of the basement. But something in Morgan House plays by its own rules. At night, an unknown force pulls Rachel down to that forbidden cellar, showing her harrowing visions of a strangely familiar man lurking in the shadows. When a sudden tragedy strikes her family, those visions become more frequent—and more violent. The dead issue urgent warnings, and if Rachel doesn’t heed them, she’ll become part of Morgan House forever..👀

this book sounds so good from the synopsis and I was so excited to dive into a spooky, atmospheric gothic novel, especially in the autumn. however, this book just did not do it for me unfortunately😢

I read 58% of this novel before ultimately deciding to dnf (did not finish). I really liked the atmosphere of the creepy house and the small town vibes but the rest fell flat for me. the beginning was super interesting and felt like it dived straight in to the action but at 58% of the way in, the story started to feel a little repetitive for me and slow moving, which is such a shame as I feel this book has real potential!!🍂

if you like: small town, YA, sentient house novels, spooky atmosphere, ghost stories
and graveyard walks then this is the novel for you! unfortunately for me, it just missed the mark!🖤

This was a spooky, thrilling read, with twists, turns, and things that go bump in the night. Rachel is a great character, and my heart really went out to her as her life was upended. Nick was interesting, but I'm not sure if I really like him, he's well done, it's just his personality didn't quite sit well with me, and I can't exactly explain why. The story itself moves along at a good pace, but some things felt a little too convenient which is honestly the biggest issue I have with the story - it's something I'd expect to find more in middle grade stories. I do have to hand it to Wilson for masterfully building a dark and chilling atmosphere. This book will absolutely send chills racing down your spine at times, and I could easily see this being a great horror movie with a few tweaks. If you're looking for a dark book for the YA lit lover in your life, then you need to grab this.

3.5 rounded up to 4

Firstly I want to say that I really did enjoy this book and I thought that the characterisation was spot on. I loved the protagonist Rachel and thought that she was a feisty, independent and believable character navigating her way through this story. My only qualm was that I felt the pacing was a little off and there could have been large parts of the story edited and cut which would have made the reading of the story gain more impact instead of dragging in parts which took away from the ‘drama’ and intensity of the overall plot. Nevertheless an enjoyable read!

Creepy and unsettling. This book is filled with mystery and intrigue. And it has some serious haunted house vibes.

The story is fast-paced and captivating. And the character development is spot-on. Everyone had distinct personalities, and their actions felt organic and unforced. I will say that not all of the characters are likable. Some of them feel decidedly unsavory. But even the ones that feel toxic, do so in such a way as to feel very real and believable.

This book really pulled me in and held my attention. And I love how disconcerted it made me feel.

Thank you to netgalley and Parliament House Press for the ARC! 3.5 stars. When I got back into reading, I really thought gothic horror was going to be one of my favorite sub genres. However, as I’ve tried out a few I found that’s not the case. I usually find them dreadfully slow and difficult to make it through. This book, I’m happy to say, is an exception. Gothic still isn’t for me, so I’m landing on a 3.5 here. But this has been the most enjoyable for me so far. Every time I felt the plot slowing down, something would happen to grab my attention. A reveal or a vivid ghost scene always seemed to be perfectly placed. If you’re looking for something to give you the creeps and help you explore some difficult family and relationship dynamics (just me?) then definitely check this one out.

The Keeper of the Key follows Rachel: forced to move into the gothic Morgan House with her mum and mum’s boyfriend, Rachel gets strange visions and feels drawn to the forbidden basement. When tragedy hits the family, she may be stuck there, and the house doesn’t want her to leave.

The Keeper of the Key is a classic YA gothic tale of strange spirits, teen angst and first love all rolled in to one. The characters are a little basic but you do get drawn to them, and the narrative voice is really consistent as a teenage girl. There are some shocking moments, and while I predicted the ending quite early on, this is a good read for any young adult who likes gothic and classic horror.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I love a good ghost story and The Keeper of the Key provided me with it. You get drawn into the story quickly and find your self really hating Geoff from his first appearance.