The Turn of the Key

By Ruth Ware

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, and The Death of Mrs. Westaway comes Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fifth novel.

When Rowan stumbles across an ad for a live-in nanny, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—with a staggeringly generous salary. And when she arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” house fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What Rowan doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and Rowan in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, Rowan struggles to explain the unravelling events that have led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the children, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

Rowan knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, this is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Release date: Aug 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781501192364

Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer before settling down as a full-time writer. She now lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail (Toronto) bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood; The Woman in Cabin 10; The Lying Game; The Death of Mrs. Westaway; The Turn of the Key; One by One; The It Girl; and Zero Days. Visit her at RuthWare.com or follow her on Twitter @RuthWareWriter.

Reviews for The Turn of the Key

[deslivres5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Don't want to say too much to give things away, so will just list my impressions. Suspenseful, twisty, Gothic feel paired with technology horror. A bit of unreliable narrator vibe. Ending twists are pretty surprising/satisfying as well.

[kstadt929 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one was a wild ride! I really enjoyed the format (written as letters) and I could not put it down. I definitely was surprised in several places. I feel like I had some unanswered questions at the end of the book, but overall it was a fast paced adventure

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A twisty new thriller from Ware, this one is my favorite since her first book. It’s a modern-day retelling of The Turn of the Screw. Rowan is a nanny is hired to care for two young girls at a remote Scottish home. The house is completely automated leading to more confusion than convenience. There are many cheap scares, but it chilled me. It moves slowly at first, but the tension builds as Rowan loses sleep. She’s a classic unreliable narrator.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is another winner by the mistress of suspense - Ruth Ware. It's a combination of thriller, suspense, supernatural and it's gothic. It's well-written and keeps you guessing until the end. All the things a good thriller is supposed to do. All is certainly picture-perfect at Heatherbrae House in the beautiful Scottish highlands, but when Rowan Caine manages to land the perfect job as live-in nanny for what appears to be the perfect family and at a fabulous salary, she stumbles onto a house full of secrets, lies and maybe even ghosts. Rowan doesn't believe in ghosts, and is totally convinced that there is a human hand behind the unexplained happenings. But Rowan has secrets of her own, and ulterior motives which we don't learn about until near the end of the book. It turns out that Rowan is an unreliable narrator and it made me realize, like in most Ruth Ware books, that nothing is like it seems. The book, told in the form of a letter to a solicitor, kept my interest and kept me turning pages right up until the end. If I have a complaint about the book, it is the abrupt ending and that is why I gave it four stars instead of the five that I thought I would give it through most of the book. But I gladly recommend it to aficionados of great suspense writing. Ruth Ware certainly has the right stuff and the formula for writing gripping stories.

[smik_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rowan Cane is in jail writing a letter to a barrister pleading for him to represent her in her upcoming trial. Her letter to Mr Wrexham tells the story of how she came to be in HMP Charnworth awaiting trial for murder.So in a sense it is a case of how reliable Rowan is as a narrator. Is she telling us the whole truth? What don't we know about her?A truly fascinating read, with an almost Gothic feel about it. Rowan has been offered a very demanding job, very highly paid, but the last four nannies have all left. In addition, her employers leave almost straight away, leaving Rowan in a very high tech house, with three little girls who do not really like her. A very demanding job indeed even for a super nanny. And things begin to go wrong almost immediately.But the really staggering thing about this story is the incredible twist at the end, which won't make any sense unless you've absorbed the whole book.I've made it the top of my list for this year.If you haven't read anything by Ruth Ware, time to start. And then follow it up with others from my list below. 4.8, IN A DARK, DARK WOOD4.4, THE WOMAN IN CABIN 104.8, THE DEATH OF MRS WESTAWAY

[twink_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely love Ruth Ware's writing! I have been eagerly waiting for her newest - The Turn of the Key.The cover image makes me wonder what's on the other side of the door and the title itself hints at things hidden away. The premise builds on that initial impression.....Childcare worker Rowan is looking for a job change. When she sees an ad for a live in nanny for the Elincourt family, she applies - and to her surprise gets the job. One catch - she must start asap. Did I mention that Heatherbrae House is quite isolated out in the countryside? And that it is a 'smart' house - controlled by an app? A Gothic feel with a side of modern.We know that something has gone very, very wrong right from the beginning of the book. Rowan is writing a letter to a lawyer, explaining what happened and I was caught up in the tale immediately.Rowan is left in charge of the four daughters right away as Mr and Mrs Elincourt must travel to a convention for work. This was unexpected for Rowan. And the children do not seem to want her there. But is it just the children? The house seems to have a mind of its own as well.....Ruth Ware is a master at building the suspense. Everyday occurrences take on a malevolent air - items misplaced, unexplained drafts and noises and more. The tension grows and grows - and I found myself mentally shouting at Rowan to just leave the house. The movie equivalent of don't go in the basement applies to the attic in this case.Ware's description of the house made it easy to imagine the setting. Making the house a 'smart' house adds a layer and more questions to the story. I appreciated the many what if's and possibilities afforded by the isolation and the electronics - and the history of the house and previous nannies. Let alone the family - there are secrets in this house, and Rowan hints at one in her own as well.The ending provides a twist - one I hadn't thought of, but the finale wasn't the outcome I had imagined.I chose to listen to The Turn of the Key. Imogen Church was the reader and she was brilliant! Her interpretation of Rowan's fear, frustration and anger are so well done. Listening drew me into Rowan's state of mind and amplified the tension. The description of events was so creepy - I will never hear the word 'creak' again without hearing her voice. I simply couldn't stop listening. I've said it before and I'll say it again - listening immerses me in a book. And The Turn of the Key was a standout! Well done!

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rowan applies for what seemed like it should be her dream job but like the old adage' if it is too good to be true...' she quickly discovers that it isn't quite what she expected - it is in a remote area of Scotland; all past nannies, and there seem to have been many, quit after a very short period of time; there are rumours of ghosts; the children seem to take an immediate dislike to her; and the house is part old rundown Victorian replete with a poison garden and part modern 'smart' house. Still, the pay is amazing so she accepts when it is offered to her. Problems quickly arise with her attempts to navigate the 'smart' house and the fact that, almost immediately, the parents leave for a business trip - that and the odd sounds that interrupt her sleep every night. When one of the children dies, Rowan is the only suspect and is arrested. Damn, author Ruth Ware really knows how to ramp up the tension in her latest, The Turn of the Key. Like the house, the story is kind of a hybrid of psychological thriller and gothic novel. It is hard not to make comparisons to Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier and, of course, Henry James especally in the title but this is not a criticism - it is definitely more homage than copy. Like the house, the story is a kind of psychological thriller/ gothic hybrid and much like early gothic novels, it is written as an epistolary narrative - Rowan gives her version of events in a letter to a lawyer and there are reasons to suspect she is an unreliable narrator. We only learn what really happened in letters she receives while in prison. The book is full of twists and turns keeping the reader tied to the page. It is also creepy enough that said reader might want to put it down before dark. My only complaint and why I deducted half a star was the reveal near the end but it wasn't enough to interfere with my enjoyment of the book. A definite high recommendation for anyone who loves to be completely sucked into a thriller with strong touches of gothic.Thanks to Edelweiss+ and Gallery/Scout Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[bogopea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fabulous. Her best book ever. Unbelievable turn of events.

[marykuhl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rowan takes a job as a nanny at a secluded home in Scotland. The mother gives her full disclosure that previous nannies have left because the house is rumored to be haunted, although she hasn't seen any evidence of this herself. Rowan is left with an 18 month old, a 5 year old and a hostile 8 year old. The bulk of this story takes place over the course of a week. You don't know the true reason why Rowan has been arrested until about 30 pages till the end. This was one of those books where if I was reading it, I was wrapped up in it but if I got interrupted, I would walk away from it. It wasn't an "oh I can't wait to get back to it" kind of book. That being said, the last 100 or so pages, I couldn't wait to get back to. From a smart home in which things fail, footsteps in an attic, and a locked door in the nanny's bedroom, everything finally comes together.

[thewanderingjew_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Turn of the Key, Ruth Ware, author, Imogen Church, narratorThe novel reveals itself as a letter written by Rowan Caine to a prospective lawyer named Mr. Wrexham. Rowan had been a nanny and was now in prison, arrested for the murder of one of her charges, but she insisted that she was innocent. In the letter, she was attempting to explain her situation and hoping that once it was understood, the lawyer would choose to represent her. She had taken a position as caretaker for the children of Sandra and Bill Elincourt. The reader learns that her post was in a lovely, large home called Heatherbrae House which is rumored to be haunted. It is owned by two architects who had installed advanced technology everywhere in the house, including cameras which were unnerving and voice command control of lights and window coverings which often caused her great confusion. Apps on the phone and Ipad controlled many other features of the house. There were three children, girls aged 14, 8 and 5, Rhiannon, Maddie and Ellie, who did not seem that receptive to her, and they actually worked to obstruct her efforts at first, but she made a valiant effort to overcome their interference. The Elincourts were successful and their business required them to travel, leaving Rowan alone and completely responsible for the care of the children, although Mrs. Elincourt did leave extensive instructions for her. However, almost from the first day, the parents left on a business trip, and Rowan hoped she would be up to the task. She did not feel particularly well prepared to take on so much responsibility, but she made a very valiant effort, working hard to endear herself to the children. Still, there were many obstacles placed before her that were out of her control.In addition to Rowan, there was a housekeeper, Mrs. Jean McKenzie, who seemed put off by Rowan and a handyman/dogwalker/driver, Jack of all Trades who was actually named Jack Grant. Rowan and Jack bonded and became friends. He was a great help assisting her with the running of the household technology. When strange sounds and other odd events began to occur, Jack helped Rowan explore and solve the mysteries to take away the attention from theories of possible ghosts. Doors were found locked that had been left opened, windows were found open that had been closed, strange foot falls sounded on the ceiling, and there was even a secret door to an undiscovered attic, but mostly, all of these odd occurrences seemed to succumb to logical explanations. Rowan did not believe in spirits, even though she was sometimes afraid. She generally fought her fear and searched for logical explanations with Jack’s help or on her own. Because the children did not take to her easily, as nannies had come and gone with great frequency, she had to keep trying to strike up a successful relationship with the children in spite of the games they played to torment her. Often, the children hid from her and could not be found, There was a frightening poison garden on the property, left over from a former owner, and the house had a history of sadness which could not be erased. There really were disturbing and strange things happening in the house which caused her great concern. The author creates tension on every page, and it is hard to put the book down. As secrets are revealed it becomes more and more apparent that something odd is underfoot, but it is difficult to guess what is causing all of the mishaps occurring with greater and greater frequency and which culminate finally in the death of a child. The ending is a surprise that I was not prepared for, but it was also a bit unsettling and felt a bit inconclusive. The reader is pretty much in charge of discovering what finally happened. I recommend this book for its mystery and its engaging narrative which is totally absorbing! Imogen Church is a fantastic reader. Her accents and expression are spot on and enhance the novel. I was completely captured by it, and I listened to it in one day.

[fredreeca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rowan accepts a nanny position in a remote area of Scotland. When she arrives, she is completely taken in by the “smart” house, the beautiful scenery, the enormous salary and the seemingly perfect family. The smart house is completely CREEPY! No privacy whatsoever…among other things..and the “perfect family”….oh no! Not even close!This book is twisted! Between the completely wired, gothic house, the weird owners, the poison garden and other creepy issues, this story had me on the edge of my seat. Which is shocking…I usually don’t like this format. It is told in letters to a solicitor by the nanny. Oh, did I mention the nanny is sitting in jail accused of killing one of her charges? Well! She is!The only reason this book is not getting 5 stars is the ending. The end of this story does not fit the build up. It is rushed and completely unsatisfying. But, do not let that stop you! It is still a great read! You do not want to miss this sinister tale!

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gulp....this is a wonderful page turner but I must admit that the ending left me just a little...empty??? I haven't looked at other reviews just yet but I'm wondering if this is a common feeling. What really did happen in the end? Where IS....the main character? Okay....now I have checked out some of the earlier reviews and....there is a lot of agreement---I'm not alone!!

[cassiesbooksreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware is a Suspense Mystery Thriller that has scary and creepy plot twists to the very last pages. I have read every book Ruth Ware has written and enjoyed each one. In this book the characters are intriguing but all seem to have very disturbing personality traits and values. The smart house blended with a Victorian house was an interesting addition since both added to the creepiness of the story. I enjoyed this book except for the ending. There was no real resolution of what happened to the characters except for one person. To the very last pages I would have given this book 5 Stars but because of what I felt was an unresolved ending I will give it 4 Stars.

[toobusyreading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This ended up being a pretty good ghost story and mystery. However, as I listened to the audio version, I almost gave up shortly after starting. The narrator's voice was too hysterical, too strident for me. Fortunately, that toned down a bit, but throughout the book, she was given to extend the creak, creak, creaks of the story into very drawn out “creeeeeeaks” in a supposedly ghostly voice, That became annoying.This story started as an epistolary story, with a prisoner, a nanny, writing a jurist, hoping for legal help. Then it would go into a long part of the story, traditionally told. Then back to the letter. I don't know if the print editions show some sort of different between the letters and the rest of the narrative, but in the audio, there was no delineation, so the flow was awkward.The prisoner is in prison because of the death of a child under her care, but we don't know any details until almost the end of the book. The half-Victorian, half modern house was a ridiculously “smart” house, everything control my panels and apps. And there was no one to help, no parent, except for a handyman and a sternly disapproving part-time housekeeper. And very creepy things happened.It was an interesting story, and in the end, the reader learns about the death of the child, what happened. Still, when I finished, I thought, “yeah, but what about...?” It took just a little bit of reflection for me to answer that, and there was no longer any mystery. It's a good story if you can bear to read about the death of a child, but I'd suggest reading it rather than listening. To my ears, the narration was a distraction rather than adding to the story.

[tina1969_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rowan has gained employment as a live in nanny to the Elincourt children. The position is at Heatherbrae House in Scotland, a Victorian old house with smart technology. Rowan at this point doesn't realise she has made a terrible mistake and something bad is about to happen.I have read all of Ruth Ware's books and have enjoyed them all, with this one being no exception. The story has a gothic feel to it but with a modern setting. I can see why some readers have compared this story to The Turn of the Shrew, what with the house, the nanny and the ghostly feel. For me I didn't quite get that ghostly feeling and got from the story more of a mystery / thriller vibe.The story was interesting and did have me invested. It was a little bit slow but the narrator Rowan needed to tell her tale from the beginning. The last part did pick up more when the truth came out. The first and second twist I didn't see coming but the very end I felt was predictable.This book for me was an enjoyable read by an author who I read more by in the future. The story for me was a solid twisty thriller with plenty to keep reading until the end. Not quite a ghost story for me but it certainly had a few creepy moments.

[amysan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my favorite Ruth Ware book so far! I really loved the whole gothic/haunted house feel and I didn't figure out what was going on until the end. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery/Scott Press for allowing me to read this early in return for an honest review.

[eadieb-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I would like to thank NetGalley and Gallery/Scott Press for a free copy for an honest review.Rowan Caine applies for a live-in nanny post at Heatherbrae House in the Scottish Highlands. She is now writing to her lawyer in prison as the nanny position turned into a nightmare. I have read all of Ruth Ware's books but I think this one is the best so far. I read it in one sitting as I found it unputdownable. The characters are very believable and the plot is ghostly and unsettling. The surprise ending left me speechless. I find Ruth Ware to be an excellent storyteller and the book was well-written. I look forward to reading her next book and I would highly recommend this book to those who love suspenseful mystery thrillers.

[vanessacw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

And another fabulous read via the Pigeonhole app! I was on tenterhooks every day waiting for for each stave. I’ve only read one other book by Ruth Ware and I can honestly say neither have disappointed me. Rowan Caine sees an advert for a nanny looking after four children in Scotland, in a house with all the gadgets and hi-tech you could ask for. The terms of employment are excellent, so much so they seem too good to be true and in this case they certainly are as a child is found dead and Rowan finds herself on trial for murder.This is such a creepy and spine chilling read! There are nods to Henry James and Daphne du Maurier as the tension and sense of foreboding build up. It certainly had me on the edge of my seat at times. It’s beautifully and atmospherically written. I loved the setting, it worked so well within the confines of this story. The descriptions of the Scottish mountains and countryside are vividly depicted. And I loved how I was never quite sure what the characters were going to come across as they walked around the grounds of this very strange house!I think this book would suit those who enjoy a story full of mystery and suspense with a ghostly element and a hint of gothic. Superb and eerie stuff!

[mookie86 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thank you to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for the advanced readers’ copy.4.5 StarsRowan feels like the luckiest nanny and to land the perfect job in Scotland. She is employed by an architectural couple living in a “smart” house who grant her a lucrative position. Or is it too good to be true? Very enjoyable all around – good characters, great setting, fast-paced plot without being overdone, and the letter format was a nice change. Ruth Ware keeps you guessing all along and the possible answers seem to be coming from all angles right up to the end. Ware delivers again - looking forward to the next one!

[carmenere_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

TBH I requested this book from NetGalley with both trepidation and hope. I had read Ware's bestselling hit, The Woman in Cabin 10, a couple of years ago and was surely in the minority when I panned it as just another unreliable narrator novel but I wasn't ready to give up on this author just yet. I'm so glad I didn't!The Turn of the Key is an atmospheric gem, a Gothic tale with modern day nuances. Among the questionable characters are a creepy old house equipped with modern "smart" technology, a new nanny, absent parents, a sexy handyman, an odd housekeeper and four sisters of various ages and abilities. The structure of the novel is that of a letter written by the nanny, Rowan, from a Scottish prison to her prospective solicitor. She's accused of a murder she says she did not commit and proceeds to tell the solicitor, a Mr. Wrexham, exactly what happened during her short but highly volatile tenure as nanny to the Elincourt children.Everyone is suspicious in there own way and the house itself has a tragic past which adds a touch of the supernatural to the story and makes the tale a spine tingling page turner. The conclusion is well thought out and strikingly sad in an understated way.Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this selection prior to publication which will be released on August 6, 2019.

[girlwellread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A special thank you to Edelweiss, NetGalley, Gallery/Scout Press, and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.Rowan Caine is writing her lawyer from prison. She has been charged with the murder of a child in her care.After answering an ad for a nanny with an extremely generous salary, Rowan arrives at Heatherbrae House set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. She is instantly captivated by the "smart" house—that mixes the old charm with new modern conveniences—and by the Instagram-worthy family.What Rowan doesn't know is that everything on the surface is a complete facade and that she's actually stepping into a nightmare. There's constant surveillance from cameras that appear to be in every room, noises coming from the attic, a poisonous garden, and the children are certainly not the well-behaved girls that were at her interview. Rowan has also been mislead in that she's been left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the mysterious handyman, Jack Grant. While maintaining her innocence for the crime of murder, she is forthcoming about the other mistakes she's made. She's admitted to lying to get the job and that she's not a good nanny, but she is most definitely not a murderer. So this begs the question, who is?Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway was a Gothic gem and I was expecting more of that from this book. In this novel there is also a creepy Gothic Victorian. In fact, the house is not only the setting, but ends up being more of a character in the book. Other effective ominous elements were the poisonous garden, footstep noises, and the locked closet—these types of macabre nuances are where Ware excels in her execution.The characters were intriguing, even the secondary and tertiary. From the opening, you can tell there is something not quite right where Rowan is concerned. Given that she's supposed to be a nanny, Rowan appears to be out of her element. I do however feel that Ware could have fleshed out the husband and wife more. I mean what kind of parents leave their three little girls—soon to be four when Rhiannon arrives home from boarding school—with a virtual stranger?I loved that this was an epistolary novel. The letters were the perfect vehicle to deliver the story. Where the plot stalled was with the ending, especially given the extensive build up. This was a bit of a disappointment given that the narrative was a slow burn—with the pages and pages of the day-to-day childcare and feeding which got a bit mundane after a while—and the reader was not fully rewarded for their patience.

[maggie1961-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you want a scary novel with tones of gothic and supernatural that makes you want to put the covers over your head, this is it. It definitely has the creepy factor and I guarantee you when reading it at night, you will hear every creak and noise around you. Rowan works for “Little Nippers” a day care centre but one day, leafing through the paper, she happens upon an ad that sounds fantastic. Too good to be true maybe. A live in nanny job for three young girls in a large house in the middle of nowhere with great pay. A house from the past that has been redone with every modern convenience. After a successful interview, Rowan finds herself at Heatherbrae House. A house of your nightmares with the tragic past glossed over with a complete renovation. Rowan barely has time to unpack before her employers Sandra and Bill leave for a lengthy business trip. She’s left alone with three young girls she doesn’t know, in a house where everything is operated by voice, phones and tablets way out in the middle of nowhere. But she can handle this, right? It’s just children, it’s what she has trained to do. But this job is a little much for her. She’s isolated. She is on duty 24/7 with children that don’t even know her (and for that matter, what parents leave their children for days with a complete stranger?) and has daily struggles with their sometimes hostile behaviour. She’s in a house she has no clue how to operate and everyday things in the household are a mystery and frustrating. The property is huge and the house comes completely with things that go bump in the night. And what’s with that garden? And why have there been so many nannies before her?Ruth Ware mesmerized me with my first read of her with “In a Dark Dark Wood” which I read in a small cottage, pretty much in a dark dark wood and like that one, this one is so visual; I could picture it all. I got the creeps as she did. And I couldn’t stop reading. Turn of the Key” is Rowan’s story, written in the form of a letter from prison to a lawyer in explanation of events that occurred and hoping he will take her case. As a character, I couldn’t help but be endeared to her. She makes mistakes like we all do and she’s in an unfair situation out of her element. As always when I read a novel like this, my mind is racing for possibilities and explanations and trying to figure it all out before I got there. I was so far off. I love a book that can surprise me and isn’t predictable and this one has twists that I never saw coming. And I have to admit, a little piece of my heart broke at the end. My favourite genre now is the so popular now psychological thrillers and this was a bit of that with a twist. I can’t wait to see what Ruth Ware comes up with next. Thank you to the author, publishers and net galley for allowing me the privilege to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[srqlover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

UGH! So didnt like the ending...wanted more....like so much more lol.....

[kalliegrace · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good atmosphere, promising premise, but pretty anticlimactic and the characters were insufferable so frequently it was painful. I didn't like the format of it being a letter to her lawyer either, no way was that 300 page book a letter.

[thegalaxygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Liked this overall, thought it was much better than The Girl in Cabin 10. I did find the ending a bit unbelievable, and the plot twists actually seemed unnecessary, actually taking away from the slow-burning suspense of the story. Would have been nice to have the same level of psychological uncertainty that The Turn of the Screw has, but this book is overall a pretty enjoyable read.

[formerenglishteacher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my first Ruth Ware book, but it won’t be my last. A real page turner with a clever but not convoluted plot. Enough surprises at the end to make it really entertaining. The book is also very well written. I highly recommend it.

[jaleesa_rbtbc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This has to be my favorite Ruth Ware book so far. :-)

[Jaclyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such an amazing book! Lots of twists and turns with the story line. I loved it

[baochuan-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are a lot of mixed review on Amazon regarding this book, however, I think the characters in the book are similar to her previous books. Far from perfect and a bit annoying at times with secret which builds up the strength of the plot.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Twisty thriller about a nanny who is in prison for murdering a girl, but she swears her innocence. The book then backtracks to her time as a nanny for a family living in a smart house. The nanny has secrets, but so do others in the book. The ending is a bit of a shock.I thought this was a well-crafted twisty novel. The suspense level was pretty high, and the culprit and their motive could have been just about anyone. TheTurnoftheKey #RuthWare