The Turn of the Key
By Ruth Ware
Gallery/Scout Press, 9781501188770, August 2019, 352pp.
The Short of It:
I needed a book that I could not put down and this was it.
The Rest of It:
Nanny stories are quite popular. Add a supernatural element, difficult kids, weird parents and a big, spooky house and you have a winner. Now add technology. I mean, cameras, apps, smart refrigerators and TVs and you up the creep factor by 100%.
Rowan finds the nanny position of a lifetime. A high-paying, live-in gig that will take her to the beautiful Scottish moors. The house is unique. An old Victorian in the front, but the back half of the house is all gleaming and new, outfitted with the latest technology. At first, Rowan is impressed by this. Sandra and Bill, architects by trade, restored what they could but re-imagined the rest but all of its gadgetry proves to be a bit much for Rowan when she is immediately tasked with watching the children for ten days while the parents are at a business conference.
Did I mention that the last four nannies all left within a two-year period? Or that the house has a history of death and violence? Or that some in the town believe it to be haunted?
This was such a fun book to read. I was completely immersed and could not turn those pages fast enough. It’s sufficiently creepy and keeps you guessing with all its plot twists. The ending felt a tad rushed but overall, I really enjoyed this one and found it to be really entertaining and fun. I read it in one day. A work day, which should tell you something.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
Wow… that does sound unputdownable!
I’ve been finishing books in one day. Unheard of because they are all work days, even! But books like this one make it easy because you cannot stop once you start.
You’ve made me want to grab this one up soon!
It definitely falls into that category of books that just makes you enjoy reading. A fun book to curl up with and it doesn’t take any time to read.
Sounds like a definite page turner
I’m a huge fan of Ruth Ware and always enjoy her books. I really liked this one and remember cheering when I received an ARC of it 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it, too. I knew you would – its just fun and easy to get caught up in with some great bits of creepy twists.
The only other book I’ve read of her is The Woman in Cabin 10 which I thought was rather silly. I’m glad this one was good though because now I will read her others.
I agree that this one is a page turner and, even as a tech geek, I was a bit freaked out by their house.
BECAUSE we are tech geeks we know the damage such data can have if used improperly. We added cameras at work, strictly for security reasons and our union stepped in to clarify that the footage cannot be used to track an employee’s business during the day but initially, everyone was a little miffed. I don’t have a camera right over me but some people do.
A camera right over me at work would feel weird. In the UK there are CCTV cameras everywhere and they don’t question it (and neither do I when I am there). I think they also are quicker to catch criminals since they have so many cameras
I liked this one and was seriously disturbed by all the tech stuff. Of course, I’m married to a tech guy and so get the scoop on what might happen, etc. Anyway, I’ve enjoyed all of Ruth Ware’s books. I might have liked the first one best, but she definitely writes a good spooky book.
I am in tech too so it seriously creeped me out because I, too, know what can be done with information. It was a good, fun read. Lots of quick Kindle page flips and me ignoring my responsibilities to read it.
This was a quick read for me as well; I liked it a lot!
Quick, compelling reads seem to be working for me so far.
This one sounds like eery fun and I need to try out Ruth Ware once and for all. I’ll look for it.
Oh! So you haven’t read Ware at all? I read her Woman in Cabin 10 and thought it was silly. Super silly at the end but this one was so good. She has a few others that have been well received too. Just a fun, page turner and a little big of spookiness. DO give her a whirl.
I found this one entertaining as well, although I think you liked it a tad more than I did. I don’t think I would like living in a smart house. I do like the idea of a poison garden, however . . .
I think “smart house” and all that comes to mind are buckets of money being spent to maintain such a house. Plus, the creep factor. I was backstage for the show. My phone was silent, volume turned all the way down just in case and the stage manager asked a question and Google answered in THE loudest voice! It freaked me out! It is always listening.
I’ve been waiting and waiting for this on audio. The other day when I was at the library, I saw a copy sitting on the shelves. So I grabbed that and am so looking forward to digging into it this week!
You will enjoy it.