Title: THE TURN OF THE KEY
Expected publication: 6 August 2019 - available to pre-order now!
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2
Book Description:
When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something
else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in
nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine
arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home
fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands,
and by this picture-perfect family.
What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.
What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.
My musings:
I actually squealed in delight when I received an ARC of
Ruth Ware’s latest book, THE TURN OF THE KEY! I have loved her books right from
the very first start, and as she is including more and more creepy Gothic
elements into her books, I am finding myself happily ensnared in my favourite
settings. This time, the novel takes us to a stately old mansion with a dark
past, but with a twist: the house has been renovated to include the latest
“smart” technology, which turns out to be more sinister than any old haunting
could ever achieve on its own. I have only ever read something similar once
before, in J.P. Delaney’s THE GIRL BEFORE, which I also loved. In fact, Ware
blends quite a few classical elements together to form a completely unique and
captivating story: an old creepy mansion with a mysterious past, a nanny who
may not be as she seems, a child who is just a little bit “off”, some noises in
the night and some supernatural elements that add that special spook factor I
so enjoy in mysteries. For me, the blend worked perfectly to make for an
addictive read I devoured in one big read-a-thon that saw me sitting up very
late at night to finish.
Our main character is Rowan, who has accepted a position as
nanny in a stately old refurbished country mansion. The job pays well,
allegedly making up for the isolated location of the house and to compel this
latest nanny to stay the distance after a few nannies have come and gone in
quick succession. Rowan, who thinks herself immune to any old haunting the
house could possibly throw at her, or any bad behaviour a child could serve up,
is determined to last the distance and cash in on this opportunity. And whilst
Rowan is not the most likeable character, and never denies that her motivation
is not in the least altruistic, she is really served up a raw deal when she is
left alone to look after the children on the very first day whilst both parents
traipse off for a week on a work trip. I have worked as a nanny, and I can tell
you that no matter what sort of a saint you may be, those children will test
the waters and see how far they can push the boundaries. Not to speak of the
resentment of being left with a virtual stranger who is taking over the
household. No, even with all the money and promises, I did not envy Rowan her job!
Another unique element here is the style in which the story
is written. It takes the form of Rowan’s desperate “letter” (a novel length one
at that) to her lawyer, begging him to listen to her side of the story as she
is waiting in a jail cell for her trial for murder. We know very early on that
a child has died and Rowan is the main suspect. But what happened? Is she
guilty? Don’t worry, it will become clear soon enough, and the journey to the
answer is totally worthwhile!
As said before, I loved the Gothic elements and the spooky
atmosphere of Heatherbrae House, which got my heart racing and made me jump
every time a branch brushed the side of the house in the wind whilst I snuggled
up under the covers reading. Remote, isolated location – tick! Spooky old
mansion – tick! Unreliable narrator – tick! Slight supernatural elements that
give it some extra creep factor – tick! It’s all there for the taking, which
makes this one of my favourite reads by the author yet – although I think I
said that with the last few books as well. Ware is a masterful creator of the
perfect setting for a spooky mystery: be it a boat, an old beach house, and
English manor house or a house in a dark wood. A few paragraphs, and she has
teleported me right into the story, which makes her one of my favourite authors
today. I recommend that you read it and judge for yourself!
I read this as a buddy read with the fabulous Traveling
Sisters Group and it made for a stimulating discussion as we were trying to work
out all the answers along the way.
Thank
you to Edelweiss and Scout Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and
for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Other books by the author (click on the cover for more info):
If you like the house as a character, you may also enjoy:
The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney 
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