Rowan Caine wasn't really looking for a new job when she stumbled across the ad, but the offer seemed too good to be true. A great gig as a nanny for a wealthy family in the Scottish Highlands. She was even a little surprised that she got the job. When she arrives at Heatherbrae she finds three young girls, a high energy mother, an absent father, and a home where technology controls everything. What she didn't expect was for Sandra and Bill to take off the day after she gets there, leaving her alone with the three girls, the creepy house, and the handsome Jack Grant. It doesn't take long for Rowan to start to question her decision. The housekeeper is rude and treats Rowan like dirt. Maddie is a difficult child and makes her life miserable. And then there are the noises coming from the attic above her room. Scary, creepy noises that keep Rowan from getting the sleep needed in order to deal with three young girls. And then the oldest daughter, Rhiannon, comes home from boarding school ready to reveal all of Rowan's secrets. Will Rowan survive her time at Heatherbrae?
From the very first page of The Turn of the Key the reader knows that Rowan is writing a letter from jail. You know that she has been arrested for murder and she is pleading for a lawyer to take her case. In her letter, she explains what happened. And it takes the entire book. I was really intrigued by the "smart" technology of Heatherbrae. We are an "Alexa" family and have a lot of reliance on smart technology. Not as much as Heatherbrae, but enough for me to recognize similarities. I also loved that it was set in the area of Scotland where I have been. However, as an adult, there were a few red flags that started flying with Rowan's behavior. It seemed like she had a bit of a temper. And even came close to striking one of the girls. I couldn't figure out why someone with such a short fuse was in a profession that works with children. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS. I was really shocked by the first big reveal. The ending was less shocking than that first reveal. But the way it ended really tied up the loose ends.
Bottom Line - I really did enjoy The Turn of the Key. Ruth Ware's mix of Gothic and technology really gave the book a unique feel and created an engaging read.
Details:
- The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
- On Instagram
- Pages: 352
- Publisher: Galley/Scout Press
- Publication Date: 8/6/2019
- Buy it Here!
- Thank you, NetGalley for the book in exchange for a review.
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The ending didn't really work that well. The main problem is that a falling girl should have screamed and instinctively used her arms to protect her head. At one and a half floors, that should have saved her life, but she didn't do it. Therefore, Ellie didn't kill her sister because her sister was unconscious when she fell and there's no way Ellie's push would have done that. Maddie must have slipped by the attic window and knocked her head against the ledge (the police would have examined the second floor window but not the attic window). This would have left a blood stain but nobody checked for that. By the way, Maddie being unconscious would have damned Rachel to conviction.
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