Release Date: August 6th 2019
Publisher: Vintage
Pages: 343
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I was gifted a copy of this at Christmas
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis
When she stumbles across the advert, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss: a live-in nanny position, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan 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 her in a cell awaiting trial for murder.
She knows she’s made mistakes. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty – at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.
Full of spellbinding menace, The Turn of the Key is a gripping modern-day haunted house thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.
Review
Ruth Ware is an author I’ve always wanted to read but hadn’t gotten around to picking up. The Turn of the Key caught my eye because it sounded so creepy and I had heard so many people raving about it. I ended up completely devouring this chilling book and I am definitely going to be picking up more from Ruth Ware.
The story follows a young woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote home in the Scottish Highlands. Her employers are architects and their home is a smart home, with all aspects of life made easier by technology. The job seems perfect – intuitive home, beautiful location and an excellent salary. But when Rowan finds out that a string of nannies have left the role very suddenly, suspicions begin to be raised and Rowan quickly finds herself in the midst of a nightmare.
I loved everything about this book. It starts off with Rowan in the present day, recounting her story. Right from that very first chapter I was absolutely hooked and I got completely sucked into this story. Rowan was a brilliant protagonist and I was glued to the story that was unfolding. She makes for the perfect unreliable narrator and I was always questioning what was going on around her. The characters in this story are well created and fleshed out. The story is well paced, with the story becoming more and more fast paced as the tension continues to climb.
The Turn of the Key is full of twists and turns and had more than a few surprises that I didn’t see coming. It has a really brilliant sense of atmosphere, there were so many moments that sent a shiver up my spine. If you’re looking for one of those Gothic reads that will have you reading way past bedtime then this is definitely one to pick up. This has made me eager to try more from Ruth Ware and I can’t wait to check out some of her other books.
I loved the Artemis Fowl series growing up so when I heard that Eoin Colfer was releasing an adult fantasy novel about a vodka drinking dragon I was desperate to get my hands on it. This action packed tale is full of hi-jinx and humour and is without a doubt one of the most unique tales I’ve read in a long time.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the recently released prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy. In this story we follow Coriolanus Snow, who grows up to become the infamous President Snow in the original books. We follow Snow as he becomes a mentor in the games to the District 12 tribute, where he must use all his wits and smarts to keep his tribute alive and win the competition.
David Jackson has taken my worst nightmare and brought it to life. Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run and he seeks refuge in an abandoned house. While hiding out he discovers that he can access the attic of the neighbouring houses and so decides to have some fun with his latest victims.
The Cry of the Lake follows the story of Lily and her best friend Flo. When a girl from their school is murdered, Flo’s father is accused of killing her. Lily is hiding a number of secrets about her past and wracked with guilt over the murder, Lily knows she has to make things right, but can she face the truth before the real killer strikes again?
The Deck of Omens is the concluding book in The Devouring Gray duology. I absolutely loved book one so I was really excited to pick up book two. The Deck of Omens picks up just after the events of The Devouring Gray and this sequel is just as dark and gripping as book one.
Hinton Hollow Death Trap is the third instalment in Will Carver’s Detective Sargent Pace series. In this instalment Pace is returning to his childhood home of Hinton Hollow, but all is not as it seems. Narrated by Evil himself, the story follows the townspeople as they are gently nudged by evil to show their true selves – encouraged to steal, to cheat and even to kill.
If I Had Your Face is the dark and gripping tale of four women living in contemporary Seoul. In this society looking beautiful is the most important thing, and plastic surgery is commonplace. K-Pop stars are more than just celebrities, they are an obsession. Social hierarchies rule all and these four women must do everything they can to survive in this ruthless society.
The Dark That Dwells is the kind of book that hooks you from the very first chapter. The story follows four different characters – a ranger, a warrior, a tyrant and an arcanist as their lives become intertwined and they must fight for survival. It’s a brilliant mix of science fiction and fantasy and I loved every single minute of it.
Aurora Rising was one of my favourite books of 2019 so this second instalment in the series was highly anticipated. I was concerned that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations because I loved book one so much, but it was even more addictive than I thought it was going to be. Aurora Burning definitely lives up to the hype and I’m dying to get my hands on book three.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 