Ware writes with perfect pacing, opening with a complete mystery, feeding us nuggets of clues throughout to keep us reading and guessing until the very last page. Rowan is in it for the long haul, never imagining impending tragedy that unfolds. At this point you will find yourself shouting at Rowan to turn tail and run for her life… She doesn’t. When Rowan arrives at Heatherbrae House and is introduced to the Elincourts, shady happenings begin to occur, she hears of past nannies leaving under suspicious circumstances, subjected to sleazy advances from Mr Elincourt, tantrums from the children, and the smart-house system begins randomly locking doors, playing music and turning on lights leading Rowan to question whether the house is haunted. Unlike other haunted house horrors, the terror comes not from the traditionally creepy gothic half but emanates from the Orwellian, Big Brother-esque vibes we get from Heatherbrae House’s futuristic smart-home surveillance system. The house in question is an amalgamation of a Victorian manner with ultra-modern features and technology including cameras, control pads, and remote access.

Rowan writes a series of letters to a lawyer, slowly informing the reader of the unfolding mystery that took place inside Heatherbrae House.

We tune into the story in progress with Rowan imprisoned for the murder one for the children despite her claims of innocence. With a huge salary, a seemingly perfect family, and endless perks, the position almost seems too good to be true… Ware gives the form a terrifying contemporary overhaul.Įveryone has a secret: new nanny Rowan Caine, her employers The Elincourts, their children, the interesting but suspicious handyman Jack Grant, and even Heatherbrae House itself! Rowan’s life changes completely when she comes across the advert for a live-in nanny in a remote house in Scotland looking after four girls: a baby, five year old Ellie, Maddie who is slightly older, and a fourteen year old wild-child. If you thought you knew all about the haunted house genre, think again.

Ware writes a modern retelling of the Henry James classic haunted house, ghost story with her own modern twist.

The Turn of the what? You would be totally right in connecting The Turn Of The Key with the cult classic novel, The Turn of The Screw. If you are a total horror/crime/thriller junkie, like myself, this title might sound just a little bit familiar.

Turn of the key ruth ware