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Turn of the Key, The

Ware, Ruth

  30 Reviews

The Elincourt family and Heatherbrae House, a beautiful mansion in the Scottish Highlands, have not lived up to expectations for Rowan Cain and her four predecessors. The live-in nanny job with Bill, Sandra and their daughters should be as amazing as it initially appears, but that is before reality sinks in: Rowan is under constant surveillance, the children are less-than-angelic, the parents are AWOL more often than not, and the 'smart' house isn't so smart after all.

Writing to a prospective lawyer from her prison cell, Rowan recounts her experiences with the family that led to her being accused of a murder she claims she didn't commit.

With a nod to the Henry James classic, The Turn of the Screw, this is a hard-to-put-down haunted house thriller, delightfully atmospheric and bristling with menace.

Pages
340
Year
2019

Reviews

NEWP 013
22-01-2024
There were some interesting twists in the story, but it was overwhelmingly miserable and uptight with little contrast in the mood. No one felt inspired to read more books by the same author.
HAMIL 003
13-11-2023
Excellent "who-dunnit" enjoyed by all.
CHCH 523
02-11-2023
Generally well received by all members although most thought the characters were all quite unlikeable and they engendered no sympathy.
TAUR 035
24-07-2023
We all enjoyed this book though most thought it a bit far-fetched, and that meant it wasn't quite as scary as it might have been.
TAUR 005
22-05-2023
In the end we all finished this novel, but most of us would not recommend the book to others. The ending made sense of the novel, but there was no pleasure in the reading for most of us. 2 members really enjoyed the book.
MARLB 001
22-05-2023
We found this a real page turner - very spooky and with an ending that no one predicted. Really enjoyed by all the group.
AMBER 006
10-05-2023
Most of us thoroughly enjoyed this book and we found it an interesting way to tell a story, it was gripping and a little spooky.. The ending seemed a bit rushed and unsatisfactory as outcome unknown. Smart house intriguing and amusing. Some thought the culprit was not credible.
CHCH 527
03-03-2023
Most of our group did not finish this book ..plot was contrived and the few who did finish the book felt the characters were implausible - fortunately, we had other good books to get by on .
CHCH 423
10-01-2023
This book was a polarizer in a few ways. Some people thought the plot contrived and the characters implausible, others found it scary and the technological aspects difficult to conceptualise. One person loved the book!
LEITH 001
15-12-2022
We had such a great discussion.
CHCH 240
05-12-2022
Our group mostly enjoyed this book. There were a few questions raised as to the end - what happened to her This was left to our individual imaginations. Very cleverly written, as in a letter to her Solicitor - but did he listen to her
MATAM 004
17-11-2022
Mixed opinions - some found it a bit 'creepy'. Others enjoyed the suspense, twists and turns.
NELS 065
05-10-2022
Our group was divided over this book. The people that were kept guessing until the end loved it, the few that worked out the ending early on, were disappointed. Ranged from "cliffhanger" to "very predictable".
PAIHIA 003
03-10-2022
Everyone enjoyed the book - particularly the way the clues were 'drip fed' during the narrative. Some didn't find the ending very satisfactory but it added to the mystery.
WAIUK 003
15-08-2022
A new genre for the group. Created a long discussion. Two members eager to read more novels by this author. Lots of twists and turns, and a surprise finish to the book.
FERN 001
08-08-2022
We were drawn into this story with the clever plot, but found it to be too contrived, somewhat unrealistic, and left too many unanswered questions. A light aeroplane read.
WHITBY 003
15-06-2022
The book is a compelling read, a light escape into a spooky unknown. The storyline feels contrived especially towards the rapid finish, but easily forgivable for the fun of the journey.
TAUR 055
09-03-2022
This book caused quite a stir. Some absolutely loved it, and others did not at all. Luckily the person who chose it loved it. A fantastic suspense story.
HAMIL 034
19-11-2021
Most enjoyed the book - very different style. Suspense builds up with a surprising twist at the end.
TIMAR 007
19-11-2021
The author slowly churned up the tension, making us creep around - page after page-turning page. Yes, to a well paced, well-written Gothic story, but the plot wasn't appreciated or convincing,
MARTO 001
21-05-2021
Most read the book - a bit of a mixed reaction. Not the best read - a holiday read.
NELS 015
21-05-2021
This was not a particularly popular book; while we thought it was well-written, it was quite far-fetched in places and not believable. We felt there were some scenes that didn't add up, however we did have a good discussion especially about artificial intelligence and the rather creepy 'smart house' in the book.
AUCK 143
21-05-2021
Only about half the group finished the book, but there was a long and lively discussion about it.
AUCK 015
21-05-2021
An easy compelling read, enjoyed by everyone in our group. Ware built up the tension throughout the story masterfully, with several twists and turns, and possibly false leads, for the reader who was predicting the storyline. An excellent, modern thriller.
CHCH 312
21-05-2021
Everyone read this book - an interesting read that kept you going to the end. Also an interesting mix of characters, location and technology, combining in a 'thriller' type story.
CHCH 257
21-05-2021
Some did not enjoy this dark thriller but all appreciated the author's ability to write a complex, confusing and frightening story about fear. Lots of discussion about complex characters and computer technology ie."smart house".
CROMW 003
21-05-2021
Everyone finished or wanted to read all the story. Thought there were a lot of gaps in the storyline, but feasible. Technology brilliant. Lots of very good discussion from the given questions.
ASHB 016
20-05-2021
We all liked this story. A couple thought it was a bit slow but the ending was great. A couple found it quite scary, especially as they mostly read at night. Had a great twist at the end, that none of us saw coming. Most found it creepy how there were cameras in most rooms and they could phone and start talking with no indication - created a lot of discussion about technology and how the world is changing. Accepted that this is more likely to become normal although we were all a little freaked out by it. Great story and easy to read with plenty of twists.
GISB 012
22-03-2021
A light, easy read more akin to a Sunday Theatre television programme. Our group didn't rate it highly and would not recommend it to others.
TAUR 004
22-03-2021
Twists and turns in the last few chapters. A good light holiday read. The first half of the book was a bit drawn out. Most members enjoyed it. One hated it!