The Turn of the Key, A Review

Her dream job will become her worst nightmare.

Over the last year or so I have become such a massive fan of Ruth Ware and her books and I now eagerly await her new releases. Regarding Ware’s latest novel The Turn of the Key I actually hadn’t read up much on the plot- knowing only that it was about a nanny who is accused of murdering one of the children she is looking after. Basically, I was going in more or less blind, but I have enjoyed all of Ware’s books so far and had no doubt that I would also love this one too.

The Turn of the Key follows Rowan, a nanny/nursery worker who comes across the job oppurtunity of a lifetime- a live in nanny position for a rich couple in rural Scotland, paying over £50,000 per year. Rowan can’t believe her luck when she is invited to an interview, nevermind when she gets the job. A live position in a fancy house seems worlds away from her work in the nursery room. However Rowan soon learns that nothing is perfect and that her new job may be too good to be true.

Rowan starts hearing footsteps in the middle of the night and becomes convinced that there is someone living above her– especially since she has a mysterious locked door in her room. As well as a possible mystery guest the high tech house starts to malfunction and the girls she is looking after begin talking of a mysterious girl who roams the halls. Is Rowan’s paranoia simply an old ghost tale or is something much darker going on?

Once again Ruth Ware has proved that she is the master of crime fiction and suspense. Whenever I start one of Ware’s new books I always end up reading it in pretty much one sitting because I just have to know what the hell is going on. Ware manages to create such suspense and intriuge in her books and each and every one of her books have been such page turners so far.

The Turn of the Key has a slightly different layout from Ware’s previous works, with it all being in the form of a letter. Throughout the book Rowan writes to a lawyer from prison, having been arrested for murder. In her letters she retells her expriences and how she came to be arrested. Knowing this from the start made me even more eager to find out what had really happened to Rowan and how she ended up where she was. All of Ware’s books have each had something that give hints to the end of the book and encourages readers to keep reading- The Woman in Cabin 10 had news reports, The Death of Mrs Westaway used diary entries and both In a Dark Dark Wood and The Lying Game used flashbacks/forwards. I love this particular aspect of her books because it often gives further insight into the characters and drops several clues for what is to come or even the identity of the murderer.

Another impressive aspect of The Turn of the Key was its setting- perhaps taking a leaf out of The Girl Before’s book, Ware sets her main mystery in a high tech- smart house. In the house Rowan finds she can use cameras, panels and an app to control almost every aspect of the house- making her nannying job easier but also unerving her due to the fact she knows she is being watched. The isolated factor of the house also means that when things start to go wrong it can only be somebody inside the house who is doing them- meaning Rowan really can’t trust anybody.

Regarding the ending of the book, I don’t want to give too much away, but I was left feeling like there was so much I still didn’t know. Whilst it wasn’t rushed per say I’m still not 100% sure what actually happened and think I would of liked a bit more confirmation.

On another small note I wasn’t a massive fan of the book’s cover art. Whilst this is nothing to do with the actual quality of writing- with was amazing as always- Ware’s previous books have had such beautiful covers whereas The Turn of the Key’s felt a bit boring.

On the whole though The Turn of the Key was another fantastic mystery/thriller by Ware- it may not be my favourite (I think first place would go to The Woman in Cabin 10) I still love her work and completely devoured it in one sitting- I couldn’t and wouldn’t put it down.