The Turn of the Key

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"A superb suspense writer...Brava, Ruth Ware. I daresay even Henry James would be impressed." --Maureen Corrigan, author of So We Read On

"This appropriately twisty Turn of the Screw update finds the Woman in Cabin 10 author in her most menacing mode, unfurling a shocking saga of murder and deception." --Entertainment Weekly

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lying Game and The Death of Mrs. Westaway comes this thrilling novel that explores the dark side of technology.

When she stumbles across the ad, she's looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss--a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine 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 herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the events that led to her incarceration. It wasn't just the constant surveillance from the home's cameras, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn't just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn't even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman.

It was everything.

She knows she's made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn't always ideal. She's not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she's not guilty--at least not of murder--but somebody is.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware's signature suspenseful style, The Turn of the Key is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

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384 pages

Average rating: 7.27

418 RATINGS

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25 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

Anonymous
Nov 01, 2024
10/10 stars
Wow! What a story. I felt like I was right there in Heatherbrae house. The ending of course leaves some things open ended. But it’s just perfect. Another great book from Ruth Ware.
Anonymous
Sep 16, 2024
10/10 stars
4.5 Stars
Muhammad Daim
Aug 26, 2024
10/10 stars
It is my favorite novelist's novel interesting amazing and splendid.
Scmay
Jul 29, 2024
10/10 stars
Probably my favorite Ruth ware novel.
bibliophilly.susmita
Jun 29, 2024
8/10 stars
“Turn of the Key” by Ruth Ware is a riveting thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set against the eerie backdrop of a remote Scottish estate, the story follows a young nanny who finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and ultimately, murder. Ware masterfully builds tension through atmospheric descriptions and expertly crafted plot twists, leaving readers guessing until the very end. The epistolary format adds an extra layer of intrigue, as the protagonist’s letters reveal her innermost thoughts and fears. With its gripping narrative and chilling suspense, “Turn of the Key” is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

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