Search This Blog
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Friday, September 06, 2019
Hey Alexa, What do You Get When You Cross a Haunted Smart Home and an Unsuspecting Nanny With Secrets of Her Own?
11:29 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Ignoring everything she's ever heard about gigs that sound too good to be true, Londoner Rowan Caine accepts a position as a live-in nanny in the Scottish Highlands. Lured by the promise of a ridiculously generous salary; the luxury of Heatherbrae House, a remote "smart" home that's rumored to be haunted; and the charm of her three young charges, who appear to be pleasant and well-behaved; the 27-year-old is so glad for the job that she doesn't ask too many questions. After all, she doesn't want her new employers querying her too closely, now does she?
At first, Rowan is relieved to be given almost complete autonomy in her new job. Bill and Sandra Elincourt—busy professionals who run a family architecture business—are consumed by work and seem perfectly content to leave the care of their children in the hands of a virtual stranger. When the couple takes off almost immediately after Rowan's arrival, leaving the nanny in charge for the foreseeable future, she's dismayed, then horrified. Not only does Rowan have little idea how to run Heatherbrae House's smart features, but the place seems to have taken against her, turning on lights, locking doors, and blaring music at all hours. The Elincourt children aren't any better with their tricks and tantrums. As the situation grows increasingly out of control, a frantic Rowan becomes more and more panicked. In over her head, she's desperate for help that's obviously not coming. When push comes to shove, the unthinkable happens.
Now Rowan's sitting in a Scottish prison pleading for someone—anyone—to believe in her innocence. A child is dead; if Rowan isn't the killer, then who is?
I'm a fan of Ruth Ware's psychological suspense novels. I love how they keep me feeling off-kilter throughout, never quite knowing what's real and what's not. While her newest, The Turn of the Key, is not my favorite of hers, I still enjoyed it. Despite a slower pace than her other books, this one still boasts an intriguing premise, a creepy, suspenseful vibe, and an engrossing plot, all of which kept me flying through the pages to see what would happen next. If you dig compelling, slow-building (but still engaging) psychological thrillers, you'll definitely want to give this one a go. It's an old-fashioned haunted house story with a fresh, modern twist to keep things interesting.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Other Mother by Carol Goodman and The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Turn of the Key from the generous folks at Gallery/Scout Press via those at NetGalley. Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!4 hours ago
-
-
Daily Prompt 26 April Friday7 hours ago
-
Book Blogger Hop – TV or Book12 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Audiobook: The Mango Tree19 hours ago
-
FO Friday: SaltPixie Studio Rolags19 hours ago
-
Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose20 hours ago
-
The Lady of Larkspur Vale1 day ago
-
Need a laugh?1 day ago
-
-
Long Time Dead by T M Payne1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Final Cut by Marjorie McCown2 days ago
-
-
-
-
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Reading as a retreat from reality1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20242 weeks ago
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up3 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra10 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ▼ 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)