Brooke Nelson

After reading this masterful thriller, it’s hard for me to believe I ever assigned a Ruth Ware book to my DNF pile. The Turn of the Key is nothing less than an exhilarating mystery wrapped up in a unique form of storytelling I don’t believe I’ve ever seen done exactly like this before.

The characters are well crafted, particularly the main character, and I enjoyed the way each of them wove together. I even found the little girls’ personalities and actions to ring true to their ages, which was a pleasant touch, though I had a difficult time connecting with any of the children.

The plot itself is, in a word, spectacular. There is nothing I love more than a truly creepy thriller, and this one had me huddled under more covers than I needed, hoping to keep the ceiling monsters at bay. One of my only real complaints is that I saw part of the conclusion coming from a mile away. I suspect this is only because I read too many of this type of thriller, so I’m bound to get smart at some point, right?

However, I have to be fair and note that I did not at all see a second part of the end coming. Meaning the end end. The final few pages threw me for a loop when I realized not what happened at Heatherbrae, but what happened to the main character by the end of the story. I had to just sit there and think for a while. I adore stories that make me sit and think after I’m done.

All in all, I’m a big fan, and it’s definitely a good one for all my ladies (and gents) out there who enjoy thrillers starring a 30-something woman as its MC. This is another superb book made for us, and let me tell you, it deserves our appreciation!