May 2023 - The Turn of the Key

[Vicki]

Finished

I haven't read any of the finished spoilers yet but I will soon

(view spoiler)[Wow a lot of surprises to me. I felt Rachel was completely vindicated for all her flimsy reasoning about wanting the job as soon as it was revealed she was Bill's daughter.

Up until we read Ellie's letter I was thinking Maddie must have jumped; being in distraught in thinking she was actually seeing ghosts, that she was the one with the mental illness. But no, she totally played me.

The only thing is, don't they read inmates' letters before giving them? Maybe it was unrecognizable what with the voice to text? Things would have been different if Jean had only read it. But I like that Rachel took the fall for her sister. I get the impression that she was executed. Do they really have the death penalty in Scotland? But even if they did it wouldn't happen within two years right? (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Minor spoiler:

(view spoiler)[What do think of Rowan choosing to become a nanny and work so closely with children after being so rejected by her own mother? I guess she is filling some hole within herself. She started at 18 and has been doing it ever since presumably. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

After reading everyone's spoilers

ending:(view spoiler)[ I wasn't disappointed with how things turned out. I like that everything was wrapped up nicely. When it was almost over and R. exclaimed she still didn't know what had really happened I was getting worried. Very clever that Maddie would use her window to climb up to the attic.

Actually, even if Ellie hadn't pushed Maddie I think it could have still ended badly since R had shut that window tight and that could have made her fall.

I think overall the worst thing to me is that there was a camera in the nanny's room and it was never explicitly mentioned to her. That is so unforgivable and wrong. ugh. But I like that they thought it was one more piece of evidence against her that she covered it. (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Vicki wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I have finished up to page 171 so 50% of the book. It is a very atmospheric story. I quite enjoy how Ware builds tension in her stories.
[spoilers removed]..."

I am just past pg 20..."

I enjoy reading your comments. I thought the same thing about pretty much all of it.

[Fiona]

Vicki wrote: "Page 274 - 80%



I also had a hard time figuring out (view spoiler)[which one of the girls will die. I thought about all of them at least once. Petra would've been a possibility but then I thought no, they wouldn't kill a baby. Then I thought maybe Rhiannon? After that I was torn between Maddie and Ellie but I still had no idea until it was actually said in the book. (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Vicki wrote: "Minor spoiler:

[spoilers removed]"

Maybe (view spoiler)[she tried to give other children the love and care she never received? Could be some psychological thing. (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Vicki wrote: "After reading everyone's spoilers


I'm glad to see that (view spoiler)[you are not disappointed by the ending. I completely understand your points here but for me, it doesn't make me feel differently toward the ending. Other than the ending, I really enjoyed the book with its tension and creepiness though. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Fiona wrote: "Vicki wrote: "After reading everyone's spoilers


I'm glad to see that [spoilers removed]"

I do get the disappointment (view spoiler)[ I was expecting all along that the parents were psychotically tormenting innocent nannies for their weird pleasure which would have been more dramatic than children trying to solve problems that are too big for them. (hide spoiler)]

[Ayacchi]

Fiona wrote: "Chapter 3
[spoilers removed]

Chapter 4
[spoilers removed]

Chapter 5
[spoilers removed]..."

I agree that (view spoiler)[everything in here is suspicious. I'm not a big fan of technology, so all of those features are scaring me. If I were in Rowan position, I'd probably not brave enough to touch anything and just forget the post. The house location also makes me feel antsy. What if she is left with the kids without another adult, and then there's a malfunction of technology?

I had to check the main page again when the ghost was mention. If what Maddie said about ghost is some unknown existence, so maybe it's true that she meant the technology.

And those cameras installed all around the house! (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Ayacchi wrote: "Fiona wrote: "Chapter 3


I feel the same. (view spoiler)[If I'd see this kind of technology in a rather remote location, I would run. (hide spoiler)]

[Ayacchi]

Fiona wrote: " The key thing [spoilers removed]"

I'm on chapter 13 (48%) and at this point (view spoiler)[it made Jack a highly suspect. But I keep thinking that it's too soon to reveal the mind behind all of these confusing situation. Beside, Rowan barricaded the door, so maybe it's someone inside the house? Which makes it even creepier.

I'm curious about the reason though. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Ayacchi wrote: "Fiona wrote: " The key thing [spoilers removed]"

I'm on chapter 13 (48%) and at this point [spoilers removed]..."

It's fun to see everyone else getting creeped out at the same things.

[Fiona]

The book is definitely doing a good job when it comes to its creepiness.

[Ayacchi]

Indeed! And this wasn't a simple mystery as I thought it would be.

The ending was unthought of. (view spoiler)[I thought it would be a straight one with Jack as the suspect. Or that Maddie's behavior is a shield of affection toward Rowan. And everyone's secrets left me gape-mouthed. I don't like Jack's though. How could he said a thing about someone else when he isn't better than them. I also wonder what did happen to Rowan. If they found her letters, then could it be that she didn't send them off? Or maybe the last letter came before she finishes hers, so then she changed her mind? (hide spoiler)]

[Ayacchi]

Vicki wrote: "After reading everyone's spoilers

ending: [spoilers removed]..."

Yeah, it would be (view spoiler)[better for everyone if she slipped while climbing the window or something. So her sister wouldn't live in guilt and horror the rest of her life. (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Ayacchi wrote: "Indeed! And this wasn't a simple mystery as I thought it would be.

The ending was unthought of. [spoilers removed]"

I actually think that (view spoiler)[Rowan didn't get out there alive and that the letters were found when her stuff was being moved out of her prison cell. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Ayacchi wrote: "Indeed! And this wasn't a simple mystery as I thought it would be.

The ending was unthought of. [spoilers removed]"

That is a good point about (view spoiler)[ Jack! What a hypocrite. I never thought of that - how he was criticizing the husband for sleeping around (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Fiona wrote: "

I actually think that [spoilers removed]"

Oh that is probably it (view spoiler)[ I was wondering why they were saying it didn't matter as if Rowan/Rachel was dead when they found the papers. But she was being targeted by other inmates and probably guards for being a child murderer. Makes more sense than the death penalty that is abolished in Scotland.

I like to think that she hid the papers and didn't send them when she got Ellie's confession to protect her. (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Vicki wrote: "Fiona wrote: "
(view spoiler)[It is highly likely that she decided to keep the letters to protect Ellie. But I do think that (for whatever reason) she must have died because otherwise the letters would have stayed hidden. (hide spoiler)]

[Kay]

Vicki wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I have finished up to page 171 so 50% of the book. It is a very atmospheric story. I quite enjoy how Ware builds tension in her stories.
[spoilers removed]..."

I am just past pg 20..."

Your comment on dumb horror movie girl made me laugh and I completely agree.

[Kay]

Nistha wrote: "I finished now, quite engaging.


I think I liked most of the book, up until the very end. I thought it would be something more sinister. The reveal did not do much for me. But I was gripped till ..."

I have similar feelings (view spoiler)[ I was wondering all the way through whether it was going to turn out to be a supernatural thing like the children were possessed or someone was orchestrating the entire thing for unexplained reasons (like Rowan wasn't well and doing it to herself and the family). I agree that it was a nice book but in the end a little dissatisfying. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

Uggh, I forgot to check back in and share when I finished :(

So, I finished, and seem to be having a lot of the same thoughts that I am seeing throughout the thread. Very good for atmospheric and creepy, great writing, lots of lovely twists and turns (some of which I saw coming but still enjoyed), did not care for the ending :( (view spoiler)[ I don't like to be left hanging like that. At all. Loved that for all of the history and opportunity there were no monsters, except for Bill - with his thing for tech and young girls. Ware established that the cameras were everywhere, but that Rowan/Rachel didn't have access to them all, but daddy did, and just the thought raises huge alarm bells for me that a man that was predatory with the young women that came to care for his children and has access to the cameras in the bedroom of a 14 year old - so inappropriate! Grrrrrrr. The girls did bad things too, but they were each within their capabilities trying to protect their family, but without the maturity to understand all of the ramifications of their actions. All in all I really enjoyed except for the very ending, unless they are making a sequel (but I don't see that happening). (hide spoiler)]

[Fiona]

Jenn wrote: "Uggh, I forgot to check back in and share when I finished :(

So, I finished, and seem to be having a lot of the same thoughts that I am seeing throughout the thread. Very good for atmospheric and..."
(view spoiler)[I really agree with everything you said. I don't see a sequel coming our way either. I'd be happy with a little 2 chapter story that gives us some closure. I don't see that happening either though. (hide spoiler)]

[Sandra, Moderator]

Hi, everyone! Remember to report your reading:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I plan to post badges on the weekend.

[Jenn]

Fiona wrote: "Jenn wrote: "Uggh, I forgot to check back in and share when I finished :(

So, I finished, and seem to be having a lot of the same thoughts that I am seeing throughout the thread. ..."

We're gonna have to start writing them ourselves :( on the upside that would give us control of the story . . .