Preview
  • The Turn of the Key

  • By: Ruth Ware
  • Narrated by: Imogen Church
  • Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (14,461 ratings)

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The Turn of the Key

By: Ruth Ware
Narrated by: Imogen Church
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Publisher's summary

Instant New York Times best seller

“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 number one New York Times best-selling 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 unravelling 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. Which means someone else is.

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

©2019 Ruth Ware (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio
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What listeners say about The Turn of the Key

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    9,028
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  • 3 Stars
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Performance
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Unnecessarily long, leading no where

Started out interesting, however the same story line went on and on with an unsatisfying conclusion. I don’t recommend this book

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39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Worth the Wait!

No spoilers here! I can’t stand spoilers! Even if someone says SPOILER ALERT and the very next sentence is the spoiler, it’s too late, I’ve seen it! I’m definitely a Ruth Ware fan. The first book I read was a book club selection, The Woman in Cabin 10. After that, I went on a Ruth Ware binge. I read/listened to this one in one day. I couldn’t stop. The only bad part is now it have to wonder how long I’ll have to wait for her next one! Imogen Church was amazing , once again. She really can convey fear and suspense with her tone.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Big disappointment!

After loving both The Death of Mrs. Westaway and In a Dark, Dark Wood, I happily preordered this book. Big mistake to purchase without reading others’ reviews. The book dragged on and on, so much so that I jumped ahead, which I absolutely never do. And that ending! I felt cheated. Intend to return this one.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

what a fantastic book!!

fast paced, super creepy!! I couldn't out it down, I finished it in 2 days!! the writer and narration are fantastic.... will be waiting impatiently for Ruth Ware's next book !!! hands down my favorite new writer.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating!

Held my attention from page1! My first book by Ruth Ware. I will read more from her!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional Story!

Wow! I couldn't put it down. I was genuinely in suspense throughout.I loved how the story was told through a letter, couldn't wait to hear how it ended. I tried to predict where it was going and couldn't. I was definitely spooked a few times and decided not to listen at night in bed.
I love narrator Imogen Church, but I feel like she reads every book the same, like the character is internally angry, or irritated and trying real hard to be pleasant and happy. Overall, I enjoy her reading and that she changes her voice for each character.
This is definitely worth the Credit!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!!!

Keeping you guessing right up to the end. Narrator is wonderful and great with multiple characters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Glad I didn’t read reviews!

This was a great book! My mouth dropped at the twist at the end. I have no idea what book the other people read. As far as there being supernatural things and such, they clearly didn’t listen very far. The narrator is the icing on the cake! I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve listened to that was narrated by Imogene! Glad I didn’t read the reviews. I would have passed it up.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Woooooow

Wow this was so good. Do yourself a favor and read it. The performance is SPOT ON. She couldn’t do any better if she tried.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hooked from beginning to end

It usually takes me a couple hours to actually get into a book. But this one had me from the start. I love the writing and there are so many twists and turns that I never saw coming and can usually get long before it happens. Very worth it.

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