Published by Simon & Schuster on August 6th, 2019
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 384
Format: Audiobook & Hardback
Source: Overdrive via Brooklyn Public Library
Amazon∙ Addto Goodreads
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 384
Format: Audiobook & Hardback
Source: Overdrive via Brooklyn Public Library
Amazon∙ Addto Goodreads
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
GOOREADS SYNOPSIS: 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 cameras installed around the house, 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, Jack Grant.
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. Which means someone else is.
This book was so engrossing! This was my first Ruth Ware book that I am aware of and I could not have started with a better book. I just knew from the moment when I seen this cover, I would love this book. I am hooked on any book or movie that surrounds itself with locked rooms and keys. AMAZING!
This book had all the scary and creepy vibes you wanted. CREAK...CREAK...CREAK
We start the book with Rowan writing to Mr. Wexham about the death of a child and she is trying to plead her case. The cops won't listen. No one will listen. She needs someone to hear her story. The entire book is her writing Mr. Wexham about the story that took place at the Heatherbrae House. It was a very unique format and it worked so very well for this book. I loved it.
"Dear Mr. Wrexham,
You have no idea how many times I have started this letter and screwed up the resulting mess, but I've realized there is no magic formula here. There is no way I can make you listen to my case. So I'm just going to have to do my best to set things out. However long it takes, however much I mess this up, I'm just going to keep going and tell the truth."
Rowan starts her story by telling the attorney she is searching the internet one day and comes across and ad for a live-in nanny. She jumps at the chance to take this job. Hoping with everything in her that she gets this job, she takes off to the interview and dresses to impress. "The Perfect Nanny" When leaving the interview she gets a huge hug from an 8 year old, Maddie, that tells her to stay away and that the Ghost would no like it. Rowan is not sure what to think of that. "GHOST" she thought to her self but after getting the call that she got the job, She is advised by Sandra, the owner, that the other nanny's all left because they thought the house was "Haunted"
After getting the job and moving into the "smart" home that is powered by complete smart technology on the wall. There are not even key holes in the doors. All except the wash room and a locked door in her bedroom which is locked at all times and appears to have no key. But everything else is controlled by the smart home system that is controlled by the smart screens on the walls and the Happy App.
After her first night there Rowan soon begins to notice this house is not what it seems. She is woken up in the middle of the night with walking above her, or she thinks walking, but to her there is no attic above her and she is on the top floor. All she hears is the small creak...creak...creak... of someone or what sounds like some pacing above her. BUT how??
During the day she finds that there are some stories about the grounds that could be quite scary. When she takes the girls out for a walk and they take her to the locked garden - Soon Rowan finds out it was not just a garden but it was poisonous plants that were planted there by the previous owner. But the story has it that the owner killed his young daughter buy feeding her the plants. Not sure what to think - Rowan begins her own journey to find out what could have happened.
The next night she is woken by the music blaring over the intercom and the kids are wide a wake scared and crying not sure what to do. She soon finds out that she is locked out of the Happy App. Thanks to the rescue of Jack Grant which is the grounds keeper that lives on the grounds, he rushes over and helps save the day by rebooting the system.
Jack seems very trust worthy but then things begin to happen and soon Rowan finds her self wondering if she can trust him because he does have the same last name as the previous owner "Grant" but not sure who else to trust, she gives her to feelings.
After her 3rd night in the room and still hearing sounds above her she has made up her mind she will not sleep the rest of the night. After confiding in Jack - she sets out to see if he has the keys to the locked door in her room.
This story at this point was moving fast and my heart was racing with it. The plot twist that were happening, I never saw coming. The things that were revealed were shocking and left me at one moment with my hand over my mouth while it was open. My note to you DO NOT READ THE LAST LETTER BEFORE READING THIS BOOK! You will ruin the entire book for yourself.
I highly recommend this book and this will not be my last Ruth Ware book! Now I want them all!!! See you in the next book!
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment