Reviews - With a Vengeance

2.37k reviews for:

With a Vengeance

Riley Sager

3.42 AVERAGE

holdenwunders_'s review against another edition

2.5

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I hate to say that this is probably my least favourite Riley Sager book. To preface, I am a DIE hard fan. Every year his book comes out within a few days of my birthday and I’m unhinged enough to think it’s my birthday present from one of my favourite authours.

I typically find something so special about Sager and the way he writes that is difficult to put a finger on. There are so many thrillers out there and the genre is ripe with talent and also a lot of trash. I will read it all. And that’s what usually makes his stuff so special. Even when he plays with tropes and the things that aren’t new, he makes it new again, he makes it exciting.

I missed that magic here, even from the beginning, I was immediately worried. It didn’t have the Sager spark. The plot was fine, the train motif, while not new, still felt doable. But it fell flat. I genuinely got more excited about the plot just reading his Authour notes about making the book at the end.

I’m not sure what happened and I hope it doesn’t become a thing. But it was an average thriller I’d accept from any ol’ authour. Hopefully next years will be better

lisett's review against another edition

3.5

mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

altomariali's review against another edition

3.25

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bookaddictamber's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kaykay67's review against another edition

2.0

Oh my God! Now I have been a fan of Sager for just about every book they’ve written. However, the last one and this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. Each chapter is WAY TOO predictable. I had no sympathy for ANY of the characters. They were all bad. Anna’s abilities and capabilities were just far too unbelievable. I mean, seriously, this girl needed some military training for what she was physically doing.

boglitt's review against another edition

2.0

mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

There was an attempt, but ultimately, this was just meh

josiedraheim's review against another edition

3.25

mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

nerdywerewolf's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I enjoyed this more than Middle of the Night. A 50s-set revenge story on a 13 hour train ride? So Agatha Christie!

I wish there had been more language to remind me it was in the 50s, as a lot of the time it just felt very modern. I did enjoy the murder mystery aspect and figuring out who the killer is, though.

Emotional and satisfying, overall a great popcorn thriller.