Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - The House Across the Lake

Riley Sager’s books are hit or miss and I always go into them with the expectation that I’ll at least enjoy the majority of the book even if I’m not blown away. In this case it helped that I knew this is considered a polarizing reading experience. So I can understand why this book didn’t work for a lot of people and the comments about Sager’s work being formulaic and full or cliche tropes are fair; however I really enjoyed this one.

I think Casey is a great example of an unlikable/flawed main character who is still compelling. While I couldn’t support her or her bad habits, I still found myself feeling strongly for her and wanting her to be okay. Her flaws made her feel fleshed out. And I think the exploration and explanation of her alcoholism was actually integral to the story so I didn’t mind it constantly being mentioned.

I also liked the twist.

There are a few Sager books where the explanation of events may not always be grounded in true crime and instead take a paranormal route and they haven’t always hit the mark for me but have left me curious to see him take on a story more fully focused in that direction. I think it was done well here and having it happen with 3 hours left (according to the audiobook) for the twist to be explained and fleshed out was an ideal amount of time to get questions answered without it feeling rushed or shoe horned in.

Again, I can see why people didn’t like this, but I had a lot of fun and honestly would recommend this to people. Especially those who don’t mind some camp, cliches, and a good time.

Content Warnings

readwithde's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

kaitlinschof's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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bookishaddictions's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I snagged this bad boy on @libby.app when it became available, and now I understand why the wait list was so long! This is the second Sager novel I have read, and it did not disappoint. Like The Last Time I Lied, it was full of twists and surprises. I enjoyed the complexity of the protagonist- Casey Fletcher- and her lack of credibility adds to the thrill. I definitely get Rear Window vibes, so I thought it was cool the Sager actually brings it up within the story; we have the nosey neighbor, the odd spousal disappearance, and the poor sap that gets roped in just like in the Hitchcock film. The plot was strong, and most of the situation is pretty believable. Although there is a few twists that caught me off guard and weirded me out (won’t elaborate to avoid spoilers), I kept wanting to read more just to find out what happens next. I’m not huge on bouncing between timelines within a story, but Sager always manages to make it go smoothly. If your library has a copy of The House Across the Lake up for grabs, snag it while you can 🌊

Content Warnings

ashwiiguth3's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

amanduhhhpls's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I'm 0/2 on Riley Sager books. Always an interesting premise, always a lackluster execution. Why did this turn paranormal??? The world may never know.

I actually liked this one up until the halfway point because I thought there was interesting commentary about surveillance, fame, and grief, but the ending completely ruined that.

Content Warnings

saltycoffee's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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