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angela_iseli's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse
shannananahey's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Riley Sager hits it out of the park again. I usually predict the “twist” or large event before I’m halfway through most books. This one came out of left field and I never saw it coming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Alcoholism, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
paronomaniac's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Suicide and Domestic abuse
wharah's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Minor: Domestic abuse and Murder
lizsbookreviews21's review against another edition
5.0
Jaw dropping thriller. I was definitely not expecting the twists whatsoever. I love Casey’s detective skills throughout the novel. I love how she grew close to Katherine during the tough time she was going through.
This was my first Riley Sager novel and I’m proud to say that it will not be my last. The plot and world building that Riley did here was phenomenal. I love how they created a whole world and life around every character, and they all intertwined together in some way. The plot was easy to follow and really was addicting. I went from 105 pages to 300 in what felt like a blink of an eye.
This was my first Riley Sager novel and I’m proud to say that it will not be my last. The plot and world building that Riley did here was phenomenal. I love how they created a whole world and life around every character, and they all intertwined together in some way. The plot was easy to follow and really was addicting. I went from 105 pages to 300 in what felt like a blink of an eye.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Addiction, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Minor: Suicide attempt
vereadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.0
Rating★★★☆☆
“At night, you can’t see your reflection on the water. Centuries ago, before people knew any better, it was a common belief that reflective surfaces could trap the souls of the dead.”
The settings in Sager's novels are such a powerful element. They draw you in, and the story would not be the same if they happened in other places. In this case, it is Green Lake. It's impossible not to imagine being at the lake spying on the neighbors with Casey. Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears.
“The lake is darker than a coffin with the lid shut,” she’d say. “And as deep as the ocean. If you sink under, you’ll never come back up again. You’ll be trapped forever.”
Casey is the typical unreliable narrator who drinks heavily and ends up obsessed with the couple who live in the house across the lake. I dislike these types of stories because they bore me, and I find them tedious. I also don't like it when the main character becomes obsessed with someone younger and prettier than her.
“The worst part about drinking too much—other than, you know, drinking too much”
The first part of the book is slow and dull. Things begin to take off slowly in the second half and become interesting. I didn't see the first plot twist coming. It was a twist that woke me up from the lethargy that the rest of the story had caused me. The plot twist was over the top, but I like it.
(view spoiler)
“there’s no such thing as happily ever after. There’s only happy for a short period of time before everything falls apart.”
This book has elements that sound ridiculous and excessive but somehow work.
Books I have read by this author
Final Girls ★★★☆☆
The Last Time I Lied ★★★★ ½
Home Before Dark ★★★★☆
Survive the Night ★☆☆☆☆
If you like this book, try this book
The Girl on the Train
Storygraph | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
“At night, you can’t see your reflection on the water. Centuries ago, before people knew any better, it was a common belief that reflective surfaces could trap the souls of the dead.”
The settings in Sager's novels are such a powerful element. They draw you in, and the story would not be the same if they happened in other places. In this case, it is Green Lake. It's impossible not to imagine being at the lake spying on the neighbors with Casey. Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears.
“The lake is darker than a coffin with the lid shut,” she’d say. “And as deep as the ocean. If you sink under, you’ll never come back up again. You’ll be trapped forever.”
Casey is the typical unreliable narrator who drinks heavily and ends up obsessed with the couple who live in the house across the lake. I dislike these types of stories because they bore me, and I find them tedious. I also don't like it when the main character becomes obsessed with someone younger and prettier than her.
“The worst part about drinking too much—other than, you know, drinking too much”
The first part of the book is slow and dull. Things begin to take off slowly in the second half and become interesting. I didn't see the first plot twist coming. It was a twist that woke me up from the lethargy that the rest of the story had caused me. The plot twist was over the top, but I like it.
(view spoiler)
“there’s no such thing as happily ever after. There’s only happy for a short period of time before everything falls apart.”
This book has elements that sound ridiculous and excessive but somehow work.
Books I have read by this author
Final Girls ★★★☆☆
The Last Time I Lied ★★★★ ½
Home Before Dark ★★★★☆
Survive the Night ★☆☆☆☆
If you like this book, try this book
The Girl on the Train
Storygraph | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Stalking
Moderate: Confinement and Kidnapping
mallory10100's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
this was so insanely twisty i had absolutely no idea where it was going
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Drug use, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Cursing
Minor: Blood, Infidelity, and Vomit
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The stars I give this book are for the following: the creepy atmosphere, the writing that at times made me feel like I myself was on Lake Greene, the reference to "Lock Every Door," the fact that there were some pieces of this story that sent a couple of chills down my spine, and the decent pacing.
Other than that, things get a little dicey...
I wrote down in my journal around page 100 that the star rating of this book was very much going to depend on the twist(s)...and friends, I just thought that all of these twists were weak at best and goofy at worst. There was one twist that made me actually LOL and I really don't think that was Sager's intent.
When I wasn't rolling my eyes out of confusion or snort laughing at how dumb that one twist was, I was just...bored. I dunno, Riley. We'll try again next time.
Other than that, things get a little dicey...
I wrote down in my journal around page 100 that the star rating of this book was very much going to depend on the twist(s)...and friends, I just thought that all of these twists were weak at best and goofy at worst. There was one twist that made me actually LOL and I really don't think that was Sager's intent.
When I wasn't rolling my eyes out of confusion or snort laughing at how dumb that one twist was, I was just...bored. I dunno, Riley. We'll try again next time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death, Murder, Alcohol, Vomit, Violence, Drug use, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Suicide
Minor: Colonisation, Racism, and Sexual content
magis1105's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It's a fast read and I read it in a single day. You have a female MC, you get the whole story from her POV and she's an unreliable narrator because she's an alcoholic. To start off that is 50-50, because it has been overly done in mystery/thrillers.
You get a woman who is idling her sorrow by turning to booze and has nothing better to do than to spy on her neighbors across the lake and the couple seems to have problems. Sound familiar?
Then throw a very handsome next-door neighbor who is creepy but good looking so she's interested in a way. That didn't make sense to me.
Katherine hints that her husband might want to kill her. When she fights with her husband it looks like she knows the neighbor is watching; in a conversation, she implies that she would spy on them. The story does curve and realign several times, you're lead to believe Tom is the main culprit and possible serial killer.
My main issue was that the MC knew this piece of information, who the serial killer is since the start. Yet she acts like she thinks the serial killer is actually Tom and in another part, she practically accuses Boone, the hunky neighbor of being the serial killer. Why does she blame them, in her head, she already knows it's not them. She knows who did it, so why does she act as if it might be them? It can be well done but the fact that the reveal was just made for the reader and that she knew all along means that she was lying to herself in her mind the 3/4 of the story.
There is a paranormal part of the story, which I didn't see coming, that foreshadowing of scary stories around a campfire doesn't count. It seemed like the big reveal, but it just kept going downhill.
It felt over the top because we find that Tom did have a nefarious plan but that section felt rushed. The book could have easily ended in the paranormal section and them making up a story to feed to the cops.
So it wasn't my favorite but it might be a not-for-me type of story.
You get a woman who is idling her sorrow by turning to booze and has nothing better to do than to spy on her neighbors across the lake and the couple seems to have problems. Sound familiar?
Then throw a very handsome next-door neighbor who is creepy but good looking so she's interested in a way. That didn't make sense to me.
Katherine hints that her husband might want to kill her. When she fights with her husband it looks like she knows the neighbor is watching; in a conversation, she implies that she would spy on them. The story does curve and realign several times, you're lead to believe Tom is the main culprit and possible serial killer.
My main issue was that the MC knew this piece of information, who the serial killer is since the start. Yet she acts like she thinks the serial killer is actually Tom and in another part, she practically accuses Boone, the hunky neighbor of being the serial killer. Why does she blame them, in her head, she already knows it's not them. She knows who did it, so why does she act as if it might be them? It can be well done but the fact that the reveal was just made for the reader and that she knew all along means that she was lying to herself in her mind the 3/4 of the story.
There is a paranormal part of the story, which I didn't see coming, that foreshadowing of scary stories around a campfire doesn't count. It seemed like the big reveal, but it just kept going downhill.
It felt over the top because we find that Tom did have a nefarious plan but that section felt rushed. The book could have easily ended in the paranormal section and them making up a story to feed to the cops.
So it wasn't my favorite but it might be a not-for-me type of story.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism
purdybertnie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was NOT my favorite of Riley Sager's books but still an interesting and enthralling read. I was once again fooled into thinking I had solved it early on but was obviously wrong.
I'm just not a huge fan of the supernatural turn this one took. To me the human aspect is SO MUCH more creepy but I know that some people probably really liked this aspect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Confinement