Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - The House Across the Lake

Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

69 reviews

beckyremillard's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

Casey is staying at her family’s lake house. Her mother wants her to sober up after a scandal regarding her drinking. However, the lake is where her husband drowned a year ago - the root of her drinking.

Now she has very little to do, so she decides to watch the couple in the house across the lake.. and she discovers more than she expected.

This story held my attention well and I wasn’t able to guess the ending - both important things in a thriller for me.

It wasn’t my favorite book by this author, but also not my least favorite.

I thought it was going to be like Home Before Dark where the things that seemed paranormal turned out to be a regular person. Not the case here.

Content Warnings

vereadsbooks's review against another edition

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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

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Content Warnings

hapalyn's review against another edition

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dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Content Warnings

mallory10100's review against another edition

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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

sophia2203's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

Ok eu não esperava esses plot twists 🤯🤯 Quando a “grande revelação” aconteceu, eu me senti um pouco “enganada”, pq envolvia algo mais sobrenatural do q do mundo real do mistério. Mas depois eu gostei e gostei dos desenvolvimentos até o fim (q eu tbm gostei).
Enfim, gostei do livro e da escrita e estarei lendo mais livros do autor.

Content Warnings