dude riley sager is amazing, this was super interesting and engaging and i loved how thrilling it was (so many thrillers i've recently read have been lacking) a good time

I have loved Riley Sager's previous two thrillers, so I was going into this one with high expectations. I was not disappointed.

The twist really caught me off guard (and was still realistic to the story), the characters were intriguing, and the tie into historical elements was interesting. I liked how this book was different from his previous novels. No flashbacks, and no cabin in the woods (not that those are bad things, this one is just fresh!).

I don't want to say much more so as to keep your reading experience pure, but if you like a good thrillers then I suggest this one.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Review:
So, Riley Sager has easily become one of my favorite thriller authors. I loved his first two books and I thought that his writing was improving with each story. So, naturally, I was hyped to see Riley Sager take on a spooky apartment story. 

With most thrillers, I think it's best to go into the book blind. I didn't know much about this one other than apartment hunter experiences spooky stuff and I think that's really all you need to know. 

That being said, if you're ready to know my thoughts, let's talk about this wild ride. 

—>characters<—

Jules - Jules is the ONLY character I'm going to talk about in this section to avoid accidentally going into spoilers. Jules is our protagonist and we follow her adventures in this gorgeous, yet creepy apartment. 

The Bartholomew -  Okay, so due to the atmosphere Sager creates, the building itself takes on a life of its own and feels like a secondary character at times. Ah, love it! 

–>plot<–

Okay, so I was LOVING this book, up until the final reveal. 

I thought the deal signed into was creepy, yet compelling. I too wanted to know what the hell was going on with the missing residents. The fact that they were hiring people with no family or connects made me immediately suspicious and started having the wheels turning. 

I also really connected with Jules when she was talking about being in debt and how hard it is to get out when you're feeling like you're drowning. As someone who is suffocating from the amount of debt I'm in after school, I completely understood where Jules was coming from when she made some of the decisions she did. 

I also loved how the first reveal came to be and how this book allowed you to piece *some* things together. 

That being said, I HATED what was actually going on. From around the point that Jules thinks she figured it out to the actual final reveal, this book lost me. Most of the suspense and grip this book had on me completely got broken and it took me a minute to actually get back into it. I will say there was a thing that Jules discovers in the midst of the stuff I didn't like that I did actually enjoy. 

I will say, I'm happy that the book did not go in one direction I thought it was going to, I'm still disappointed it went where it did. One of my thriller loving friends, Natasha from myreadingisodd compared this book to American Horror Story: Hotel and I'm not going to lie, that comparison is so on and so off at the same time. I did spend a chunk of this book waiting to see the Hotel connections, but I feel like you figure out where it comes the second it does. 

Final Thoughts:
Riley Sager can construct addicting and enjoyable thrillers, that even if the ending doesn't stick the landing, the reader can still assess the read as enjoyable. Lock Every Door is probably my least favorite Riley Sager, but that was exclusively due to the ending and it not being something I like to see. I feel like many readers will love this ending, but it just didn't hit the mark for me. 

I will say, I'll definitely continue to pick up Riley Sager books as he is able to create such addicting reads. 

I'll also be coming out with a video soon going into more depth as to what exactly I didn't like about the ending of this book in case you want to know more concise and spoilery thoughts!

This was pretty atmospheric and creepy. I just felt like something was unfortunately missing for me. Still I would read more from Riley Sager. It was a fun read.

This book was published on 07/02/19 by Penguin Group Dutton. This is my third Riley Sager book, but it's the first one I've read. I actually ordered this as part of my Book of the Month box, even though I was lucky enough to get the book early from NetGalley.

Jules has lost everything. Her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment, all in the span of a few days. Broke and worried, she finds an ad for an apartment sitter in the paper and applies. This turns out to be for the The Bartholomew, one of the most prolific apartment buildings in Manhattan. She is given very simple rules-no visitors, no nights away from the apartment, and no bothering the famous residents. She strikes up a friendship with one of the other apartment sitters named Ingrid, and discovers they have similar pasts. When Ingrid goes missing, Jules starts to investigate her disappearance, despite many warning from people in the building. She begins to unravel a deep and secretive history, putting herself in danger in the process.

THIS.BOOK.WAS.SO.FANTASTIC. I couldn't put it down. I would stay up late reading it until I could physically not keep my eyes open anymore. Riley Sager is a genius. I loved the ending and all of the twists and turns it took to get me there. I'm currently trying to read down my NetGalley books and once I do, his other two books will be among the first ones I read. Go pick up this book. You will not be disappointed!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars

A great read that would make Alfred Hitchcock. Proud. This one is a creepy thriller set in an apartment building in New York City. I loved the writing, the characters, and the satisfying plot. This summer’s Rosemary Baby. Going to enjoy handselling this.

This book was unexpectedly good! Even though I managed to guess the villain, it threw me off at the end. I kept imagine an antique scary building as the descriptions are very well put. A solid, creepy thriller!

Twists and turns galore. This book held my attention and kept me guessing. I never would've seen the ending- in a good way!

Wow…what a crazy, creepy story that was!

Jules Larsen is desperate for a job. She has recently broke up with her boyfriend and has next to no money to her name. She answers an ad for an apartment sitter and is taken aback when she realizes that the apartment is located in the legendary Bartholomew. The job is to stay in one of the recently vacated apartments that overlook beautiful Central Park and get paid for it. Is this an opportunity of a lifetime or too good to be true?

I loved Jules and yet I really worried about her. There are very strict rules that the apartment sitters must adhere to, such as not disturbing the other residents. Jules just could not seem to help herself and constantly broke that rule, even after being warned a number of times. Her determination to uncover the mysteries of the Bartholomew are admirable, but I really wish she would keep a lower profile.

I loved the layout of the chapters. They counted down the days, starting with “Six Days Earlier”, and sprinkled in a “Now” chapter every so often. The “Now” chapters were very intriguing and only fed my eagerness to learn what happened at the Bartholomew.

I don’t think Riley Sager could write a bad book if he tried. I have been sitting on this review for a few days wondering how in the world I was going to put into words how much I enjoyed this book. Quite simply – I loved it! It was mysterious, creepy, and eerie. It is a fast paced story, that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very end!

This is my first book by Riley Sager and after seeing all of the hype about the first two books he wrote, I was equal parts nervous and excited to get a review copy of Lock Every Door. I love mysteries so that won out in the end and I gave it a shot. The synopsis totally hooked me too.

Jules has had a rough life. First, her sister disappears without a trace. Then a couple years later, her parents pass away and she is left all alone in the world with a mountain of debt. Then she catches her live-in boyfriend cheating on her the same day she loses her job.... Talk about a tough break. So when she finds an ad for an apartment sitter in Manhattan, she jumps on the chance and finds herself interviewing at a building she never in a million years would have dreamed she would have the opportunity to live in. A book she grew up reading with her sister took place in this very building. Her first day there isn't even over before things start to get a little weird. There are all of these weird rules including that they are not allowed to have visitors or spend a night outside of the apartment. She meets another apartment sitter named Ingrid and they make a plan to meet up every day to make the time go faster and get out of the building. That plan very quickly falls apart.

This book was very well written. I was gripped by the story and the characters. I really connected with Jules and empathized with her situation. The more the story goes on, the more twists there are. Once you think you have an idea of what is happening, something else happens that throws all your ideas out the window. The action continually builds until the last few chapters when things explode. I was really surprised by the big reveal. I will most definitely be reading Riley Sager's other books, both past and future.

Lock Every Door was different from what I expected reading the synopsis. I thought it would be an in your face, fast paced thriller. In fact Riley Sager took his time laying out the premise of the story. He set the scene well, added in just a few early twists and revelations to keep me reading, and then ramped up the pacing in the second half of the book. Yes, there were times when I had to suspend disbelief and just go with it, but I am certainly glad I did.
I found myself frustrated by the innocence and poor judgement displayed by the heroine. She was definitely an acquired taste for me, however she showed growth through the novel, which I realize kept me reading. Lock Every Door is not the edge of your seat action found in Riley Sager's earlier books, however if you like well woven suspense, and have the patience to stay the course, it's definitely an entertaining read.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

There are certain books that you'll see hyped up all over social media. You always wonder if they're really worth picking up. This one is, without a doubt, worth the hype.

Like Riley Sager's other books, it's best to go in with as little information as possible. Let the plot take you where it wants and don't try to make sense of it. I tried to put the pieces together, but there's always an 'aha' moment. You won't see it coming.

Riley's writing is addictive and fast paced. You won't be able to put it down, once you start.

This review is purposely short in order to keep it as spoiler free as possible.

⭐️Book Review ⭐️
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
5/5 Stars

**I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Wow...just wow. Characters were well developed and I found myself wanting to flip ahead to see what happened next- which I never do! The switching of the chapters from “Now”, “6 Days earlier”, etc. increased the suspense.

With all the twists and thrillers of this book it hard to go too much into a synopsis without a spoiler, but I’ll give you a brief run down. I literally brought this book with me everywhere for two days until I finished... enough said.

Jules parents are both dead. Her sister is missing- presumably dead as well. All she has left is best friend Chloe. In one day, she loses her job, her boyfriend and her apartment- life sucks and she has no money.

Jules needs money and a job like now. A job opens a the infamous Bartholomew gothic apartment building in Manhattan to apartment sit- home to celebrities, the wealthy, etc. Three months for 12 thousand dollars. Some strange rules are attached as well. Sure, The Bartholomew has a notorious creepy history. But then some seriously creepy things happen.

Is living in The Bartholomew really worth 12 grand? How safe is Jules?

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. And to Riley Sager for another opportunity to read one of his books.

This book Grabbed me from the beginning and would not let go! It was the first book of the year that I could not put down. I was completely intrigued by The Bartholomew and it's inhabitants.
This book is a mystery thriller that has you turning the pages faster than you can read them. I loved the book and could not figure out the truth! Excellent and reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel.
I highly recommend this book for all Psychological thriller fans as well as mystery and who-done it fans.
I am hooked on Riley Sager's books and am loading Final Girls as I write this review.


Super book! I definitely have a book hangover after reading this one in record time!

#LockEveryDoor #NetGalley

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager is the perfect summer thriller. It is dark and twisted and the ending came as a complete surprise. Never in my imagination could I have come up with the ending to this book and that for me makes it incredibly unique and perfect. There was non stop twists and complex characters which is unfortunately something that lacks with a lot of thrillers. The protagonist is neither mentally unstable or annoyingly ignorant to danger, which is such a relief!

I really liked this book, it felt suspenseful and riveting. I didn't really like the main character, she just wasn't smart and kept making not-smart decisions, and that got frustrating. But the plot was good, generally well-paced (if a little slow at the beginning). I was pleasantly surprised with the twist, I think it was the smarter way the book could have gone, and it wasn't totally outlandish, which I much prefer in a thriller.

The moment I heard that Riley Sager was coming out with another book I was super excited. I've been such a fan of his last 2 books that I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. Well I have to say this one did not disappoint.

This story is about a girl named Jules who is in desperate need of some cash. She finds an ad for an apartment sitter job at this very expensive and mysterious apartment building. Along with the job come a couple of rules, no spending the night away, no visitors and no disturbing the residents. As time goes on Jules begins to realize that not everything is what it seems and there is more to this apartment building than meets the eye.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the characters you encounter in this book. I was a big fan of Jules. She's a very determined character. She kinda befriends one of the other apartment sitter's and when she goes missing she is very determined to find out what happened to her. In the past Jule's sister went missing and was never found. Jules takes this experience with her throughout the book hoping that the same thing doesn't happen to the other apartment sitter. While she is on this journey she begins to discover the truth about the building she is working for. Another character I adored was Charlie. He is the doorman that works for the building and he is just the sweetest guy ever. I really enjoyed the interactions they had with each other. I feel he really lighten the mood at times. There is another character that Jules meets a bit into the book. Her name is Bobbie and Jules meets her when she is looking for the other apartment sitter. I wasn't excepting her to be as nice as she was. I didn't think she would end up popping up but she does and it was just a really good scene. I just don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything.

Another thing I liked was the story of this book. I have to say it was very enjoyable. I really loved going on the journey with Jules trying to figure out what was going on in this apartment building. I did guess one thing but only a slight part of it so when I found out everything I was still in complete shock. I did not see any of that coming. I have to say this is hands down my favorite Riley Sager book yet. He just does such a great job setting everything up and unravels everything so nicely. I really do just love all the twists he put in this book.

Also if you've ever read any of Riley Sager's books then you know he loves going back and forth with the past and the present. I feel that it is so well done in this book because you start off with the main character in the hospital trying to remember what happened and then it goes back and forth with this. I swear nothing sucks me into a book more than me dying to know what happened to the character and I need to keep reading to get the whole explanation. I always enjoy those little teases throughout the book. It's like I'll give you a little bit of information but you gotta keep going to find the whole story.

Overall I thought this was such a great story. It kept me guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed all the characters Jules met throughout the book. You get such a interesting range of characters that I enjoyed. I did not see any of the twists coming which was nice because I was shocked. If you're into thrillers I would highly recommend this plus I didn't really mention this but it also has some creepy horror vibes which was such an added bonus. You don't want to miss this one.

First things first, let’s get it out of the way. This book was absolutely phenomenal! When I finished the last page all I wanted to do was talk about it! I also finished this book at about 7 PM and going to sleep a few hours later was not appealing.

There are so many reasons why I loved this book and I’m not even sure where to begin!

I felt like this book was a quick read. It is 381 pages, so it isn’t small by any means, but the way it was written it keeps your attention superbly. I wouldn’t say I was in suspense the whole time, but towards the end, I almost needed a paper bag to breathe into. You know that feeling you get when you are in a haunted house and you are walking towards something but you aren’t really sure what is going to jump out at you? It was like that towards the end. I had to stop myself from skimming because I wanted to know what happens next. I should also note that I really enjoyed the writing style and I think it is fair to say it contributed to creating that feeling of suspense. The book starts by switching chapters such as “Now” which is italicized and “6 Days Earlier, 5 Days Earlier, etc.” Later, it switches from “Now” and “4 Days Later, etc.”

The characters were very well developed and in my opinion, I was really pleased with Jules and her perseverance. As a matter of fact, my FAVORITE quote in the entire book came from Jules at the end:

“After she received multiple life sentences, I sent her a list of rules she needed to follow in prison. At the top was this: No nights spent away from your cell.”

I know that doesn’t pack the same punch as it does in the book, but I promise when you read it in the correct context of the book, you too will giggle and think of some expletives.

I wish I could go more in-depth about the characters, but I feel like any short, abbreviated explanation wouldn’t do any of them justice. The little I will say is in regards to the basic outline of the book. Jules is from a small, dying town. Her parents are dead and her sister Jane is missing. Jules and Jane grew up idolizing a book that details the Bartholomew in Manhattan. The Bartholomew is known as a gothic style apartment building occupied by gargoyles, wealthy tenants, and a long history of strange happenings. That said, Jules ends up at the Bartholomew and the rest is a winding road that I will allow Mr. Sager to detail.

So, the best way for me to end this review is with a quote from myself; “After she finished this book, she wrote a review with a list of details she wanted future readers to know. At the top was this: this book was phenomenal, go read it right this second.”

If you’re looking for a fun, exciting, page-turning (or swiping) summer thriller bordering on horror, then Lock Every Door is for you, especially if you’re already a Riley Sager fan. This was my second Sager book (my first was Final Girls) and I love the overarching atmosphere his books exude. I like thrillers that are grounded in reality, where characters somehow go on living their everyday lives amidst all the horrible things happening to them and around them.

Lock Every Door is set in the Bartholomew, a mysterious apartment building in Manhattan that’s said to be home to celebrities, artists, heirs & heiresses, and more. Our main character, Jules, gets the opportunity of a lifetime as an apartment sitter in this prestigious building. Fresh out of a longterm relationship and left with nowhere to live or work, Jules jumps at the opportunity. Three months in a luxury flat with no visitors, no nights away from the apartment, and no bothering the neighbors. Not too bad for thousands of dollars in compensation, right? The strict rules are only the beginning, of course, as Jules discovers more and more about the deepest, darkest secrets of Manhattan’s most peculiar residence.

It’s hard to talk about Lock Every Door without mentioning the Bartholomew in every sentence, because it is without a doubt the most memorable, eccentric character in the book. The building’s interior is your average, creepy old mansion with secrets around every corner. Plush couches, slightly disturbing wallpaper — the setting of every gothic horror novel. However, these scary, gothic mansions are usually in the middle of nowhere, right? The Bartholomew, on the other hand, is right smack dab in the middle of Midtown, where outside its walls, New Yorkers are conducting business as usual. Escaping is easy! Safety is right outside the door! The NYPD has over 50,000 employees, there must be a cop right around the corner! Wrong again. While Jules may not be stranded in the middle of nowhere, she is most certainly still “trapped.” Rather than physical distance, her psychological and financial situation is to blame for her entrapment. Which is much, much scarier.

I liked the book’s cast of characters, particularly the residents of the Bartholomew. Jules technically isn’t allowed to disturb them, but does anyone in a horror novel ever do what they’re told? There weren’t just good guys and bad guys, and people’s motives certainly weren’t black and white. I had a tough time telling who was trustworthy and who wasn’t, and I was still pretty torn in the end. There were still some standard baddies, which led to a few disappointing “big reveals” that I saw coming from a mile away. However, I think that’s a risk you take with any mystery or thriller. There are only so many characters; someone has to be the villain.

One thing I would have liked to have seen from this book was better relationship development. This is hard in thrillers, because so often they are strictly plot-focused, but I wanted a little bit more from this. I can’t say much without giving away major plot points, but Jules developed emotional connections with certain characters that…let’s just say they didn’t make it to the end of the book. I would have liked this to have been acknowledged in some way during the height of the drama. There’s a big difference between being threatened by a stranger and being betrayed by someone you trust, and I think this needed to be addressed. Jules’s reactions just didn’t seem valid given the circumstances. (Again, this probably doesn’t make any sense, but I can’t risk spoiling any of this book for any of you!)

Overall, Lock Every Door is a great example of what I look for in a thriller. Intriguing concept, fun characters, and a couple good, dramatic twists and turns. It was creepy enough for me to not want to read it before bed, but not scary enough to give me actual nightmares. Which is always a good thing. I like my thrillers comforting, okay? I would definitely recommend this as a beach or vacation read, or if you have a chunk of time set aside to devour a quick book in a day or two. There aren’t many books I literally don’t want to put down, but this was definitely one of them.

I received an Advanced Review Copy of Lock Every Door by Riley Sager from the publisher Penguin Press Dutton through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Jules is a girl who is down on her luck so when she finds a listing looking for an apartment sitter in a classic old building she has grown up admiring, she thinks it must be too good to be true. It is.

What I Loved: I loved the characters, a lot of time you just want to yell at characters in a thriller and tell them, "No, don't do it!" But this book, I really felt like Jules was smart and not making terrible decisions and when you found out she did, it was because she figured out that she had messed up. I liked having a smart character in a thriller. ALSO I did not see the twist coming, which makes me enjoy a thriller a lot more. The twist and story the book is actually telling is what makes it so special. This was my first Riley Sager but it makes me want to read more.

What I didn’t like so much: Honestly, I got frustrated at times with how long the build up was taking and when I thought the author was going in one direction, I was mad BUT then when the book was over, I was happy, so I guess not a lot?

Who Should Read It: People looking for a thriller that isn't your average thriller. People who want smarter characters in their thrillers. People who want a twist they don't see.

General Summary: A thriller with a twist you won't see coming and that will make you think.