Holy crap, guys. Riley Sager quickly became an auto-buy author for me after FINAL GIRLS and I was reminded why after I picked up LOCK EVERY DOOR. I sat down with this on Sunday night, couldn’t get very far because sleep was needed, but I flew through pages 80 until the end in about 2 hours on Monday. I just couldn’t stop!

Jules is having a rough time. She was just let go from her job and then she comes home to find her long-term boyfriend with another woman. She moves out and looks for a new job. She finds an ad for an apartment sitter at one of the most secretive and high-profile buildings in Manhattan – The Bartholomew. She gets to live in one of their luxury apartments, rent free, AND she’ll be paid $1,000 a week for her 3 month stay. The job comes with specific rules: no visitors, no nights away from the apartment, and do not disturb the other residents. Seems like an easy way to make a good amount of money, right?

The Bartholomew, of course, has a mysterious and creepy past. Is the building haunted? Why are other apartment sitters disappearing without a trace? Jules is determined to get to the bottom of things even if it puts her residency and her life at risk.

Let me tell you, I was not expecting that ending. The big reveal was not what I was anticipating because Sager did a phenomenal job pulling us in a different direction. The suspense stayed consistent throughout the book, a sense of foreboding loomed overhead, and you couldn’t deny all the weird things happening. If you’re a fan of Sager then this is an obvious addition to your TBR. If you’re wanting a binge-worthy thriller with a Gothic backdrop, then you’ll definitely love this one

Ah, Riley Sager thrillers. He is a literary fad that I welcome wholeheartedly.

He came in like a 1990’s scream queen, hitting all the high notes with his first novel, Final Girl. He was taking all my favorite horror movie cliches and throwing them back at me, “Here, you nostalgic trash beast! You’ll love this cheesy teen slasher!” He was right--I did, and I do.

But then Sager just wouldn’t get off the stage for last year’s snooze, The Last Time I Lied. The sophomore slump bit this one, hard. Lots of meandering plot holes and not enough suspense.

Not to be dissuaded, his fans rallied around his latest thriller like a moth to a flame. Our loyalty has been rewarded--our queen is back, and he’s better than ever.

Jules is a broke orphan down on her luck. She responds to an obviously-too-good-to-be-true job ad for an apartment-sitter at the old and imperious Bartholomew, one of Manhatten’s most renowned gargoyle-laden buildings. The rules include: no visitors, no spending nights away from the apartment, and no questions.

Of course Jules can’t pass up this opportunity, and who would? I know I freakin’ wouldn’t. She’s going to make thousands of dollars lounging around in luxury! Who cares if the neighbors are a little off, and the whole prospect of babysitting an empty apartment sounds suspicious? What does it matter that the previous apartment-sitter left in a rush in the middle of the night and seems to have disappeared without a trace?

Even as the deception unraveled I kept thinking, “What if we just ignored that bump in the night for a little bit longer...Think of the hardwood floors! Ignore the warnings from your well-meaning friends. Think of the view of Central Park from the eleventh floor! The thousands of dollars you’ll earn!” Yeah, I’d be super dead by the end of this book. Fortunately, Jules is an iconically well-developed and strong character who picks up on hints. Hopefully you will too, so you’ll figure out the twisty ending long before I did.

I loved Lock Every Door more than I ever loved Final Girls, and more than I hated The Last Time I Lied. He succeeds where his other novels have failed---providing me with legit thrills. Campiness is usually great on its own, but when backed by the potentiality of genuine fright, I’m all yours. A few chapters deep into the Bartholemew had me pulling my sheets tighter over myself to ward from the dangers emanating from my dark hall late at night. There’s creepy dumbwaiters, ghost stories, cults, elitism, and more! Don’t sleep on this one.

Riley Sager is known for writing thrillers with hints of horror thrown in for good measure. Horror isn't at all my thing, but I decided to pick up a copy of Lock Every Door, Mr. Sager's latest novel, just to see what all the fuss was about - and now, I know. The novel is a quick read, one I'm glad I chose to read in spite of its few flaws.

The fact that Jules Larson has had a hard life is no secret. Her sister disappeared under suspicious circumstances eight years before the story opens, and both of Jules' parents committed suicide not long afterwards. Jules did her best to move on from her tragic past, and, in most ways, she succeeds, until she loses her job and her long-term boyfriend on the very same day.

The story begins with a creepy chapter in which an unknown woman is waking up after being struck by a car. She's in a hospital, and remembers very little of the event that brought her there. We soon learn that this is Jules, and the story jumps back to six days before, when Jules enters the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most luxurious apartment buildings, for the first time. She is hoping to be hired as an apartment sitter, though the grandiosity of the building makes her think she's probably not well-suited to the position. Still, she knows she has to go through with the interview. She's in desperate need of money, something that obviously isn't in short supply at the Bartholomew. After chatting briefly with her interviewer, Jules is shocked to be offered the job right on the spot, provided she agrees to follow some very odd but supposedly necessary rules. She must never bother the other residents, all of whom are extremely rich, famous, or both. She is not allowed to have visitors while she's staying there, and she must not spend even one night away from the building. Jules is understandably puzzled by these stipulations, but the pay is far better than she expected, and so she agrees.

She moves into the Bartholomew the very next day, and meets Ingrid, a fellow apartment sitter, not long after. Ingrid seems to possess quite a bit of knowledge about certain mysterious events in the building's history, things Jules is more than happy to brush off as silly ghost stories. She doesn't care what happened in the past, not when she's being paid $12,000 for three months of apartment sitting. But when Ingrid disappears the very next day, Jules finds herself beginning to wonder if there might have been some truth in her stories after all.

My main problem with the story has to do with Jules herself. She's an incredibly nosy person, even though she swears up and down that nothing is more important to her than minding her own business. She's constantly butting into other people's affairs, even though she's repeatedly told not to do this. To make matters worse, she's not particularly good at being subtle, so her motives are super obvious.

I was also puzzled by Jules' dedication to finding Ingrid, someone she barely knew. True, Ingrid does remind Jules a bit of her missing sister, but I found that motivation to be a bit flimsy, considering the massive amounts of danger Jules subjects herself to over the course of the novel. I just found it difficult to believe she'd go so far to learn the truth about someone she had only known for one day.

In spite of that, I didn’t dislike Lock Every Door; I actually enjoyed it quite a bit once I got past my frustration with the heroine. Mr. Sager is a gifted writer with a definite flare for the spooky. He has crafted a twisty piece of fiction with a few nods to the horror genre. I can't tell you more about those particular plot points, but fans of the genre are sure to spot them as they read.

Speaking of twisty things, the novel's end was something I absolutely did not see coming. We learn bits and pieces of the truth throughout the book, but Mr. Sager put those bits and pieces together into a masterful twist that turned out to be my favorite thing about Lock Every Door. I'm glad I didn't give up on the story as I was tempted to do when Jules began to get on my nerves, because the ending was totally worth it.

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This was good, actually good!

Jules is jobless and homeless when she finds a job as an apartment sitter to a luxurious building she had always dreamed of. The rules are strict, the residents too private, but the money is good enough seeing as she has none. It's when one of the sitters suddenly disappears that it hits her it's just too good to be true. But what is the secret that building hides and where is Ingrid?

3.5, rounded up to 4.

This book isn't as involving as The Last Time I lied was for me, but Jules is the first main character Riley Sager created that I actually liked. Her situation is obviously relatable and her choices believable, which makes the progression even scarier.

I think the biggest win in this book aren't the plot twists, which are usually Sager's forte. It's the actual thriller, the not knowing what is going on, just having that eerie feeling. But yes, being Sager, I expected better twists. The culprit is easy to guess and I confess the big reason behind it all didn't sell. I can't spoil you, but I keep thinking it wouldn't compensate to do that.

I also missed bigger moments. The reveals came little by little and I can barely remember most of them. In all it was a good book, I read it much quicker than I had predicted and it was a pleasure even bigger than I felt with Final Girls. However, it was not as memorable as the previous works.

This is the third July in a row that Riley Sager has published a thriller. Last year I picked up The Last Time I Lied (see my review HERE) as my Book of the month pick and this year I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of Lock Every Door. Huge thanks to Dutton & Netgallery for allowing me to read this book before it's release date. 

The last two books Riley Sager published The Last Time I Lied & Final Girls were both 4 star reads for me but Lock Every Door was hands down a five star read. Within the book there are a couple various story lines that are happening, all to our main character Jules. Barely in her mid-twenties, Jules has had a rough couple of years. Her sister goes missing, her parents are gone, and she's recently lost both her job and her boyfriend in the same day. She's currently living on the couch of her best friend when she stumbles upon a job as an apartment sitter. A grand a month, living in one of the most elite apartment buildings in New York City, yes please! 

Jules is immediately sucked into the offer which seems to good to be true. Once settled into her new apartment Jules quickly becomes warily about the offer she's just accepted. When the apartment sitter downstairs goes missing, Jules start to expect that the her current job is indeed too good to be true. 

For 50% of this book I had no idea where the story was going. At about 60% into the book, I thought I had a pretty good idea what was going to happen. But 90% in my mind was totally blown and apparently I had zero idea what was coming. It was creepy in the all the right ways without being a total horror book.

One of the things that get me with thriller books sometimes is the repeat of story lines. I just feel as if I'm re-reading the same plot with slightly different characters. The story line for this book however, was completely original and kept me guessing the ENTIRE TIME. ★★★★★ for me and I highly recommend every thriller lover to pick this up this month!

Synopsis: Jules is no stranger to her world being turned upside down. Her sister disappeared when she was 17 and then two years later, both her parents died. She's learned to fend for herself from that point on. And after getting laid-off and cheated on, she's in desperate need of an income and place to live. And as luck would have it - there's a house-sitter position open at the ritzy Bartholomew. But the Bartholomew has a past - a very dark one. And as Jules spend more time there, this darkest starts to irk her in more ways than one!

I am a huge Riley Sager fan - Final Girls is my favorite of his two books prior to reading Lock Every Door, and so, I had high expectations. Now this book is a fast read. There are constant happenings to keep you involved in the story. But as a seasoned thriller reader, some of these happenings are a little predictable.

My challenge with this book is it leans significantly more towards a YA audience. I think if it was prefaced that way, then some of the pettiness and more trivial dialogue would be understandable. Jules is marketed as a 25-year-old but her behavior and conversations remind me of a teenager. And I think that's what threw me for a loop when it came to the actual sleuthing part of the book - it was a little more amateur.

I dunno. I'm in the middle on this one. I would recommend this to YA fans, who dapple in thriller and mystery. I think it's perfectly geared toward that sub-audience. Otherwise, if you can strip your expectations from Final Girls and/or The Last Time I Lied, then you might have better luck with it.

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jules is down and out after losing her job and catching her boyfriend cheating.  She needs money, a job, and  to sleep somewhere besides Chloe's couch.

The offer from The Bartholomew seems too good to pass up! $4,000 a month for three months, $1,000 a week!  Who wouldn't love an offer like that?!  You know what they say about things that seem too good to be true?  They probably are!

Unlike Jules, red flags waved at me when Leslie was giving her the tour.  All the rules, questions, and Gargoyle Statues outside my window?!  Hard pass for me!  Leslie was also too interested in her health and whether she had any family.  I'll circle back around about Jules family, mainly just her sister, later.

Chloe, being the good friend she is, tries to warn her best friend about The Bartholomew's past, but she doesn't listen.  So Jules accepts the offer from Leslie on the spot and moves in.  Everything is going well.  Her "neighbor" is a doctor who is easy on the eyes and she connects with Ingrid, another apartment sitter.  She's living the dream!  However,  Jules starts to get an eerie feeling she's being watched.  At that point, I thought there were cameras in the gargoyle statues!

Hearing Ingrid scream and then being told she left would be icing on the cake for me.  I would run far far away!  Jules thinks Ingrid was onto something about past apartment sitters when she vanished, so she starts questioning everything.  Naturally Jules confides in the wrong person, but she didn't know that at the time.  That seems to be the way it always goes.

A  building with a questionable past, creepy gargoyle statues, and disappearing apartment sitters will have you up late at night trying to figure out what happened to Ingrid and apartment sitters of the past.

The chapters go from Six Days Earlier, when Jules moves in, to Now when she finds herself in the hospital after running out of The Bartholomew.  Who was she running from? Or what was she running to?  You'll have to read it to find out!

I really enjoyed the other two books by this author, Final Girls and The Last Time I Lied, but this one didn't do it for me.  I wanted to know more about the disappearance of Jules sister.  She's presumed dead, but nobody really knows.  They brought it up and left it open which leaves me with so many questions that will never be answered.

With that said, I will still read any book Riley Sager writes.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for this digital ARC! Get your copy on July 2nd!

This is a very, very creepy book!
Sager has become one of my favorite psychological suspense novelists. His premises are totally unique and keep me fascinated throughout the book. I admit to staying up very late last night reading because I was too creeped out to put the book down and go to sleep.
I liked the characters, and although this book has some similar elements to everything I've been reading lately: namely, Jules taking it upon herself to investigate the disappearances, even when it puts her in danger, in this case it actually works well. Mostly because no one else takes her seriously and everyone who could possibly take her seriously is hiding something. It added to the suspenseful nature of this tale, ratcheting up the tension rather than annoying me like most of the books I've read recently.
One small quibble that kept me from sighing with satisfaction at the end: <spoiler>I really would have liked some closure about Jane. Some inkling about what happened to her. I understand that it was Jules's motivation for finding out what happened to the missing people, but I like loose ends tied up. NOT that I would have wanted Jane to be in the old records for the Bartholomew, that would have been too convenient. I suppose I'd rather have no wrap up for Jane than that conclusion to her story, but it wouldn't have been too much for another side storyline to explore what happened to her--a sequel perhaps?</spoiler>
All in all, a solid, well-told suspense novel.

If you are looking for a really good horror type scary story, this is it. I was hooked from the beginning and basically stayed with it until I had finished it. Jules answers an ad for an apartment sitter in an exclusive apartment building in New York City. Once she has been there for a few days, she discovers that some of the former apartment sitters have disappeared. There are lots of twists and turns in this story with an ending that I did not imagine. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this page turner.

I read this book in one day because I wasn’t able to put it down, wanted to see what would happen next!

When I saw that Lock Every Door was dedicated to Ira Levin, I knew I was in for a twisty, Gothic ride. If you’ve never seen Rosemary’s Baby, do yourself a favor, read the book and then watch the movie. Both are fantastic.

While I was reading and taking notes for the July 8th podcast on Books Don’t Review Themselves, I was writing down all the weird interview questions, and how I thought they would come back later in the book. Along with notes like, Getting paid in cash equals no paper trail. Do you have next of kin? No? Great! Easier to do what we will with you and no one will come looking.

There are many things I enjoyed about the book, but the one thing that I loved was how Riley Sager had Jules’ best friend, Chloe, question the decision to move into the Bartholomew, with all the red flags that popped up during the interview process. I’ve read other books where no one questions anything until it’s too late. But between Chloe being skeptical, and the book mainly taking place over six days, it was completely believable that this could happen.

I was concerned that Jules was going to be the tragic heroine since she ignored Chloe’s warning, but Jules quickly began to question things too. And that’s where the real fun began.

Trying to piece together the mystery along with her. I saw many things coming, and it was cool when I found out I was right. Now if this would have happened through the entire book, I would be giving it less stars, because I don’t want to be able to guess everything. But I thought the ending was going one way, and it took a complete turn. With this twist at the end, it cemented my enjoyment for Lock Every Door.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy Gothic books or horror movies. Or if you like a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing.

4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book hooked me right from the start. Right from the very first chapter, I was not able to put this book down! I was engrossed by the story 100% throughout this book.

It was a thriller that certainly lived up to the hype for me (which is rare)!! I loved the characters, the premise, the suspense & dual timelines. It was well written and very enjoyable! I highly recommend reading this book!!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my second read by Riley Sager!! Twists and turns keep you guessing with Lock Every Door. Definitely one of the best reads of the year.

I had super high hopes for this book and it surpassed all of them.

I’m always skeptical with books that are really popular because they don’t always live up to the hype. The hype was much deserved here.

Jules moves into an upscale apartment in New York to be an apartment “sitter”. She soon finds out that living amongst the rich and famous comes with a price. This place has secrets and Jules has to figure out what they are before it’s too late.

This book was so suspenseful and creepy! All of the characters at the Bartholomew had their own individual creepiness to them. The building with its mysterious history made this book downright scary at times.

The ending was a little predictable but the suspense throughout the book made up for it.

Are you someone who gets suspicious when something seems too good to be true? Jules is really in a pinch - she lost her job and broke up with her boyfriend on the same day. Now she has no money and is living on her best friend’s couch. Something has to change.

She comes across an ad looking for an apartment sitter - 12 months staying in a gorgeous apartment and $12,000 for doing it! Too good to be true? Or something finally going her way? It comes with a few small catches - she has to be there every night, no guests ever, and most importantly she can’t speak to any of the residents because they value their privacy.

I love a thriller in the summer - especially one that keeps me revising what I think is happening. I was texting a friend who already finished it sharing every wild theory I had.

While I loved the beginning and felt it ended strong - there was a part in the middle that felt a lot slower for me. I found myself getting distracted and thinking about reading something else instead which is why this wasn’t a higher rating for me.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Riley Sager novel, but when Lock Every Door came across my radar sounding like Rosemary's Baby directed by Alfred Hitchcock, it was a done deal to read it. In his third thriller, we find Sager's main character, Jules, a kindhearted young woman with a lot of baggage (an older sister who disappeared eight years back, no parents, the recent breakup of a relationship with a cheating boyfriend), who's interviewing for an amazing short-term job as an apartment sitter at one of the oldest, most prestigious addresses in Manhattan: The Bartholomew, a twelve-story obelisk overlooking Central Park where the very rich and very private lead their lives out of the public eye. Jules is doing a tour of (and interview for) apartment 12A at the top of the building, a three-month gig that will net her twelve thousand dollars cash. Yes, there are some strange rules to follow - no guests, no staying a single night outside the apartment, don't bother the residents - but those are mostly for the protection of the very private Bartholomew residents, anyway. The apartment itself is two stories of decadent beauty (even if that blood-red wallpaper is a bit sinister), with a view of Central Park and the city few in her income level ever see, so Jules is ecstatic to get the job and moves right in, meeting another apartment sitter named Ingrid and brushing up against a few of the residents her first day. But almost immediately a few strange occurrences and creepy vibe to the building starts to make Jules feel like something's not quite right here. And when a suddenly timid, seemingly-frightened Ingrid vanishes from the building overnight, not answering calls or texts, Jules doesn't buy the story that the girl just decided to leave because the job wasn't for her, and starts digging into the colorful, sometimes violent history of the building - in this case, perhaps not the smartest thing to do. For the first third of the book or so, there were times when I found Jules a bit too naive, thinking "Man, hasn't she ever seen a horror movie? Why would she just do that?" But then, even before the halfway point, the book yanks you in by the short hairs and won't let go anymore; seriously, I soon came to learn that every time I had to put the book down it stayed with me anyway, pulling me back like a magnet to read more even as I tried figuring out in my own head what exactly the hell might be going on along with Jules. And when you think you have got it all figured out, suspense building to a choke-hold as you stick by Jules to learn her fate - the book takes a hard right turn with a twist that you won't see coming, turning The Bartholomew's story darker than ever. Been a long, long time since any book - even one labeled a thriller - grabbed me by the cajones like this one. 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Lock Every Door is about Jules, who is having a rough time and desperately needs a job. She’s sleeping on a friend’s couch when she comes across a SUPER vague help wanted ad for an apartment sitter in the newspaper. She shows up and finds out that the job is at the super private apartment building called The Bartholomew. This is a place she has dreamed of living since she was just a little girl. Upon moving in, Jules realizes maybe things aren’t always as good as they seem and soon she is fighting to escape the building.

This book hooked me from the first page. I love everything about Riley Sager’s writing and his stories always leave me thinking about them for so long after I finish reading them. Lock Every Door has just the right amount of paranoia, suspense, and creepiness to keep you up all night. The description of some of the things Jules was experiencing gave me creepy chills. I LOVED this book and I, of course, gave it 5 stars.

Many thanks to Dutton Books and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Despite the bookstagram hype surrounding his books, Lock Every Door was my first Riley Sager novel and I'm happy to report it hooked me from the very first chapter. I prefer to go into books blind, but one review caught my eye, mentioning this had the feel of a gothic thriller. That was all I needed to start hunting Netgalley for that handy little request button. Dutton Books was cool enough to approve me the same day and I quickly devoured this book. 

If this book isn't on your summer reading list, you definitely need to add it for Fall, particularly around Halloween. I haven't read a modern book with this level of eeriness in years and I loved every second. Lock Every Door did a great job of toeing the line between creepy and scary. I never felt like I needed to peek under my bed before going to sleep, but I sure had a few niggling worries for Jules as I was reading. The setting of this story was a huge hit for me, with the gargoyles standing guard outside the windows of the apartments in the Bartholomew to the always watchful wallpaper covering the walls. 

I don't want to give too much away because this book was completely unpredictable for me, which is a rare feat these days. I want everyone going into this story to have the same incredible reading experience I did. Just know, it comes highly recommended by me and plenty of other avid readers. This one is worth your time if you're looking for those old school Thriller feels that don't come around too often these days. It doesn't hurt that it has one of the coolest pink covers I've ever seen, making me want to buy a hardcover immediately!

Riley Sager has the ability to produce 5 star work, and he has done it again with Lock Every Door. This is a thriller, set in NYC, and it has a nice, gothic feel. Jules is a likable character, just trying to get the bills paid. She stumbles across an ad to be a house sitter in a prestigious Manhattan apartment building, and she jumps at the chance, despite her best friend's warning that it sounds too good to be true.

It's easy to lapse into thinking this is a haunted house book, but Riley Sager doesn't do paranormal. Or does he? I successfully predicted some of what was to come, but it was still an edge-of-your-seat thriller. I liked the pacing of the story, and I felt like I was right there with Jules. The ambiance of The Bartholomew felt so creepy, gothic and frightening.Although there were some unbelievable parts, Lock Every Door was entertaining enough that I willingly suspending all my disbelief and rational common sense. Jules was an engaging protagonist. Not so perfect to be a turnoff, and not so flawed as to create exasperation. I was truly engrossed in this book, and read it in one sitting.

Thank you so much to Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for providing me with a free review copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the advance digital copy of Lock Every Door in exchange for an honest review.

Jules takes on a job apartment sitting at the swanky and mysterious Bartholomew. She soon befriends another apartment sitter and is happy to have someone to hang out with. But, this new friend soon goes missing. Jules begins to discover that the creepy stories about the Bartholomew could be more than just stories.

Riley Sager can tell a story. I could not put this book down. It is so fast paced and readable. I enjoy a book with a cast of characters. I actually wish there had been a little more interaction with them. But, having read the entirety of the book, I see why there wasn't.

The red herring is kind of fun and a bit of a nod to the 80's.

The atmosphere of the hotel, with its Gothic features and old money luxury, kept me engrossed in the suspenseful mood of the story.

And with all good thrillers, there is a satisfying end that I did not see coming!

I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller!

Another engaging, nerve wracking read from Riley Sager. As with his previous books, I loved this one and found it hard to put down. The setting of a beautiful historic apartment building, with a sordid past, further enhanced this thriller. Having seen that this book was being compared to "Rosemary's Baby", I couldn't help but wonder how that reference would play in, as well as wondering what the twist in the story would be. I'm happy to say that I did not see the twist coming and pleasantly surprised once it revealed itself. Riley Sager continues to impress me with the stories he weaves together and I think after having loved this book and his previous two, I can safely say that I am a fan and will buy anything that he writes.