I really liked this one! Lots of early 90's references that actually fit, and good setting. Very creepy and it actually made my pulse speed up/adrenaline start going.

I will read everything and anything that Riley Sager ever writes; each new book from him is a thrill ride and Survive the Night is no exception. Survive the Night has one of my favorite heroines, Charlie was a refreshing character to immerse myself into, a setting "vintage" enough to feel familiar but also add to the tense feeling (I will forever love the 90's), and a tricky writing style that was executed perfectly. Unfolding over the course of one suspenseful night, you won't stop questioning everything until the very end.

Riley Sager does it again!! He has such an incredible way of building stories, characters and suspense. It’s not full throttle from the beginning, but a slow burn throughout until everything comes to a head and I just can’t stop reading! I liked his new twist on the unreliable narrator, which can be overdone, but in this case, it was woven into the story so perfectly. I enjoyed the twists and turns and even though I predicted some of them, it was still fun when they came to light. Overall, this is a great, fast paced book that is perfect for a road trip or beach read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in return for my honest opinion!

A pretty barebones thriller that I couldn’t quite find credible. I was also intrigued because it was recommended in the NY Times summer reading supplement under “horror” - hmm, not by my definition.

Charlie (a young woman named after a character from a movie) is still grieving the death of her best friend who was murdered by the so-called Campus Killer. Rather than waiting the few days till Thanksgiving when her boyfriend could take her home, she accepts a ride from a stranger. Almost immediately things start to feel off and Charlie has to decide if it’s in her head or if this man really is the serial killer.

The novel is set over the course of just one night and each chapter is headed up like a screenplay (“Int. Dorm Room - Day”). Charlie is mad about old movies and has a condition wherein she slips into a dream-like state in which she and her surroundings are like a movie. This makes her question her instincts and keeps her in the way of danger long after anyone else would have bailed. Actually, few other young women would have got in a car with a complete stranger just two months after her best friend had been murdered and, though the author does a decent job of justifying this, it never really made sense.

But putting that big huh? aside, the spare nature of the plot and setting allows us to get straight into a tightly tense car ride. We are, of course, shouting at Charlie to a) not get in the car in the first place and, failing that, b) get out of it as soon as possible, but, of course she doesn’t listen. As we, too, veer between what’s real and what’s in Charlie’s imagination, the novel romps along through a variety of cinematic settings.

As is the way of these novels, there are some twists, at least one of which is terrific and one of which is just plain silly.

Thanks to Dutton and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Survive the Night is the best thriller that I have read this year! By far this is Riley Sager's best book. he has written. The plot twists were incredible and kept you guessing who the Campus Killer might be. When you think you have figured it out you find out that you are wrong! Loved how it was written in a movie script form. I don't think that I have read a book from that point of view before. I am defiantly recommending this book to my book club next week and also to the patrons. I would give Survive the Night more than 5 stars.

“Charlie understands, with the certainty of someone who’s seen this kind of movie a hundred times before, that only one of them will live to see the dawn.” - Survive the Night.


It’s November 1991, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer. Josh, the man behind the wheel, is a virtual stranger to Charlie. They met at a campus ride board, each looking to share the long drive home to Ohio. Both have good reasons for wanting to get away. For Charlie, it’s guilt and grief over the murder of her best friend, the third victim of the man known as the Campus Killer. For Josh, it’s to help care for his sick father. Or so he says, Charlie has her doubts. There’s something suspicious about Josh. As they travel the empty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly worried Charlie begins to think she’s sharing a car with the Campus Killer.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dutton Books, and Riley Sager for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. This story follows Charlie who takes up an offer to drive to Ohio with a stranger. However, she soon begins to worry he is not who he says he is, and even thinks he may be the elusive Campus Killer. This is a Riley Sager book so you already know I LOVED it! This book is an amazing thriller but also manages to be a love letter to 90’s music and film/ movies. I though the 90’s vibe was set so well and really fit to the plot of this story. While there were little twists I picked up on, in true Sager fashion, he still managed to stump and wow me in the end. I would definitely recommend this book and do recommend going in blind! This will be a popular read!

Release Date: June 29, 2021

It is November 1991 and Charlie Jordan needs a ride home from college. Right now. She has to get away from the place where her roommate and best friend was brutally murdered by a serial killer. She says goodbye to her boyfriend and accepts a ride from Josh, a stranger she met at the campus ride board. Soon she begins to doubt her driver’s identity. Is Josh telling the truth? Is he really who he says he is? Can Charlie trust the movies in her mind? She must survive the night in order to make it home.

Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark is one of my favorite thrillers from 2020. It is completely original, surprises lurk around every corner, and it keeps you guessing all the way until the end. Where that book excelled, Survive the Night flounders. The premise is intriguing and lures you in right from the start. I loved the nod to the ‘90s and Nirvana’s music. It brought back memories for me of a simpler time when phone booths existed and before everyone had cell phones. The setting also really helped heighten the tension in the plot. However, I struggled to root for the main character, Charlie. She makes one stupid mistake after another and is way too gullible. I found parts of the plot implausible, such as Charlie “seeing a movie in her mind” and the reveal of the villains. I also easily guessed the twists and found the ending a bit far fetched.

Survive the Night IS an engaging thriller that will keep you reading long into the night…

IF you can get lost in a movie and suspend your belief!

Riley Sager will still remain on my auto-request list, but I hope he returns to writing gothic thrillers!

3/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC of Survive the Night by Riley Sager in exchange for an honest review.

This was going to be four stars because I found it actually genuinely terrifying but it was also predictable in disappointing ways (the tropes weren't subverted, they were just repeated) and the film snobbery was a little exhausting (because it didn't actually do anything, because the tropes weren't subverted). It just didn't stick the landing.

Sager is great for books with lots of twists and turns and this book is no exception. This was a super fast paced book that I couldn't put down as I wanted to know how everything would end. Charlie is headed home from college after a very stressful semester (in which her roommate was murdered) and gets in the car with a stranger.

Things start to get strange quickly, but Charlie already can't trust what she sees and you don't know whether of not she is in the car of the Campus Killer. This is a great, fast-paced thriller perfect for fans of Sager or new readers.

Absolutely loved this book. Riley Sager is a master of suspense, and adding a classic films twist made this one to remember. Highly recommend to all!!

This book was highly entertaining. I did feel that the beginning was a little slow however once we got to the action boy did it pick up. Sager really knows how to write a psychological thriller. I actually went into this book blind however I do that all the time. So I really don’t want to give away too much because I think that is the route to take with this book. However you have a young college girl whose roommate is murdered and afterwords she becomes a little unhinged. She ends up going home and she gets a ride share with a man she doesn’t know. That is where things start to get a little shady and soon after she gets in the car she gets some vibes that maybe he’s not being so honest.

I have to say I do like the format of the book. I thought the chapter titles were interesting and I enjoyed the way it was all presented.

So I do believe that if you love this author you will love this book. If you have yet to read one of his books than this is a good one to start with.

A terrifying road trip, a serial killer, and a family’s revenge, no one is who they claim to be in this 8o’s era car ride.

Stop what you are doing and pre order this book! You will thank me!!! I was up until 2am reading Survive the Night! I binged it in one sitting and now I’m super sad that it’s over! It was my most anticipated book of the YEAR and it was everything I hoped it would be!

Sager laid out a terrifying, creepy story, one that makes me weary of all strangers, people I know, diners, and maybe even road trips! The cat and mouse psychological thriller aspect was done perfectly! There were moments where I really wasn’t sure what was reality and what was imagined. The fragile state of mind, of the main character drives a lot of the story. As she transitions from emotion to emotion you can feel her fear, her despair, the terror she’s going through. The plot twists were awesome and I did not see them coming! Sager brought his A game for this one!

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC for an honest review**

I am not typically a "thriller" reader, with Riley Sager being very much the exception. I'm constantly hoping for a new book from this author, and Survive the Night does not disappoint.

It's 1991, and college student Charlie has recently lost her roommate and best friend to the Campus Killer. Eaten up by grief, Charlie decides to take a break, and go home to her grandmother. She finds a local guy - Josh - headed her way on the rideshare board, and leaves with him.

The novel is told over the course of that one ride, that one night. Charlie dealing with some mental health struggles can no longer trust what's real, and nice guy Josh appears to be more than he presents. The way the author structures the novel adds to the sense of isolation, and fear. Charlie cannot trust what's real, and the reader is keep guessing. The pacing, suspense, and twists of this uniquely written novel make it a must read. I cannot recommend this enough, one of Sager's best!

So.
I'm going to be honest here....
This wasn't my favorite Riley Sager book. 😥 I liked it (obviously, as I gave it 4 stars), but I didn't "love it" and it most definitely wasn't what I was expecting, it seemed to lack the "knock your socks off" status that is common with Sager books.

At first it seemed like it was trying too hard to be unique. It seemed a smidge rushed, like he was on a deadline and needed to get a book written ASAP. And it was a little bit hard to follow at times as well. It redeemed itself in the end though, when everything wrapped up nicely. The ending earned the 4 stars. I love solid, explanatory endings!! 🙌

I'm glad I read it, and overall I did mostly enjoy it. But unfortunately it won't be on my "Best Riley Sager Books" list. 🥺

Thank you to Riley Sager, the publisher and NetGalley for my free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. :)

This is my first Riley Sager novel and it will not be my last!

This was a quick thriller I read in one sitting, (AKA I chose reading over sleeping and stayed up until 3am to finish this). I absolutely ate it up! I loved it!

It was a very quick thriller taking place over just a couple of hours, but I never got bored or lost focus. It is very fast paced, but has such well-rounded characters. The main character, Charlie, is the perfect protagonist. She is not brave, outgoing, or extremely beautiful. She is an average fucked up college student that you can entirely relate to. Every scene has me on the edge of my seat, and her stream of consciousness was entirely plausible. This story takes place in the 90's and I felt like I was jumping into a classic 90's horror film. I was obsessed but I also felt like it was such a genius touch. Horrors were so much simpler before cell phones and Find My Friends, and it definitely added to the suspense.

The twist was something you will never see coming, I WAS SHOCKED. The ending wrapped everything up SO well, there is truly nothing to be upset about.

Overall, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. There's no excuse. It's quick, it's thrilling, and it's something every 90's kid would love. I will easily be recommending this to anyone who needs a quick thriller for the beach!

Well, that title lived up to its name. The main character, Charlie, was so charming! I loved how she was a complete film buff and the lens she saw the world through. I was worried I might get annoyed, or confused, but it never came. It didn't hurt that it was set in the 90s, either...only made me nostalgic.

The side characters were equally interesting-especially when you don't know who you can trust! It's definitely a non-stop ride. Heh. I enjoyed how small the cast was <i>(think Hard Candy, the movie)</i> and how it never let you take a breather <i>(think Dean Koontz's [book:Intensity|32439]</i>. I think it would make an excellent movie...

I'm gonna throw this at the top of my books to recommend for summer reading

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my favorite Riley Sager book out of the few that I've read! His books all keep me guessing, but the setting - 1991, interstate 80, night - really made the book for me. About 25% into the book I was pretty sure it was going one of two ways, knowing full well how Sager plots his books with twists and turns and the unexpected. And, of course, I was wrong. Perfect summer read!

Love, love, loved this book! Riley Sager has done it again with a plot that speaks to a love of film noir and classic Hitchcock films, and a heroine that is as fierce as she is damaged.

I loved the setting for this book. A girl and a guy on a late night road trip in the middle of the woods in the 90s?! And the guy just might be a serial killer? Perfection.

The way Sager wove every twist and turn together was brilliantly executed and created a chilling and propulsive plot that kept me completely captivated until the very last page!

I absolutely loved Charlie and how fierce and wonderfully complicated she was. And I loved that she was smart. Nothing ruins a thriller more than a main character who makes choices no human would make, and Charlie’s complicated journey throughout this book was so inspiring to watch.

I don’t want to give away too much, but this book has it all: A twisted, creepy, atmospheric plot, old movie references, and complex characters. I didn’t want it to end, but the ending was absolutely perfect! Congrats to Riley Sager on another amazing book!

Set in 1991, college student, Charlie, needs to get home to Ohio and she seeks out the ride board in the student union. She is lucky to find a ride with Josh who happens to be headed in the same direction. Once she gets in the car, things begin to feel ominous. Is it her past making her paranoid or is Josh dangerous?

You had me at 1991..... Riley Sager is an auto-read for me. I have read and loved every single one. I always think I have the twist figured out and that he can’t possibly surprise me, then he manages to do it again and again. This one was so fun to read. It dragged slightly in the middle but then I flew through the last 100 pages. I recommend for anyone that enjoys thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. “Survive the Night” is a available July 29, 2021.

Sager’s latest delivers a suspenseful ride and keeps you entertained from page one!

In 1991, a man known as The Campus Killer is on the loose and has just recently taken the life of Charlie’s best friend. Charlie, a college student and all too-familiar with death after also losing both parents, needs to get home.

She meets Josh at the campus ride board. He is trying to get home to his sick father. But if Josh is really just a fellow student, or person who even works on campus, why does he have a fake ID? And why isn’t he familiar with the names of campus buildings? Something is not right...

Charlie quickly begins to think she is stuck in a car with the Campus Killer, and if she is, how is she going to get away?

Great ending, and I loved the twists. After recently discovering Taylor Adam’s, I will say it reminded me of No Exit and Hairpin Bridge to an extent, so if you’re an Adam’s fan, this should be the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!