This is a tough one to review without spoiling anything so bare with me! I really enjoyed it, until I didn’t.

While the drunk unreliable narrator has been a popular trope in thrillers lately, I did enjoy this one! I liked never knowing who to trust and Sager did a fantastic job seemingly implicating everyone.

In true Sager fashion, this one has a jaw dropping twist that I certainly didn’t see coming! Did I like it though? Unfortunately not really. I did find the book as a whole to be incredibly propulsive and I definitely did fly through this chilling and atmospheric read!

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for goodreads

Casey Fletcher, a recent widow and disgraced actress, has been sent to her family’s lake house to hide from the paparazzi, and keep her mother happy. What ends up happening will change everything.

This gave me strong “Woman in the Window” vibes, which is honestly one of my favorite thrillers, and why I insist curtains are drawn at night! This is my first novel to read and review by Riley, and it was a solid 4 star for me. The writing kept me captivated and it was so hard to put down! I thought I had it all figured out but there was a solid reverse uno card played that I never saw coming! This was a great read, I strongly recommend!

Thank you to Riley Sager and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for a free and honest review.

This latest thriller by Riley Sager pays homage to Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Casey is coping with the loss of her husband and career by drinking as much alcohol as possible. After an swimming accident, Casey befriends Katherine, a former model. Katherine is married to tech mogul Tom and the couple have moved into the house directory across the lake from Casey. She becomes obsessed with the couple and begins to watch the new neighbors with a pair of binoculars. Casey begins to see the marriage unravel through her lenses and soon Katherine disappears. Unfortunately Casey is not very credible due to her alcoholic hobby and she decides to investigate Katherine’s disappearance on her own.

This is a fast paced thriller that has many surprises that you won’t see coming. As with many other horror novels an open mind is required in order to completely enjoy the story. Let yourself go and enjoy the ride!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I knew it!
Oh, wait, no. I didn't.
At about 40% I had this book all wrapped up, knew what was going on and was certain of it...Except that's not how Riley Sager works and we all know it.
After I finished it I explained it to my husband who was very intrigued.
This book truly has a bit of everything. No spoilers, but if you're looking for a good book with enough twists to keep you guessing, this fits the bill.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I truly enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Riley Sager for this ARC. This was my first Riley Sager novel. I was drawn in to the plot right away, Sager has a way of strongly evoking the setting for the reader. Newly widowed Casey is trying to drown her demons in the bottom of a bottle while staying on her lake house. But when she saves her neighbor Katherine from drowning, she sets herself on a path that sees her trying to determine where Katherine disappeared to and if it was by choice.

Interesting novel, and I will be checking out other Riley Sager books.

This was my first Riley Sager book. I absolutely loved the story and the quirky characters. I liked the twists up until the last one at the conclusion of the story. What was that all about? This perfectly entertaining book was ruined by its farfetched ridiculous ending. What a waste.

This book truly kept me on my toes! Riley Sager is the king of plot twists & this book was so exception! I enjoyed the alternating timelines and how everything came together. This one is definitely a solid thriller.

Riley Sager is an automatic read for me. He's a staple in the thriller genre and I always enjoy his books simply for the compulsiveness of them. With that being said, this was not his best work. I went into this knowing there's a HUGE twist that's divided fans. It's an interesting twist but I feel like it wasn't executed properly. There's a few subtle hints dropped along the way, so I guess it's not COMPLETELY out of left field looking back but it is wild... It got too outlandish for me and went in a whole different direction that I wasn't really interested in. Will I continue to read Sager's books? Of course. It was a fun compulsive read I really enjoyed it until we got to THAT part. Some may enjoy it but I think a lot of his avid readers and fans will be surprised.

Ugh,...so disappointed. This book started out so so strong. I loved the first 40% of the book...had me on the edge of my seat. Then it slowed down for me in the middle, then took a nose dive. I wish I'd know this book had paranormal offerings., I found the ending so unbelievable. The book had been great up until that point. Too unbelievable for my taste. Thank you for the advanced copy.

Well, this was a very disappointing read, and a generous 3 star rating. I am such a huge fan of Riley Sager, but this book…I think we have to talk about this book in two sections because they were two completely different things.

The first half of the book is completely a The Woman in the Window story. I mean drunk woman, unreliable narrator, binoculars to spy on neighbors, secrets untold…It’s the same story, and I just wasn’t interested in it. I was a bit tired of the drink, spy, phone call, pass out, and repeat story line (TBH I felt the same way with The Woman in the Window).

But then, the story takes a new, and surprising turn in the second half…It didn’t get better though.

I thought the second half was a crazy storyline, that didn’t mesh well with the first half. I would have liked an entire story that truly melded well surrounding the second half, but the book felt like two different stories stuck together. There were some twists at the end, and I enjoyed them, but it was all just a bit over the top.

I will be picking up whatever Sager writes next, but I certainly hope we get more Home Before Dark vibes and less of this next time.

So,...I loved it! I feel like it is the kind of book that when you get to the twist you are either here for it or over it. I appreciated how Sager completely committed to it and made it work.

'The House Across the Lake' is full of characters that are relatable, likable (except for when they're not supposed to be), and you want to read their story.

The twist begins about 80% of the way through the book and carries through to the ending. Then throws a few more curveballs before wrapping things up neatly.

The novel is a great summer read, a perfect beach book that doesn't take itself too seriously.

This was a bit different than his other books. It has a supernational feel to it. I enjoyed the creepy aspect of the book. And even though Casey has a slew of problems she's extremely likable and you root for her throughout the book. Overall I enjoyed the book

Rating 3.5 rounded up to 4

Uh this was an interesting ride. First part of my vacations I was reading this as a buddy reading fortunatelly, so I had the motivation. It was really slow at the beggining but I was not annoyed couse was easy reading.. I was clear nothing is like it seems but the was it was done was great. It surprised me even I suspected some things right and was nice wraped up. I did not like the paranormal but was incorporated nice. I let it go and I enjoyed the end of the book anyway.

An interesting story. The supernatural element is a bit much, but overall a fun read. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Spoiler alert - do not read this if you don't want the ending spoiled. I would never do this but had I been forewarned I might not have invested the time - this book was truly riveting, being on the edge of your seat type of read. You wonder how the author is going to make this all add up - it's awesome! I could not put it down!! Well evidently the author was wondering too because suddenly we've got Deus Ex Machina come out of nowhere, as it does, and change what had been a compelling suspense story into one with supernatural solutions. No warning. No transition time. Just - now this is paranormal lit not mystery genre. IF you are a paranormal fan, go ahead, you will be fine, this author is seriously fantastic. But, if you are not, be aware. I should have done my research - this was my first by this author and his obvious talent pulled me in smoothly.

This will undoubtedly sell well in our store, but it personally didn't work well for me. I have a hit-or-miss relationship with Sager. loved The Last Time I Lied, but haven't enjoyed his other books as much. I am very tired of the drunk unreliable female narrator (The Girl on the Train and The Woman in the Window did it best). I also didn't enjoy the paranormal twist at the end.

This story started off a bit slow and a bit repetitive. After the first half, it picks up speed and kept me at the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. A very enjoyable read. Would recommend if you're into thrillers and paranormal.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange of an honest review.
I just reviewed The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager. #TheHouseAcrosstheLake #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

The new Riley Sager sets up a premise that is familiar in the thriller genre- an alcoholic woman named Casey who we quickly learn is an unreliable narrator is out at her family's lakehouse, trying to put her life back together. She begins spying on the perfect couple across the lake after saving the wife from drowning one day, and becomes fascinated by what she sees. Convinced the woman is in danger, Casey begins a quest to save her with the help of a few local neighbors. This is a Riley Sager novel, so you know things are going to get wild... and they do, but just not in the way I thought.

There's a point in the book where the twists begin to reveal itself, and that plot device is going to be extremely polarizing. Either you will love it and be obsessed, or you'll be really bothered, and I fall in the really bothered camp. The twist was really surprising, and I thought the story was set up really well, but I just didn't like the elements that were incorporated, and it lost me by the last 70 pages. I will say, sometimes it's fun to read these divisive books to get to weigh in on the conversation, so I definitely would pick it up if you've enjoyed any of Riley Sager's other works.

My beef was partially that the narrator was a painful character to follow around due to her alcoholism. A lot of the book is just descriptions of her getting very drunk, and I think in some ways this could have been just as effectively implied while not devoting so much of the word count to it, especially given what a sensitive topic alcoholism can be for readers. Secondly, the twist subject matter was just too much for me haha. Lock Every Door certainly has a crazy twist too, but somehow that still felt more grounded in reality than what we experience here. Give it a try for yourself and see what you think!

I got to almost 50% and decided not to finish, nothing interesting had happened yet and I am tired of the alcoholic/addict female MC.

Oh... my.... I don't even have words for how blown away with this latest Sager book I am. I felt like I was in a carnival fun house dodging punches left and right out of nowhere. Just when I thought I knew what was coming... BAM right hook from out of the blue. The suspense was in true Sager fashion, but he brought a whole different ball of wax to this party. Casey Fletcher, a well-known actor, has been sequestered in her family lake house after being slammed in the press for her drinking problem after her husband's death. Unfortunately, her husband's death happened at the lake so being there brings its own issues. Casey is fascinated with her neighbors' house across the lake, especially after several drinks. This book had the feel of a cross between The Great Gatsby and Rear Window amped up with every twist and turn you didn't see coming. I loved it. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC. 5 stars again for Sager!!