Member Reviews
I think this twisty, gothic tale is my favorite Riley Sager I have read. It is atmospheric and well-paced, and I did not see the twists coming. A really fun, enjoyable, page-turning thriller from Sager. Recommended.
I don’t read a lot of mystery/thriller books, but I thought this one was fun. It does get totally nuts as you get closer to the end, and there are a lot of crazy things happening and characters being tossed around and details that made me go “huh?”. But overall I enjoyed the ride.
Excellent as always, Riley Sager keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. I could not put this down and loved all the twists and turns
Riley Sager does not miss. An un-put-down-able thriller that kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning.
The story has a great gothic setting - the crumbling mansion is very atmoshperic and the state of disrepair adds stakes to the plot. However, the plot ultimately exhibits some gaps, especially in the motivations of characters. Overall a fun read, but unsatisfying in retrospect.
I know, I know… Mr. Sager has a new book out, but I wanted to share this one because, for me - it’s his creepiest and twistiest one yet! And perfect for getting in to the vibe of the season with the most unsettling of ease.
It’s loosely inspired by the Lizzie Borden tale, and follows a woman who becomes caretaker of a mysterious and elderly accused murderer - who still lives in the very same home where her entire family’s lives came to a brutal end. Strange things begin to happen in the house, and as more and more secrets are revealed of that gruesome and bloody night, a curious and calculated mystery is unraveled. The premise is genius, the build up is intense, and the ending was so much fun.
I think the cliffside Hope’s End house might be my favorite part of this one, as it’s so darkly gothic, unsettling and atmospheric, and a vividly drawn main character all on its own. I also love that this was Sager’s first book with a female protagonist and it’s just so cleverly done and unputdownably twisty… I feel like a lot of thought went into this plot and it payed off in spades.
It’s definitely my favorite book of his so far, and I cannot wait to start his newest, Middle of the Night.
I’ve read a number of Riley Sager books and unfortunately this one will probably be my last. The characters are frustrating and the story lines are predictable. I can tell I love a book by how it stays with me afterwards and the second I hit the final page I was grateful that it was over.
I received this book as a Netgalley. It's a great book with a classic spooky gothic premise with inspirations from Lizzie Borden. Nice atmosphere, good twists and turns. Certain elements are predictable, while others are pretty surprising.
Excellent mystery. I loved the premise and the surprises throughout. Great character building and plot development.
4.8⭐️ I loved and devoured this book all the way to the very end! Amazing plot twists and a must-read for sure 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read this book!
I couldn’t let go of the book. I think I read it in a couple of sittings. It’s exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book has a surprising twists and turns! We have already purchased a copy for our library
I had to DNF this. The more books Riley Sager puts out, the less I like him and his whole schtick. I tried.
After this one, I’m not sure if I will be picking up any other works by this author previously I have enjoyed his books, Unfortunately, I cannot get into this one. The first couple chapters were super boring so I decided to put it down. I don’t think I will be picking it up again!
A twisty and thrilling story from Sager where nothing is quite what it seems. Love the gothic setting and the nostalgia for the time periods. A gripping story!
**4 out of 5 stars**
Riley Sager's *The Only One Left* is a gripping, suspenseful thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The novel's gothic setting, a crumbling mansion on a cliff, adds an eerie atmosphere that perfectly complements the dark, twisted plot. Sager masterfully weaves a tale of secrets, betrayal, and psychological tension that kept me guessing until the very end.
The protagonist, Kit, is a well-drawn character whose investigation into the mysterious massacre that happened decades ago at the mansion uncovers more than she bargained for. The pacing is swift, and the twists are cleverly executed, leaving you questioning everything you think you know.
While the ending was satisfying, it felt a bit rushed, and some of the twists stretched believability. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise excellent read. If you enjoy thrillers with a heavy dose of suspense and a touch of the macabre, *The Only One Left* is definitely worth picking up.
I loved this book so much. It kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time.
There is gothic creepiness, a bedridden old woman and a lot of secrets.
Highly recommended for fans of thrillers
This book reminded me of the vintage gothic novels I read. Kit arrives at Hope's End as a caregiver to Lenora Hope. In the 20s there were horrific murders on the estate and everyone thinks Lenora was guilty but there was not enough evidence to charge her. Now she is a stroke victim who can only move one hand and Kit is there to take care of her. The house is falling apart and everyone in the house is hiding something. The story moves along quickly and there are lots of twists. The book is a lot of fun to read. Enjoy
Another twisty thriller by Riley Sager! This is set in 1983- a home health aide arrives to care for an old woman who was a suspect in the murder of her family when she was 16 years old. The woman stays quiet about what happened that night for decades…she finally decides to put it on paper and it has an ending you will never see coming!
I'll admit, I was a little worried when this started with the whole Lizzie Borden type thing, because that could've gone in a very different direction, but I like how this worked. I enjoyed this. The twists are interesting and I definitely didn't see a big part of the ending coming. There were a couple things that kind of came out of left field, but I did really like this and already have more Riley Sager books standing by to read soon!
As with all of Sager’s books, this was compulsively readable. Loved the atmosphere and setting as well as the twists.