As the master of multiple surprise endings Sager doesn’t disappoint with his newest Gothic novel imbued with an atmospheric house and cast of unreliable characters. Kit, a caregiver with a newly tarnished reputation, is sent to Hopes End, where Leonora Hope, infamous for murdering her family and getting away with it, needs constant care. Kit equally parts scared and curious, is astounded when Eleanora wants to tell her story to Kit about what happened that night. But so much more is going on than Eleanora’s past story, as present day events keep changing Kit’s perceptions. And even if you have to suspend belief at certain plot points this is a gothic novel not to be missed.

Riley Sager is back again! “The Only One Left” is a heart-racing thriller full of twists and turns that we know and love from Sager.

omg omg omg, this book. It's Riley Sager's best one yet! I read this in a day. It would have been hours, except the work day got in the way. You think you know where the story is going. And then there's a twist. And another twist. And yet another twist. And so on until an electric conclusion. Well done!

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

Thank you SO MUCH to Riley Sager and Dutto for my copy of this book! One bloody night in 1929, the Hope family was brutally murdered. All but Lenora, who survived to tell the police she didn’t do it. After the massacre, Lenora didn’t set foot outside of her cliffside estate, Hope’s End, and her story turned to legend.

Now 1983, Lenora is in need of a caretaker. Her previous nurse disappeared in the night and Kit is out of options. She takes the job as her last resort, and is surprised to find the infamous Lenora confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak or move, except for her left arm. She communicates by tapping on an old typewriter, and decides she wants to share her story with Kit. But can Lenora be trusted?

Thoughts: The Only One Left is another home run from Riley Sager. From the very beginning, the atmospheric setting and eerie plot capture the reader’s attention. The story of Lenora is fascinating, and set in the creaky Hope’s End, it is the perfect backdrop for an unreliable character. The cast of characters Sager creates are unique and interesting, but Kit and Lenora are the stars.

I couldn’t read this book fast enough, and the pages of type written story between the chapters had me anxious to turn the page. Always master of suspense, Sager had me gasping out loud and listening for sounds in my house. I loved this book and it may even be my new favorite book of his! I recommend this book to anyone who likes a creepy setting, twisted cast of characters, and a satisfying ending. 5 stars!