I'm a huge fan of Riley Sager and loved his latest book.

This latest book picks up on the popular theme of 'crazy/murderous' neighbours, reminiscent of the women in the window etc, but brings something new to it, a supernatural element.

I really enjoyed the possession thread in the story which was unexpected and lifted the story beyond a typical thriller.

Characters were enjoyable with the odd red herring thrown in for good measure!

The House Across the Lake is twisty, dark and ultimately delivers a very entertaining mystery for summer 2022. Sager has taken the outline of a story you think you’ve read or watched a million times before, and makes it his own.

Recent widower and actress-turned-pariah Casey Fletcher escapes to her lake house to lay low whilst her recent boozy scandals die down. Whilst there, with not much to do, Casey spends her time nursing alcoholic beverages and spying on her neighbours like they’re reality TV entertainment. After witnessing some intense exchanges between Tom and Katherine, husband and wife, with Katherine mysteriously disappearing overnight, Casey’s instincts tell her that Tom has done something to his wife.

Sager has created a very relatable and endearing protagonist with Casey. Even when she acted recklessly or jumped head first, I still empathised with her. Her grief over how her life fell apart (through her husband’s death) was palpable. I could feel the hollowness of her lost her dreams of starting a family and growing old with the love of her life. Moreover, I must stress that I feel Casey’s reasons for sticking her nose into her neighbours business and trying to find Katherine made complete sense by the novel’s end. So I encourage patience for anybody thinking: “ANOTHER book where the female lead suddenly decides to become a wannabe detective??”

Now, the alcoholic narrative: if relevant to you, please bear in mind, The House Across the Lake graphically details the consumption of multiple types of alcohol. Whilst I’m still displeased Sager opted to make alcoholism a strand of Casey’s arc, it is predominantly a plot point for the character, rather than it being weaponised against the character by other characters, nor is it used as a means to prejudice the reader against Casey. I initially expected to read content and inner monologues which would attack the credibility of Casey, because of the alcohol consumption, but thankfully, Sager hasn’t done this - as I wrote above, Sager has taken something you think you’ve read before, and made it his own.

The mystery itself was riveting. I found Sager’s previous release, Survive the Night, to be a disappointing release, but I feel Sager is back to business as usual here. My mind was spinning with so many theories - seriously, my notes app would give Casey’s spying a run for her money - and I had such a blast trying to figure out what was going on. I couldn’t put the book down and read it in the space of 24hours! I foresaw some threads and where they would lead, but I didn’t predict all of them, with one twist I was especially surprised with. That twist, in particular, blew my mind and had me squealing!

Perfect for fans of films like What Lies Beneath and Rear Window, The House Across the Lake is another hit for Sager. Mysterious, ominous and obsessive… A really enjoyable mystery that will make you think again about assuming you know what’s coming, because Sager will pull that rug out from under you!

Thank you kindly to Hodder & Stoughton books for an e-arc in exchange for this honest review.

A highly anticipated and recommended story that many readers will enjoy. Unfortunately it didn’t really worked as well as I was expecting for me. I tried my best to take a break and lick it up again but I just couldn’t carry on. I’m sorry and this is totally on me and my moods.


Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

This was my first time reading a Riley Sager novel and it has ruined my planned TBR for June because now I simply have to read everything he has ever written and NOW.
At no point in this book was I bored or frustrated, which is fairly rare. The characters and dialogue are so well done and the progression was totally believable. The twists slam into you and just keep coming.
I particularly like how he writes women and the female experience. It feels as though he has studied and appreciated what women have to deal with sometimes and I always appreciate it when a male author does that. It wasn't over done, as it can be sometimes. It was perfectly pitched.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who simply wants a good time with a book. I have all of Riley Sager's books on my Kindle but for some reason I was putting off reading them. Maybe its the hype around him, which I tend to resist. If that is putting you off, please don't let it. Read this book.

As always this author delivers and this book was great, loved it from the first page and loved everything about it, characters, storyline and the ending, twists and turns galore ..

Casey Fletcher is alone at her family's lake house. The house nestles the shore of Lake Greene along with four other homes. When Casey rescues Katherine, the owner of the house directly opposite, from drowning in the lake she is intrigued by her and begins to spy on her and her husband, Tom. Casey is convinced that not everything is right between Katherine and Tom, and when Katherine disappears Casey is convinced Tom has murdered her.

The opening is atmospheric and sets an eerie tone. Five houses, isolated from the outside world, particularly during the off-season, with very few people around. Civilisation is a 15 minute drive away.

Casey Fletcher is a TV and film star, struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband. She has turned to alcohol to drown out the memories, as a result of this she is an unreliable narrator. Having been dumped at the lake house by her family in the hope that she will dry out, you can understand Casey's loneliness and vulnerability, which becomes an obsession with the house across the lake.

I felt like a voyeur as Casey repeatedly spied on the glamorous couple across from her but would probably have been just as tempted. The house is all glass and steel, Katherine and Tom are beautiful and sophisticated.

Twists to the narrative begin as early as the end of the second chapter and just never stop. As we learn about recent events it feels as if we are trapped in an intricate web. I was getting "Gone Girl" vibes as the story progressed and could feel my heart racing, wondering what would happen next.

Up to three quarters of the way through the book I was thinking this was a five star read, unfortunately the story then took an extremely unexpected turn and my enjoyment of the book plummeted. I'm not going to give away any spoilers, this just wasn't the direction I thought the story was going.

What happens when a fallen from grace actress is isolated at her lake house with a pair of binoculars and a huge amount of alcohol?

Of course we get paranoia and spying on the neighbours, one of which has a huge home which is mostly windows.

I enjoyed this book up until around the 70% mark and then it went a bit bizarre with the plot twist before going back to the original twist it was leading up to.

This is the third Riley Sager book ive read and although this wasn't my favourite I would still read his future works.

Love this author so was excited to read this new book The House Across The Lake.
It had Riley Sager’s classic writing style that keeps me in my seat kindle in hand and devouring it in one sitting but as usual the twists keep coming and your never sure if your right or wrong. Loved it!

This was an interesting read, the plotline had me very intrigued but I do feel as though the pacing was maybe too slow in places which did drop my attention a bit. If you are going into this thinking it is a typical fast paced thriller, then you will be sorely disappointed so I would suggest going in with an open mind.
Not the best Riley Sager book I have read but it was overall it was a enjoyable read.
Thank you to Netgalley as well as Hodder & Stoughton Publishers for providing this ARC for review.
All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Another fantastic Riley Sager, I think this one might actually be his best one yet!
Full of surprises and twists right until the very end, and a likeable main character despite her flaws.
I really enjoyed the setting too (private lake with rich residents!) and the other characters stories too. Very entertaining read!

Thank you for my advanced reader copy!

I found this book to be very similar to others that I have read recently - spying on neighbours and drinking copious amounts of alcohol! However, I stuck with it and the plot was so slow to develop until the last couple of chapters and then it went quite bizarre. Unbelievable and I skipped large chunks to get to the end. Not one for me.

I've finished reading The House Across the Lake by Rriley Sager and I rate it 4 stars 🌟

widowed actress Casey Fletcher has escaped to her family's lake house for a break to recover from her demons and her drinking problem but turns out to be a break from hell.

I enjoyed this book, for me it did start a bit slow and wasn't sure where the story was going but then a twist came and the story started to speed up, it then went into a kind of supernatural story and it was good I certainly wasn't expecting it to go that way, but I did like it if I'm honest I'm surprised casey wasn't dead or could even talk as she drunk so much I do wish she didnt drink so much as that kind seemed all she did was drink, It had a good set for characters a good setting and a well plotted story.

I liked the ending I thought it was a perfect fit for the story I would recommend this book

I loved it! Just like I’ve loved every other Riley sager book. I was hooked from the first chapter and I find myself waiting for the amazing twist in this authors work and yep! Did not disappoint. Couldn’t recommend enough! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early.

Read through netgalley. I feel like I’ve read this. Or watched it as a channel 5 afternoon film. I really really struggled to finish it. The main character is just irritating. Not terribly written just feels terribly familiar and is about 200 pages longer than I cared to read.
Then the last bit just loses the plot. The story doesn’t understand where it wants to go and by then I didn’t really care. I can’t explain this but without giving away spoilers but it’s like the author wrote a boring version of rear window and then thought might as well just go nuts.
Thank you for letting me read but this is not the book for me

The House Across the Lake, Riley Sager

Casey Fletcher, recently widowed actress retreats to her family’s lake house for the summer in Vermont. She spends her time drinking too much and spying on her neighbours, the famous Royce’s. But all is not what it appears and Casey soon finds herself in the middle of a mystery when Katherine Royce vanishes.

If you’re a gothic thriller fan then Riley Sager is not a new name to you. From debut Final Girls to this each book is a chillingly addictive trip. The House Across the Lake is his usual solid format, albeit with a more unsettling twist than usual.

I always enjoy a new Sager novel, my only criticism is that I find the parade of troubled and dazed female protagonists (though a successful formula) a little waning now. That said however the writing is superb and so, you feel as dazed as Casey here.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Hodder&Stoughton for my copy.

This was not one of my favorites of his books
The claustrophobic dark ambiance was well written, and the mystery had layers in them.
Many things were unbelievable.
Paranormal aspect popped in suddenly as a plot twist
The main character was always sloshed to the gills yet could perform super-human deeds to save lives.
The writing did not have the zest as I would expect from this author.
The reactions of a woman in a lone cabin on the approach of a stranger felt off.
An good read.

The House Across the Lake was a story I was so excited to get my hands on, and parts of it really were exciting. However, as a whole, it felt messy and just too much to take in. A 3.5 star rating for me.
Our main character is actress Casey Fletcher who has been banished to her lakeside home (the place where her husband died) by her mother who wants her out of the public eye after one too many drunken incidents. In what felt like a Rear Window homage, Casey takes to watching the home across the lake from her…home to supermodel Katherine Royce and her media husband Tom.
Casey’s first meeting with Katherine is when she fishes her out of the lake and saves her from drowning. The tentative steps to a new friendship are forged, but Casey is convinced that things in the Royce household are not what they seem. Obsessive, alcohol-fuelled stalking events occur and it’s hard to workout whether Casey is deluded or if there’s some truth to her fears about Tom.
In the background of this bizarre situation is a local writer, an ex-cop whose wife died and three missing women. From the moment each element is introduced my brain went into overdrive trying to work out what was a red herring, what was plausible and what was a diversion. Casey lurches from one imagined scenario to the next and things ramp up once Katherine goes missing and Tom starts acting suspiciously.
It was at this point that the book went to a whole other level and I had to check if I was reading the latest Sarah Pinborough. I have no problem with the introduction of the supernatural to a story, but in this instance it felt like a gimmick. It served merely to offer a hitherto unthought of reason for what was happening, but it also served as a diversion to another element of the plot. It felt as if bets were being hedged here as to what type of book was the ultimate aim, and the truth is that it feels as if we don’t get a satisfactory answer.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication, but I’d have been so gutted to have waited for release date and spent the amount I’ve had to on previous Sager books to then get this. I’m afraid this didn’t work for me.

really disappointed as this was my first riley sager and I really didn't like it I was bored and just don't understand the hype to be honest like I'd concider it a average book

I'm a big fan of other Riley Sager books so was disappointed to have to mark this one as a did not finish. Casey has a detective at her table enquiring about something and she has a man bound and gagged upstairs. I found the writing didn't draw me in at all and I didn't find it gripping.

I was really excited to have the chance to read this new piece of fiction from Riley Sager. His books are always an entertaining quick read for me and this one didn't disappoint.

In The House Across the Lake we meet Casey, an actress who after the death of her husband starts to spiral and finds herself splashed across the tabloids. At her mothers request she retreats to her family lake house to lay low for a while. Boredom and bourbon soon get the best of her and she finds herself watching her neighbours, supermodel Kathryn and her husband Tom in the house across the lake. When Kathryn goes missing Casey becomes obsessed with finding out the answers and wow, I was not expecting the twist!

This was such a fun read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the chance to read The House Across the Lake.