3.25

Setting: Maine
Rep: n/a

If you liked Verity by Colleen Hoover or The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden, you'll probably enjoy this because it's the same book. Pretty much. If you've read Verity, you'll see the end of this one coming from a mile away. Now, I loved Verity, the only decent Colleen Hoover book, but this fell flat. I didn't care about any of the characters. I did fly through the book, mostly because I read a lot of it on the treadmill, but none of the twists felt twisty. At no point was I surprised by the events of the story.

In 1929, 17-year-old Lenora Hope was accused of massacring her family in their home. The police could never prove it but the locals widely accepted that as the sole surviving family member, she must have been responsible. Lenora has never spoken about the murders or left Hope’s End, her ancestral home since that night. In 1983, Kit takes up the job as Lenora’s nurse after her predecessor left suddenly. Kit finds Lenora paralysed and mute, only able to use her left hand to communicate via a typewriter. One night, to Kit’s surprise, Lenora uses it to express to Kit that she wants to tell her everything. I have read almost all of Riley Sager’s books and I have to say that The Only One Left is my favourite so far. It’s highly addictive and atmospheric with some gorgeous Gothic Agatha Christie vibes. Hope’s End cast such an ominous shadow and held so many horrific secrets that it took on a life of its own as I turned the pages and became very much a haunting, chilling persona. Even at the very end, the crazy twists kept coming and I was thoroughly consumed by the lives of these characters. A deliciously, dark mystery.

The Only One Left by Riley Sager is a chilling and atmospheric thriller that keeps you on edge until the final page. Set in the 1980s, the story follows Kit, a caregiver sent to assist Lenora Hope, a mute and paralyzed woman suspected of murdering her family decades earlier. As Kit begins to uncover the truth behind the infamous Hope family massacre, she finds herself drawn into a web of secrets, lies, and unexpected twists.

Sager excels at creating an eerie, gothic atmosphere, with the crumbling mansion by the sea acting almost like a character itself. The suspense builds steadily, with a sense of dread that creeps in as Kit gets closer to learning the truth. The twists are well-executed, and just when you think you have everything figured out, Sager surprises you again.

One slight drawback is that some of the plot twists, while shocking, verge on being a bit far-fetched. Additionally, a few characters feel somewhat underdeveloped, making it hard to fully connect with them.

Nevertheless, The Only One Left is an engaging, fast-paced read with plenty of suspense. Fans of Riley Sager’s previous works will find much to enjoy, and new readers will be captivated by the unpredictable story.

I had high expectations for this book and was not disappointed. Riley Sager is one of my favourite authors as I never predict the endings - and I didn't again. What a book!

In this book we join Kit who is charged with being a carer to Lenora Hope. When Lenora Hope was young, it was believed she murdered her family. She's now confined to a wheelchair - mute, paralysed. She has one working finger and she types of Kit on a typewriter: I want to tell you everything.

Such a great book. Would highly recommend it. Fast-paced, unpredictable. Riley Sager did it again!

A really great horror writer that I have come to love. A brilliant book that is perfect for the darker nights

Thank you for the ARC. Classic Riley Sager: gripping story, shocking twists, and utterly unputdownable. A thrilling page-turner!

3.25

I expected great things from this book and whilst I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it.

The premise of the story was thrilling and refreshing and I thought that the vulnerability of the main character being alone with a potential murderer in an isolated place added to the excitement of the story.

I enjoyed how the story unfolded and I was left surprised by the twists and turns.

I found the ending of the book a little bit messy and as if too many unexpected events were all thrown together in a pot and rather than including one or two the author just included them all.

Overall it was well written, enjoyable and kept you guessing. It’s not the best thriller that I’ve read but it was nice to read something a bit different.

The Only One Left by Riley Sager is a masterfully crafted thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The novel centers around Kit, a home health aide who is assigned to care for Lenora Hope, the last surviving member of the infamous Hope family, at their decaying mansion. Lenora, rendered mute by a stroke, communicates by typing, and soon begins to reveal shocking secrets about the night her family was brutally murdered.

Sager’s writing excels in creating a gothic, eerie atmosphere that permeates the entire novel. The decaying mansion, with its hidden rooms and dark history, serves as a perfect setting for the unfolding mystery. The detailed descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the mansion, experiencing the suspense and tension alongside Kit.

The characters are complex and well-developed, particularly Kit and Lenora. Kit’s determination to uncover the truth, despite the dangers, makes her a compelling protagonist. Lenora, with her enigmatic presence and shocking revelations, adds layers of intrigue to the story. The interactions between these two characters are charged with suspense and emotion, driving the narrative forward.

What I found particularly engaging were the numerous twists and turns that Sager expertly weaves into the plot. Just when I thought I had figured out the mystery, a new twist would emerge, keeping me guessing until the very end. The pacing is perfect, with just the right amount of tension and buildup to the climactic reveal.

Overall, The Only One Left is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that showcases Riley Sager’s talent for storytelling. If you enjoy a good mystery with plenty of twists and a gothic setting, this book is definitely worth picking up. It’s a page-turner that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Riley Sager's "The Only One Left" is a masterful blend of suspense and psychological intrigue. Set in a decaying mansion, the story follows Kit, a home health aide with a troubled past, as she uncovers dark family secrets. The atmosphere is chilling, the characters are richly developed, and the plot twists keep you guessing until the end. Sager delivers a gripping, unputdownable read that’s perfect for fans of gothic thrillers. Highly recommended!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 | 𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 | 𝟒.𝟐𝟓*

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
⟡ Thriller
⟡ Carer MC cares for alleged murderer
⟡ Unsolved cold case
⟡ (Somewhat isolated) Mansion on the cliffs
⟡ Morally grey characters

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Kit, our main character in this eerie thriller, is assigned to work a new care case after a six month suspension following a moment of negligent care that saw a patient lose their life. Accused in the local paper of indirectly killing that person, this is something she has in common with her new charge, Lenora Hope, who allegedly killed her entire family in 1929.

I enjoyed Survived The Night, but I have loved Home Before Dark and The Only One Left. I find Sager’s work exhilarating and gripping and I am yet to be disappointed. Even with raised expectations, this novel met them with ease.

The amount of mysteries, secrets, and twists in this book is astonishing. Those last fifty pages are mind blowing. I wanted to race through them but also had to practically physically restrain myself so I’d understand the plot in its entirety rather than racing ahead. I think the reason the twists works so well is that every character in this book is morally grey, nobody is innocent or completely honest, and yet I found it impossible to detect the lies. This was a thrilling triumph.

𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
“𝘈𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘓𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦
𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦
𝘛𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦
‘𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦,’ 𝘓𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥.”

“𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵?
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘧 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘴.”

DNF @ 20% - No Rating!

It pains me to give up on this one as I normally enjoy this author’s work, and The Only One Left contains so many gothic elements that I normally love. But it’s so slow, and Kit’s voice is really irritating me – I feel she’s written as far too modern for 1983, and especially considering she’s a thirty-one-year-old woman in the early eighties. I can’t imagine anyone balking over having to wear a uniform, all being offended over being asked to address a patient as Miss Hope rather than Lenora, back then. Also, it just doesn’t feel like 1983 – a walkman is described as brick-like (as opposed to what?) and there are many other similar consistencies that I just can’t overlook. The one flashback I read in Lenora’s POV is the only part I really liked.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Riley Sager for the e-ARC.

My favourite Riley Sager yet!!!
From the plot, the atmosphere, the characters to the TWISTS, this was so good! Riley Sager is amazing at creating a thrilling atmosphere with suspenseful twists and is perfect for new thriller readers and thriller fans alike! Would highly highly recommend

I really enjoyed the writing and the setting, it was really atmospheric and I couldn't work out where the story was going. I did however feel let down by the last third of the book, everything that happened felt too convenient, and it was twisty beyond belief which took me out of it.

Another great thriller from Riley. I enjoyed the twists and turns and this one really kept me guessing! An enjoyable plot! Thank you netgalley for the review copy!

Going into this I went into it with little to no expectations and I was blown awayy. The twists and turns, the gothic atmosphere, the suspensful and thrilling aspect, how fast paced it was; all elements I love in a thriller!
Finished it in a day tooo thats how you know its good

Riley Sager can't do wrong in my eyes - and this brilliant combination of Misery and Rear Window is just thrilling - gripping, page turning, and playing off age-old tropes to clever, brilliant effect

Love Riley Sager and be delivered once again with this great thriller! He had me on the edge of my seat the time and all the twist! Great job

There were lots of twists and turns in this novel and I wasn’t really sure who to trust – everyone seemed to be keeping secrets and lying about what they were up to. There were several red herrings and some misdirection that had me suspecting all kinds of things! I was trying to guess what was happening and kept changing my mind. This was definitely an intriguing and absorbing read. I really enjoyed this book and it will appeal fans of thrillers.

I read this book with my online book club at the time and I thought it sounded like the perfect thriller.

Whilst it was readable and many of my book buddies loved it, it just didn't work for me for a number of reasons.

I couldn't get to grips with the timelines.. I didn't understand why it was set in the 1980's and I personally found it off putting.

I have a really pet peeve for coincidences.. I absolutely HATE them in any story and The Only One Left had too many for me.

The reveals at the end were bordering on ridiculous and implausible.. obviously I'm not going to mention them but honestly this just made me feel cheated.

Not a book I would recommend - but this is just my personal opinion.

What a gripping read. This certainly is a page turner. Kit is a caregiver who goes to nurse Lenora who is wheelchair bound and can’t speak. Years ago a scandal erupted where Lenora was accused of murdering her family. The family mansion is located on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. There are so many twists and turns throughout. The atmosphere is creepy and unsettling. There are secrets to be uncovered. Like a lot of these novels you need to have an open mind and just go with the excitement and thrill. I thought it was a page turner with a great ending.