REVIEW

THE ONLY ONE LEFT | Riley Sager

I absolutely love Riley Sager books, they deliver everything you need from a great thriller; exceptional plot, great characters and greater twists.

His latest book The Only One Left is no exception to the rule and is an unputdownable read. In short our protagonist Kit, a caregiver, who finds herself unemployable and on hard times is given a job to care for the notorious Lenora Hope, whose entire family was murdered years ago and Lenora now paralysed and mute has never disclosed what happened on the fateful night of the murders.

That is the starting point for what I think is one of Sager’s most compelling, twisty, red herring filled books to date. The twists keep on coming and literally don’t stop until you read the last line of the last page. It’s an exceptional thriller with brilliant tones of Hitchcock.

A sensational thrilling book to start 2024 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five.

This is a solid 5 star read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves twisty dark mystery reads. Every time I put it down I had to pick it straight back up.

Did Leonora kill her family? That is the question I wanted answered and it was a wild ride getting to it as it is summarised in a sensitising conclusion. The surprises just kept coming it was so creepy.

"The Only One Left" by Riley Sager is a heart-pounding gothic thriller that promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The story revolves around Lenora Hope, the sole survivor of a gruesome family massacre that occurred decades ago. Lenora has been mute, paralyzed, and confined to a wheelchair, unable to tell her side of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy of this book.

Love Riley Sager. I never know where the story is going and can never guess the ending!

🩸 B O O K R E V I E W 🩸

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was kindly given an advanced copy of this book via netgalley 👏🏼

I just love Riley Sagers books, this is the third novel of his I have read and it’s by far my favourite so far, he has such a good way of writing horror elements into his thriller books & I genuinely love that so much, this one fully gave me the creeps, I had to keep the lights on everytime I picked it up!

This story follows Kit who works as a care giver, after sometime off of work she returns to find her new position will be as a live in carer for a paralysed, mute woman who is confined to a wheelchair.
This woman also happens to be Lenora hope herself, the woman everyone believes to be a mass murderer after her entire family were massacred decades ago.
When kit realises Lenora still had mobility in one of her fingers, she soon purchased a typewriter in the hope Lenora will finally tell her story

I absolutely adored this book, it certainly isn’t your average murder mystery, it is so eerily atmospheric with its spooky mansion that’s perched on the edge of a cliff that’s slowly crumbling into the ocean below, I could feel the disorientation Kit was feeling just living within the walls as they sway back and forth.
This honestly made for the perfect backdrop for this original creepy story, I truly had no idea what was really going on and whom I could trust throughout the entire book which of course is what made it gripping and so interesting!

The novel moves between Kit’s first person narration in the present to Leonars typewritten accounts of her life on the lead up to the night of the murder, this truly had me at the edge of my seat and the twists, turns and buried secrets makes this a must read for all thriller lovers!

I have heard so much on Tiktok about Riley Sager, but had never got round to reading one of his books. What a terrible error this has been. I was hooked from the first chapter with this. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, something would happen to change my theory. I actually got right to the end and still didn't see it coming! I will be seeking out more of Rileys books to add to my TBR

I chose to read a free eARC of The Only One Left but that has in no way influenced my review.

Riley Sager is without a doubt a favourite author of mine. I look forward to every new release with bated breath knowing that it's going to be completely different to everything else that's gone before. I first discovered this author when I read the sublime Final Girls. I love Final Girls. It's one of my favourite books of all time and when asked for a recommendation, I always say FG, without a moment's hesitation (along with one other book that regular readers of the blog may be able to guess...). I've read every single book Sager has published since Final Girls hit the shelves and I've loved them all. So when an opportunity to have an early read of The Only One Left arose I, of course, jumped at it.

Caregiver Kit has one last chance to prove herself. She's given a posting that no one would want. Most people would quit rather than move into Hope's End. Her charge is the infamous Lenora Hope. You know, the one the kids sing the rhyme about:

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

But Kit McDeere has no choice. And she's secretly intrigued by the elderly, paralysed, mute woman everyone is terrified of. But on arrival at Hope's End, Kit immediately feels out of her depth. There's something 'off' about the staff. The creepy, old house perched on the edge of the crumbling cliff face is a literal death-trap. And Lenora, having kept what happened that fateful night secret for fifty years, now has something she wants to say...

The Only One Left is a gripping, deftly plotted gothic thriller that drew me in from the start. It's a bit bonkers but I've come to expect things to take a slightly different turn with this author, and I am most definitely here for that. The setting is perfect. The ancient, musty house has 'gothic thriller' written all over it. With what Kit is told are bloodstains left from the Hope killings, and an ever pervading sense of threat and menace, Sager really has outshone himself in the creation of Hope's End. It's as much a character in the novel as any of the main players. Kit is an intriguing lead character who has secrets of her own. Why does she have no choice in accepting this assignment? Surely no one would willingly volunteer to spend time with mass killer, Lenora Hope, let alone carry out her daily ablutions and tend to her every need. When Hope is presented with a typewriter, she slowly starts to type her story using the only finger she has which still functions. And Kit, desperate to be the one to uncover the truth, is unwittingly drawn into the dark past of the Hope family.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I very much enjoyed my time with The Only One Left. It's a ghostly, creepy chiller of a mystery. Its gothic overtones are pitched perfectly and the intriguing storyline draws the reader into the family's dark past. There is a lot going on in this book and some of it felt a smidge far fetched but please pause for a moment and see my earlier comment about the book being a bit bonkers. It all adds to the overall appeal for me. Time spent with a Riley Sager book is NEVER dull, that's for sure! There are plenty of twists and turns throughout, some I would never have guessed, others felt a little more obvious but I was in the depths of the story and really didn't care if I could see the odd twist coming before it dropped. All in all, The Only One Left is another cracking tale from a 'must read' author. A very atmospheric read featuring a host of characters you'll love to hate, tonnes of lovely suspense and a really well-written overarching feeling of dread. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Only One Left. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I absolutely love Riley's books and The Only One Left was no exception. His stories are immersive, gripping and thrilling - exactly what you hope they'll be. Would definitely recommend!

Riley Sager is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. With fast paced, intriguing and complex plots, it’s hard not to get invested in the story and how the story will play out. It’s always so easy to fall in love with the characters too. I look forward to the next book the author writes! Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope's End, the cliffside mansion where the murders occurred

It's now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope's End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer - I want to tell you everything.

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there's more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor's departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth - and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

This is the first book I’ve read by Riley Sager and while it started out great, albeit a tad slow for me. I loved the atmospheric feel of the book which I think was due to the setting of the story in a creepy old house. As the author described the house I could picture the rooms and the layout and it just kept on giving me creepy vibes. However as the story progressed I just felt there was one twist too many and too many coincidences that for me things just got a bit silly and I did have an eye roll or two. I felt that the author just wanted to pack in as many twists as possible . Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love# twist or two in a book but think this time they were overdone. 3.5⭐️

A good build-up let down by a confusing and outlandish ending.
This is another suspense read following a 31-year old woman who is desperate for a job. She is assigned to care for an old, woman called Leonara. But Leonara is no ordinary woman. As a teenager she murdered her family.
Our protagonist is nervous and reluctant to take the job, but then she finds the previous career vanished and then Leonara decides to tell her the truth about what happened…
This had a gripping opening and a brilliant setup. I flew through the first 75% but then once the reveals started happening, it was just one twist too many and some of the reveals relied on keeping a lot of information from the reader so there was no clues that could’ve led to me guessing what had happened anyway. The climax and the reveal was just a bit bonkers for my taste. I also wasn’t sure why the story was set in the 80s as there wasn’t much reference to the 80s really and the entirety of the novel is set in the creepy mansion on the cliffs by the sea. The first half was excellent and I loved the atmosphere of the novel.

A fun, easy to read popcorn style thriller following the alone, young woman caring for a creepy older woman in a huge house story. This one has all the gothic feels, set in the 80s. Sager has done it again.

Riley Sager wins again. The Only One Left is tense and twisty in all the right places. I loved the pacing of this book, was frustrated and intrigued by our cast of characters - unlikeable and unreliable much - and while some of the twists were predictable, it didn't detract from the atmosphere Sager created here. Whether you're a seasoned thriller reader or, you're new to the genre, there is something to enjoy in this book. Definitely recommend.

Riley Sager’s books are a bit of hit-or-miss for me. This one was a hit, but that is down to my taste. The book uses some of my favourite tropes. It’s another Turn-of-the-Screw type of a novel only instead of a governess you have a caregiver called Kit.

Kit is in her early 30s. She’s been suspended for six months from her agency with whom she’s been working for twelve year following the tragic death of an elderly patient. At last no charges are ever brought forward and the case is dismissed but the damage has been done. She needs any job she can get. So that’s how she ends up caring for 71-year old Leonara Hope who people think massacred her whole family. The house is set on a cliff and tilts slightly give the place an eerie feel. Things become stranger when Leonara reveals she can type with one hand and starts to tell through writing to Kit what happened…
There are many questions that need to be answered. What actually happened in 1929 when Leonara’s family were horribly killed? And why did the previous caregiver leave? And does that mean that Kit’s life is in danger too?

This was a bit slow burn at the beginning but around the 37% when the first big twist occurs, the stakes increase suddenly and a lot more is now at stake. After that I was utterly gripped! The characters, especially Kit’s actions, are so realistic and not stupid that I was completely invested in them. Yes, at times there are some convenient coincidences and the ending wasn’t the best, but I didn’t mind and was just there for the ride. The atmosphere is so haunting and creepy, I was completely immersed in this place. A definite hit for me! 👍

Aaahh, I found my favorite Riley Sager book to date! While (in my humble opinion) the previous ones I'd read were a little mediocre compared to some of the raving reviews I'd read, this one definitely lives up to the hype!

This was WILD! And while it did give me Verity vibes, all the twists and turns and shocking discoveries still took me by surprise and had me gasping so many times! The whole mansion-on-the-hill vibe was very atmospheric and perfect for this season.
Even the very final chapter still took me by surprise and I loved it!

Can't wait to read more of Riley Sager's work!

3.5 stars

I found the first half of this book relatively slow. It didn’t quite grip me as much as I’d like but I was also intrigued enough to push through and I’m glad I did as the last third was much better. There were huge twists and turns which I loved but some of them also felt a bit too unbelievable!

I need to finally admit to myself the Riley Sager books just aren't to my taste. The Only One Left held a lot of promise for me. It's gothic and atmospheric, featuring a crumbling mansion with a sinister history risiding in an Infamous community known as The Cliffs. Our protagonist Kit accepts a job caring for the owner, a woman left severely incapacitated due to an event which also lead to several murders in her family years ago. It should have ticked all the boxes, but it missed the mark on all of them for me.

It's a slow read. 200 pages in and the reader is still only on day 3 of Kit's arrival at the mansion. And it was a slog to push myself to the end, as the twists got more and more outlandish and far reaching. It felt like Sager needed to put I a twist every ten pages, each Yong to be the most ridiculous and unbelievable. It also felt like an almost carbon copy of every other Sager book I've ever read, from the attractive handyman to the down on her luck protagonist (and honestly, for the first 50 pages I actually thought Kit was a guy. That's how good Sager is at writing female characters...)

Convoluted, too many twists and a badly underdeveloped main character. Thus has been the nail in the coffin between Sager and I.

Leonora Hope…. Evil? Myth? Misunderstood?

Did she murder her parents? Did she murder her sister?

Sager has written a gem with this one. This is a book I have been instantly intrigued by and it hooked me quickly.

I have adored this book from beginning to end. The eerie gothic feel, the rhyme about Leonora and the way things unfold.

This is clever, tense and addictive all rolled into one gem. There is no way I could predict where this would go. My jaw has hit the floor.

I loved the mixture of characters we meet. It’s intriguing to find out if we will find the truth about the mystery so many have opinions about.

This is definitely a book for the TBR. I can’t wait for more by this author.

Publishing tomorrow!!!

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I was genuinely excited to read #TheOnlyOneLeft by #RileySagar and it started well. The repetition in this book is staggering. A few times I wanted to ask how stupid Sagar thinks readers are, because it felt insulting. The story never really came together and the ending. The damn ending. Can no one write an honest, coherent ending? Note: I'm very much in the minority for not liking this book, but it's not the first time.