3.75/5 stars! I have liked every Riley Sager book I've read, but I am preferable to Last Time I Lied and Final Girls. These two books managed to be thrilling and shocking, without straying too far into the mystical. This book had a strong premise and I was pulled in from the start. I did find the payoff in this book to be a little ridiculous, which took me out of the story. Will continue to read everything Riley writes.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars
As a whole, I would say this book was 'ok' or 'fine'. I enjoyed the overall plot points and the mystery, a couple of the twists I was coming, some were so left field no one could have guessed them but it was an overall enjoyable read if you are willing to suspend your disbelief and go along for the wild ride that is the last 50pages or so.

absolutely loved this story. I listened to the audiobook whilst reading along with the ebook and I was hooked from chapter one. The characters were so well written and I loved the setting. The plot twist got me good I can’t lie.

This was definitely my favourite Riley Sager book so far!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest (albeit very late) review

I devoured this book in a single sitting, quite literally. I was completely engrossed in it. One of my favorite books was Riley's novel "Home Before Dark," and I must say, this one stands out as a potential favorite among his works.

The story is set in a dilapidated mansion perched on a cliffside, and the characters within it almost remind me of characters from the game Cluedo. Our protagonist, Kit, takes on the role of caregiver to the enigmatic owner of Hope's End, Lenora. Initially presented as mute and paralyzed, Lenora's situation at Hope's End is far more complex than it first appears.

As the narrative unfolds, we encounter letters chronicling the past murders that occurred at Hope's End, providing a haunting backdrop to Kit's journey of unraveling the mysteries surrounding the mansion's inhabitants.

The book is laden with an abundance of twists and turns that are truly mind-bending. I found myself utterly clueless about how the story would conclude, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the final chapter.

I read this in one sitting, literally. I devoured it on a 4 hour flight on the way back from our holiday at the start of October. I’d just finished Home Before Dark, another of Riley’s novels. This one is completely different again to any of his other titles that I’ve read and is a contender to be my favourite.

This book is set in a crumbling cliffside
mansion with characters who honestly reminded me a little bit of Cluedo characters! The protagonist is Kit, who’s a caregiver to the infamous owner of Hope’s End Lenora. Lenora is introduced to Kit as mute and paralysed however all at Hope’s End is definitely not as it seems.

Throughout the narrative, there are letters written about the murders that took place at Hope’s End which help to set the scene of the past alongside Kit trying to understand just who everyone is in the future.

This was so full of twists and turns it was unreal! I had absolutely no inclination that the book was going to end the way it did and I mean this had me on my toes right until the last chapter.

***Warning - Massive Spoilers Ahead***

I really enjoyed this book up to approximately 80% or so. A crumbling mansion, a Baby Jane style storyline, heiresses, murder, mayhem, it was really good.

I'm all on for a twist and the first twist about 80% in truly was a goodie. Didn't see it coming at all. I loved it. I had all manner of scenarios mapped out in my head but did not predict that. The last 20%, however, was ridiculous, totally unbelievable and I'm sorry to say, ruined the last bit of the book for me. It should've ended roughly after the main twist. But running for your life from a house as it falls off an eroding cliff into the Atlantic Ocean, a woman that has spent decades in a wheelchair posing as a stroke victim and a protagonist who's own father is in it up to his neck....there is suspending belief and there is suspending all belief :(

I thought this was more miss than hit for me. I liked the idea and early stages of this novel but as it continued i liked it less and less. The writing was fine but something about it didn't really keep me hooked. I thought there was the promise there but it didn't stick the landing. The characters had moments of feeling fleshed out but the all seemed a little too underdeveloped overall for me. I wish it had just been a bit better as there was so much potential here.

I had a good time with this one. Really enjoyed the audiobook as well. The way it was written mostly from our main characters pov but also with the typed pov from our second MC. Very cleverly done, great atmosphere and fantastic twists. Riley Sager does it again.

This thriller is an absolute gem, a relentless rollercoaster of twists. Just when you believe you’ve reached the limit of surprises, BAM, another jaw-dropping twist hits you. I haven’t come across a thriller this exceptional in quite a while. Every single detail, no matter how minuscule, holds significance.

Riley Sager scatters tiny puzzle pieces throughout the book, and even when you think you’ve assembled the puzzle and cracked the code, he deftly overturns the table, shattering your understanding entirely. My jaw dropped, and it stayed dropped throughout the entire read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lot of people feel like this is Riley Sagers return to form after his last 2 books were considered pretty divisive but I really do seem to lap up everything he writes.

This one has so many twists, a secluded ominous setting, a cast of characters you don't know who to trust and the cliff house which felt like it was going to collapse at any minute - what can be scarier that that?

I saw Riley Sager announce his next book on Instagram this week and his books have become my most anticipated of every year

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

So goes the old nursery rhyme about infamous Lenora Hope, who was the sole survivor of an incident in 1929 at Hope's End, a crumbling mansion built atop a cliff in Maine. Lenora still lives there, and as our book opens, it's 1983 and 71-year-old Lenora has a new caregiver in the form of formerly disgraced Kit McDeere, who really needs the job.

Kit knows how it feels to be accused of something you didn't do, so she has a degree of empathy towards Lenora, who is unable to move or speak. But that doesn't mean Lenora can't communicate - and she's ready to tell Kit her story. ALL of her story.

"You want to know if I'm as evil as everyone says I am.
The answer is no.
And yes."

I was full sure I knew where this was going, and I was so excited, because the film I thought it resembled is one of my favourite horrors - but I was so wrong. Up to about the halfway mark, I was sure this was going to be my favourite Riley Sager book (it's set in Maine!! In 1983!! In October!!) - it was building up to a proper terrifying, atmospheric climax.

Go tobann.

It got so silly. We had Scooby-Doo levels of revelation and a house that suddenly creaked like the Titanic - there was just too much happening, and too many coincidences. When Sager is good, he's phenomenal (Lock Every Door! Home Before Dark!) but when he over-eggs the cake it just descends into parody and takes away from what was shaping up to be one of his best. This was the definition of "Oh, ya'll wanted a twist?". Sometimes I DON'T, Riley. I just want you to keep going and give me more of that deliciously atmospheric, nostalgic creep that I love you for.

I feel like his writing is an homage to the old-school horror stories I grew up with, and it's the reason I'll always read what he writes, and always recommend him to fellow elder millennials who want to feel how they did when they were curled up on a couch reading a Point Horror in 1996. The first half of this book is some of the best creepy horror I've read, and I'd recommend it for that alone. I just wish the second half had kept it going.

Thank you to @hodderbooks for the ARC via Netgalley.

Another book that I read in the space of two days. I am not one for trigger warnings but the paralysation of one of the main characters did have me feeling a certain type of way due to personal issues, so just a heads up if that kind of thing bothers you. Now that the serious stuff is out of the way, this book was brilliant, typical Riley Sager, I never knew how it was going to end and I was actually very surprised at the final scene. I make a point of not trying to work out how books will end, but even if I wanted to with this one, there was no chance. It was very atmospheric, and I love an old decaying mansion by the sea. The characters were spooky on their own and I genuinely feel like this would make a great tv series.

✩✩✩✩✩

Wow, this creepy, almost gothic story sucked me in right from the beginning and didn't let go!

The book starts with Kit, a young woman, recently returning to work as a caregiver after a six month suspension, reluctantly taking on the job of caring for Lenora Hope, an elderly severely paralysed woman who is unable to walk or talk. Lenora lives in a dilapidated mansion on the edge of a cliff and, many many years ago, was accused of brutally murdering her parents and sister. When Lenora begins to tell her story by way of a typewriter, Kit begins to realise that things are not as they seem and that she too could be in terrible danger....

Riley's books always have this deliciously chilling quality and this one was no exception. From the hauntingly desolate crumbling house and the austere and cold Miss Baker to the eerie way that Lenora is unable to talk yet has so much to say, this book is a masterpiece in tension and underlying unease. The "present" day is interspersed with details from the past, which, along with Kit's backstory, only adds to the suspense and the atmosphere of the old run down house and its mysterious occupants is cleverly drawn.

The twists are plentiful and shocking, although I did feel by the end, there were perhaps slightly too many! However, despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this sinister, well written story and definitely recommend it.

Thanks to Riley Sager, publishers Hodder & Stoughton and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I do enjoy Riley Sager's books so was keen to get to this one. The Only One Left is set in a spooky house on a cliff and follows caregiver Kit as she is hired to look after Lenora Hope, a controversial person who is the sole surviver of a family massacre years earlier and whilst nothing was proven the community believes Lenora killer her entire family. Lenora is very disabled but does have limited use of her left hand so is beginning to slowly type her story for Kit. I was gripped by this novel initially and was so keen to find out what happened all those years ago. Unfortunately as the reveals start to come it just was way to unbelievable for me, and that's even knowing suspension of disbelief is essential for Sager's books it was still too ridiculous. I did keep reading and I did enjoy part of it but it ended up just being silly. I will still be looking out for the author's next book as I just can't resist them!

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

"The Only One Left" by Riley Sager Lenora the only survivor of her family's massacre but decades later shares her side of the story.

The Only One Left" by Riley Sager a 2 star review because, the concept is interesting but for me everything else feel short.

When the Hope family was massacred decades ago, she was the only one left after that tragic night.
I haven’t read any other books by Riley Sager – why?! I definitely will do now.

I loved this book, so many twists and turns and tense moments – the ending though – whoah… didn’t see that one coming!
It’s a great read and kept me hooked. I’d really recommend it.

Thank you so much netgalley and ot the publsiher for accepting my request to read and review this one!

The Only One Left was a super highly anticipated read for me in 2023 and when I ot accepted for an early copy I was BEYOND thrilled.

But sadly this book just fell so flat for me - and yet everyone else LOVES it so I'm not sure if its just a me thing.

I wish I could list a pros and cons list but honestly I don't really have any pros. So here are the cons.

1. The main character kept making ridiculously stupid decisions over things that could cost her her job
2. She also didn't seem to care at all when she saw incredibly suspicious behaviour and went on without a single care
3. The mystery of what happened in the past wasnt interesting enough to carry the whole story
4. There was zero plot
5. There was zero atmospehre
6. Incredibly unbelievable that this whole house of people didnt care that their house was about to fall off a cliff into the ocean and they would all die
7. All the plot twsts at the end just seemed to happen over and over for shock value and yet... they werent interesting or really that shocking at all and I guessed half of them
8. The ending was jsut biizzarely romantic/womens fictiony

This is a brilliant twisty story of a young lady , Kit, that goes to the infamous house on the cliff edge known as Hope's end to provide care for Lenora Hope the elderly lady that is believed to have murdered her whole family inside that very house.
Kit is determined to find out the truth about what really happened on that fateful night so many years ago but she gets a little bit more than she bargained for!
This really is a dark book set in a fantastically creepy setting with lots of surprises along the way. One of my favourite books this year!

I think this might be my favourite I’ve read by this author; pure creepy gothic mystery perfection. With a dual timeline in the 1980s and 1920s, a setting of a grand old mansion, once grand but now dilapidated and maybe haunted, Sager has taken all the classic gothic mystery tropes and made them his own. I loved the characters, era and setting of this twisty mystery. It’s dark and sad in places, but ultimately has a satisfying conclusion. 5/5.

4.5/5 stars, this may be my favourite Riley Sager book! I loved the mystery in this book, and not knowing what was going to happen. I also loved the dual timelines with the present and typewritten sections weaving together. I enjoyed seeing all of the pieces of the puzzle slotting in to place by then end!