A great thriller. Hints of the supernatural and intrigue. Some great characters and enough suspense to keep the reader wanting to read on! I loved some of the twists, some of which were a surprise and others not so much. But even at the end it left me smiling at the final twist even if slightly far fetched!! This author does good twisty thrillers so if you're a fan then definitely recommend this one!

Disclaimer: e-Arc provided by Hodder & Stoughton, via Net Galley for Review. All thoughts are my own. My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton, for providing me with the arc for review.

The Only One Left follows Kit who is hired to be a caregiver for Lenora Hope, who is the only survivor of a family massacre, and is accused of being the murderer.

After reading 2 Riley Sager books which were so disappointing, I’m glad to have finally enjoyed one!

The Only One Left has all the creepy house vibes, and twists that I did not see coming. Glad Riley Sager seems to be back in the game with twisty thrillers.

Riley Sager’s books have been an interesting mix for me. I absolutely loved Lock Every Door and Home Before Dark, enjoyed Final Girls and The Last Time I Lied and did not get on with Survive the Night at all. This newest release follows Kit McDeere, a caregiver who after being suspended for the death of a patient, is tasked with looking after the infamous Lenora Hope, a woman many believe to have massacred her entire family. Kit soon finds everything is not as it seems at Hope’s End and Lenora decides now is the time to tell her story. Will Kit be able to unravel the truth behind the Hope family massacre and is Lenora really telling the truth?

The Only One Left is a tense, gripping, gothic thriller that really had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoy Sager’s writing style, they have a brilliant way of really ramping up the tension as the story progresses. The story is well paced with things getting more action driven as the story concludes. There are quite a few twists and surprise reveals that I definitely didn’t see coming and I did think you had to suspend disbelief a little bit for some of the twists.

Sager really has a knack for bringing to life these fascinating settings and the dramatic imposing mansion that is Hope’s End is really brought to life in the story. The characters in the story are complex and compelling and I really enjoyed the way I was never quite sure who was trustworthy or who was telling the truth. Kit is an interesting main character, dealing with the loss of her mother, the deterioration in her relationship with her father, and her lack of options in her career. Lenora is similarly fascinating – she is so much more than she seems.

The Only One Left is a well plotted, engaging story that keep me glued to the book till the very last page. If you’re a fan of Riley Sager’s other books, or you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing, this one is an absolute must read.

One of my favourite books of the year so far! I loved this gothic thriller with so many twists my head was spinning in the best possible way.

Following Kit as she becomes a caregiver for notorious suspected murderer Lenora Hope I simultaneously couldn't put this book down and didn't want it to end.

With dual timelines, a fantastic cast of characters, and amazing twists this has firmly become my favourite Sager book yet.

Highly recommend!

This definitely had a few inconsistencies but I could overlook all of that because of the chokehold this book had me in! This is Sager at his best. Creepy, tense and so gripping that I couldn't put it down. Overall, a really fun reading experience! I can’t wait for more.

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.

Now reduced to a playground rhyme, Lenora Hope lives outside of town in the crumbling mansion on the cliffs where the rest of her family met their bloody end. We follow Lenora’s newly appointed caregiver Kit as she tries to get Lenora reveal the truth about what happened on that fateful night years ago..

This story has palpable tension that sets in during the first few chapters and continues throughout. The backdrop of a mansion full of old blood stains and creepy family portraits that is literally crumbling into the sea was one of my favourite parts of the book - I could picture absolutely everything so perfectly in my head without trying. I also very much appreciated the fact that Kit was not stupid, nor did she make rash decisions… I felt like everything she did to uncover the secrets of the mansion were thought out and realistic which really helped me root for her.

The reveals came in thick and fast, I certainly had a few suspicions throughout the novel, only one of which came to fruition but mostly I was pretty off the mark! This thriller is definitely a page turner that you won’t be able to put down until you know everyone’s truths! I raced through it in 3 days and still have a creepy, panicked feeling in my chest upon finishing.

If you liked Home Before Dark, Verity, or The Turn of the Key, I think you will enjoy the vibes of this book! Riley Sager continues to be an auto-buy author for me.

Many thanks to @netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review has been posted on goodreads and will soon follow on bookstagram @libraryofpearl

4.5 *

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

Lenora is the only one left after her family were massacred decades ago. Most of the town believe she murdered them all - they even made a chant about it. Now - after a lifetime of being mute and confined to a wheelchair - Kit is hired to be her fulltime carer, and with her perseverance and an old typewriter, Lenora begins to tell her story...

What. A. Ride. This was an absolute page turner and I do not say that lightly as I have read A LOT of thrillers. This wonderfully gothic thriller is set perfectly in a crumbling mansion on the edge of a cliff, and adds to the eeriness of the story itself - without being too cliché or unoriginal. Lenora and Kit are both very interesting characters, you very quickly understand that they are not the most reliable of people, but I still found myself enjoying getting to know them both.

Sager uses the standard method of withholding information throughout the book which inevitably means you are constantly thinking up theories, but it is done in a way which isn't too frustrating as the surprise reveals are quite consistent! It simply meant I physically couldn't stop reading as I was SO invested (I think I read this in less than 24 hours) and although I guessed some twists along the way, I honestly didn't have time to care as I was reading so fast and there were too many twists to keep up with! It also has one of those endings where you keep thinking it's over, but then when you see the remaining pages you realise there is more to come -and still you're not ready for the wave after wave of reveals. This is my second Riley Sager book and I enjoy his matter of fact but effective writing. He says enough to create well rounded characters, and for you to picture everything, but without any unnecessary filler or faff. If you're after an atmospheric twisty thriller - then this one is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc in return for an honest review.

Home health aide Kit McDeere didnt have choice except accept job to take care 71years old Leonora Hope. The old woman looks harmless but at seventeen, she was accused killing her own family at their home. The same cliffside home Kit must come.

From the beginning the atmosphere of the setting gave the eerie impression. The old home, mysterious home staff, and Leonora herself. This is my first read from the author and I love the writing style. The storytelling style is mesmerized with healthy dosage of gothic vibes. The POV come from present Kit and a young girl to share the past sob stories. The mysteries unraveled slowly between their POV and I engaging into the plot.
I love the storyline until several plot twist are come. One or two are great, but more that that make the plot stretched wildly and too much to accept.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for provided me with the copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m officially part of the Riley Sager fan club! This was my third book from him and it was every big as incredible as I wanted it to be.

I rarely read thrillers that are able to keep surprising me and throw some curveballs at the end, and yet Sager completely understood the assignment because I was never quite able to figure it out. The twists had me hooked and I loved the complexity of it.

I’m so excited to read more from this author because I adore his writing style.

I’ve been a fan of Riley Sager/Todd Ritter for about 13 years now and aside from the dreadful House Across the Lake I have loved each and every book he’s written and thankfully this was one of his best yet. Really suspenseful and had me guessing what was going to happen all the way until the end. It was very atmospheric too and I like how it’s based in the 80s/early 90s as felt like some of the classic horror thrillers from the era that I love. I’d highly recommend this one!

This was exquisite.

Sager hits every point, atmosphere, era, characters and mystery.

I loved the setting and I loved the beautiful gothic feeling.

You don’t want to miss it.

"At seventeen, Lenora Hope; Hung her sister with a rope; Stabbed her father with a knife; Took her mother's happy life.
This book was such a great gothic mystery that had me guessing until the very last page. What I loved most about this was that even when I thought you had it all figured out, I didn't!
The only thing I enjoyed more than the twists and turns the plot takes, is the eerie atmosphere that Sager creates.
Every character has something to hide, but it's not always for the reason you think.
There was a bit of a lull in the middle for me, but the ending definitely help it earn those 4 stars.
This is the second Riley Sager book I've read, but definitely won't be the last!

I loved this book. Lots of twists, especially at the end as I'd come to expect from Riley Sager.
I loved the 80's setting and the location of the story in a topsey-turvey mansion on a cliff.
It had me guessing right until the end. Classic whodunnit!

The Only One Left by Riley Sager
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley and @hodderbooks for a copy of this for an honest review.

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.

The only one left follows Kit who has been a caregiver for over 12 years. Surrounded by controversy over one big mistake, she has no choice but to accept a job taking care of the infamous Lenora Hope. Not knowing who to trust and staying in a creepy mansion, Kit begins to question everything, including her patient-who they say murdered her entire family.

This has the blend of everything I want in a thriller. Creepy atmosphere, gothic haunted mansion, complex characters with mysterious backgrounds and twists that I don’t see coming!

I enjoy Sager’s books and I haven’t been disappointed in one yet. I really enjoyed the dual storyline and felt it worked well all through the story. I deducted a star mainly because there were points towards the end of the book where I got a bit confused what was going on or who was who due to so many twists in the storyline.

Rating – 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

A chilling combo of retro gothic vibes & richly spawn atmosphere!

Wow, Sager has outdone himself yet again!

Thanks NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

Synopsis -

It’s 1982, Kit McDeere, a carer, is assigned to care of the infamous Lenora Hope at her sprawling mansion at the ‘Cliffs’ in the coast of Maine. Notorious for its gruesome family massacre in 1929, Kit can’t help but remember the ominous school poem about the legend surrounding Lenora, who now is completely disabled & mute. But soon, Kit discovers the history behind the murders & all the shocking events that have occurred since in Lenora’s life.

Review -

First of all, I “LOVE” that Sager chose this time period. He is a master at invoking that zeitgeist of the era & goodness, the choice of the setting is simply fantastic 😲!

The atmospheric evocation is exemplary – one can really hear the sound of the waves & the wind near the cliff, feel the peeling carpet of the mansion, envision its eerie antiquity & architecture hear every creak & groan made by this age old structure. And how can I forget the “tilt”! Best not to say more. 😉🤐

The plot has the classic stamp of every Sager trump card –

✅ a female protagonist – weak-minded, guilt ridden with a marred reputation in this case
✅a dark mystery surrounding the night of the family slaughter 6 decades ago
✅the lone survivor Lenora who might be the one person with all the answers, but is unable to communicate.
✅ the other residents of the house that have enough creepy vibes around them to arouse suspicion & keep us playing the blame game.

Sager overturns our theories & speculations with ease. The twists are literally “killer” & what with all the red herrings & misdirection, we are sure to be outsmarted by this multi-layered thriller.

The ending was everything I wanted – unexpected turn of events coupled with a hearty conclusion & wicked satisfaction.

Must read if you are a thriller fan!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Only One Left by Riley Sager in return for my honest review.
WOW once I started reading this I couldn’t put it down, its full of so many twist and turns that you just have to keep reading to find out how everything/everyone is connected. Many times I thought I’d worked it out but another twist and I was wrong. Brilliantly written and I highly recommend reading.

I have read every one of Riley Sager’s books so far and have enjoyed each one immensely! I really believe he does gothic best. Throw in a spooky house and some questionably paranormal or creepy circumstances…fantastic!

Riley’s thrillers always lean towards over the top, crazy, fun plots which are always full of twists and The only one left is no different! I’m so grateful I managed to read the arc! The final 80 odd pages of the book were an absolute blast! Twists and turns galore!

I think this book will defiantly appeal to fans of home before dark and especially verity by colleen hoover. Honestly a great, fast-paced read that will appeal to the masses. Riley has done it again!

A twisty mystery with plenty of surprises. 3.5/5.

I've previously read and reviewed The Last Time I Lied and Final Girls by Riley Sager. While my experience of those books was a little mixed, overall I enjoyed them and, as I try to split up my romance reading with the odd thriller, the blurb of The Only One Left appealed to me.

The tension building was very well done, as you would expect from the author. The choice of setting was particularly clever. The house slowly sliding off the cliff made everything literally off balance as the main character becomes increasingly disorientated and suspicious. The pacing was generally good and there weren't any sections which dragged or felt like filler.

The conclusion was satisfying and if you're looking for twists, this story offers them in spades. Some you might see coming, but there are a couple that I'm sure will come as total surprises.

All this is great, so why didn't I enjoy it more? Unfortunately I didn't care about any of the characters, not even the first-person narrator. And that meant I didn't experience any creeping dread or tension because I wouldn't have minded if the cliff had suddenly collapsed, taking the house and all the characters into the sea with it!

Overall: another twisty mystery with plenty of secrets, surprises and reveals. Just don't come to this book looking for characters to fall in love with.

Riley Sager has done it again! The Only One Left is a rip-roaring, compulsive thriller with an abundance of twists, turns and surprises throughout and perfect pacing. Sager expertly builds tension and the characters' personalities with each passing page and in parts the suspense becomes palpable enough to raise your reading speed as you are desperate to know what is about to happen. Leaving you open-mouthed, many twists seemingly come from nowhere but make perfect sense with the benefit of hindsight.

It's well written, with very little filler and packs a hard punch; this is one author who keeps going from strength to strength with each subsequent book being better than the last. Long may it continue. Sager remains one of those writers you immediately gravitate towards when looking for a superb, addictive crime novel as you know you can rely on it being a great read from start to finish. A gothic-tinged masterpiece with a sense of foreboding that will haunt you long after the final page has turned. Highly recommended.

An old murder mystery haunts a town. A young caregiver goes to work in the old mansion, and ends up learning what happened. This is one of those books where about 99% of it is a very slow reveal of stuff that has already happened, made more interesting by a lively last 30 pages where new stuff actually happens. It will appeal to readers who like twists, regardless of how long it takes to get there.