The House Across The Lake - Riley Sagar

Horror/Thriller

Rating: 8.5/10

If you are a regular visitor to crackingthespine.ca, you have heard me gush about my love of unreliable narrators.  Narrators that for whatever reason utterly lack credibility. This author takes that device to another level in spectacular fashion and along the way subverts all the familiar genre tropes. I can’t recall a single book of his that did not have jaw dropping twists, and his latest does not disappoint.

Casey is a recently widowed, semi-successful actress and raging alcoholic who has retreated to her families secluded summer house to hide out after the rather embarrassing public spectacle she made of herself.  As she drinks herself into a stupor every day, she takes up a dubious hobby, sitting on her porch spying on her married neighbours across the lake.  As she trails them from room to room with her trusty binoculars, it becomes obvious to Casey that their union is not as happy as they portray it.

Then one day the wife is simply gone, and Casey appoints herself amateur detective, going so far as sneaking into their house for evidence of what she feels certain is a nefarious act committed by the too slick husband.  Aided, and possibly abetted, by a hunky neighbour, Casey goes to several extremes to find out the truth. But the reader will be left to wonder if she is being lied too or is the liar.

An unrelenting and intense read right through to its stunning conclusion. One that can be devoured in a single afternoon sitting on your own porch at the lake.

Hmmm…maybe choose a different reading spot.

Book Pairing(s): The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager, Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, Flicker In The Dark by Stacy Willingham