The Only One Left - Riley Sager

Horror/Thriiler

Rating: 8.5/10

It’s not uncommon for me to pat myself on the back for savvily deducing the “twist” in a novel before the author lays out the intricate denouement for all to see.

That’s what happened in this book.

Just I am deciding whether to grab a snack before the last few pages or after, Sager kicked me off my high horse and reminded me that I am not as smart as I think I am. And bruised ego be damned, I loved it!

Sager brilliantly teases out threads and heaps on diversions in ways that will leave a reader delighted even though their own detective skills are called into question.

Kit is a disgraced home health care worker desperate for any job she can find. Soon after she arrives at Hope’s End, aptly named as it turns out, she is trying to justify a quick exit.

Decades ago, three members of the Hope family were killed, and the eldest daughter was accused. And she is Kit’s new patient, Lenora. While no charges came to pass, she has never stepped foot outside the crumbling mansion since that day.

Despite being rendered mute and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora has a story to tell, and Kit proves a rapt audience.

As the story unfolds about what happened in that house, correlations with Kit’s own story are drawn. Although Kit convinced herself she needed to know the truth, she may not like where it’s going.

A story bound to keep you up past your bedtime, and you won’t mind no matter how much sleep you lose!

Book Pairing(s): Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King