Review: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Thank you Dutton Books for my copy. All thoughts are my own.
While thrillers are not a genre I pick up often, I do make time for Riley Sager’s books each summer. I get in the mood for it and do genuinely look forward to the quick pace of a thriller that keeps me on my toes. Now, I was worried this book wasn’t going to do it for me. Home Before Dark is my favorite I’ve read of his but I really liked the pacing of Survive the Night. While the first 50% of this book feels slow, once it takes off, it takes OFF. I was thoroughly surprised and enjoyed the twists and turns.
Synopsis:
“Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of bourbon, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is powerful; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey immediately suspects Tom of foul play. What she doesn’t realize is that there’s more to the story than meets the eye—and that shocking secrets can lurk beneath the most placid of surfaces.
Packed with sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy plot twists, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake is the ultimate escapist read . . . no lake house required.” —Amazon
What I Liked:
The Setting—I love a setting at the lake! I found the setting to be very atmospheric and perfectly creepy. It takes place in the Fall and I felt that first crispy chill as I was reading. It was a perfect atmostphere.
It Kept Me On My Toes—As someone who doesn’t read a lot of thrillers, I was thoroughly shocked and surprised throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
First Half is SLOW—The first 50% of this book was so slow, I worried it wouldn’t pick up. So, going in, know that it takes a while to get hooked but that all the information is important and makes sense.
There was a lot in here that I’m not sure I agree with…but it is a book about murder and a thriller so I suppose that comes with the territory of the genre. It’s hard to know what the line in, especially since I don’t read the genre often!
Character Authenticity: 4/5
Steam Rating: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Content Warnings:
alcoholism, violence, murder, grief, suicide, gaslighting, addiction