The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager follows Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress who escapes to her family's lake house in Vermont. As she struggles with grief and alcoholism, she becomes obsessed with her neighbors, Tom and Katherine Royce. When Katherine goes missing, Casey is determined to uncover the truth behind her disappearance, leading to unexpected twists and revelations about the dark secrets lurking in the serene setting of the lake.
The book combines elements of mystery, horror, and psychological thriller, with a setting that adds to the eerie atmosphere. Through the eyes of a complex and unreliable protagonist, the story unfolds with unexpected plot twists and suspenseful moments that keep the reader engaged until the chilling conclusion.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Tragic loss, alcoholism, domestic abuse, and possible supernatural implications may serve as content warnings.
From The Publisher:
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Named a most-anticipated summer book by USA Today , People , E! News, Cosmopolitan , PureWow , CNN.com, New York Post , CrimeReads, POPSUGAR , and more
The bestselling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night is back with his "best plot twist yet." ( People , "Best Summer Books")
Be careful what you watch for . . .
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.
Ratings (67)
Incredible (10) | |
Loved It (18) | |
Liked It (17) | |
It Was OK (13) | |
Did Not Like (6) | |
Hated It (3) |
Reader Stats (126):
Read It (73) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (50) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (1) |
4 comment(s)
I love Riley Sager but this one was really, really slow for me. I usually fly through his books even knowing that they usually have a slow beginning but this one was slooooow. It’s definitely not my favorite of his but, as usual, I thought I knew how it was going to end and then ended up being totally, jaw-droppingly wrong. The characters just felt really flat here with the exception of the FMC. The others were just…avatars.
This was my first Riley Sager book, and overall, I enjoyed it. I like his writing style and the fact that this didn't feel thriller-y. The pacing was great as well -- we open with some suspenseful scenes and there's enough going on throughout the story that it didn't feel like I was waiting forever for big reveals.
One thing I don't love in thrillers is furthering the plot by having the MC make a few dumb decisions. There was one here, but once you get the big reveal, it makes a lot of sense in light of the character's history. The ending was a bit wild and had 1 too many twists IMO, but I liked the way things were wrapped up and would definitely read more from this author.
This book really surprised me. Not only was I heavily invested in the story, I was also rather comfortable with the things I usually don't like about my books.
Usually I don't like when the story jumps between past and present, but this time I had absolutely no problem with that. Mostly because the chapters with the events “Now” are very short and the main plot continues in the past until the two timelines connect. This format really worked for me.
Casey, with her obvious alcohol problem, could be considered another unbelievable narrator that has been abundant in thriller books lately. Again, I usually don't like it, but this time it didn't bother me. Maybe because there weren't many hints in the story that everything that happens can only be a figment of her imagination. Also, she herself did not doubt what she saw and her assessment of the situation.
In the end, Casey turned out to be a very strong woman. I didn't expect some of the decisions she made. I also liked the ending and the explanation of some elements of the story. Some things I foresaw, some I did not. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience. The paranormal theme surprised me a lot. It was certainly not what I expected. In fact, I was and still am a bit disappointed that it even shows up. I would prefer the author to choose some other way to twist the plot and end the story.
This is my second book by this author, I read [b:Survive the Night|55628983|Survive the Night|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603780911l/55628983._SY75_.jpg|86517670]. I liked this book much more. I read it really fast, much faster than I expected. And I was really invested in this story. I don't know why, but the whole story reminds me a bit of [b:Such a Quiet Place|55711642|Such a Quiet Place|Megan Miranda|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1623864935l/55711642._SY75_.jpg|86883807] by Megan Miranda. But I liked
The House Across the Lake more.
Started out slow but was improving...then BAM! Ends on some ridiculous bs that should have kept this book out of the thriller genre. Narrator on audiobook was awful as well. Unfortunately one of the books I purchased.
What can you read after
The House Across the Lake?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
