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The Only One Left: A Novel Paperback – May 21, 2024
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Named a summer book to watch by The Washington Post, Boston Globe, USA Today, Oprah, Paste, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and Nerd Daily
"Propulsive ... a dizzying Gothic whodunit."
—New York Times Book Review
Bestselling author Riley Sager returns with a Gothic chiller about a young caregiver assigned to work for a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre decades earlier.
At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead
As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.
- Print length400 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherDutton
- Publication dateMay 21, 2024
- Dimensions5.4 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
- ISBN-10059318324X
- ISBN-13978-0593183243
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Get to know this book
What's it about?
A young caregiver is assigned to work for a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre decades earlier.Popular highlight
“You’re never alone when there’s a book nearby,” she used to say. “Never ever.”2,333 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
“That’s the biggest thing we have in common,” I finally say. “That everyone thinks I also killed my mother.”1,333 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
Mr. Gurlain chose me because Lenora Hope is the one patient nobody—not even the police—will mind if I kill.1,241 Kindle readers highlighted this
From the Publisher
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Final Girls | The Last Time I Lied | Lock Every Door | Home Before Dark | Survive the Night | |
Read more from Riley Sager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
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The House Across the Lake | The Only One Left | |
More from Riley Sager | ✓ | ✓ |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“As is often the case with Sager’s novels, trying to predict where the many twists will take you is fun (and maddening), but some of the most interesting parts of the story lie in the people you meet along the way. The mystery is as tantalizing to us as it is to Kit, but The Only One Left is also an exploration of family, of love, of loneliness. It even asks an examination of true-crime obsessiveness and when tales overtake reality.”
—USA Today
“Sager offers his usual array of jaw-dropping twists…. Fans of Daphne du Maurier will enjoy this superior nail-biter.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Claustrophobic and haunting, this is Sager at the top of his game.”
—Booklist
“Riley Sager fans can count on the author to deliver page-turning thrillers like The House Across the Lake and Lock Every Door, and The Only One Left is no exception.”
—Country Living, "23 Best Spring Books for Adults to Add to Your 2023 Reading List"
“Another vivid female narrator from bestseller Riley Sager . . . whose signature corkscrew plots keep twisting until the last cutting sentence.”
—Oprah Daily
“This twist on the Lizzie Borden murders has it all: A reclusive woman who was acquitted of brutally murdering her family living in a big, decrepit house; a new caretaker hiding secrets of her own. And, most importantly, there are a number of twists you won’t see coming.”
—Katie Couric Media
“Riley Sager furthers his reputation for innovative, highly original plots in The Only One Left.”
—Shelf Awareness, "Best Books of the Week"
“Spooky and gothic (plot points involving things like rusty old typewriters abound here), Sager certainly knows how to entertain. If you don't get around to it this summer, it would be a perfect spooky szn read.”
—Glamour
“For horror fans looking for no shortage of twists and turns in their books, check out The Only One Left.”
—Men’s Health, “The 69 Best Horror Books of All Time”
“Perennial thriller favorite Riley Sager is back with another page-turner this summer, this one riffing on one of America’s most famous and most notorious true crime cases. . . . The kind of book you’ll stay up late into the night trying to finish.”
—Paste Magazine
“Riley Sager’s spellbinding The Only One Left captures you in its snares from its first tantalizing pages. A Gothic house of horrors, it carries you along effortlessly before delivering a symphony of twists so shocking it took my breath away.”
—Megan Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of Beware the Woman and The Turnout
"Riley Sager is one of my favorite authors, and The Only One Left might be his best yet. Not only is it a deliciously Gothic thrill ride featuring two of my favorite things (Creepy Houses and Murderous Ladies), but it also asks big questions about grief, loss, and the secrets we keep even from those closest to us. Fun, scary, and so absorbing I almost missed a flight because I was trying to read just one more chapter, The Only One Left is one hell of a read!"
—Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs
“The Only One Left is Gothic horror at its very best—a crumbling mansion by the sea, dripping with blood, secrets, and forbidden romance—and it’s a thriller that will keep you guessing to the end. Riley Sager, king of twists, has done it again. I couldn’t put this book down.”
—Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines
“Haunting and incredibly nuanced with enough twists to make your head spin, this is Sager at his best. The Only One Left is a chilling, one-sitting read!”
—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Just the Nicest Couple
"Page after page, Sager feeds our voyeuristic hunger to know every deep, dark, bloody detail in those rare cases that capture our attention and our imagination. I'll say it: Kit is, hands down, my favorite heroine in the Sager-verse and The Only One Left is a terrifying treat for all of his fans (like me!)."
—Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Whisper Network and Cutting Teeth
“The Only One Left might just be Riley Sager’s creepiest novel yet.”
—Book Riot
“Always master of suspense, Sager had me gasping out loud and listening for sounds in my house. I loved this book and it may even be my new favorite of Sager’s.”
—Mystery and Suspense Magazine
“The Only One Left, a title that clearly speaks to Lenora Hope, is yet another classic from Riley Sager and will have his countless fans reeling and squealing in delight with each passing chapter.”
—Bookreporter.com
"Deliciously creepy."
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“The latest dependable airport bookstore grab and name in summer suspense.”
—The Chicago Tribune
“Sager is a master of the twist and the turn.”
—Rolling Stone
“[Sager’s novels are] all creepily atmospheric, easy to read without being fluffy, and fun as hell.”
—Vulture
"Suspense master."
—USA Today
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Dutton (May 21, 2024)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 059318324X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0593183243
- Item Weight : 10.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.4 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #28 in Gothic Fiction
- #197 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- #252 in Suspense Thrillers
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
![Riley Sager](https://cdn.statically.io/img/m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amzn-author-media-prod/9ovkchup5nm6u5dk6v3q35fb0k._SY600_.jpg)
Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, most recently The House Across the Lake and Survive the Night. His first novel, Final Girls, has been published in more than 30 countries and won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel. His latest book, The Only One Left, will be published in 2023 by Dutton Books.
A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the plot twists delicious and twists and turns everywhere. They describe the content as captivating, mind-blowing, and thrilling. Readers praise the writing style as well-written and complex. They also mention the characters as well constructed. Opinions are mixed on the pacing, with some finding it fast-paced and smooth, while others say there are some slow parts.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the plot twists delicious and thrilling. They also say the book keeps them captivated from start to end.
"...I think this is one of Sager's best (& most complex), masterfully crafted twists and turns...." Read more
"Easy read, kept my interest, several plot twists at the end; overall a good read" Read more
"...verge of collapse on a seaside cliff, and you’ve got mystery, danger, intrigue, and even some love story...." Read more
"...There are plenty of twists and turns, and the mansion--a house literally sliding into the sea--is a creepy character in itself...." Read more
Customers find the book thrilling and captivating.
"Easy read, kept my interest, several plot twists at the end; overall a good read" Read more
"...Fun to read and I look forward to reading more books by this author" Read more
"...Maybe that is just me. It still is an exciting read and I recommend to anyone who is a fan of thrillers, suspense or psych suspense…" Read more
"...through to about 40% of it, felt the characters were cardboard and unlikeable, and it was Boring with a capital B. I still had enough vague interest..." Read more
Customers find the characterization in the book well constructed, creepy, and fit right in. They also say the story has a big finish.
"...I loved her character's complexity and how it bordered on devious and sympathetic ... Is she actually responsible for the murders and why has she..." Read more
"...mystery from decades past, a cast of well-drawn, elaborate personalities to get to know, and a wealth of twists that will literally leave you..." Read more
"...The setting is its own creepy personality and the characters are fascinating and unique...." Read more
"The suspense , the twists, the intricacies of the way this tale is woven is remarkable! You will not be disappointed!" Read more
Customers find the writing style of the book well written, well explained, and meticulously wrapped up.
"...Overall I think this is one of Sager's best (& most complex), masterfully crafted twists and turns...." Read more
"Easy read, kept my interest, several plot twists at the end; overall a good read" Read more
"...caused regular eyerolls. The plot was intriguing and cute. The writing was awful." Read more
"...He has an excellent writing style and keeps me hooked from the get go! (Now I haven't tried his horror yet - but they're coming!)..." Read more
Customers find the concept of the book very creative and interesting. They also appreciate the excellent writing style that keeps them hooked from the get go.
"...He has an excellent writing style and keeps me hooked from the get go! (Now I haven't tried his horror yet - but they're coming!)..." Read more
"Loved reading this page turning thriller! Sucked me right in...." Read more
"...usually write a review, just leave stars, but this book had me engrossed the whole time, up to the last sentence. There were so many twist...." Read more
"...He really did a great job drawing you in and he provided so much suspense throughout the entire novel...." Read more
Customers find the setting of the book wonderful, creative, and real. They also say the stories are well drawn out and the book keeps it real.
"...premise is similar, a tragic murder mystery from decades past, a cast of well-drawn, elaborate personalities to get to know, and a wealth of twists..." Read more
"...way through, and the similarities between Kit and Lenora were very well done. I was not expecting the ending at all!" Read more
"...They were well drawn out and I would see how their stories progressed...." Read more
"...The characters, the setting and atmosphere. The pace and way in which the mysteries are opened and resolved...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the pacing. Some find the paced good, with short chapters that propel them into wanting to read. They also say it all flows well and is a smooth and gripping read. However, others say it seems a little slow and repetitive in some parts, and takes forever to build a story.
"4.5-5 stars. A quick page turner with several plot twists that weren’t expected...." Read more
"...I have to admit that there were some slow parts in this book but the last 1/4 of the book more than made up for it...." Read more
"...The pacing was good--shorter chapters that propelled me into wanting to read the next immediately...." Read more
"...it in a few days, but the plot changed so many times it was very hard to keep up and there were things that didn't make logical sense to me...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the engagingness of the book. Some mention that it's hard to put down, while others say that they could not put it down.
"This got super good after page 100.. then it was hard to put down for bed. Must read!" Read more
"...great book to read on a beach or while on vacation because it is hard to put down!" Read more
"Could not put the book down! Constant twist and turns and always wondering what was going to happen next!Highly recommend!" Read more
"...Its smooth flow and compelling narrative made it difficult to set aside...." Read more
Reviews with images
![Twist after twist after twist!](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/transparent-pixel._V192234675_.gif)
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Lenora Hope is now aged and physically declining, confined to her bed, unable to talk or move, but for limited motion in her left hand. Kit McDeere, a caregiver with a blotch on her record, accepts the position of health aide for Lenora, but finds herself ensnared in the mystery of what really happened the night of the Hope murders in 1929. There are plenty of twists and turns, and the mansion--a house literally sliding into the sea--is a creepy character in itself. Another stellar winner fro Sager!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful, it had enough red herrings and twists to keep you guessing the whole way through, and the similarities between Kit and Lenora were very well done. I was not expecting the ending at all!
Top reviews from other countries
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