Riley Sager

House Across the Lake

The New York Times bestselling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night (“a master of the twist and the turn”*) is back with his most unexpected thriller yet. *Rolling Stone 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.

A Novel

The House Across the Lake

Annika McClintock

to wok down the street alone at night or stand on a subway platform and wonder if one-or more-of the men around you will try to harass you. Or Assault you. Or kill you just like you killed those three girls who are now somewhere in that lake"

"The new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager in which a recently fired Broadway star flees to a remote Vermont lake house, only to find out that the area has a history of missing women"--

Thats what she said when she saved Katherine

Amanda Autumn Berrey

Katherine beams, her smile brighter and more beautiful than any picture she’s ever been in. “Don’t freak out,” she says. “But I think you almost drowned.”

Len has poured himself from one vessel—me—into another. Lake Greene.

Its probably not smart to go into rooms with big windows since she could easily be spotted

After that, it’s on to the master bedroom, where the sight of my own house through the massive windows brings another guilt-inducing reminder that I watched Katherine and Tom in this most private of spaces.

I can’t help but judge him as I peek into the trash can and see boxes that once held microwave Mexican and Lean Cuisines. Even at my drunkest and laziest, I would never resort to frozen burritos.

Like the rest of the house, it’s got a mid-century modern/ Scandinavian-sparse vibe that’s all the rage on the HGTV shows I sometimes watch when I’m drunk and can’t sleep in the middle of the night. Stainless steel appliances. White everywhere else. Subway tile out the ass. Unlike on those design shows, the Royce kitchen shows signs of frequent, messy use. Multicolored drops of food spatter the countertops. A tray on the center island holds a bowl and spoon crusted with dried oatmeal. On the stovetop is a pot with soup dregs at the bottom. From the milky film coating it, my guess is cream of mushroom, reheated last night.

Ok if she really thinks katherine is in an abusive relationship it's really stupid to send a message like this. If she was married to an abuser he could go through her phone, see this text, get mad that katherine has exposed her abuse, and take his anger out on her

I just made coffee. Come over if you want some. I think we should talk about last night.

Im only 30 percent into this book and i think ive solved it. I think Katherine is hooking up or in love with Boone and theyre working together to get rid of tom by making herself look like shes trapped in an abusive marriage. Both Katherine and boone have noticed the binoculars and both have appeared to put on a show while being watched before

“You have absolutely no idea what you’re doing,” he says. I say nothing. Because he’s right. I don’t.

“I’m just not myself lately. I haven’t felt right for days. I feel weird. Weak. That exhaustion I felt while swimming yesterday? That wasn’t the first time it’s happened. It always feels like what happened last night. My heart starts beating fast. Like, illegal-diet-drug fast. It just overwhelms me. And before I know it, I’m passed out in the grass.” “Do you remember getting home?”

Katherine arrives in the wood-paneled powerboat, looking like a fifties movie star at the Venice Film Festival as she pulls up to the dock. Cornflower blue sundress. Red sunglasses. Yellow silk scarf tied under her chin.

modest shrug. “I won’t hold a grudge.” The woman laughs, and in the process comes alive in a way that banishes all traces of the person I’d found floating in the water. Color has returned to her face—a peachy blush that highlights her high cheekbones, full lips, pencil-line brows. Her gray-green eyes are wide and expressive, and her nose is slightly crooked, a flaw that comes off as charming amid all that perfection. She’s gorgeous, even huddled under a blanket and dripping lake water. She catches me staring

Merry Rudinger

What is marriage but a series of mutual deceptions?

So at first I was dreading this book because I was not in the mood for a thriller at the time, but it was a book club book so I pushed through. Once you get to a certain point in the book you would not be able to stop because you need to know how it will end. I’m still in-between on how I feel about paranormal aspects to thrillers, some I have liked and some I haven’t. This was my second Riley Sager book, and while I think they are written really well, I don’t know if I’m the right audience for the product. I just feel stuck in the middle about how to feel. The concepts are unique I have to say that, it just comes back to not knowing how I feel about paranormal aspects, since I didn’t love the first book by Sager I have read. I don’t know if they are all that way, but I try to go in with an open mind. So like I said, you do get to a point where you will want answers and they are given, but just know they come hand in hand with something paranormal.

Priscilla Stanfield

3.75⭐️

So at first I was dreading this book because I was not in the mood for a thriller at the time, but it was a book club book so I pushed through. Once you get to a certain point in the book you would not be able to stop because you need to know how it will end. I’m still in-between on how I feel about paranormal aspects to thrillers, some I have liked and some I haven’t. This was my second Riley Sager book, and while I think they are written really well, I don’t know if I’m the right audience for the product. I just feel stuck in the middle about how to feel. The concepts are unique I have to say that, it just comes back to not knowing how I feel about paranormal aspects, since I didn’t love the first book by Sager I have read. I don’t know if they are all that way, but I try to go in with an open mind. So like I said, you do get to a point where you will want answers and they are given, but just know they come hand in hand with something paranormal.

Amelia Hruby

this book started off REALLY slow and honestly casey seemed like a nutjob when she was suspecting her claims which is why i never made progress on this book for weeks. then i decided to get back into it and holy fuck?? the plot twist?? of everything??? shook me to my core. it picked up and was way easier to get through and i do feel like it redeemed itself by the end!

Tara Bounkeovisane

Hovering between a 3.5 and a 4 on this one. It had me absolutely hooked until it had the oddest twist ever. IYKYK! Still a great read, but can’t help feeling a little disappointed with the way it went in the end. I’d still recommend though. 

Aims

Delayna Morrow

started decent but then got supernatural and just stupid

Libby W

Tailor Floyd

amelia <3

The New York Times bestselling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night (“a master of the twist and the turn”*) is back with his most unexpected thriller yet. *Rolling Stone 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 rich, 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 and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving. With his trademark blend of sharp characters, psychological suspense and gasp-worthy twists, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake will shock readers until the very last page.

Rebecca Hurd

Another good read out of Riley Sager. A very unreliable narrator that I really didn’t like but still rooted for her!! She had the right idea but went about it in the worst way but in the end it was kind of necessary!! Definitely a double twist at the end. Sager will forever be an automatic buy for me, this wasn’t my favorite but still pretty good.

Maya 

2.5 stars 

Well this was… disorienting. If it weren’t for the 100+ pages of Casey drinking herself numb and doing nothing but spy on her neighbours I think this would have some good potential. But like I said this book spent too much time with unnecessary things (constant drinking, more drinking, come up with theories but never actually investigating them, more drinking). I understand why those things were included but it took too much space in such a short book. I wish we would have gotten more of the mystery aspect of the book. More engagement. The plot twist was predictable 🤷 it was actually one of my first theories. Which is fine but I would’ve love more investigative work. Also everything felt like it was lacking, nothing felt mysterious or even scary. The final 50 pages were the best part of the book. I actually enjoyed everything coming together and being put to rest. The characters were fine. Nothing special. Enjoyable but not noteworthy.

THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW meets GONE GIRL in the upcoming sixth thriller by New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager.

Ryan Mateyk

A standard thriller until it wasn’t. An utterly ridiculous final third lessened the enjoyment for me.

I like Riley Sager’s writing but the plot just wasn’t good. Body snatching/spirit switching twist was weird. Although it definitely wasn’t predictable I’ll give him that.

Antonia Murabito

Would’ve liked it better without the spiritual side ngl

Pia 

Riley sager is one of my favorite authors so I was surprised to find that this book did not catch my attention. I really considered DNF and was dreading picking it up again because I was so bored. It started to turn around page 200 and definitely had some unforeseen twists but at the end, I wasn’t impressed with the overall story. This is definitely my least favorite Sager book so far 

Abigail Stutz

I started this book thinking I’d heard this story a million times before, but there was definitely some things I didn’t expect and some really big turns towards the end. It ended in a completely different way than I anticipated when going in blind. 

Amanda 

Caroline

The house across the lake is my first book by author Riley Sager  and I hope not all of his book are the way this one turned out to be. I initially pick up this book because of (a) all the hype behind this book. Everyone or bookclub seemed to be reading this one and (b) the plot seemed to be quite promising. But now having read it, it has left me quite disappointed. 

The storyline is not something I haven't read before. Its yet another story about a women who drinks way too much of alcohol, while she sits spying on her neighbours across the lake bring their secrets to light as she tries to drown her own secrets from the passed. 

For most part, this book is just a copy of "The women in the window" only that it's in a different setting with different characters but with the same habits. As for the twist and turns, this book has a lot of them but they all come one after another in the later half of the book. When I picked up this book, i thought it was some sort of a psychological thriller but I was shocked with it paranormal twist, which to be honest for me personal turned out to be a bit child like ghost story and did not give me any goosebumps. The ending too was quite flat as well as its characters. 

Though, this one was an disappointment, I m still looking forward to read past works by Riley Sager hoping he has done better.

Excellent mystery with an unforeseen ending!

Sue Schilling

Jonathan Garcia

It’s the day after and I’m still thinking about this book it’s so fucked up I can’t comprehend it

Keely Calagos

This will be my last Sager book. He is not the author for me. There isn't much to say about this book that hasn't already been said, so I'll leave it at that.

To my future self, who is considering reading another overhyped new release by an author you know you don't love (or even really like for that matter) - please stop.

Laurianne

Turns out I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The plot twists are crazy, I got no time to recover and there was already another one. All in all, that was definitely.... something.

M. Marques

In general, I found the book enjoyable, although it wasn't until around the 200th page that I became truly hooked as the plot began to unravel. At one point, I even contemplated not finishing the book, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The twist completely caught me off guard, deviating from my initial expectations.

As the story progressed and more revelations came to light, I found myself continually surprised, and my focus shifted away from the nature of the initial twist. However, I must admit I wasn't the greatest fan of the ending, but all things considered, it was alright. All in all, it was an entertaining read, and I'm genuinely curious to explore more of the author's work.

Riley Sager is a genius. I understand the hype surrounding him now. 

Just wanna say though, this is not purely a mystery/thriller. There are some elements in it that can make you go “wait, what?” so keep an open mind. 

nuha ✨️

Riley Sager is a genius. I understand the hype surrounding him now. 

Just wanna say though, this is not purely a mystery/thriller. There are some elements in it that can make you go “wait, what?” so keep an open mind. 

A lot of twists and turns throughout the last half of the book that kept me intrigued to keep reading. 

Han ◡̈

jess larry

first it was boring, almost dnf it but decided to keep reading just to see if i could be proven wrong, if anything interesting would happen

then it got fucking stupid, un plot twist tiré par les cheveux built en induisant le lecteur en erreur & plain out deception, THATS THE LAZIEST TYPE OF PLOT TWIST

then it got even more stupid, to the point of it being ridiculous, like nothing makes sense at all. there's just too much going on PICK ONE

im annoyed

House Across the Lake

Reviews

Highlights