I had the great honor of meeting the great Riley Sager, one of my favorite authors, at the beginning of the month where he was promoting his new book, The Only One Left.
As he mentioned a time or two during that event, his previous novel, The House Across the Lake, was met with harsher criticisms despite it being his favorite novel of his to date. As my friend pointed out, I was one of those fans left disappointed by the supernatural turn that novel took. Thus, I was naturally skeptical of what his latest work, The Only One Left, was going to present me with. My sister tore through her signed copy essentially the night we got back and she assured me it was a good read. Not to belabor the point, but she was correct.
While there were plenty of high level elements present in this novel, like most of his others, this one still definitely had a uniquely original story. He did tell the audience at the event that Misery was partly an inspiration from this novel, and I have to imagine Stephen King was, too. This story takes place in a very tiny town near the ocean cliffs in Maine. Kit, coming out a little worse for wear from some personal struggles, reluctantly accepts a caregiver position at the notorious Hope’s End. It’s a fitting name for a house that is basically kissing the water, but it’s also where it’s last remaining tenant, Lenora, still remains after being suspected of killing her parents and sister back in 1929.
I liked so much that this story didn’t take place in present day, because then you didn’t have to worry about things like cell phones or the internet. It also just made everything that happened in this novel just a little more desperate. Kit is asked to care for the almost entirely paralyzed and mute Lenora Hope, who soon reveals she can type, if only just a little bit. She promises to tell Kit the whole truth of what happened on that night, but it’s what happened afterwards that’s really juicy. All while she is learning of Lenora’s messy past, the house itself is something out of a supernatural horror story. I can promise nothing supernatural does go down, but you would never catch me dead in a house like the one Sager has described.
I can’t say anything more without spoiling the whole thing, but you are treated to both Kit’s perspective, and also some typed excerpts from Lenora. Those sections just barely start revealing some more truth, but Kit is quite persistent herself. This read was great fun, and I urge all mystery and thriller fans out there to add it to their “must read” lists.