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A review by suspensethrill
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
4.0
"Every house has a story. Ours is a ghost story. It's also a lie. And now that yet another person has died within these walls, it's finally time to tell the truth."
Fellow Riley Sager junkies, you've waited so patiently for me to slip out of my Covid-19 induced anxiety, and I'm here to tell you that I've shaken the funk and am feeling passionately encouraged to word vomit my thoughts about this book. Before I get started, you need to know going in that this book has a slightly altered feel to his previous novels, but I feel like this is a given, as each book he writes evolves into a new thrilling sub-genre. If I had to compare [b:Home Before Dark|50833559|Home Before Dark|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571683410l/50833559._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73695354] to another one of Sager's books, I'd say that it would mostly align with [b:Final Girls|32796253|Final Girls|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1496658340l/32796253._SY75_.jpg|50669966], as it portrays that same growing since of dread while serving a side of mainstream horror. The blurbs calling this a tale for fans of Hill House are spot on, and if you love a good ghost story, whether those ghosts are supernatural or manmade monsters, I think you'll adore this book.
If you enjoy books within books, they you're in luck, because that's just what we have here! In the book portions, AKA the past, Maggie and her parents moved into this big scary mansion where some really questionable things happened in the past, but they aren't weenies and decide that the low low asking price is worth the risk of their lives. *cue the scary music* When we alternate to the present tense, we know that something really bad happened that caused Maggie's family to abandon the property in the middle of the night, just a few short weeks after moving in, and that is the large suspenseful build up throughout the book. Obviously, we need to know what happened and who was responsible!
The beauty of this story is that there are a million little working parts that come together to form the outcome of the whole book, and even if you guess a few of the twists, I can guarantee there will be a few others that will blow your mind. One of the twists crossed my mind from the moment the curious behavior piqued my interest, and I wasn't disappointed when I ended up being correct in my assumptions, because it showcased one of my favorite plot twists from a movie in recent years (which I won't mention here for fear of spoilers). There are ghosts of various kinds, snakes, hot contractors with washboard abs, snakes, delicious baked goods, snakes, things that go bump in the night... Did I mention the snakes and the guy with the really great bod? Just checking.
*In my best Stefan voice* This summer's hottest book is [b:Home Before Dark|50833559|Home Before Dark|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571683410l/50833559._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73695354]. It has everything: creepy haunted houses, mysterious people from the past, and an ending that will have you sure to keep on the lights when you sleep for at least a few nights. This one is well worth the pre-order friends!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Fellow Riley Sager junkies, you've waited so patiently for me to slip out of my Covid-19 induced anxiety, and I'm here to tell you that I've shaken the funk and am feeling passionately encouraged to word vomit my thoughts about this book. Before I get started, you need to know going in that this book has a slightly altered feel to his previous novels, but I feel like this is a given, as each book he writes evolves into a new thrilling sub-genre. If I had to compare [b:Home Before Dark|50833559|Home Before Dark|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571683410l/50833559._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73695354] to another one of Sager's books, I'd say that it would mostly align with [b:Final Girls|32796253|Final Girls|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1496658340l/32796253._SY75_.jpg|50669966], as it portrays that same growing since of dread while serving a side of mainstream horror. The blurbs calling this a tale for fans of Hill House are spot on, and if you love a good ghost story, whether those ghosts are supernatural or manmade monsters, I think you'll adore this book.
If you enjoy books within books, they you're in luck, because that's just what we have here! In the book portions, AKA the past, Maggie and her parents moved into this big scary mansion where some really questionable things happened in the past, but they aren't weenies and decide that the low low asking price is worth the risk of their lives. *cue the scary music* When we alternate to the present tense, we know that something really bad happened that caused Maggie's family to abandon the property in the middle of the night, just a few short weeks after moving in, and that is the large suspenseful build up throughout the book. Obviously, we need to know what happened and who was responsible!
The beauty of this story is that there are a million little working parts that come together to form the outcome of the whole book, and even if you guess a few of the twists, I can guarantee there will be a few others that will blow your mind. One of the twists crossed my mind from the moment the curious behavior piqued my interest, and I wasn't disappointed when I ended up being correct in my assumptions, because it showcased one of my favorite plot twists from a movie in recent years (which I won't mention here for fear of spoilers). There are ghosts of various kinds, snakes, hot contractors with washboard abs, snakes, delicious baked goods, snakes, things that go bump in the night... Did I mention the snakes and the guy with the really great bod? Just checking.
*In my best Stefan voice* This summer's hottest book is [b:Home Before Dark|50833559|Home Before Dark|Riley Sager|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571683410l/50833559._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73695354]. It has everything: creepy haunted houses, mysterious people from the past, and an ending that will have you sure to keep on the lights when you sleep for at least a few nights. This one is well worth the pre-order friends!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.