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chellyfishing's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Murder
romorel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The hints build comfortably, but unlike other Sager thrillers my experience was simply “being along for the ride”. This book took twists and turns I absolutely did not see coming, but once uncovered made me nod appreciatively at the well paced “Chekhov’s Guns”. The execution was fantastic.
So much so that I’m writing this at 1:50AM on a Thursday and given myself a headache from staying up too late.
Sager’s characters are easy to connect with, though one thing I often notice with his protagonists is that I have no idea what they look like besides being “unremarkable” brunettes.
Overall a very satisfying story.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Car accident, and Pandemic/Epidemic
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Jules is facing rock bottom when she agrees to move into a luxury apartment building as a paid house sitter. But when another sitter goes missing, Jules quickly realizes all is not what it seems…
I want to preface this by saying I’m a huge Riley Sager fan, and count some of his other books among my favorite thrillers. I think he’s super talented and he’ll always be an auto-buy author for me on the strength of some of his other work. Unfortunately, this one absolutely did not land for me.
I was bored for 99% of this book (the 1% was basically the very beginning, when I was waiting for the premise to set up, and my enthusiasm didn’t even return for the ending and final reveals). The FMC made some absolutely ridiculous choices and decisions, and I didn’t really like any of the other characters. I also never felt super invested in the mystery aspect of the plot, and I thought the big reveal was pretty bonkers and didn’t have great foundation laid to suggest it throughout.
I know a lot of people do love this one, so it may well have been a “me” problem…but the bottom line is if you’re reaching for a Riley Sager I personally think there are much better ones to grab.
CW: Death/death of parent/suicide; fire; blood/injury/violence
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
dizpig's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Dementia
Minor: Stalking
doodlebeanz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I could see the plot twist a mile away, nearly figuring it all out before I even got halfway through the book which was odd considering Only One Left kept me guessing until the bitter end... maybe I put too much pressure on this book and comparing it to it's book sibling is wrong to do, but it's impossible for me not to do!
This book, like many thrillers nowadays, was tied up nicely and too quickly.
That being said, the book was good; it kept me entertained and I couldn't put it down, I also didn't find myself skimming as much as I usually do. It didn't scare me, it didn't really freak me out *too* much, but the writing of such a spooky and creepy building was incredible! I also love that it's based on the Dakota since I see that building daily and now it looks so different to me lol!
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
astoriareader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
- Jules is a 25 year old, and she has had a bit of a rough patch. She was recently let go from her job, and she is having money problems. Her live-in (now) ex-boyfriend cheated on her, so she moved in with her friend, Chloe. She doesn’t have any family left, as her parents died & her sister Jane disappeared
- She gets the opportunity to apartment sit at a fancy building in Manhattan for $4000/month for 3 months, but there is a catch. She isn’t allowed to have any guests, and she is required to spend the night there every night. There are some other rules re: secrecy as well.
- There are a few other sitters living in the building. Jules befriends one, and shortly thereafter, the other sitter is MIA.
- What’s going on in the apartment building? What happened to the other sitter?
- I got through this quickly, and it is an easy read. The writing is fine, but there isn’t very much depth or character development.
- The ending was mehhh. Not great, not terrible.
- It is a slow burn, but pretty predictable.
- The main character overlooks so many things, and she comes off as a stereotypical woman written by a man in a thriller novel.
- Side note: I am intrigued at this point as to why Riley Sager always writes women as the MCs. He has written some books that I love, and some that I don’t.
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
kiwichill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Pandemic/Epidemic
rachel_anne_krauz95's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Trafficking and Car accident
badwolfbae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kitkat_2793's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury