Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - The House across the Lake

So much I didn’t expect happened in this book. It’s a mix of mystery and horror that’s pretty well-done. The characters, are lovable despite their short-comings. This was a great book to end spooky season with and I look forward to reading more by this author.

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shahdirose's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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aprilblues348's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

“No matter how much you look, something just beneath the surface will always remain hidden. I should know. I’ve been watching.”

➽ I have to admit that this is probably my favorite Riley Sager book as it's so entertaining!! The House Across the Lake is about Casey, a recently widowed actress who owns a lake house in Vermont. She's trying to escape the press and is struggling with her mental health. Casey's an alcoholic and lives alone at the house, without much outside contact. When a couple moves into the house across the lake from her, she quickly gets obsessed with them and starts watching them through her binoculars.

➽ I loved the premise and how Casey couldn't help but keep watching her new neighbors Katherine and Tom. She's getting invested in their lives but finds herself questioning how perfect their life truly is. When Katherine disappears, she's convinced that Tom might have done it and goes to investigate despite the dangers. I found the story very compelling and was actually shocked by some of the twists! We get chapters set in different times and they do a good job of letting you make assumptions. The more we get to know Casey, the more we unravel the secrets of the lake. I liked her friendship with Katherine and how she was dedicated to helping her! The story was suspenseful from start to finish and I couldn't put it down!

The reveal that Casey's husband was a serial killer and she killed him when she found out was SO good! The possession trope won't be for anyone, but I thought it was a sinister twist on what happened to Katherine. In the end, we're meant to believe that Tom's actually innocent unlike Casey suspected ... only for him to turn out to be the villain after all!

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