The Only One Left by Riley Sager

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

Dates Read: 7/10/23 - 7/11/23

At seventeen, Lenora Hope

Hung her sister with a rope

    The Hope family murders, a haunting incident that occurred on a fateful night in 1929, continue to reverberate as schoolyard chants along the Maine coast. Despite the widespread belief that seventeen-year-old Lenora was the culprit, the police were unable to gather sufficient evidence to prove her guilt. Lenora has remained silent about that tragic night and has secluded herself inside Hope's End, the mansion perched on the cliffside where the massacre took place.

Stabbed her father with a knife

Took her mother’s happy life

    Fast forward to 1983, when Kit McDeere, a home-health aide, arrives at the deteriorating Hope's End to look after Lenora. The previous nurse had abruptly left in the middle of the night. Now in her seventies and bound to a wheelchair, Lenora has lost her ability to speak due to several strokes. Her only means of communication with Kit is through an old typewriter, where she taps out sentences. One evening, Lenora uses the typewriter to make a compelling proposition: "I want to tell you everything."

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said

But she’s the only one not dead

    I usually enjoy books by Riley Sager, and this one was no exception. I both listened to the audiobook and read the ebook, and it stayed on my mind even when I wasn't actively reading it. I would have given it a higher rating if I hadn't anticipated one of the major twists. On the other hand, if I had been able to figure out any other aspect of the story, my rating would have been significantly lower. Another reader described the ending as giving them whiplash, and I couldn't agree more with that description. I adored the eerie gothic ambiance of the house perched perilously above the crashing waves on a crumbling cliffside.

    The plot takes you on an immersive journey, leaving you eager to uncover the truth. With its continuous twists and turns, it's like a thrilling rollercoaster ride that leaves you breathless at times. There were several jaw-dropping moments that took me completely by surprise. Just when you think the story is winding down, Riley Sager delivers one final twist. There is so much going on to keep you engaged, but I do feel it might be a bit much, sometimes less is more.

    This suspenseful and gothic thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. I must also commend the exceptional narration in the audiobook format, making it a highly recommended choice.