The Only One Left: A Novel
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Named a summer book to watch by The Washington Post, Boston Globe, USA Today, Oprah, Paste, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and Nerd Daily
“Propulsive … a dizzying Gothic whodunit.”
—New York Times Book Review
Bestselling author Riley Sager returns with a Gothic chiller about a young caregiver assigned to work for a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre decades earlier.
At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead
As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.
$0.00
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Named a summer book to watch by The Washington Post, Boston Globe, USA Today, Oprah, Paste, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and Nerd Daily
“Propulsive … a dizzying Gothic whodunit.”
—New York Times Book Review
Bestselling author Riley Sager returns with a Gothic chiller about a young caregiver assigned to work for a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre decades earlier.
At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead
As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.
shain.taylor –
A Perfectly Twisty, Deeply Satisfying Read
I absolutely loved this book. The twists and turns kept coming right up until the very end, and each one was layered—just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story surprised me again. What really made the twists work was that they made sense. Nothing felt random or forced, and it kept me turning pages because I had to know how it all fit together.This was a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down read that constantly tempted me with “just one more chapter.” The setting was atmospheric and immersive, with eerie, gothic vibes that added to the tension and overall mood.The characters were all well-rounded and memorable, but the depth of Kit and Virginia truly stood out. Their stories carried the heart of the book and made the unraveling of events even more compelling.The ending was especially satisfying and fitting. I loved how the book essentially told two stories in one that seamlessly merged together at the end. When I finished, I felt genuinely satisfied—and I even smiled, which says a lot.If you enjoy twisty, suspenseful novels that are smart, engaging, and rewarding from start to finish, this one is absolutely worth reading.
Scott E. High –
Interesting, Entertaining, and Surprising
This was my first Riley Sager novel and I didn’t really know what to expect. I bought it for two reasons. One was that I had heard good things about this author and his ability to write a good horror novel. The other was that my youngest daughter married a man with the last name of Sager.This is an interesting tale with intertwined stories developing from different aspects and over long time periods. The powerful business mogul who ultimately fails to maintain his financial status, a daughter who is accused of murdering her father, mother and sister in their deteriorating mansion, and a young professional caregiver who is accused of causing her own suffering mother’s death. This is a story of success and failure, of lies and betrayal, and how every piece fits together to create a strange and violent ending.Don’t expect to put it all together at first for this is a long and winding road that must be traveled to the end in order to get the answers to the many questions posed by the author. The story slowly sucks you in as the characters change because of what they have done in the past. Human nature is to be inquisitive. Unfortunately one often learns that certain subjects shouldn’t be investigated. What was once buried may eventually rise again, shedding both light and understanding for those involved. Welcome to this twisty road.
Katie Pollock –
Must read!
This was my first Riley Sager book I read and I could not put it down. Truly an incredible written book with twists and turns until the very end. I absolutely loved this book and definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Amazon Customer –
Good read
Such a good read if you like freedom McFadden style books this is totally for you read it so fast, suspenseful and not predictable!
LaVerne Pink –
Good story line.
The premise of this book is very good. Also it has many plot twists that keep you going. However the writing is not very good. A lot of repetition awkward phrasing disjointed parts of the story line. It is a good story and using the old murder and a disabled woman as the main suspect. There are almost too many twists and changes. It is interesting and keeps you wanting to fill it to the end.
Shannon S. –
Secrets, Suspicion, and a Mansion on the Brink
This was my first Riley Sager book, and The Only One Left pulled me into its twisty, gothic world with a constant creeping sense of dread and a steady stream of jaw-dropping reveals. For this book I purchased both the Kindle and Audible versions to access the Whispersync feature; the audiobook was narrated by Christine Lakin & Dawn HarveySet in the 1980s at a crumbling cliffside mansion ominously named Hope’s End, the story follows Kit, a caregiver with a recently deceased patient, as she begins working with Lenora Hope, a woman long suspected of murdering her entire family in 1929. Lenora now lives in silence and near-paralysis after multiple strokes and other health issues, communicating only by tapping on a typewriter. She begins to tell Kit her side of the story, and from there, the mystery slowly unravels…and then unravels again and again.The dual timeline structure works well here. The majority of the storyline is from Kit’s 1980s POV, narrated brilliantly by Christine Lakin, whose performance I was thrilled to hear again after recently loving her work in Into the Drowning Deep. The flashback chapters, set in 1929 from Lenora’s perspective, are narrated by Dawn Harvey, who also does a great job bringing a younger Lenora to life with unsettling depth.The supporting characters at Hope’s End include Carter, the quiet groundskeeper; Mrs. Baker, the suspiciously loyal housekeeper; Archie, the longtime cook; and Jessica, the too-cheerful maid, and they all add layers of intrigue to the story. You get the sense that almost everyone is hiding something.Sager masterfully sets the tone, and the setting itself becomes a character. The tilting mansion teetering on the edge of a cliff, random night noises, and unexplained occurrences all add to the claustrophobic tension. That said, there were moments where the pacing dragged and I stalled out, but just when I was about to lose focus, a twist would drop and pull me right back in. The last 20% is wild 😳 packed with reveals, betrayals, and “wait, WHAT?!” moments that hit like dominoes falling.If you enjoy gothic settings, morally complex characters, and stories that keep twisting right up until the final page, The Only One Left is worth reading, even if it runs a bit long. I’ll be picking up more by Riley Sager after this one.
Ashley Yepes –
Wonderful thriller!
This book is insane. Easy to follow, many twists and turns. I finished it in two days! And that was only because I had to sleep for work the next day. Riley Sager earned a new fan with this one for sure.
Kristy Mills –
I love this Author!
One of my favorite fiction books of all time. I couldn’t figure it out and all the plot twists and surprises hurt my head ( in the best possible way). I couldn’t put it down.
Vanessa Pereira –
“The Only One Left” by Riley Sager is a captivating gothic thriller that intertwines elements of mystery, suspense, and psychological drama. Set in 1983, the narrative follows Kit McDeere, a caregiver with a tarnished reputation, who is assigned to look after Lenora Hope—a woman accused of murdering her family in 1929. Lenora, now incapacitated and unable to speak, resides in the decaying mansion known as Hope’s End, perched precariously on a cliff’s edge. As Kit assists Lenora in typing out her story, she becomes deeply entangled in the dark secrets of the Hope family and the ominous history of the mansion.Sager masterfully crafts an atmospheric setting reminiscent of classic gothic tales, drawing parallels to works like “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “Rebecca.” The novel alternates between Kit’s present-day experiences and Lenora’s typewritten accounts, effectively building suspense and keeping readers on edge. The characters are intricately developed, each harboring their own secrets, adding depth to the unfolding mystery.Critical reception has been largely positive. Kirkus Reviews describes it as “an entertaining thriller,” noting its ability to evoke classic gothic elements while delivering unexpected twists.Similarly, a review from Criminal Element praises the novel as “a masterclass in atmospheric suspense,” highlighting Sager’s skill in crafting a story where “no detail can be taken for granted.”In summary, “The Only One Left” offers a richly atmospheric and suspenseful journey into a family’s dark past, set against the backdrop of a haunting mansion. While the novel excels in building tension and developing complex characters, some readers may find the climax stretches plausibility. Nonetheless, fans of gothic thrillers and intricate mysteries are likely to find this book a compelling read.
Amazon Customer –
I was recommended this book and it didn’t disappoint. i could not see the twists coming. loved it!
Amaranta Jackson –
Excellent novel. It leaves a lasting impression.
FERNANDA MORALES –
Leitura evolvente com muitas reviravoltas e acontecimentos inesperados. Ótimo suspense.
Thomas Welder –
This is the 3rd Riley Sager book I’ve read and by far my favourite! The first few chapters weren’t super captivating but by the time I got halfway through I couldn’t put it down. The plot twists just kept coming and just kept getting better and better.I really liked all the characters in this book and thought the last page was a clever way to end the story.I highly recommended reading this book if you love a suspenseful read. I also feel that if you can only pick one Riley Sager book to read, this is it!