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The Unknown
In 1926, five women disappeared from a remote island in Vermont. Now, one hundred years later, it’s happening again.
Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.
Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums—until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.
Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island's previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.
Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon—and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.
Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.
Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums—until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.
Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island's previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.
Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon—and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Riley Sager
24 books62.2k followersRiley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, most recently WITH A VENGEANCE and MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. His books have been published in more than 40 countries and have sold over 5 million copies worldwide. His latest novel, THE UNKNOWN, will be published in August.
A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, cooking and going to the movies as much as possible. His favorite film is "Rear Window." Or maybe "Jaws." But probably, if he's being honest, "Mary Poppins."
A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, cooking and going to the movies as much as possible. His favorite film is "Rear Window." Or maybe "Jaws." But probably, if he's being honest, "Mary Poppins."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,287 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
➳ 4.5/5 stars
The Unknown by Riley Sager was genuinely one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I’m not exaggerating when I say I almost screamed when I received the e-ARC. I truly did not expect it at all, and that’s what made it so special. One moment I was just going about my day, and the next I was sitting there in complete disbelief, smiling like an idiot. Cloud nine doesn’t even begin to cover it. Getting this ARC felt surreal, and I was incredibly grateful, especially because this book had already been living rent-free in my head long before I even opened the first page.
Going in, I knew I would love it. I just had that feeling. And thankfully, I was right. This book wasn’t just good, it was marvelous. Everything worked. The storyline, the atmosphere, the setting, the characters each piece fit together so perfectly that I was completely locked in. It was sharp, eerie, and so well paced that I kept thinking, how is this getting better with every chapter? And let me say this: my brain is pretty desensitized at this point. Not a lot rattles me anymore. But this book? It gave me chills. Actual chills. I caught myself looking around my room, half-expecting something to be lurking in the shadows.
I didn’t expect anything less from Riley Sager, honestly.. He’s an author I trust, someone whose work I’ve loved consistently, so my expectations were high, and somehow, he still exceeded them. The tension, the unease, that creeping sense of dread… it all landed exactly where it should have. This book didn’t just deliver; it overdelivered. And I’m so glad it did.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
Riley Sager’s novel revolves around a film being made by a director named Ronan Peters . His idea is unsettling from the very start. He gathers five women to act in his movie and takes them to an isolated island called New Avalon not exactly to shoot, but more like to rehearse and immerse themselves in the story. The catch is that New Avalon already has a dark past. Decades ago, five women disappeared there overnight. Just vanished. No bodies, no clues, nothing. One of them, Ruth Semple, even owned the island, which only made the mystery deeper and more disturbing.
Because there were no answers, people created their own. Rumors spread that these women were witches, that they practiced seances, tried to contact spirits, and accidentally summoned something evil. The island slowly gained a paranormal reputation, and the story became more legend than fact. Years later, Ronan Peters decides to turn this chilling mystery into a movie, and that’s where things start getting really unsettling.
As the story progresses, the creepy factor doesn’t just build, it creeps. Slowly. Quietly. Until you’re sitting there questioning everything. I genuinely reached a point where I wondered if what was happening was actually real.
The plot twists? Completely unpredictable.
And I don’t say that lightly. I didn’t guess a single one. Not even close. I was shocked again and again, right up until the very last page. I was hooked from page one, and honestly, I finished the book in two or three days because I physically could not put it down. Every chapter ended with that feeling of okay, just one more, and suddenly hours had passed.
What made it even more haunting was how history began to repeat itself. The women involved in the film started experiencing the same things the women from past had experienced, seeing the same visions, feeling the same presence, reliving the same fear. It felt like déjà vu wrapped in dread, as if the island itself was pulling them into the past. New Avalon felt alive, paranormal, and deeply unsettling, as though the spirits of what happened before were still watching, still waiting.
I truly loved almost every aspect of this book. The atmosphere, the tension, the slow unraveling of the truth, it all worked so well. That said, there was one particular turn the story took that I didn’t fully love. It wasn’t bad, and I understand why it was there, it helped move the story forward, but I personally felt the book could have done without it. That single moment is the only reason I didn’t give it a full five glorious stars. Still, I’m not really complaining. The overall experience was intense, gripping, and unforgettable. This book had me chilled, intrigued, and completely consumed, and honestly, that’s exactly what I wanted.
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
That being said, I’ve always been a fan, actually, a big fan of Riley Sager’s work, and this book just solidified that love for me. I know I might sound a little biased, but honestly, I don’t even care. I’ll let you be the judge. What I do know is that I genuinely want people to read this book. Like, really read it. For me, it felt like an absolute piece of art, and I loved every single second I spent with it.
This is one of those books that completely pulls you in and refuses to let go. It immerses you so deeply that your mind stays stuck in the story even after you close the book. And I’m not exaggerating when I say it occupied my thoughts for days. I was obsessed. Genuinely obsessed. Capital letters, no shame O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D. I was in love with this book.
Every character felt layered and intentional. Each one had their own story, their own creep factor, their own flaws, and somehow, Riley Sager wrote them all perfectly. His writing has always felt less like reading and more like someone sitting across from you, telling you a story. It’s flowy, easy to read, and incredibly immersive. It never felt like I was reading a book. It felt like I was inside it, living alongside the characters, seeing everything unfold in real time.
Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was my mood, or maybe I really am biased, but this book felt real. It was exactly what I needed at the right moment. And yes, I loved almost every single aspect of it. I’m really not complaining. There was one particular turn, one twist, that I didn’t enjoy as much because it wasn’t what I expected, but even then, it didn’t ruin the experience for me. Especially because there were so many other plot twists that completely caught me off guard.
And that final twist near the very end WOWW. I won’t spoil anything, don’t worry, this review is entirely spoiler-free. But that moment genuinely blew my mind. I just sat there, staring into space, trying to process what had just happened.
⚘ "Overall, if you’re looking for a book that will hook you, consume you, and stay with you long after you’ve finished it, this is the one. If you want something that will completely mess with your mind, in the best way possible, this book is an absolute, undeniable catch." 💌
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 26 January , 2026
ahhh, did I just get the ARC for my most anticipated read of the year??? YES OMGGGGG I’m crying 🤧🤧
The Unknown by Riley Sager was genuinely one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I’m not exaggerating when I say I almost screamed when I received the e-ARC. I truly did not expect it at all, and that’s what made it so special. One moment I was just going about my day, and the next I was sitting there in complete disbelief, smiling like an idiot. Cloud nine doesn’t even begin to cover it. Getting this ARC felt surreal, and I was incredibly grateful, especially because this book had already been living rent-free in my head long before I even opened the first page.
Going in, I knew I would love it. I just had that feeling. And thankfully, I was right. This book wasn’t just good, it was marvelous. Everything worked. The storyline, the atmosphere, the setting, the characters each piece fit together so perfectly that I was completely locked in. It was sharp, eerie, and so well paced that I kept thinking, how is this getting better with every chapter? And let me say this: my brain is pretty desensitized at this point. Not a lot rattles me anymore. But this book? It gave me chills. Actual chills. I caught myself looking around my room, half-expecting something to be lurking in the shadows.
I didn’t expect anything less from Riley Sager, honestly.. He’s an author I trust, someone whose work I’ve loved consistently, so my expectations were high, and somehow, he still exceeded them. The tension, the unease, that creeping sense of dread… it all landed exactly where it should have. This book didn’t just deliver; it overdelivered. And I’m so glad it did.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
Riley Sager’s novel revolves around a film being made by a director named Ronan Peters . His idea is unsettling from the very start. He gathers five women to act in his movie and takes them to an isolated island called New Avalon not exactly to shoot, but more like to rehearse and immerse themselves in the story. The catch is that New Avalon already has a dark past. Decades ago, five women disappeared there overnight. Just vanished. No bodies, no clues, nothing. One of them, Ruth Semple, even owned the island, which only made the mystery deeper and more disturbing.
Because there were no answers, people created their own. Rumors spread that these women were witches, that they practiced seances, tried to contact spirits, and accidentally summoned something evil. The island slowly gained a paranormal reputation, and the story became more legend than fact. Years later, Ronan Peters decides to turn this chilling mystery into a movie, and that’s where things start getting really unsettling.
As the story progresses, the creepy factor doesn’t just build, it creeps. Slowly. Quietly. Until you’re sitting there questioning everything. I genuinely reached a point where I wondered if what was happening was actually real.
The plot twists? Completely unpredictable.
And I don’t say that lightly. I didn’t guess a single one. Not even close. I was shocked again and again, right up until the very last page. I was hooked from page one, and honestly, I finished the book in two or three days because I physically could not put it down. Every chapter ended with that feeling of okay, just one more, and suddenly hours had passed.
What made it even more haunting was how history began to repeat itself. The women involved in the film started experiencing the same things the women from past had experienced, seeing the same visions, feeling the same presence, reliving the same fear. It felt like déjà vu wrapped in dread, as if the island itself was pulling them into the past. New Avalon felt alive, paranormal, and deeply unsettling, as though the spirits of what happened before were still watching, still waiting.
I truly loved almost every aspect of this book. The atmosphere, the tension, the slow unraveling of the truth, it all worked so well. That said, there was one particular turn the story took that I didn’t fully love. It wasn’t bad, and I understand why it was there, it helped move the story forward, but I personally felt the book could have done without it. That single moment is the only reason I didn’t give it a full five glorious stars. Still, I’m not really complaining. The overall experience was intense, gripping, and unforgettable. This book had me chilled, intrigued, and completely consumed, and honestly, that’s exactly what I wanted.
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
That being said, I’ve always been a fan, actually, a big fan of Riley Sager’s work, and this book just solidified that love for me. I know I might sound a little biased, but honestly, I don’t even care. I’ll let you be the judge. What I do know is that I genuinely want people to read this book. Like, really read it. For me, it felt like an absolute piece of art, and I loved every single second I spent with it.
This is one of those books that completely pulls you in and refuses to let go. It immerses you so deeply that your mind stays stuck in the story even after you close the book. And I’m not exaggerating when I say it occupied my thoughts for days. I was obsessed. Genuinely obsessed. Capital letters, no shame O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D. I was in love with this book.
Every character felt layered and intentional. Each one had their own story, their own creep factor, their own flaws, and somehow, Riley Sager wrote them all perfectly. His writing has always felt less like reading and more like someone sitting across from you, telling you a story. It’s flowy, easy to read, and incredibly immersive. It never felt like I was reading a book. It felt like I was inside it, living alongside the characters, seeing everything unfold in real time.
Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was my mood, or maybe I really am biased, but this book felt real. It was exactly what I needed at the right moment. And yes, I loved almost every single aspect of it. I’m really not complaining. There was one particular turn, one twist, that I didn’t enjoy as much because it wasn’t what I expected, but even then, it didn’t ruin the experience for me. Especially because there were so many other plot twists that completely caught me off guard.
And that final twist near the very end WOWW. I won’t spoil anything, don’t worry, this review is entirely spoiler-free. But that moment genuinely blew my mind. I just sat there, staring into space, trying to process what had just happened.
⚘ "Overall, if you’re looking for a book that will hook you, consume you, and stay with you long after you’ve finished it, this is the one. If you want something that will completely mess with your mind, in the best way possible, this book is an absolute, undeniable catch." 💌
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 26 January , 2026
ahhh, did I just get the ARC for my most anticipated read of the year??? YES OMGGGGG I’m crying 🤧🤧
Read
July 12, 2026I’m kind of obsessed with Riley Sager
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My absolute favorite kind of mystery—locked room, except make it a locked island, drenched in gothic atmosphere, paranoia, and enough supernatural unease to make you question every shadow in the room. And from one of my favorite thriller authors? Even better. This book didn’t just deliver one compelling psychological spiral—it served up two eerily layered, paranormal-laced timelines in a single story, then sat back and let readers absolutely lose their minds trying to piece everything together.
And trust me, I did.
This was the kind of novel that practically demands you become a conspiracy theorist by chapter three. Every new revelation sent me spiraling into increasingly unhinged theories, only for the author to casually dismantle them with twist after twist after twist. By the final third, my brain was no longer functioning normally. It was doing full Exorcist-level acrobatics. Reagan herself would have looked at me and said, “You okay?” My head was spinning, my soul temporarily left my body, and I was metaphorically crawling backward through my house trying to process what had just happened.
In other words: I had a fantastic time.
Before even diving into the plot, I have to applaud how addictive this reading experience was. Fast-paced, sinister, immersive, and dripping with dread, this story wastes absolutely no time pulling you into its chilling premise. While one of the earlier twists didn’t hit quite as hard for me as I hoped, the final cascade of reveals more than made up for it. The conclusion was sharp, satisfying, and deliciously unsettling in exactly the right way.
One small challenge was occasionally keeping track of the mirrored characters across both timelines. With names like Katrina, Jonquil, and Phoebe paralleling Susie, Heather, and Julianne, there were moments where certain personalities felt like eerie reflections of one another—particularly the sharper, more antagonistic female dynamics. At times, it almost felt like one character was being reimagined through another lens, like some sinister alternate-universe casting choice. But rather than feeling accidental, the story ultimately reveals intentionality behind these parallels, which made me appreciate the structural intelligence even more. By the end, I was genuinely in awe of how cleverly it all connected.
Now, onto the premise—because wow.
This plot is spooky. Blanket-fort, lights-on, every-floorboard-creak-is-suspicious spooky.
In 1926, five women vanished from a remote Vermont island called New Avalon, disappearing one by one without explanation. Each time, the missing woman’s clothing was found hanging ominously from an oak tree. No bodies. No answers. Just an enduring mystery soaked in folklore and fear.
Naturally, a century later, a filmmaker decides this is the perfect material for a movie.
Director Ronan Peter becomes obsessed with the haunting case and sets out to create a film based on the disappearances, using the diary of Daisy Rue—potentially the final girl of the original tragedy—as his blueprint. Enter Marina, an unexpected lead actress better known for eczema cream commercials than prestige horror, who is suddenly thrust into a career-defining opportunity when she’s cast alongside major star Violet Wright.
But this isn’t a normal production.
The actresses are isolated on the same island. They wear replicas of the vanished women’s clothing. They live in recreated primitive conditions—cottages, no electricity, no outside communication—all in pursuit of authenticity.
Which, naturally, is a horrifying idea.
As Marina begins receiving cryptic warnings and the eerie similarities between Daisy’s diary and present events become impossible to ignore, fiction and reality begin collapsing into one another. Women start disappearing. Clothes appear on trees. And Marina realizes she may not just be playing the role of the final girl—she may actually be becoming her.
It’s eerie, cinematic, psychologically rich, and absolutely binge-worthy.
Overall, I had an incredible time with this one. A brilliantly executed concept, genuinely creepy atmosphere, layered storytelling, and an ending that rewards your investment. This is exactly the kind of ambitious, unsettling thriller that reminds me why I love this genre so much.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for sharing one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
And trust me, I did.
This was the kind of novel that practically demands you become a conspiracy theorist by chapter three. Every new revelation sent me spiraling into increasingly unhinged theories, only for the author to casually dismantle them with twist after twist after twist. By the final third, my brain was no longer functioning normally. It was doing full Exorcist-level acrobatics. Reagan herself would have looked at me and said, “You okay?” My head was spinning, my soul temporarily left my body, and I was metaphorically crawling backward through my house trying to process what had just happened.
In other words: I had a fantastic time.
Before even diving into the plot, I have to applaud how addictive this reading experience was. Fast-paced, sinister, immersive, and dripping with dread, this story wastes absolutely no time pulling you into its chilling premise. While one of the earlier twists didn’t hit quite as hard for me as I hoped, the final cascade of reveals more than made up for it. The conclusion was sharp, satisfying, and deliciously unsettling in exactly the right way.
One small challenge was occasionally keeping track of the mirrored characters across both timelines. With names like Katrina, Jonquil, and Phoebe paralleling Susie, Heather, and Julianne, there were moments where certain personalities felt like eerie reflections of one another—particularly the sharper, more antagonistic female dynamics. At times, it almost felt like one character was being reimagined through another lens, like some sinister alternate-universe casting choice. But rather than feeling accidental, the story ultimately reveals intentionality behind these parallels, which made me appreciate the structural intelligence even more. By the end, I was genuinely in awe of how cleverly it all connected.
Now, onto the premise—because wow.
This plot is spooky. Blanket-fort, lights-on, every-floorboard-creak-is-suspicious spooky.
In 1926, five women vanished from a remote Vermont island called New Avalon, disappearing one by one without explanation. Each time, the missing woman’s clothing was found hanging ominously from an oak tree. No bodies. No answers. Just an enduring mystery soaked in folklore and fear.
Naturally, a century later, a filmmaker decides this is the perfect material for a movie.
Director Ronan Peter becomes obsessed with the haunting case and sets out to create a film based on the disappearances, using the diary of Daisy Rue—potentially the final girl of the original tragedy—as his blueprint. Enter Marina, an unexpected lead actress better known for eczema cream commercials than prestige horror, who is suddenly thrust into a career-defining opportunity when she’s cast alongside major star Violet Wright.
But this isn’t a normal production.
The actresses are isolated on the same island. They wear replicas of the vanished women’s clothing. They live in recreated primitive conditions—cottages, no electricity, no outside communication—all in pursuit of authenticity.
Which, naturally, is a horrifying idea.
As Marina begins receiving cryptic warnings and the eerie similarities between Daisy’s diary and present events become impossible to ignore, fiction and reality begin collapsing into one another. Women start disappearing. Clothes appear on trees. And Marina realizes she may not just be playing the role of the final girl—she may actually be becoming her.
It’s eerie, cinematic, psychologically rich, and absolutely binge-worthy.
Overall, I had an incredible time with this one. A brilliantly executed concept, genuinely creepy atmosphere, layered storytelling, and an ending that rewards your investment. This is exactly the kind of ambitious, unsettling thriller that reminds me why I love this genre so much.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for sharing one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
REVIEW TO COME
July 25, 2026
I read this in April. I needed to update it. So, with that said, just know this is Sager’s BEST YET!
His books are usually a hit or miss for me. I was a little leery going in. But folks, THIS WAS AMAZING!!!
Creepy, isolated island, based on actual events (not really though) ouija boards, ghosts, dread…… and it’s sooooooo freaking good!
The sprayed edges edition looks stunning and will be out September 1st! Add this to your TBR! It’s a MUST READ!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out 8/26
His books are usually a hit or miss for me. I was a little leery going in. But folks, THIS WAS AMAZING!!!
Creepy, isolated island, based on actual events (not really though) ouija boards, ghosts, dread…… and it’s sooooooo freaking good!
The sprayed edges edition looks stunning and will be out September 1st! Add this to your TBR! It’s a MUST READ!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out 8/26
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4-4.25! I think this might be Riley’s best yet.
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
An island on Lake Faraday in Vermont, women have been disappearing. It used to be a commune for spiritual mediums back in 1920s until they all vanished, leaving only 5 dresses hanging from branches of an old oak tree. A diary left behind by one of the women revels that a séance gone wrong had conjured something supernatural that took all the women. When a struggling actress lands a role in an upcoming major motion picture that would take place on that island, she uses that dairy to figure out what has really happened.
This is one of my most anticipated books of 2026 and it did not disappoint.
This is featured on BOTM for August as an add-on. Grab your first copy for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Easy to sign up & cancel any time! BOTM is my favorite subscription and you can get some books before their release dates.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Dutton Publisher and the author, Riley Sager for an early copy.
Publication date: August 4, 2026
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
An island on Lake Faraday in Vermont, women have been disappearing. It used to be a commune for spiritual mediums back in 1920s until they all vanished, leaving only 5 dresses hanging from branches of an old oak tree. A diary left behind by one of the women revels that a séance gone wrong had conjured something supernatural that took all the women. When a struggling actress lands a role in an upcoming major motion picture that would take place on that island, she uses that dairy to figure out what has really happened.
This is one of my most anticipated books of 2026 and it did not disappoint.
This is featured on BOTM for August as an add-on. Grab your first copy for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Easy to sign up & cancel any time! BOTM is my favorite subscription and you can get some books before their release dates.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Dutton Publisher and the author, Riley Sager for an early copy.
Publication date: August 4, 2026
Read
August 8, 2026add this to your fall TBR!!! review to come.
┊pre-read┊started august 4th
so excited for my first Riley Sager novel! i've been craving something spooky and hope this hits the spot. 🖤
i may have to finally read The Only One Left if i enjoy this.
starting this one with my fable book club
┊pre-read┊started august 4th
so excited for my first Riley Sager novel! i've been craving something spooky and hope this hits the spot. 🖤
i may have to finally read The Only One Left if i enjoy this.
starting this one with my fable book club
August 5, 2026
Making a film on a haunted island, New Avalon, sounds pretty entertaining and I was entertained! The creepfest is great, not heart pounding terrifying but definitely creepy. For a moment towards the end I thought I was going to be dissapointed, but Riley did me good!
August 8, 2026
Happy Publishing Day!!
TW/CW: Language, death of parents, drinking, bullying, toxic family relationships, anxiety, grieving, depression, sexual assault, suicide, gaslighting, cheating, love bombing, underage sexual abuse, child abuse, alcoholism
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums—until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island's previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon—and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.
Release Date: August 4th, 2026
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 384
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Some creepy parts
2. Love the cover
3. Plot up to sexual assault section
What I Didn't Like:
1. Boring
2. So many dreams
3. Men writing women's trama
4. The ending
5. Cheesy language
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Here I am; my [looks up author's books] 10th book from him. I wasn't excited to read this as 9 other books from him have only reached the 3 or 1 star mark for me. Maybe this one is the winner though. *throws up hands*
For some reason this reminds me of All About Eve in the scene where Eve stands outside the theater in hopes of meeting Margo.
This sounds like the cheesiest line ever.
Another broken female character who has no friends or family.
Why would Marin wait until she's on the island before mentioning that she won't do nudity? Is this normal for an actress to say after the fact of being hired?
Love the idea of a bunch of random women going to an island to be alone. I find it odd that no one would say they were gay along with saying they are witches.
Can we slap Marin because she already knows why the directer wants them on the island living the life of the missing women. It's already been explained to her!
Sorry, no. Brad saying they have to put their phones into the bag that has their initials on them is so sus to me. He says "so we can keep track of who each phone belongs to" but if you know what your phone looks like why would you need to know who it belongs to? It's almost like so Brad and everyone else working on this project knows who's phone is who's. Hmmm because you can throw 5 phones in a bag and still have the women know their own phones.
It drives me up the wall that Marin just doesn't question the lady who she replaced. She seems unconcerned about a woman who literally left off saying to not go on the island. I understand there is so much going on but I'm going to sit there and text her back.
Brad says they couldn't change the bag but he'll know it's Marin. Again please why👏🏻does👏🏻Brad👏🏻need👏🏻to👏🏻 know👏🏻who's👏🏻phone👏🏻is👏🏻who's??? You literally could put them in one bag and set them out and they could grab their own phones.
Look at Riley aka Todd putting in the swear words in his books. Stand back two f-bombs on one page. *gasp*
I don't like the assumption the author through Marin saying that directers or people in power only abuse their power when the woman are attractive. Abuse of power has zero to with looks and more about having that power to have anyone you want despite your looks or who you are. This level of thinking is like people saying if you're dressed slutty you're more likely to be sexually assaulted vs someone in sweatpants and a tee shirt. This is a problem with men writing like this from a female perspective - they can never get it.
Mrs. Semple's father's fear of the weapons he made and ghosts sound like the Winchester family and the fear of ghosts also.
Of course Loretta took the bag with the phones in it. This is the plan. I refuse to believe that Brad really was sick they just needed a reason to get off the island. The going home after an injury made me think of The Haunting the scene where Mary gets snapped by the piano string and Todd takes her to the hospital.
Why would Mrs. Semple, a rich woman only own one boat when it's her lifeline off the island and incase a storm destroys it.
Trying to understand why Ronan would drop his phone in the bag when he's not the one who's fully pretending to be one of the women that disappeared. He is the director of a major movie and an important director of other ones it seems weird that he could just be out of service for a week. His claim is that he had no way to charge his phone but weirdly there were solar chargers available so I don't know why he just wouldn't use one to charge his phone also. Just feels like a stupid plot hole that makes no sense. I don't understand how the women didn't question this more or find that odd.
Why??? So this random director takes his shirt off because she has a small scrap that is bleeding. Oh and he has the hot body of Superman. Gag. Now he is carrying her and I just want to throw my Kindle and poke my eyeballs out. First it was handymen and now a hot directer. Is he going to be the killer since 97% the killer is the man our innocent main character falls for.
Middle of the Night is used 10 times in this book and I'm convinced the author is trying to brainwash us into reading that book.
They search the island looking for Susie but no one goes through the house to see if she's there.
Wish it was explained why Marin decided to sleep in her cottage vs going to the main house with more people. She seems like the kind of person to go and she wasn't one of the people protesting to not trust the others, so her staying in her cottage makes zero sense. Also don't they have curtains? Why go to the trouble to put a chair under the door but let someone see through the windows? It just seems to me that whoever wants them is trying to lure them outside to follow them through the woods.
I get that Marin was only 4 when her sister died but what I find odd is that Marin never learned to swim even by the age of 4. So what..the whole family was swimming but Marin had to sit outside of the pool. She never begged to get in or even got curious. They just kept telling her no she wasn't allowed to swim?? Did they think she was too young to learn because if that was the case then that's weird. Was she in floaties til 4? What constitutes not able to swim?
Imagine that you are on an island and everyone is disappearing. You can't get ahold of anyone outside this island. Now would your first thoughts be about having sex with your director or "directing" that attention to getting home safely??? I personally would not even be in the same head space to that idea/feeling. Also what is this weird insta-love infatuation. A few days ago Marin never even thought of him in that way and suddenly everytime she looks at him with googly eyes she's just so overwhelmed with lust.
Oh gross Ronan throwing himself onto Marin would be terrifying being so alone when she clearly told him no. Being so helpless. She can have an interest in him romantically but it doesn't mean he gets to just throw himself on her and sexually assault her. I hope he disappears next.
I still refuse to believe this crew would have one boat only in case of an emergency. What if something happened and they all had to leave the island? Why would they all just wait for the one boat? Or for Pete to come back at the end of 5 days. Also also also like Pete doesn't think it's weird that he hasn't heard from anybody on the island to even have the common sense to come and check on everyone. It's just so hard to not believe that maybe those people are in on it.
Daisy and Miss. Semple do a seance and they're the last two people on the island. If we go back to the beginning when they're talking about the diary it's mentioned that the last five pages were ripped out so wondering what was on them.
Honestly, I am pretty annoyed at the situation that women are behind trying to get revenge on Ronan. It's not actually the revenge part that annoys me it's that a man wrote this book about women seeking revenge against a man taking advantage of a woman when this author used a woman sounding name and hid their gender & photo on books so they could sell more books because they failed under their real name, Todd, at being a successful writer. You can't be the solution if you're also the problem.
What am I reading right now? I feel like I was driving down the road and someone just grabbed the wheel and we are off the road at this point heading towards trees. So the women want Ronan to admit to killing Elise because she overdosed after he filmed them having sex without her consent. Why is this author writing this? I am literally confused on why this particular author chose this subject matter and it's actually giving me the ick.
So did she kill herself because he ruined her career in Hollywood? Or did she kill herself because he violated her? Book sets it up like it's one thing and then a few pages later it makes it sound like it's this other thing. I personally feel like it could be a combination of everything but the tone of the book is implying it's only one thing every page. I don't know.
Please tell me how Susie recording herself trying to persuade Ronan to have sex with her was a way of trapping him? I really don't know how that works. If he can consensually have sex with her on camera and she knowingly set the camera up unless she was going to say that he's the one who set the camera up in her cottage and edit it so that it looked like he recorded it. I'm confused. I guess so then that will also make her a hypocrite because she would be doing the same thing to him that he had done to her friend with no consent?
What do they want him to confess? They literally have the video of him recording the sex act and winking at the camera. So they want him to admit he was recording her without her knowledge? What's that going to do? Men have done worst things in Hollywood and still gotten away with it. It's not like it's going to tarnish his reputation because he recorded a sex video and leaked it.
Oh look at that Marin found the missing pages of Daisy's diary. Daisy killed the other girls on the Island. She also killed her father because he was a drunk and was raping her at night.
Another thing that has been bothering me as I'm reading this book has been daisies journal entries. She's supposed to be a young woman but her entry is reading like she's a 12-year-old writing in it. Maybe even younger. I don't know it just feels like a child writing it. Perhaps it is something to do with her stunted mentally because of the whole issue with her father assaulting her that she's resulted mentally to a child. I don't know but when she Converses with others it doesn't come off that way so why would her journal entry sound so childish?
I'm on page 334 and I will bet apples to oranges the author is going to have a real ghost show up. Or knowing the author the still living 100+ year old Daisy.
Was just hoping it was going to rain for this seance and now it is.
Romin just admitting to the things he's done because Violet is possibly pretending to be possessed after hearing that it's all fake and they did it to get him to confess would not make a normal sane person therefore confess. How convaluted. Even with the ice pick.
I think actually it'll be better he was murdered because he died a good man. You made him a good person in those people's eyes.
Soooo Daisy is actually Azra and she killed Mrs. Stemple. There was no other girls on the island just the two of them. Yeah, why not make Daisy come off like she's "crazy" because that's not something women have had to overcome when dealing with abuse.
Daisy only got the extra personalities when she got to the island? Is that normal to gain 3 other personalities in a day? Why did she gain them? Wouldn't she have had them in jail? So she had no other personalities possibly other than Daisy before the island.
Marin putting it together that Violet actually killed Ronan because there is no Daisy. Yeah okay. How would Violet just know you know when you first get there? So ridiculous.
Elise was actually Violet's daughter - a fact that somehow Marin was able to piece together because of a locket. *rolls eyes* She gave her up for adoption since her and some director were cheating with one another and she fell pregnant. She managed to hid a whole pregnancy from her husband and give birth in secret with no one ever noticing any of this. I guess her husband never noticed her behavior change or her not leaving the house.
I don't understand how there wouldn't be a history of Azra being real and not Daisy. There would have been papers written talking about how Azra killed her dad. They wrote these things down in the paper in 1926. Outside the journal there were people back then to say she was really Azra and people of now could see her real name.
Yeah okay the police can't just believe a person's story when there is an accident. They will do an autopsy because he died of suspicious circumstances. His parents sued the production company so there is zero way they wouldn't want an autopsy.
I also find it outlandish that Violet and Loretta would just ride to land with Marin and an SD card proving that Violet murdered Roman and let her keep it to hang over their heads for rest of their lives.
Well at least there wasn't 100 weird twists that made your head spin at the end.
Final Thoughts:
I've said this a thousand times about Riley Sager every time I read his books I feel like he's just taking from other movies and other books that exist.
This book was just okay. Honestly, I was just bored. It's boring. It's slow. Yeah, some creepy things happen but for the most part the same thing happening in the diary is then repeated back to you with a different cast of characters in a different time period. It's repeative. I feel like even though the cast is different they do almost the expect same thing as their group before them.
Overall though I cannot take this book seriously. A man writing about a woman being sexually assaulted and used feels so cliche like he's just reading a book about what women would say and feel. I kept chuckling after every stupid thing he wrote about how women have to apologize to men because that's what they've been doing since the end of time. Yes, Todd tell me more about what women have to do since you know in your basic white man body. Tell me about how hard we have it as women.
I love that the author ends with that women are always treated like they are crazy and not justified - to only turn around and make Daisy just that. Plus also again saying that people with mental health are dangerous and violent. 2 for 1 sale of throwing mental health under the bus and women so delicate they can't handle themselves that they just become hysterical.
Sigh I am tired of the author making these women suffer so much. He writes women as broken and "crazy". It's always the same formula.
I hated this book which sucks because I was actually enjoying it up to the point of sexual assault. Men writing about the woman experience is like a white man writing about what it's like to be Black. No thanks.
The acknowledgements were stupid. The author should have included a note on why he picked this heavy subject to write about. See a woman would have talked about facts and stats of how it's difficult to navigate being a woman but not Todd. He gives us nothing. Just writing a cash grab book about the sexism and sexual abuse women face everyday and dipping out without a single reasoning behind his book subject.
I think it's time to stop writing from a female pov. The author isn't good at it.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Dutton for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW/CW: Language, death of parents, drinking, bullying, toxic family relationships, anxiety, grieving, depression, sexual assault, suicide, gaslighting, cheating, love bombing, underage sexual abuse, child abuse, alcoholism
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums—until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island's previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon—and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.
Release Date: August 4th, 2026
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 384
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Some creepy parts
2. Love the cover
3. Plot up to sexual assault section
What I Didn't Like:
1. Boring
2. So many dreams
3. Men writing women's trama
4. The ending
5. Cheesy language
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Here I am; my [looks up author's books] 10th book from him. I wasn't excited to read this as 9 other books from him have only reached the 3 or 1 star mark for me. Maybe this one is the winner though. *throws up hands*
Maybe she also harbors dreams of being in the movies. I suspect I looked just like her a few days ago, when I stopped near the stage door of a Broadway theater on my way to work, angling for a glimpse of the blockbuster actress starring in a play I can’t afford to see. On her way into the theater, the actress locked eyes with me, smiled, gave me a little wave.
For some reason this reminds me of All About Eve in the scene where Eve stands outside the theater in hopes of meeting Margo.
“In my opinion, having a vivid imagination is a good thing,” Ronan said. “That’s why we’re holding these auditions at the last minute, as I’m sure you’ve heard. The original actress who was cast suffered from a lack of imagination . And seeing how I’m making a horror movie, which I’m sure you also know, I need someone who has the opposite problem.”
This sounds like the cheesiest line ever.
Another broken female character who has no friends or family.
Why would Marin wait until she's on the island before mentioning that she won't do nudity? Is this normal for an actress to say after the fact of being hired?
Love the idea of a bunch of random women going to an island to be alone. I find it odd that no one would say they were gay along with saying they are witches.
Can we slap Marin because she already knows why the directer wants them on the island living the life of the missing women. It's already been explained to her!
Sorry, no. Brad saying they have to put their phones into the bag that has their initials on them is so sus to me. He says "so we can keep track of who each phone belongs to" but if you know what your phone looks like why would you need to know who it belongs to? It's almost like so Brad and everyone else working on this project knows who's phone is who's. Hmmm because you can throw 5 phones in a bag and still have the women know their own phones.
It drives me up the wall that Marin just doesn't question the lady who she replaced. She seems unconcerned about a woman who literally left off saying to not go on the island. I understand there is so much going on but I'm going to sit there and text her back.
Brad says they couldn't change the bag but he'll know it's Marin. Again please why👏🏻does👏🏻Brad👏🏻need👏🏻to👏🏻 know👏🏻who's👏🏻phone👏🏻is👏🏻who's??? You literally could put them in one bag and set them out and they could grab their own phones.
Look at Riley aka Todd putting in the swear words in his books. Stand back two f-bombs on one page. *gasp*
I don't like the assumption the author through Marin saying that directers or people in power only abuse their power when the woman are attractive. Abuse of power has zero to with looks and more about having that power to have anyone you want despite your looks or who you are. This level of thinking is like people saying if you're dressed slutty you're more likely to be sexually assaulted vs someone in sweatpants and a tee shirt. This is a problem with men writing like this from a female perspective - they can never get it.
Mrs. Semple's father's fear of the weapons he made and ghosts sound like the Winchester family and the fear of ghosts also.
Of course Loretta took the bag with the phones in it. This is the plan. I refuse to believe that Brad really was sick they just needed a reason to get off the island. The going home after an injury made me think of The Haunting the scene where Mary gets snapped by the piano string and Todd takes her to the hospital.
Why would Mrs. Semple, a rich woman only own one boat when it's her lifeline off the island and incase a storm destroys it.
Trying to understand why Ronan would drop his phone in the bag when he's not the one who's fully pretending to be one of the women that disappeared. He is the director of a major movie and an important director of other ones it seems weird that he could just be out of service for a week. His claim is that he had no way to charge his phone but weirdly there were solar chargers available so I don't know why he just wouldn't use one to charge his phone also. Just feels like a stupid plot hole that makes no sense. I don't understand how the women didn't question this more or find that odd.
Why??? So this random director takes his shirt off because she has a small scrap that is bleeding. Oh and he has the hot body of Superman. Gag. Now he is carrying her and I just want to throw my Kindle and poke my eyeballs out. First it was handymen and now a hot directer. Is he going to be the killer since 97% the killer is the man our innocent main character falls for.
Middle of the Night is used 10 times in this book and I'm convinced the author is trying to brainwash us into reading that book.
They search the island looking for Susie but no one goes through the house to see if she's there.
Wish it was explained why Marin decided to sleep in her cottage vs going to the main house with more people. She seems like the kind of person to go and she wasn't one of the people protesting to not trust the others, so her staying in her cottage makes zero sense. Also don't they have curtains? Why go to the trouble to put a chair under the door but let someone see through the windows? It just seems to me that whoever wants them is trying to lure them outside to follow them through the woods.
I get that Marin was only 4 when her sister died but what I find odd is that Marin never learned to swim even by the age of 4. So what..the whole family was swimming but Marin had to sit outside of the pool. She never begged to get in or even got curious. They just kept telling her no she wasn't allowed to swim?? Did they think she was too young to learn because if that was the case then that's weird. Was she in floaties til 4? What constitutes not able to swim?
Imagine that you are on an island and everyone is disappearing. You can't get ahold of anyone outside this island. Now would your first thoughts be about having sex with your director or "directing" that attention to getting home safely??? I personally would not even be in the same head space to that idea/feeling. Also what is this weird insta-love infatuation. A few days ago Marin never even thought of him in that way and suddenly everytime she looks at him with googly eyes she's just so overwhelmed with lust.
Oh gross Ronan throwing himself onto Marin would be terrifying being so alone when she clearly told him no. Being so helpless. She can have an interest in him romantically but it doesn't mean he gets to just throw himself on her and sexually assault her. I hope he disappears next.
I still refuse to believe this crew would have one boat only in case of an emergency. What if something happened and they all had to leave the island? Why would they all just wait for the one boat? Or for Pete to come back at the end of 5 days. Also also also like Pete doesn't think it's weird that he hasn't heard from anybody on the island to even have the common sense to come and check on everyone. It's just so hard to not believe that maybe those people are in on it.
Daisy and Miss. Semple do a seance and they're the last two people on the island. If we go back to the beginning when they're talking about the diary it's mentioned that the last five pages were ripped out so wondering what was on them.
Honestly, I am pretty annoyed at the situation that women are behind trying to get revenge on Ronan. It's not actually the revenge part that annoys me it's that a man wrote this book about women seeking revenge against a man taking advantage of a woman when this author used a woman sounding name and hid their gender & photo on books so they could sell more books because they failed under their real name, Todd, at being a successful writer. You can't be the solution if you're also the problem.
What am I reading right now? I feel like I was driving down the road and someone just grabbed the wheel and we are off the road at this point heading towards trees. So the women want Ronan to admit to killing Elise because she overdosed after he filmed them having sex without her consent. Why is this author writing this? I am literally confused on why this particular author chose this subject matter and it's actually giving me the ick.
So did she kill herself because he ruined her career in Hollywood? Or did she kill herself because he violated her? Book sets it up like it's one thing and then a few pages later it makes it sound like it's this other thing. I personally feel like it could be a combination of everything but the tone of the book is implying it's only one thing every page. I don't know.
Please tell me how Susie recording herself trying to persuade Ronan to have sex with her was a way of trapping him? I really don't know how that works. If he can consensually have sex with her on camera and she knowingly set the camera up unless she was going to say that he's the one who set the camera up in her cottage and edit it so that it looked like he recorded it. I'm confused. I guess so then that will also make her a hypocrite because she would be doing the same thing to him that he had done to her friend with no consent?
What do they want him to confess? They literally have the video of him recording the sex act and winking at the camera. So they want him to admit he was recording her without her knowledge? What's that going to do? Men have done worst things in Hollywood and still gotten away with it. It's not like it's going to tarnish his reputation because he recorded a sex video and leaked it.
Oh look at that Marin found the missing pages of Daisy's diary. Daisy killed the other girls on the Island. She also killed her father because he was a drunk and was raping her at night.
Another thing that has been bothering me as I'm reading this book has been daisies journal entries. She's supposed to be a young woman but her entry is reading like she's a 12-year-old writing in it. Maybe even younger. I don't know it just feels like a child writing it. Perhaps it is something to do with her stunted mentally because of the whole issue with her father assaulting her that she's resulted mentally to a child. I don't know but when she Converses with others it doesn't come off that way so why would her journal entry sound so childish?
I'm on page 334 and I will bet apples to oranges the author is going to have a real ghost show up. Or knowing the author the still living 100+ year old Daisy.
Was just hoping it was going to rain for this seance and now it is.
Romin just admitting to the things he's done because Violet is possibly pretending to be possessed after hearing that it's all fake and they did it to get him to confess would not make a normal sane person therefore confess. How convaluted. Even with the ice pick.
It won’t bring Elise back. It won’t lessen the pain Ronan caused her when she was alive. All it will do is create even more pain. For Ronan’s family. For his fans. For his friends and colleagues.
I think actually it'll be better he was murdered because he died a good man. You made him a good person in those people's eyes.
Soooo Daisy is actually Azra and she killed Mrs. Stemple. There was no other girls on the island just the two of them. Yeah, why not make Daisy come off like she's "crazy" because that's not something women have had to overcome when dealing with abuse.
Daisy only got the extra personalities when she got to the island? Is that normal to gain 3 other personalities in a day? Why did she gain them? Wouldn't she have had them in jail? So she had no other personalities possibly other than Daisy before the island.
Marin putting it together that Violet actually killed Ronan because there is no Daisy. Yeah okay. How would Violet just know you know when you first get there? So ridiculous.
Elise was actually Violet's daughter - a fact that somehow Marin was able to piece together because of a locket. *rolls eyes* She gave her up for adoption since her and some director were cheating with one another and she fell pregnant. She managed to hid a whole pregnancy from her husband and give birth in secret with no one ever noticing any of this. I guess her husband never noticed her behavior change or her not leaving the house.
I don't understand how there wouldn't be a history of Azra being real and not Daisy. There would have been papers written talking about how Azra killed her dad. They wrote these things down in the paper in 1926. Outside the journal there were people back then to say she was really Azra and people of now could see her real name.
Yeah okay the police can't just believe a person's story when there is an accident. They will do an autopsy because he died of suspicious circumstances. His parents sued the production company so there is zero way they wouldn't want an autopsy.
I also find it outlandish that Violet and Loretta would just ride to land with Marin and an SD card proving that Violet murdered Roman and let her keep it to hang over their heads for rest of their lives.
Well at least there wasn't 100 weird twists that made your head spin at the end.
Final Thoughts:
I've said this a thousand times about Riley Sager every time I read his books I feel like he's just taking from other movies and other books that exist.
This book was just okay. Honestly, I was just bored. It's boring. It's slow. Yeah, some creepy things happen but for the most part the same thing happening in the diary is then repeated back to you with a different cast of characters in a different time period. It's repeative. I feel like even though the cast is different they do almost the expect same thing as their group before them.
Overall though I cannot take this book seriously. A man writing about a woman being sexually assaulted and used feels so cliche like he's just reading a book about what women would say and feel. I kept chuckling after every stupid thing he wrote about how women have to apologize to men because that's what they've been doing since the end of time. Yes, Todd tell me more about what women have to do since you know in your basic white man body. Tell me about how hard we have it as women.
I love that the author ends with that women are always treated like they are crazy and not justified - to only turn around and make Daisy just that. Plus also again saying that people with mental health are dangerous and violent. 2 for 1 sale of throwing mental health under the bus and women so delicate they can't handle themselves that they just become hysterical.
Sigh I am tired of the author making these women suffer so much. He writes women as broken and "crazy". It's always the same formula.
I hated this book which sucks because I was actually enjoying it up to the point of sexual assault. Men writing about the woman experience is like a white man writing about what it's like to be Black. No thanks.
The acknowledgements were stupid. The author should have included a note on why he picked this heavy subject to write about. See a woman would have talked about facts and stats of how it's difficult to navigate being a woman but not Todd. He gives us nothing. Just writing a cash grab book about the sexism and sexual abuse women face everyday and dipping out without a single reasoning behind his book subject.
I think it's time to stop writing from a female pov. The author isn't good at it.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Dutton for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 6, 2026
I haven't had the best luck with Riley Sager in the past, and while I thought The Unknown might finally break that streak, it wasn't the winner I was hoping for.
I'll admit my FOMO got the better of me with this one. With so much hype surrounding it, I couldn't resist seeing what all the fuss was about.
With its isolated island, limited suspect pool and eerie atmosphere, The Unknown had all the ingredients of a closed-circle mystery I was excited to sink my teeth into. Throw in a filmmaking angle and dual timelines, and it had so much going for it on paper. I especially enjoyed seeing the past and present gradually echo one another as the mystery unfolded.
Unfortunately, those strengths could only carry the novel so far, and I never felt like the story made the most of its strongest ideas. The mystery never quite held my attention, the characters felt fairly flat, the pacing was slower than I expected, and I found parts of the story repetitive. I kept waiting for everything to click into place, but instead I spent most of the book feeling underwhelmed.
Sorry to be the buzzkill because I'm genuinely glad to see this book finding its people, and I can absolutely understand why others are loving it. It simply didn't come together for me.
I'd still be open to giving Riley Sager another chance in the future, but I won't be rushing to pick up whatever he releases next.
2.5⭐️
I'll admit my FOMO got the better of me with this one. With so much hype surrounding it, I couldn't resist seeing what all the fuss was about.
With its isolated island, limited suspect pool and eerie atmosphere, The Unknown had all the ingredients of a closed-circle mystery I was excited to sink my teeth into. Throw in a filmmaking angle and dual timelines, and it had so much going for it on paper. I especially enjoyed seeing the past and present gradually echo one another as the mystery unfolded.
Unfortunately, those strengths could only carry the novel so far, and I never felt like the story made the most of its strongest ideas. The mystery never quite held my attention, the characters felt fairly flat, the pacing was slower than I expected, and I found parts of the story repetitive. I kept waiting for everything to click into place, but instead I spent most of the book feeling underwhelmed.
Sorry to be the buzzkill because I'm genuinely glad to see this book finding its people, and I can absolutely understand why others are loving it. It simply didn't come together for me.
I'd still be open to giving Riley Sager another chance in the future, but I won't be rushing to pick up whatever he releases next.
2.5⭐️
August 6, 2026
In preparation for filming a movie based upon the disappearances of people (similar to Roanoke) on a small Vermont island, the Director decides to do some method acting on said island. Not long after arriving, a similar series of events begins to plague the cast. The past timeline is filled in by one of the previous inhabitants diary.
I found between the past timeline and original timeline there was a bit of repetition. There didn’t seem to be anything driving the plot forward, besides replicating the events of the past. I unfortunately found myself to be a bit bored. Things do pick up and once the reveals are made, it gets back on track from a pacing perspective. The atmosphere and supernatural elements give it a nice spooky undertone, but how it was used I’m still undecided upon. It didn’t necessarily work for me, and then the final twist was just, OK? There were two reveals both would’ve been fine on their own, but together didn’t work for me.
Overall, this definitely was good but I can’t say necessarily that I enjoyed it, being that I was bored for a good 75% of it. I would rate the last quarter four stars and the rest three stars…..
3.5 rounded down
I found between the past timeline and original timeline there was a bit of repetition. There didn’t seem to be anything driving the plot forward, besides replicating the events of the past. I unfortunately found myself to be a bit bored. Things do pick up and once the reveals are made, it gets back on track from a pacing perspective. The atmosphere and supernatural elements give it a nice spooky undertone, but how it was used I’m still undecided upon. It didn’t necessarily work for me, and then the final twist was just, OK? There were two reveals both would’ve been fine on their own, but together didn’t work for me.
Overall, this definitely was good but I can’t say necessarily that I enjoyed it, being that I was bored for a good 75% of it. I would rate the last quarter four stars and the rest three stars…..
3.5 rounded down
May 6, 2026
The Unknown – is it unknown actor Marin Keane who lands a role in a major motion picture to be filmed on New Avalon, a small island in Lake Faraday, Vermont or the events that take place in 1926 when five women disappear? Do they simply leave or are they murdered as locals believe? One thing becomes crystal clear in the present day when Marin, the director Ronan Peters, legendary actress Violet Wright and others arrive on the island, that all is most definitely not well. Perhaps the islands truth lies in the diary of Daisy Rue, who is present during the events of 1926.
Right from the beginning there’s an aura of foreboding surrounding the island with a strong sense of dread. The author creates a very atmospheric and ominous novel, it’s as if New Avalon is watching and waiting and so it’s little wonder that Marin Keane is full of anxiety, she stressed, vulnerable and certainly naive as things turn out. There are plenty of warning signs not least in the supposedly protective Daisy wheels carved all over the island. I would run a mile never mind take part in a seance as the characters do!
As the novel progresses, there are multiple sinister happenings, which are horrifying harbingers of what is to come. At times the pace slows but that only serves to highlights events when things really ramp up. There’s acute tension between characters with short sharp sentences to highlight their increasing terror and panic. It’s eerie, spooky, creepy, chilling and unpredictable and I enjoy how it all plays out.
Overall, it’s a suspenseful and compelling read from a very talented author. I look forward to reading what his creative brain conjures up next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Right from the beginning there’s an aura of foreboding surrounding the island with a strong sense of dread. The author creates a very atmospheric and ominous novel, it’s as if New Avalon is watching and waiting and so it’s little wonder that Marin Keane is full of anxiety, she stressed, vulnerable and certainly naive as things turn out. There are plenty of warning signs not least in the supposedly protective Daisy wheels carved all over the island. I would run a mile never mind take part in a seance as the characters do!
As the novel progresses, there are multiple sinister happenings, which are horrifying harbingers of what is to come. At times the pace slows but that only serves to highlights events when things really ramp up. There’s acute tension between characters with short sharp sentences to highlight their increasing terror and panic. It’s eerie, spooky, creepy, chilling and unpredictable and I enjoy how it all plays out.
Overall, it’s a suspenseful and compelling read from a very talented author. I look forward to reading what his creative brain conjures up next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
July 29, 2026
This was my first experience reading Riley Sagar, and I’m super impressed. I had heard great things about this author, and am so happy to have finally taken the plunge.
The story is set in two timelines, 1926 and present day, and it centres around a low budget film crew in 2026, re-enacting a mystery, which happened on a small island on Lake Faraday, in Vermont, one hundred years ago.
New Avalon was a spiritual commune for mediums, and where five women vanished, with only their dresses found, hanging from the branches of an old Oak tree. The rumours amongst the locals, is that the women were murdered, though some say they just left…one hundred years later, history seems to be repeating itself.
Reading this supernatural, gothic-esque, thriller was like watching a movie, and I could feel myself on this island, experiencing everything, the actresses and film crew were going through. The ending was a complete surprise, which I never expected, but came together perfectly. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️
Thanks to Riley Sagar, Dutton, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: 4 August 2026
The story is set in two timelines, 1926 and present day, and it centres around a low budget film crew in 2026, re-enacting a mystery, which happened on a small island on Lake Faraday, in Vermont, one hundred years ago.
New Avalon was a spiritual commune for mediums, and where five women vanished, with only their dresses found, hanging from the branches of an old Oak tree. The rumours amongst the locals, is that the women were murdered, though some say they just left…one hundred years later, history seems to be repeating itself.
Reading this supernatural, gothic-esque, thriller was like watching a movie, and I could feel myself on this island, experiencing everything, the actresses and film crew were going through. The ending was a complete surprise, which I never expected, but came together perfectly. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️
Thanks to Riley Sagar, Dutton, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: 4 August 2026
May 25, 2026
An isolated island with no electricity, a secret diary and group of women that held seances? Say LESS!
I loved the setting of this, loved the dual timeline and the IMMEDIATE sense of dread. Very atmospheric and creepy which I love in my books. A tad repetitive in places because you already know the story of the disappearing women, then it’s retold via Daisy’s diary and the present day actresses are also talking about it but apart from that I really enjoyed it! Also loved the ending!
I loved the setting of this, loved the dual timeline and the IMMEDIATE sense of dread. Very atmospheric and creepy which I love in my books. A tad repetitive in places because you already know the story of the disappearing women, then it’s retold via Daisy’s diary and the present day actresses are also talking about it but apart from that I really enjoyed it! Also loved the ending!
August 6, 2026
You know who got his groove back?! Riley mother effin Sager! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Bravo! This one was great! There were moments where I kept freaking myself out while reading. 😅
More of a 4.5 star! Goodreads, I beg you give us the half star option
More of a 4.5 star! Goodreads, I beg you give us the half star option
July 8, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
So I genuinely had a lot of fun with this one! I'm not a huge thriller person as I find that the genre is so polluted by the same few authors who churn our one book after another with little character to distinguish them between themselves; also I have tried RS books before and I didn't always enjoy the paranormal speculation in the books BUT crucially I thought this one was great.
I enjoyed the character cast, the background story and especially the atmosphere! There were times when genuinely I felt creeped out and I thought the book was super effective - it keeps you turning the pages, holding your breath, waiting for the penny to drop.
Equally I thought the ending was clever, one I didn't expect and well executed - it did not cheapen or dimish the build-up in the story.
I would definitely recommend picking this up if you enjoy thrillers, or if you're looking for a gripping read in general!
So I genuinely had a lot of fun with this one! I'm not a huge thriller person as I find that the genre is so polluted by the same few authors who churn our one book after another with little character to distinguish them between themselves; also I have tried RS books before and I didn't always enjoy the paranormal speculation in the books BUT crucially I thought this one was great.
I enjoyed the character cast, the background story and especially the atmosphere! There were times when genuinely I felt creeped out and I thought the book was super effective - it keeps you turning the pages, holding your breath, waiting for the penny to drop.
Equally I thought the ending was clever, one I didn't expect and well executed - it did not cheapen or dimish the build-up in the story.
I would definitely recommend picking this up if you enjoy thrillers, or if you're looking for a gripping read in general!
Want to Read
August 10, 2026For Riley Sager - I'm in!
But that synopsis sounds amazing! Can't wait for this one in 2026!! 🥳🎉🎊
*** UPDATE: That cover! OMG! I love it!!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
But that synopsis sounds amazing! Can't wait for this one in 2026!! 🥳🎉🎊
*** UPDATE: That cover! OMG! I love it!!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Want to Read
January 19, 2026I'm intrigued.... I think.... 💭💭💭
August 9, 2026
I'm FUCKING thrilled...OMG, this book explains that the core of a story itself does not always have the power to make you a happy person, because the last pages will give you the journey of the entire year, if we talk about the pleasure of reading.
The struggling actress Marin Keane lands a major film role exploring the 1926 disappearance of five women on New Avalon, a remote Vermont island. When the cast is stranded during a weeklong immersive retreat holding séances, history repeats itself as actors begin vanishing.
(Is there anything better in horror/mystery books than people "talking" with the dead on Ouija boards or similar procedures? NO. Because it throws a spooky element into (in this case) a fucking creepy atmosphere.)
The lore of the past events is so compelling that makes you want more, and more. Because, as I said at the beginning, this is not what is told, but how it's told. The value is in the execution and the final delivery, so, guys, don't be frustrated if you think all is retold or the plot has 70-80 pages when you think "omg, what a waste of time", because the payoff at the very end makes the whole reading experience completely worth it.
Once again, Riley, you're an AWESOME AND PERFECT WRITER. Thanks for these 10 years of obscurity, darkness, and relatable feelings 💓
The struggling actress Marin Keane lands a major film role exploring the 1926 disappearance of five women on New Avalon, a remote Vermont island. When the cast is stranded during a weeklong immersive retreat holding séances, history repeats itself as actors begin vanishing.
(Is there anything better in horror/mystery books than people "talking" with the dead on Ouija boards or similar procedures? NO. Because it throws a spooky element into (in this case) a fucking creepy atmosphere.)
The lore of the past events is so compelling that makes you want more, and more. Because, as I said at the beginning, this is not what is told, but how it's told. The value is in the execution and the final delivery, so, guys, don't be frustrated if you think all is retold or the plot has 70-80 pages when you think "omg, what a waste of time", because the payoff at the very end makes the whole reading experience completely worth it.
Once again, Riley, you're an AWESOME AND PERFECT WRITER. Thanks for these 10 years of obscurity, darkness, and relatable feelings 💓
Want to Read
November 21, 2025I don't care what everyone says, I'm seated for this.
August 6, 2026
The Unknown by Riley Sager was promising.
I really liked the premise, the atmosphere, and the overall creepiness of the book. It has a dark and gothic tone and you can really feel how unsettling the island is. I also appreciated how the paranormal and horror elements were incorporated into the story without being too overwhelming.
The story uses a dual timeline structure, switching between 1926 and 2026 both set on the same Vermont island. I thought this worked well especially since the past and present timelines had clear parallels but didn’t feel repetitive. Instead, it added tension and made the story more engaging. I also liked how the mystery slowly unfolded and Daisy’s diary added a sense of impending doom to the present timeline.
However, there were parts that didn’t work for me. Some scenes felt a bit unrealistic and there were noticeable plot holes that made certain moments less convincing. The mystery aspect also felt lacking at times and I wasn’t fully satisfied with the twist.
The characters were not all likable but I think that was intentional and still fit the tone of the story. That said, there were moments, especially toward the end, where I questioned their decisions and motivations.
Despite these issues, I still liked the book. It may not be for everyone, but overall, it was a dark, atmospheric and well-structured dual timeline paranormal gothic thriller.
I really liked the premise, the atmosphere, and the overall creepiness of the book. It has a dark and gothic tone and you can really feel how unsettling the island is. I also appreciated how the paranormal and horror elements were incorporated into the story without being too overwhelming.
The story uses a dual timeline structure, switching between 1926 and 2026 both set on the same Vermont island. I thought this worked well especially since the past and present timelines had clear parallels but didn’t feel repetitive. Instead, it added tension and made the story more engaging. I also liked how the mystery slowly unfolded and Daisy’s diary added a sense of impending doom to the present timeline.
However, there were parts that didn’t work for me. Some scenes felt a bit unrealistic and there were noticeable plot holes that made certain moments less convincing. The mystery aspect also felt lacking at times and I wasn’t fully satisfied with the twist.
The characters were not all likable but I think that was intentional and still fit the tone of the story. That said, there were moments, especially toward the end, where I questioned their decisions and motivations.
Despite these issues, I still liked the book. It may not be for everyone, but overall, it was a dark, atmospheric and well-structured dual timeline paranormal gothic thriller.
August 5, 2026
A typical Riley Sager, multiple twists and turns, likable characters and non-likable ones too the kinds you want to hate, fast paced but keeps you wanting more I read this in one setting and enjoyed every bit of it. can't wait for the next one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Unknown gathers a handful of people on New Avalon, a small island with a bad reputation because of the disappearance of five woman a century ago. Now, the handful of people consists of Ronan, who’s come up with the idea to make a movie about what happened then, a producer, an assistant and five actresses.
The main character is Marin, a young woman who desperately wants to be an actress, but so far only landed a tiny role in a bad commercial. So why was she chosen to accompany Ronan and the others? All other actresses are more or less famous, and one of them is actually very famous. To her surprise, Marin is casted for the main role, that of Daisy Rue, who was one of the women who disappeared – but she left a diary. Can the solution to what happened be found in this diary?
When things start to get awkward on the island, and the tension builds, there is no need for the actresses anymore to act their fear. The fear becomes real, very real. And when people get ill and disappear, and clothing is found hanging in a tree, just as a hundred years ago, it seems that the group awakened something wicked. Will they survive or disappear without a trace?
We see the story unfold from the eyes of Marin, but we also get glimpses of what Daisy Rue shared all that time ago. It gets really creepy when Marin discovers the similarities between then and now.
Leave it to Riley Sager to build up the tension slow but steady, and throw in some surprises. Of course it is obvious that there is no unknown presence on the island, not then and not now, but how to explain then some of the things Marin and the others discover during the story?
Well-written, with good characters and a tense plot.
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this review copy.
The main character is Marin, a young woman who desperately wants to be an actress, but so far only landed a tiny role in a bad commercial. So why was she chosen to accompany Ronan and the others? All other actresses are more or less famous, and one of them is actually very famous. To her surprise, Marin is casted for the main role, that of Daisy Rue, who was one of the women who disappeared – but she left a diary. Can the solution to what happened be found in this diary?
When things start to get awkward on the island, and the tension builds, there is no need for the actresses anymore to act their fear. The fear becomes real, very real. And when people get ill and disappear, and clothing is found hanging in a tree, just as a hundred years ago, it seems that the group awakened something wicked. Will they survive or disappear without a trace?
We see the story unfold from the eyes of Marin, but we also get glimpses of what Daisy Rue shared all that time ago. It gets really creepy when Marin discovers the similarities between then and now.
Leave it to Riley Sager to build up the tension slow but steady, and throw in some surprises. Of course it is obvious that there is no unknown presence on the island, not then and not now, but how to explain then some of the things Marin and the others discover during the story?
Well-written, with good characters and a tense plot.
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this review copy.
August 7, 2026
THE UNKNOWN is probably Riley Sager’s scariest book to date and definitely leans more horror than thriller.
It follows a group of women filming a movie on a remote island where five women mysteriously vanished a century ago. Told in a dual timeline, the past and present begin to collide as eerie similarities emerge, creating an incredibly atmospheric, supernatural, witchy mystery.
I did suspect the main twist fairly early on, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. There were plenty of other twists and reveals along the way that kept me invested, and I had a great time listening to the audiobook.
In true Sager fashion, the spooky vibes are immaculate. The setting is incredibly atmospheric, making this the perfect “summerween” read 👻
The ending also reminded me so much of one of my favorite movies… but I’ll keep that vague because I don’t want to spoil anything 🤭
It follows a group of women filming a movie on a remote island where five women mysteriously vanished a century ago. Told in a dual timeline, the past and present begin to collide as eerie similarities emerge, creating an incredibly atmospheric, supernatural, witchy mystery.
I did suspect the main twist fairly early on, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. There were plenty of other twists and reveals along the way that kept me invested, and I had a great time listening to the audiobook.
In true Sager fashion, the spooky vibes are immaculate. The setting is incredibly atmospheric, making this the perfect “summerween” read 👻
The ending also reminded me so much of one of my favorite movies… but I’ll keep that vague because I don’t want to spoil anything 🤭
March 25, 2026
Wow. I feel like I held my breath through most of this book. It gave me actual goosebumps and chills. Truly a Riley Sager at his best! You need to pre-order this one. It felt like a perfect mix of my two favourite of his books: The Only One Left and Last Time I Lied.
Thank you Dutton Books for the early copy.
Thank you Dutton Books for the early copy.
August 9, 2026
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LOVED this! I listened to the audio book and the narrators did a great job. You are hooked from the beginning. This is one of my favourites by the author 👏👏👏👏
LOVED this! I listened to the audio book and the narrators did a great job. You are hooked from the beginning. This is one of my favourites by the author 👏👏👏👏
July 29, 2026
I’m gonna be the odd one out here - I know. I have enjoyed previous books by this author but unfortunately this one just didn’t connect for me. I felt like the pacing was off, the characters were super naive to the point that the mystery felt forced. I wanted more thickening of the plot before 80% when things really went down. I know there were some other twists thrown in, but they didn’t hook me. I do really appreciate the way Riley captures scenery and creates such an atmospheric feel. I still appreciated the ending, it just dragged too much before getting there. I didn’t want to feel as bored as I was. There are gonna be a lot of people who love this book, it just wasn’t for me!
Thank you NetGalley, Dutton Publishing and author for this gifted arc copy!
Thank you NetGalley, Dutton Publishing and author for this gifted arc copy!
July 23, 2026
>>> 4.5/5 rounded up?
Honestly, this may actually be a five star but I just finished the book, so let me sit with it a moment. I had to get my thoughts out right away, though!
Riley 👏 Sager 👏 knows 👏 how 👏 to 👏 write 👏 a 👏 damn 👏 good 👏 book 👏
Call it favorite author bias, call it what you want, but I had a FANTASTIC time eating this up. This has to be one of his best tbh….ok as I’m processing this, five stars dang it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- spooky atmosphere
- isolation/stranded on an island
- psychological thriller
- hauntings and seances
- Hollywood deceit
- and multiple references to The Great Gatsby (my all time favorite book)
- AND my birthday being part of the diary entries 💅🏽
I loved it all! I knew we were set up for an unexpected twisty twist and he DELIVERED!
All the characters were fantastically fleshed out, they felt so true to deceptive, well known Hollywood actress style. It was scary good how real they depicted the lies and secrets woven within Hollywood. Sager just has a way with writing a story that instantly grabs your attention. If you don’t like this book, you’re wrong (jkjkjk) but for real 👀
This review is a jumbled mess, but this book is PERFECT for spooky, summerween consumption and would be even better during the cold, eerie October nights.
THANK YOU Dutton Books for an early copy of this book! I am eternally grateful that I got to read this before release date!
**Publishes August 4, 2026 and it’s a MUST!
Honestly, this may actually be a five star but I just finished the book, so let me sit with it a moment. I had to get my thoughts out right away, though!
Riley 👏 Sager 👏 knows 👏 how 👏 to 👏 write 👏 a 👏 damn 👏 good 👏 book 👏
Call it favorite author bias, call it what you want, but I had a FANTASTIC time eating this up. This has to be one of his best tbh….ok as I’m processing this, five stars dang it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- spooky atmosphere
- isolation/stranded on an island
- psychological thriller
- hauntings and seances
- Hollywood deceit
- and multiple references to The Great Gatsby (my all time favorite book)
- AND my birthday being part of the diary entries 💅🏽
I loved it all! I knew we were set up for an unexpected twisty twist and he DELIVERED!
All the characters were fantastically fleshed out, they felt so true to deceptive, well known Hollywood actress style. It was scary good how real they depicted the lies and secrets woven within Hollywood. Sager just has a way with writing a story that instantly grabs your attention. If you don’t like this book, you’re wrong (jkjkjk) but for real 👀
This review is a jumbled mess, but this book is PERFECT for spooky, summerween consumption and would be even better during the cold, eerie October nights.
THANK YOU Dutton Books for an early copy of this book! I am eternally grateful that I got to read this before release date!
**Publishes August 4, 2026 and it’s a MUST!
August 9, 2026
I'm totally in with Riley Sager’s formula—give me a spooky, Scooby-Doo mystery with a book-within-a-book theme any day. Even though it delivers on the gore and mystery, I love how Sager always yanks off the mask at the end. There’s something so satisfying about him proving the "supernatural" was just a twisted human plot designed to gaslight someone and get away with murder.
July 31, 2026
There’s so much filler before we actually get to the story. At least 100 pages of it. The last two books from him have been disappointing.
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