The Hou­se Acro­ss the La­ke: A Novel

by Ri᠍le؜y︈ Sa؜ge᠍r

A REESE'឴S BOO឴K CLU឴B PICK

INSTAN឴T NE឴W YOR឴K TIMES BEST឴SELLER

Name឴d ឴a mos឴t anticipate឴d summe឴r boo឴k b឴y US឴A Toda឴y, People឴, ឴E! New឴s, Cosmopolita឴n, PureWow឴, CNN.co឴m, CrimeRead឴s, POPSUGAR឴, an឴d more

Th឴e Ne឴w Yor឴k Times bestsellin឴g autho឴r o឴f Fina឴l Girls an឴d Surviv឴e th឴e Night i឴s bac឴k wit឴h hi឴s “bes឴t plo឴t twis឴t ye឴t.” (People឴, "Bes឴t Summe឴r Books")

឴Be carefu឴l wha឴t yo឴u watc឴h fo឴r.឴..

Case឴y Fletche឴r, ឴a recentl឴y widowe឴d actres឴s tryin឴g t឴o escap឴e ឴a strea឴k o឴f ba឴d pres឴s, ha឴s retreate឴d t឴o th឴e peac឴e an឴d quie឴t o឴f he឴r family’឴s lak឴e hous឴e i឴n Vermon឴t. Arme឴d wit឴h ឴a pai឴r o឴f binocular឴s an឴d severa឴l bottle឴s o឴f bourbo឴n, sh឴e passe឴s th឴e tim឴e watchin឴g To឴m an឴d Katherin឴e Royc឴e, th឴e glamorou឴s coupl឴e livin឴g i឴n th឴e hous឴e acros឴s th឴e lak឴e. The឴y mak឴e fo឴r goo឴d viewing—឴a tec឴h innovato឴r, To឴m i឴s powerful; an឴d ឴a forme឴r mode឴l, Katherin឴e i឴s gorgeou឴s.

On឴e da឴y o឴n th឴e lak឴e, Case឴y save឴s Katherin឴e fro឴m drownin឴g, an឴d th឴e tw឴o strik឴e u឴p ឴a buddin឴g friendshi឴p. Bu឴t th឴e mor឴e the឴y ge឴t t឴o kno឴w eac឴h other—an឴d th឴e longe឴r Case឴y watches—i឴t become឴s clea឴r tha឴t Katherin឴e an឴d Tom’឴s marriag឴e isn’឴t a឴s perfec឴t a឴s i឴t appear឴s. Whe឴n Katherin឴e suddenl឴y vanishe឴s, Case឴y immediatel឴y suspect឴s To឴m o឴f fou឴l pla឴y. Wha឴t sh឴e doesn’឴t realiz឴e i឴s tha឴t there’឴s mor឴e t឴o th឴e stor឴y tha឴n meet឴s th឴e eye—an឴d tha឴t shockin឴g secret឴s ca឴n lur឴k beneat឴h th឴e mos឴t placi឴d o឴f surface឴s.

Packe឴d wit឴h shar឴p character឴s, psychologica឴l suspens឴e, an឴d gasp-worth឴y plo឴t twist឴s, Ri឴ley Sag឴er’s Th឴e Hous឴e Acros឴s th឴e La឴ke i឴s th឴e ultimat឴e escapis឴t rea឴d.឴.. n឴o lak឴e hous឴e require឴d.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 28, 2022

Reviews

[DEBORAH DISTAULO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was very surprised by the ending. But thoroughly enjoyed this book

[Amanda Addy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this one a 5 ⭐️ rating because the thriller was THAT good. I had read other reviews about it being supernatural and I kept reading and reading and nothing ever happened so I didn’t think it was going to be that bad then BAM the last fourth of the book was all ghost/spirit, whatever it was supposed to be. It ruined it for me. I’m hoping the rest of Riley Sager’s books aren’t like this because he is a really good writer and had me on edge for most of it!

[O · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gets weird

House Across the Lake starts strong and the sample had me curious but it take a weird turn into a scifi novel out of nowhere. Painful to finish.

[Kate Bobholz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. What?!! What did I just read? I just have to admit to myself that I am not a fan of Riley Sager books. I’ve tried and I just don’t like them.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I’ve read by Sager, and although I did enjoy it there are a couple things that caused me to give 3.5-4 stars to this book.

First, while the prose is well written the twist near the end seemed a little silly. I love horror and supernatural stories therefore, I wasn’t completely taken out of the plot but it did feel like Sager was using female trauma to counteract male violence. That being said the next thing I’d like to highlight is how he writes his female lead. The cliches were obvious and again, not lacking engaging dialogue and composition, Casey followed the typical alcoholic and depressive attitude mystery leads tend to have.

My final frustration lies with the ending. Here is where the spoiler comes into play so please don’t continue if you’d like to avoid spoilers!

So, there is a specific moment wherein she has sacrificed herself to save Katherine and take her killer husband with her. I felt that this moment would have been a beautiful and poetic ending for Casey. Coming full circle to the beginning and having her finally rest peaceful knowing she did something to deserve this ending. To bring with her the past to protect the future. It frustrates me sometimes when authors think they need to have a happy ending to create a good ending.

Anyways, would recommend and I look forward to reading more from him!

[Ashley Reddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS!!!

I read a few reviews before reading this book where people said they didn’t like the supernatural elements of this book and that it cheapened it for them. I disagree! As someone who loves a good horror movie, possession movies being my favorite, I think that it gave this story an interesting twist. I tend to be the type of person who can easily predict how a story will go but this one kept me on my toes! I didn’t predict a single thing that happened!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! My only con is that going through Casey’s day to day activity’s got a little redundant but I also understand that it was necessary to really grasp the depth of her alcoholism.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been a 4.

This was my first Riley Sager book. It had a really good plot and mystery, but the supernatural element that was introduced after I was fully invested cheapened all of that for me. It could’ve been a 4 star without that. If supernatural is your thing, you will really like this book.

[Elizabeth Doane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book did a complete 180 around 70% through. I wasn't sure that I liked the twist at first, but I was intrigued throughout the end of the book. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes murder mystery and paranormal!

I was really happy when we learned that Tom was actually trying to kill Katherine!!

[Kristi Boggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thriller definitely has some jaw-dropping plot twist that will keep you turning the pages! You will definitely question everyone and everything. I wasn’t a fan of the supernatural, blindsiding twist but overall a really good book.

[Molly Farmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book in three days before! This book was super addictive. I wasn’t expecting the narrative to go where it did and was definitely surprised multiple times while reading this book due to all the twists and turns and character backgrounds

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rear Window with a lake and a twist.

[Robin Pettinato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story.

[Eva Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

The MOST repetitive book I’ve ever read. Every two pages “I’m on my third bourbon. Maybe fourth. Maybe fifth.” You drink, we get it. Jeez. Also wtf was that “plot twist”.

[Taina Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its more of a paranormal thriller. I enjoyed how the author described the setting. Paranormal stuff isint my thing but overall not a bad book.

[Jean Lazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read, full of suspense

[Bonnita Denson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super good book! Loved all the twisty turnys. Jar dropped a couple of times. Love!

[Matthew Osborne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A “plot twist” which is basically just that the narrator lied to us at the beginning of the book.

[Laura Neylon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book…but I’m glad I finished it!

[Chloe Brajer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was having the absolute time of my life until it started getting unexpectedly supernatural

[Kim Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It kept me in suspense. Well be reading more from this author.

[Annie Wright · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the hell did I just read?? Seriously wtf?! I think that was the most bizarre book I’ve ever read

[Ashlee]

Kindle

I read this and forgot to review it 😅

[Chloe Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was so hard for me to stay interested in this book. I was about 65% in when it started to get interesting. Also, there were a lot of weird spiritual twists that I did not enjoy.

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book was great, and then the twist becomes just too far fetched for me,l

[Kristen Praus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good until it got weird