Literally Dead Book Club discussion

Home Before Dark | chapter 6 - 14

Chapter 15 begins on page 245 in my edition and begins with "I close my father's copy..."

If you had to rate the book at this point, what would you rate it?
Follow up question- what do you hope the book does in the last section? What would it take to get 5 stars?

Any surprising moments or reveals for you so far?

I’m really invested in the book at this point and I’m sitting on 4 stars at the moment. The dual timeline keeps me wanting more! I love that we’re learning more about different characters, particularly Petra and her relationship with Ewan. I love Maggie as a child however some of her actions as an adult seem somewhat immature. I must say between the early chapters of this section it was feeling somewhat repetitive with the continuous record player incidents etc. However I’m excited for the rest of the book leading on from the sleepover.
To get a higher rating from me there must be a unexpected twist or reveal. I’m hoping for much more than just ghosts of previous families haunting the house/possessing Maggie.

At this point my rating is between 2.5 (mediocre) to 3 (decent) stars.

Overall this middle section feels very basic, it follows the typical haunted house story formula without really injecting anything new. I was hoping the hauntings would've advance a little bit more at this point, but we are still at self-turn on chandelier and record player playing 'Sixteen Going On Seventeen' (which was wonderfully creepy the first time around).

Developments I thoroughly enjoyed:
- The Kitchen Ceiling Incidents in both timelines: chilling and have the dramatic energy I'm seeking from a horror novel.

- The Sleepover Incident: perfectly chaotic, 'the punch' was so out of nowhere (but I appreciate how odd it is to the situation at hand)!

Thing that missed the mark:
- I'm starting to notice an issue with the 'book within book' structure, particularly in the House of Horrors sections. As someone mentioned in the previous discussion, the author's voice could've been more distinct. Also, I wish this section is more akin to The Amityville Horror, written in third person with a documentary, factual style. Being written from the sole POV of Ewan Holt, it loses the opportunity to generate nuances for the other characters. Was Jess's jealousy and Petra infatuation even real? Because as it stands some of the character motivations/arguments feel forced and sudden (Jess got jealous because of one photo in the kitchen? Maggie keeps referencing her father intentionally mentioned Petra multiple times throughout book—but I don't really get that from the read-through so far).

- The placement of the kitchen ceiling collapse in the book. Again, a issue I noticed with the 'book within book' structure. Maggie has mentioned multiple times she has read House of Horrors previously. So why did she brush away the bulging water stain so conveniently whens she first entered the house? That should've been the first clue there are truths in her father's writing, and logically discovering the Indigo room floorboard and Petra's body. I'm aware Riley Sager purposely delayed this development so the collapse in both timelines can happen simultaneously as the mid-climax of the book. But in doing so sacrificed some basic human logic.

- Hannah Ditmer's action confuses me, why wouldn't she report her theory (that Ewan Holt killed Petra) during the height of House of Horrors's popularity? Even if the police wouldn't listen, I'm sure the newspaper would've loved the gossip! Even if assumed she stayed quiet so she could receive the annual deposit from Ewan, then why the yearly threatening notes? I hope the continuing plot will resolve this.

For the last section, I wish the character Marta Carver will have a meatier reappearance, as of now she kind of exists for no reason (I would've moved FAR AWAY from this town if that incident happened to my family). And I'm hoping the book will find an alternative killer for Petra other than Ewan Holt (maybe the sister? maybe it was an accident?)

I think I would be at a 3.5 or 4. I’m enjoying this book. It seems very much like a horror movie. I have actually never read a horror novel, so this is all new to me. It’s a genre out of my comfort zone. I loved the ceiling collapsing in bot parts of the book. I can’t wait to see how this ends and how things get tied up.

This is currently a 4 for me, but if it continues to entertain me like it is doing, I might give it 5 stars.
I'm not really reading it with big critical lenses to have any big thoughts, so I don't have notes; and All the theories I had on the first half were wrong and now I don't have any yet.

So far this is sitting at a 4* for me.
I have a theory about Petra and her sneaking out at night had more to do with the haunting events than her having an affair with Ewan. Cant wait to get to the end and hopefully be taken by surprise. Enjoyable so far :)

So far this is a 4 star read for me. It's creepy. I'm enjoying that through I don't usually read ghost stories. I'm hoping it's not ghosts. I would like some great twist in the last part that makes all the weirdness human, however, with strange happenings since Indigo died or was killed, I'm guessing it will be ghosts.

I did make a note during this section - what if it was Maggie's mom who killed Petra our of jealously?

The snakes falling out of the ceiling got to me even more than the bones falling out. I think the sleepover scene was scary but the punch by Maggie surprised me.

I can't wait to read the rest!

For some reason, I was really disappointed with this one. I really liked Riley Sager's last two books, those were solid 4 star reads for me, but Home Before Dark never really clicked for me. I couldn't connect with the character at all, I never really cared for any of them. Whenever I was reading the book, I struggled to stay focused on the actual story, because my mind mostly kept wondering off and thinking about what I wish the author would have done differently. I loved his last books for their atmosphere, but this one fell really flat, I settled on a 2 star rating at the end - anyone feel the same? I completely understand why this story is appealing, based on the synopsis alone I should love it, but I could never get over the "I wish this had been different" stage.

So far this is a 3.5-4 for me.
I'm really enjoying the 'house of horrors' book but the modern day timeline is really boring for me.

I kind of wish instead of the modern day timeline it was the family returning to the town for an interview, or to write a sequel, or for a movie adaptation (I'd want the mother and father refusing to enter the house but the daughter sneaks inside)

Nothing has really surprised me, it's a really by the numbers haunted house story so far. But it is well written so I'm not complaining.

To get a 5 star at this point I'd need an amazing twist... right now I'm thinking there is someone living in the house with her. Or the reporter is involved. Or the body isn't Petra and she's doing the haunting.

Hannah wrote: "For some reason, I was really disappointed with this one. I really liked Riley Sager's last two books, those were solid 4 star reads for me, but Home Before Dark never really clicked for me. I coul..."

I completely agree with not connecting to the characters, and being stuck on what I wish this book had done differently

Other people have mentioned "book within a book" continuity errors since Maggie is supposed to have read the book so many times. That also irked me a bit, but I'm excited to see where this ends up. There are so many questions and loose threads

Three stars for me so far.

I just don't like the character of Maggie. She gets all the clues from her father's book, yet she decides to ignore them all and keep on pretending to be oblivious to them. In all other aspects she isn't likeable for one bit.

I don't think there ever was or ever will be a haunting, which I really like. Probably Maggie's father was inspired by Maggie's traumatic nightmares to both have a bestseller and cover up a murder (or maybe an accident) that happened in the house. Because that is my best guess at the moment: either Jess killed Petra out of jealousy or Maggie killed her in an accident and her father did his best to cover it all up.
I wouldn't be surprised that Jess is orchestrating the current haunting events.
Although the content is very interesting, the book lacks execution. I stay with my initial feeling that the writing isn't atmospheric at all, and the character of adult Maggie is annoying.

It will not get a 5 star, that is for sure. Best case 3, worst case 2 if the reveal falls flat.

At this point I would give it 4 stars, but I have a feeling that this is going to be a 5 star for me.

I really loved both ceiling collapsing scenes. Especially the snakes falling of the ceiling gave me goosebumps! Also the sleepover scene was creepy enough.

A crazy guess: Dane was Petras boyfriend and he killed her. After all he was voilent in the past according to chief Alcott.
I guess we'll find out in the last section.

I'm thinking 4 stars right now and 5 if the ending is satisfying to me. I do love haunted house stories, though. I think the book is going to end with a reasonable non-paranormal explanation for all the creepy events and I don't want it to. If it goes that way, 4 stars. If we stick with spooky ghost action, it's getting 5 stars.

I'm slightly bored by the modern day timeline and finding Adult Maggie more and more frustrating as we go on. The tough guy "ghosts can't be real" even though literally everything in the dad's book is happening again act is so annoying.

If I had to rate the book right now I would give it four stars. While I am really invested in what is happening and a little spooked, I feel like nothing crazy has happened yet. I’m waiting for something to make me say OH MY GOD. I saw it coming that Petra was dead but I’m still unsure how... I don’t think Maggie’s dad killed her. I’m thinking maybe Maggie or her mother did and he helped to cover? But I also think it’s strange that it kept being brought up how Petra looked like she could be her mother’s child... there is something there! I just don’t know what. I’m starting to feel like there is a realistic answer to all of this but I hope that is not the case.

I'd give it 4 stars so far. really enjoying it. don't have too many theories, except I don't think Ewan killed Petra, and that haunting is not supernatural

This book is definitely a 4/4.5 right now. I’m starting to realize that paranormal/ghost stories really scare the shit out of me. Not to mention I live alone and it’s currently 11 PM. I’m really digging the way the novel is progressing. I have a funny feeling Maggie was somehow responsible for Petra’s death and her parents covered it up, which is why they never wanted to speak about it with her. It would also make sense considering something that traumatic can often result in situational amnesia. I’m starting to think Mister Shadow and Miss Pennyface probably made it seem like they’d go away if she killed Petra or something to that effect. Who knows? I’m probably way off base, but I love theorizing and predicting. I think what could make this five stars for me is if it has a satisfying ending with no loose ends.

Currently sitting at 4 stars. I still find Maggie kind of, I don't know, petulant? I just can't really vibe with her as the protagonist. These chapters definitely sucked me in though. I had a theory about what was going on in the beginning, and while that hasn't been disproved yet I feel like several more possibilities have popped up. Marta? Brian Price? The whole Ditmer clan? They're all kind of suspicious now. I think to go up to 5 stars there is going to have to be a really juicy ending that I haven't expected/read before.

Okay... I have a lot to say about this middle section. It has definitely brought down the book in rating for me (right now it is probably sitting at a 3 star, which is not bad).

First off, I think that my "prediction" from the first 5 chapters still has merit. It seems like there are too many things related to being 16. Indigo died at 16, Petra also died at 16 and the song that plays on the record player is about being 16. Katie was killed at 6 but I do stand by her father being driven mad by the "curse" of the house and killed her to save her from the same fate as Indigo.

I do not think that Ewan had any romantic relationship with Petra, I also do not think her killed her. I'm a little worried that the twist will be that Maggie killed her (accident or driven mad by the house). Maybe she will even kill again while in the house out of paranoia. Like Dane comes to check on her and she thinks he's someone trying to break in, something like that. This would explain Maggie's amnesia around the whole experience in the house. Her child brain is protecting her from the trauma of killing someone. And it would explain why Ewan did not want her to return and why he wouldn't sell the house. If he sold it, the body would inevitably be found. If Maggie returns to the house, he knows she is a house flipper, the body would be found. Jess also definitely knows, which is why she wants to buy it (But that doesn't explain why he wouldn't just leave the house to Jess, seems like a bit of an oversight).

The "book within a book" trope is not as enjoyable for me at this point. I think that's mostly because of the "House of Horrors" section (which seems to be the unpopular opinion on here...haha). I am just so sick of hearing Ewan say "we did not pay mind to this and this thing, but boy were we wrong" or "we would realize later dun dun dun". BUT THEN NOTHING HAPPENS! I understand it's supposed to be building suspense but after 5 chapters in a row of them ending the same way I am loosing that sense of suspense and instead feeling bored.

I also agree that Maggie's claim of reading the book many times and seemingly knowing it inside and out is not supported by her actions. When she found those pictures, in particular the one of her in front of the house (with no scar) and during the sleepover (with no scar) I was nearly screaming at the book "But the running into the forest picture was supposed to be the first photo Ewan took with the polaroid camera and Maggies got the scar right after that! How do these photos exist form 'before' that moment if he hadn't found the camera yet? And the sleepover, according the the book, happened after the falling on gravestone incident!?" I mean maybe that will just be used as evidence that Ewan's book is fake... but nearly 10 chapters later and it hasn't been addressed... Also, the photo of them in the kitchen has Ewan in it (Pg. 120 in hardcover), which made me think that maybe the ghost, or whatever is haunting the house, took these photos. And who ever that ghost is is the love interest for Petra since she looks so flirty in that sleepover photo. But then in Ewan's retelling of the kitchen ceiling incident he says HE takes the photo (Pg. 193 in hardcover)... So I'm confused.

Anyway, that was been incredibly long winded. Thanks for reading through it if you did. I'm not exactly sure what kind of ending could bring my rating up for this book... but I am still eager to keep reading so at least there is that.

If I had to rate the book at this point it’d be a 4 star. It’s good, but for whatever reason I’m not completely captivated. I think in order to get a full 5 stars I’d need a shocking plot twist, one that changes the whole perspective of the book. All of Riley Sager’s books have had plot twists so far, so I’m hopeful.

I was surprised that Petra’s body was found in the ceiling- I genuinely believed she’d run away. Although I’m wondering if the body could possibly be Indigo’s?

At this point I’m leaning towards a 4 star ⭐️ rating , I’ve been genuinely creeped out and I’m super curious to see how it ends ( may be up all night lol ).
I’d give this book 5 stars ⭐️ if the big reveal is very shocking and I continue to be freaked out. Also no more snakes 🐍 I’m done with them .

Really really invested in this book. My first Riley Sager eventhough I have his previous books. I love the book within the book, it seems to run parallel to what’s happening now.
It really has my undivided attention.

At the culmination of the 14th chapter, I'd give this book 4 stars overall. I am intrigued to found out how the rest of the story plays out. I really enjoy the "House of Horrors" sections and their correlation to the present. I don't know what it would take to reach 5 stars but I hope there is a more supernatural element to the ending. I really want to believe the ghosts are real. Suprising moments, I think the body in the ceiling was the most jarring. I'm anxious to found out who it was and how they end up there. I am also interested to see how the relationship between Petra and Maggie's father played out.

Can't wait to get to the rest of the book! Admittedly, I was getting creeped out reading some of this at night, which is great!
I'm starting to think that Petra was the one haunting Maggie and her family, and maybe even the Carver family as a 'joke'?! She was up to snuff on the history and the sneaking out at night kind of strengthened my suspicions.
So far I might be rating it at least a 3, but that last 3rd might bring it up to a 4?!

at this point, i think i’m giving it a 4.25 or 4.5! i’m very much enjoying it!

i have a theory that the bones they found are actually Indigo’s bones and not Petra’s and then Petra is gonna show up somewhere. if not that, then i think it was Jess who killed Petra, not Ewan.

excited to see where that last chapters go!

Wow! this is my favourite of the book club books so far. I was surprised as I wasn't the biggest fan of Lock Every Door.

I was surprised that the sleepover events actually happened. I really hope they don't drop the ball by copping out of the haunting angle. I also hope it has a solid ending. Can't wait to see how it goes!!!!

At this point I would give the book 3 stars. I don’t feel like it could get much higher but to get at least a four stars from me there would need to be some shocking plot twists and a supernatural explanation. I’d be disappointed if it turned out that there was no haunting.

I have a theory That Maggie killed Petra and her parents covered it up. She can’t remember anything because of ptsd or the ghosts possessed her at the time?? And that’s why her parents don’t want her to go back incase being in the house makes her memories come back.

We will soon see!

I gave this a 4 but thinking back, I may downgrade to a 3-3.5.

Loved the writing, the creepy vibe in the first half, and the dual story lines, which I generally enjoyed both.

Downside- Maggie’s whining about her upbringing was too over the top. She could have had it worse. I CANNOT buy into the fact that the dad didn’t want her to go near the house, but left it to her in the will. That makes zero sense. I hated the letter from the dad explaining everything. This is always too convenient. Plus, who talks about sex with mom in a letter to their daughter? And last, I didn’t like the reveal, I wanted it to be haunted to pay off the strong creepy vibe.

Overall, I was entertained, but it could have been so much better.

If you had to rate the book at this point, what would you rate it?
3-3.5 stars. It's a bit of a slow burn but the "jump scare" moments keep it entertaining. I'm trying to put pieces together but the story has multiple timelines. I haven't been able to guess how it connects.

Follow up question- what do you hope the book does in the last section? What would it take to get 5 stars? I hope it's not predictable in the last section. I'm not exactly on the edge of my seat.

Any surprising moments or reveals for you so far?
I'll be curious how much Petra has to do with what happened. I feel like we were thrown some major hints. I also wonder if she learned too much in her research and that's why she was murdered. Twice now it's been stated that the town has not taken two teenage disappearances or deaths seriously. It seems like someone is protecting someone.

Benjamin wrote: "at this point, i think i’m giving it a 4.25 or 4.5! i’m very much enjoying it!

i have a theory that the bones they found are actually Indigo’s bones and not Petra’s and then Petra is gonna show u..."

Ooh that would be a really good twist.

Got to be honest, I was bored in the first part of the book. I put it down for a full week before starting part 2 but my interest has picked up in this section. There are still problems with some of the things I mentioned in part 1 like why he didn't bulldoze the house or sell instead of leaving it to Maggie in his will. And now there's some stuff with the photos that don't make sense. Annoying.

But anyway, part 2 built the suspense for me and I just want to know what the twist is. I feel it coming and I'm excited for it. The sleepover chapter was by far the best for me. It was the first real horror chapter IMHO. And I like that I have so many questions going into the last part. I'm asking myself what the point of several of the side characters is and I'm hoping to get answers in the final part.

Part 1 was at a 2 or 2.5 star for me but Part 2 has built the suspense and my rating is at 3.5 stars. Despite the problems with inconsistency, if the ending packs the punch I'm hoping for it will definitely increase to 4 or 4.5 stars. I'm a sucker for a good ending. 😁

OK! So UPDATE TIME! I'm really enjoying this! I love that this book is told through a mix of narrative and dialogue reveals (in regards to plot twists, etc). We do have some redundancies echoing throughout (eg. chandelier) which I'm hoping have a strong purpose- otherwise, it would be wasted page space to reiterate that over and over! I love that this section stopped where it did: Right after the reveal of Hannah saying the sleepover was the truth and finding out what happened! I really want to see what comes next!

I'm curious as to if the lab tests prove that the body is Petra: part of me still thinks there is a chance it could be another girl?

I'm also still skeptical of Hannah and what her part in everything is: I am less so now than before...BUT STILL!

And also hoping to find out more about Chief Alcot: and what those motives might be that were nodded at.

AND CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT FOR THE MOST HORRID REPORTER EVER: BRIAN PRINCE...BLEH!

In general: I'm enjoying most elements, with a few things I am less of a fan of.. which I will go into when I finish and do a review if you want to know more.

Still enjoying it, but so far I’m thinking of rating this book 3/3.5 stars. I feel like I didn’t connect that much with Hannah’s POV.

I love the creepiness of the book, I especially loved the scene with the snakes (maybe it’s just me because I’m so scared of snakes).

Also! I predicted a hidden room with a dead body yesterday, but I didn’t post that theory. I really hope something crazy happens as the twist. Pretty sure the bones are not Petra’s though, maybe Indigo’s? Idk

At this point I would rate this book 4 stars only bc I don't know exactly how it ends just yet. In the last section I want to find out what happened to Petra and see if there are really ghost in the house. This book will be a 5 star for me if the ending is unexpected but very eerie. I was so surprised that Petra had a secret by and was sneaking out to be with him. I didn't expect that at all.

So far it's a 4 for me.

Really like how parallel and almost complementary the dual timelines are.

I also kind of get how intrusive the book is in Maggie's early life. Imagine being called an accident for every one to read? That must have been a source of teasing or unprecedented pity. (I mean there's nothing wrong with Maggie's stand as an unplanned baby, but kids and immature adults can be insensitive you know?)

I do agree that the record player thing is getting repetitive but the Petra angle got my hyped.

The sleepover bit was great, as well!

I really hope the last sprint for this book would leave me satisfied. It's either it will be a 3 or a 5 depending on the ending.

I love the dial timelines and love the creepy vibes this book is putting off! The snake scene was super creepy and I love how it was written! If I had to rate it now I would give it 4 stats only because it's not wrapped up and I will have lots of questions and theories. I'm hoping to find out why all the deaths of Baneberry residents and what happened the last night!!

this book just has me in awe. i have no words. im really liking it but really isnt helping im reading this at night so its freaking me out more! im really enjoying the going back n forth from Ewans book to whats happening now.

the snakes falling out of the ceiling freaked me out more than the bones coming out the ceiling. i dont know if its b/c i watch a lot of crime shows or what.

i didnt believe that Ewan had anything with Petra but then when it said she was sneaking out i definitely have my suspicions now !

the whole thing with the sleepover is insane. i think if that happened to me i wouldve left that night but im just a scaredy cat! ahaha

i cant wait to see how this all ends!

I'm writing this before reading anyone else's coments. Right now I'm simply enjoying the book and just like after first part I wish the Maggie's parts were longer.
For now the book is 5 stars for me, but if the ending isn't satisfying it can drop.
I admit I'm not making many theories just reading. But I do suspect that many of the hauntings and/or Petra's death was Maggie's doing and her parents were simply worried that she'll remember what happened and be hurt. That's why they didn't want her to go back to the house - that it might trigger her memories. And the book the father wrote was what they wanted Maggie to believe - it was to be her truth. Something like: "It wasn't your fault, honey. See? It was the ghosts."

Lisa wrote: "So far this is a 4 star read for me. It's creepy. I'm enjoying that through I don't usually read ghost stories. I'm hoping it's not ghosts. I would like some great twist in the last part that makes..."

Oh ew, I hope that's not the case but it definitely seems like a possibility. But then the mystery boyfriend. It better not be what they're implying.

The spook factor is still doing it for me so for that alone it's a high 4. I can't wait to learn what's real and what's been embellished for sales.

RennyWest wrote: "I'm writing this before reading anyone else's coments. Right now I'm simply enjoying the book and just like after first part I wish the Maggie's parts were longer.
For now the book is 5 stars for m..."


Oh, I like this theory.

So far this book is a 3 or 3.5 star for me, but I am optimistic that it could be a 4 or 5 in the end because the action and mystery are really building. I am interested to find out what really happened to Petra Ditmer and whether or not Maggie's father was involved. I also think the sleepover incident could be a real turning point. This book is starting to really pique my interest.

I'm currently waffling between 3 and 4 stars. I like the dual timeline idea, especially with the added twist of one POV thoroughly convinced that the other POV is full of lies. But there are problems with it, as several of you have pointed out. I also think it's weird how completely blank Maggie's memory seems to be for pretty much everything before, what, age 8 or 9? Even with trauma, that seems really abnormal, but apparently there was no evaluation or therapy or anything?

Are we told when this is set? I'd been thinking it was now-ish, with Petra's disappearance happening circa 1995, but now it feels earlier than that. I can't pin down why, though.

There's a lot of stuff that just isn't making sense to me. Like, Hannah was 6 when this went down, right? And she started writing annual notes to Ewan when she was 7? I mean, sure, it's possible. But is it plausible? And this canvas bag in the ceiling contained nothing but bones and some clothing remnants? The way they were described at discovery and when Hannah insisted on viewing them sounded way off. My forensic anthropology training is giving these scenes much side-eye. Gah, I wish I had a hard copy and could flip back and check things. There are so many more things I'm finding questionable, too many to list here.

Anyway, I'm trying to reserve judgment because I can think of ways these can be explained in the end. It's just such a mess right now. If Sager can actually answer my questions satisfactorily and pull this all together into something coherent and reasonable, I might be able to give this a solid 4 or 4.5. It would take some masterful legerdemain with the plot and the families' histories to get a 5. I feel like I'm going to be disappointed, though.

At this point, I'm not convinced the bones are Petra's. And now I'm wondering if Petra is even dead. I also think Elsa was way more involved in everything than we're being led to believe.

At this point I’d give it a 4. I’m loving the vibes. I have had concerns that nothing supernatural is going on, but I feel like during the sleep we Maggie was definitely experiencing something nobody else could see. I’m intrigued to find out what happened to Petra. If the book really draws me I. With her death and maybe shocks me I could see it being a 5 star for me. I’m also wondering what’s up with Dale... I don’t trust him!

If you had to rate the book at this point, what would you rate it?
I would honestly give it a 5 star review. I am going back and forth between physically reading it and listening to the audiobook. I am really enjoying the audiobook! The narration is very well done. Also, there are several different theories I can think of for the ending. The mystery is very interesting and I'm enjoying the characters!

Follow up question- what do you hope the book does in the last section? What would it take to get 5 stars?
I hope to learn more about why the parents kept the secret from her for so long. I hope the unexplained paranormal events stay unexplained or are actual paranormal events!
I don't want it to end up a scooby-do ending because the "imaginary friends" is really interesting! I have a theory that "Mr. Shadow is Mr. Garson's ghost, the girl with no name is Katie Carver's ghost, and "Mrs. Pennyface" is Indigo's ghost! (I think of Indigo for this because she has pennies where her eyes should be, this was something that was done to buried loved ones a long time ago.)

Any surprising moments or reveals for you so far?
I'm surprised about the skeleton's in the kitchen because they seem to be Petra. (Although we don't have a definitive answer if it is actually Petra yet.) I was hoping Petra was still alive and part of all the weird things happening at Baneberry Hall.

At this point I’d give the book about a 3. It’s my first Riley Sager and, frankly, I expected more scare. I’m not a huge horror fan, but this hasn’t seemed super scary to me. Except for those snakes! Gah, they were awful! I could definitely up my score, but I would like a big game changer!
I don’t have much issue with any of the characters, though if the house were left to me I’d knock the whole bloody thing down!

Google is apparently eavesdropping on my audiobooks. Here is a headline that popped up in my Google news feed:
Two huge snakes fall through kitchen ceiling in Australia
By Jack Guy, CNN

At this point I love it & would give it 5stars!
I love thrillers & like the spooky aspects but am thankful it is not a crazy scary horror book.

The skeleton creeped me out!! I don't think it is all true that'd be crazy! I think we are being set up for a who-done-it but also I do hope it is actually ghosts...

Things that have been creeping me out: the chandelier, the bells, the disrepair of the "grand" home, & the thumps.

I'm really enjoying reading this book. I love how each chapter slowly connects both past and present, showing us that what happened before is repeating itself. I'm really interested in finding out what happened to Petra and hopefully there's a big twist related to that.
The chapter regarding the sleepover made me think that maybe Maggie has something to do with her death and simply can't remember. In that chapter, as she punches Hannah the ghosts simply disappear finally leaving them alone. So I'm wondering if the ghosts made Maggie kill Petra in order to allow her family to flee the house?

I honestly don't know what to expect in the last section... I thought it wasn't actually going to be anything supernatural, but after the sleepover chapter I'm not sure. Right now I'd give it 4 stars.
I'm just hoping for clarification on what the hell is going on haha. As long as the twists are decent, I can see myself giving this a 4 or 5. My best guess now is that Maggie had something to do with Petra's disappearance/death (still not convinced the body in the ceiling is actually her, I don't know, it just seems too simple.) If Maggie was the one that caused it, not her dad, it would make sense as to why her parents didn't want her to go back to the house.