Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Hello fellow Crime, Mystery & Thriller readers,

Welcome to our discussion about The Only One Left by Riley Sager, your discussion leader is Laura.
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about spoilers

Please note: If you have not finished reading the book spoilers are permitted in this discussion from the start. If you would like to use the spoiler formatting it can be found on the top right of the comment box in the "(some html is ok)" menu.
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Summary

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

Hello, my name is Laura and my choice this month is The Only One Left by Riley Sager. So I was hoping we could have fun figuring it out together.

This one was incredible and it left me guessing until the very end!! Still reeling from it days later

All I could think of reading this book is "oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."

Spoiler alert



I love Riley Sager and this book, I think, is one of his best yet. I am halfway through the book at the point where Mary’s body is found. Kit keeps hearing someone or something in Lenora’s room.

This latest from Sager did not disappoint. An excellent 5 star story.

So, did you all expect that they were going to find Mary dead? I think this is where Sager excels. He can put several mysteries into one book. I never saw that coming.

I really enjoyed this book! I was in total whoaaa

I thought that there might be more people here. Anyway, I absolutely love Riley Sager and this book rocks so far. I am only about 30 pages away from finishing the book.

@ Laura I had a feeling that they would end up finding Mary dead, I started getting those vibes the minute that we found out she left all of her things behind

I love Riley l. I am thinking about reading this on my kindle and reading none of this is true in hard copy. Haven’t decided yet!

I liked how the ending just kept giving! I had some predictions early on, but was certainly not prepared for how everything wraps up. No loose ends at all!

Laura wrote: "So, did you all expect that they were going to find Mary dead? I think this is where Sager excels. He can put several mysteries into one book. I never saw that coming."
my jaw dropped because i was in literal shockkkk

Just finished this book today and OMG so good!!! So many twists and turns just when i thought lenora was up to something the plot thickens . The ending gave so much closure. Loved it

Robyne wrote: "Just finished this book today and OMG so good!!! So many twists and turns just when i thought lenora was up to something the plot thickens . The ending gave so much closure. Loved it"

I really love thrillers like this one that give you more than what you bargained for. Several of his books are like this one.

This was an amazing book. I read it in a day. I loved the twists and turns, they kept me on the edge of my seat!

The month of October is almost over and I wanted to thank all of you who made my very first discussion lead a great one. I love Riley Sager’s book but I really was like a child waiting for Christmas when I saw this book on Goodreads. I waited patiently for it, well almost patiently, and while reading the book I became so engrossed that I forgot to cook dinner, help with homework, and do laundry. My husband thinks I love sager more than him…..sssh don’t tell him. All jokes aside, I think when Lenora opened up about the baby is when I had my ha moment. The whole book started to make sense to me. I thought I figured it all out and heat another twist. Was there anyone that you all thought was guilty only to find out you were wrong?

Laura wrote: "So, did you all expect that they were going to find Mary dead? I think this is where Sager excels. He can put several mysteries into one book. I never saw that coming."
I thought maybe she faked her departure and was hiding in the house and visiting Virginia at night. It was her footsteps Kit was hearing at night.

Laura wrote: "The month of October is almost over and I wanted to thank all of you who made my very first discussion lead a great one. I love Riley Sager’s book but I really was like a child waiting for Christma..."
Yes, I was sure that Virginia killed her parents--WRONG!

I did love this book until Kit's Dad was revealed to be "Ricky". There were so many twists and turns and that one was just too much for me to believe. As the Hope estate was crumbling into the sea, at this point I wanted it to take everyone with it! LOL

And it did get two of them.
I did enjoy this and will recommend it to my sister.
I liked the twists and reveals as they were introduced.
I particularly liked that Kit can move forward with her life, not thinking that she was responsible for any of this.
I think Riley did a great job getting inside the head of women.

This was one of my favorite Riley Sager books! The ending was twisty and kept me fully engaged!!

Terry wrote: "I did love this book until Kit's Dad was revealed to be "Ricky". There were so many twists and turns and that one was just too much for me to believe. As the Hope estate was crumbling into the sea,..."

You and me both. I just thought maybe there was more toot that would tie things together more with kit’s dad but sadly….you are right about that one BIG flaw.

Despite that flaw, I will be reading more Riley Sager books!
I read "The House Across the Lake" which was quite good. I'm just not a fan of the paranormal.

I havent been listening this week because my dad passed away. Once things settle down I will get back to it.

Sorry for your loss.

So sorry to hear :(

Linda wrote: "I havent been listening this week because my dad passed away. Once things settle down I will get back to it."

Condolences Linda.

I just got a copy of this selection from the library, I was on the waiting list since late September. I've only read a few chapters but I love the premise.

Gem wrote: "I just got a copy of this selection from the library, I was on the waiting list since late September. I've only read a few chapters but I love the premise."

You really should enjoy the book. There really was only one spoiler listed on this thread. It is a fun roller coaster ride.

Laura wrote: "Gem wrote: "I just got a copy of this selection from the library, I was on the waiting list since late September. I've only read a few chapters but I love the premise."

You really should enjoy the..."

I didn't read the thread, just in case.

I've only just finished listening; although the spoiler disappointed me, it didn't ruin it for me. There was far too much left to discover. I've listened to all of Mr Sager's books and look forward to reading his next one next summer.

Pam wrote: "I've only just finished listening; although the spoiler disappointed me, it didn't ruin it for me. There was far too much left to discover. I've listened to all of Mr Sager's books and look forward..."

Oh yes, I cannot wait for anything new that he writes. I have a few favorites from him Home Before Dark, Lock Every Door are really amazing. I guess I should have known that he has a certain way of writing and while it may be the same in some ways, he throws in some twists that always get me.

Linda wrote: "I havent been listening this week because my dad passed away. Once things settle down I will get back to it."

Oh Linda I am so sorry. My mother passed away on the 3rd so I am struggling terribly. If you need someone to talk to, I would love to be there for you if you need it.

Laura wrote: "So, did you all expect that they were going to find Mary dead?"
I figured that out almost right away. She left everything, including her medical bag, that was my tip-off. I didn't necessarily think they would find her body, but certainly some indication that she died.

Just in case someone comes behind me that has not finished it yet. I somehow figured out (view spoiler)[that Lenora was actually Virginia. I also thought she was faking her paralysis to some extent. (hide spoiler)] That said, all the rest of the twists and turns took me by surprise.

I might have a new favorite contemporary mystery author.

I liked it in the beginning but it got boring and repetitive and I just didn’t care for it so I didn’t finish it but I looked up the ending. Whoops!

I’ve read almost all of Riley Sager’s books and this one is my favorite. I thought Kit was a strong and likable lead. The amount of twists in the last 50-80 pages had my head spinning. SPOILER: Kit’s dad killed Mary AND had a baby with Virginia! That whole book is a gothic soap opera and I love it!