The Only One Left - Riley Sager

Review by Jackie 

Best consumed with

A mojito in a tall glass with a cucumber and mint garnish. The novel would pair perfectly with a mojito as both are refreshing, tangy and citrusy. With each sip of a mojito, you don't know exactly what flavour combination you’ll be getting, which is just like this book.

What's it all about?

Kit McDeere a caregiver who’s life takes an unexpected turn as her name got plastered all over town. Suspended from work for six-months after one of her patients dies in her care. Kit is called to a sudden new job opening at the Hope’s residence, another family name who has had their fair share of drama in the media. 

Set in 1983 the story covers the murders that took place in 1929 at Hope’s End (where the Hope family lives) after which Lorena Hope (the eldest daughter) was the only one in her family left. Initially a rich family of four (mother, father and their two daughters) appeared to have the perfect life at Hope’s End which was located at the end of a cliff, isolated from the main town. Some may call this a “private oasis”, whilst others would wonder what secrets were hidden in the old house.

Author Todd Ritter, writing under the pen name Riley Sager, took inspiration from the Lizzie Borden murders that happened in 1892, where Lizzie was suspected of murdering her father and stepmother but she was never convicted and no one was ever charged for the murders. 

Kit ends up taking a job in this house, as Lorena’s full time carer. Is this job at Hope End a chance to clear her name and allow her to get back into work, or is Kit walking straight into another media scandal?

Two accused murdered spending time together, how much do they really have in common?

Why did I choose this book to read?

I downloaded it to my kindle ages ago and it had been sitting in my library for quite some time. I would see this book cover every time I would go on my kindle – so I have been thinking about reading about this novel for a while. My friends and I were set off for a trip down to Shellharbour and I like to be reading books while on trips and I knew going into 2025 I wanted to start the year off by reading a mystery/thriller novel. This one just so happened to be downloaded already so I decided to give it a go.

What did I love?

I loved the constant plot twists – kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly second-guessing everything. The creepy atmosphere that Riley Sager created was the perfect level of eerie and suspense, keeping readers engaged throughout the whole book. Each character has their own dark backstory that readers start to connect with and in some way sympathise with, and the house itself holds a constant haunted feeling, trapped by its tragic past. 

I found it really interesting how Sager wrote about Kit, the main character as a strong and independent female lead, as well as the other female characters. They all had their own stories and reasons to be working in the Hopes’ house.

Another interesting element that I enjoyed from this book was the time period it was set in. The use of typewriters and tape recorders helped immerse me in the 1983 atmosphere, giving the novel another depth into the spookiness setting of this novel. 

What did I not love? 

The start of the book felt a bit slow, and I found that several chapters could have been shortened or even cut entirely without affecting the overall story. There were too many characters to keep up with and remember their role in the Hope’s residence (I often found myself going back a few pages to remember the name of the characters). There were some romantic subplots sprinkled here and there within the book that didn’t feel necessary to the main narrative and felt somewhat forced and out of place.

I still can’t decide if I like the ending of this book, on one hand the victims finally received their peace, and the villain got exactly what was coming to them - but the ending also felt rushed and anticlimactic.

Book club recommended?

Yes, I think there are a lot of aspects of the story that would be great to discuss and get the perspective of other readers. I also think the ending ruffles some feathers and would be great to dissect with your book club!