All Riley Sager Books Ranked (With Mini Reviews)

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LOOKING FOR A RANKING OF RILEY SAGER’S BOOKS?

I have wanted to write this post for at least a year but it’s taken me a while to actually do what I needed to before I could write this: read all of Riley Sager’s books.

I can read two in a row but that’s my limit so I had to spread them out a bit. Riley Sager is probably one of the most popular thriller authors right now and I want to like his books, but more often than not, (don’t hate me) I just don’t.

But, at the same time I do. I have liked two a lot and I’ve liked two more until I got to the endings, then two I just didn’t like that much at all (one I really didn’t).

And yet I keep reading them. In part because I wanted to make a Riley Sager ranking post but also because they always sound interesting! I want to like them, I really do. I keep trying.

At this point, my expectations for them are as low as can be so really, we can only go up. I shouldn’t even be able to be disappointed by them now.

I will admit, even though I don’t usually like them I still have fun reading them. I won’t finish a book if it’s boring and I always finish these because they’re entertaining.

It was almost hard to rank Riley Sager’s books because aside from the two that I definitely liked and the one I really hated, I kind of disliked them all a lot so the middle three were hard to rank.

All this said, I can’t wait for his next book to come out. I will absolutely read it and I will have fun with it. I would love to hear your thoughts and your own Riley Sager book ranking in the comments!

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• Thrift Books has become my go-to when I’m looking for a book and want it cheap. It’s great if you like buying used books. With this you can get a free book after spending $30!
• Shop my book lists here! You can find every book list I have on Bookshop.org (except my monthly round-ups) and I add everything I can but they occasionally won’t have some. I do occasionally add extras though. If any lists are empty, they’ll be filled in shortly! Shop my bookshop.org book lists here.

Riley Sager Books in order

• Final Girls (2017)
• The Last Time I Lied (2018)
• Lock Every Door (2019)
• Home Before Dark (2020)
• Survive the Night (2021)
• The House Across the Lake (2022)
• The Only One Left (2023)

Do you need too read Riley Sager books in order?

Do you need to read the Riley Sager books in order? Nope! There were a couple of location cameos in The House Across the Lake from previous books but it’s more of a fun thing to notice if you’ve read them. It’s not necessary knowledge though, they’re all standalones.

Riley Sager Books ranked

Now, the event you’re all here for, the official ranking of all Riley Sager books! I’m starting with my favorite and working my way down to my least favorite.

And just remember, this is my own opinion. I also think my ranking tends to be the opposite of most other Riley Sager rankings I’ve seen.

I know he’s so popular and a lot of people love all of his books, or at least most of them. And like I said, I want to like them! I’m still excited whenever the new ones are announced because they sound good and I want too love them.

The Only One Left

Synopsis: The Maine coast was shocked by the Hope family murders in 1929 and the police were never able to prove it was Lenora who did it. Since then she has never left the cliffside manor nor spoken about it publicly.

In 1983 Kit arrives to care for Lenora who is now wheelchair-bound and mute from a series of strokes. Her only way to communicate now is via typewriter, and one night she types out I want to tell you everything.

It soon becomes clear there is more to the massacre than anyone knows. But new details come about regarding her predecessor’s departure and Kit isn’t sure Lenora is as harmless as she appears.

My thoughts: My expectations were on the floor. Underground. After Survive the Night my expectations walked right out the door. I thought I was going to hate this. I wanted too like it but didn’t think I would.

Turns out I LOVED THIS! I kept guessing what would happen and I was sort of right but definitely not all the way. It sort of followed the same pattern of reveals as usual but none of them were the same as usual.

I didn’t find myself mad or annoyed at all, I was actually excited to keep reading! I even said “wish me luck!” when I started it! I love it.

Lock Every Door

Synopsis: Jules is broke and desperate for a job, so when she sees a job opening for an apartment sitter at the legendary Bartholomew in New York City, she figures why not give it a shot, but there are a few conditions: no visitors, no nights away, and no bothering the rich and famous residents.

As she gets to know the staff and residents, she finds herself drawn to Ingrid, a fellow apartment sitter who confides that the Bartholomew isn’t quite what it seems. Then, she disappears and it’s up to Jules to find the truth about the Bartholomew.

My thoughts: I kept thinking Final Girls was my favorite for so long but I actually really enjoyed this one. It was my first Riley Sager book and I was iffy on the subject but then we got the twist and that is one of my favorite things to read about.

It’s hard to talk about it without spoiling it but I really liked this one. I liked the setting. I liked the sketchiness. Overall, big fan and I’m glad this was the first book of his that I read.

Final Girls

Synopsis: Quincy, Lisa, and Sam all have something in common. They’re all Final Girls, the only survivors of three tragic massacres. They want to put their past behind them and despite media attempts, they never meet.

Things are looking up for Quincy until Lisa is found dead, wrist slit in the bathtub and Sam shows up on Quincy’s doorstep. Sam is insistent on making Quincy relive the past and when details of Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy is racing against the clock to unravel Sam’s truths and lies and, most importantly, what happened that night at Pine Cottage.

My thoughts: I was really hoping to like this one and I did! I was curious the whole time about how it was going to end. I was a big fan of the twist but I think I would have liked a little more flashback, a little less present-day.

The Last Time I Lied

Synopsis: Emma watched her bunkmates sneak out of their cabin in the middle of the night fifteen years ago, Vivian hushing her with a finger to her lips. They were never seen again. Now, she’s a successful artist turning her past into paintings. At a gallery showing, Francesca Harris-White, the owner of the summer camp, shows up, buys a painting, and implores her to return of the camp’s reopening.

She reluctantly agrees but it’s clear all is not right at Camp Nightingale as her past comes back to haunt her. History begins to repeat itself as Emma tries to uncover what happened fifteen years ago.

My thoughts: I liked this while I was reading it and then I got to the end and, shocker, was so mad. (This is a trend.) I was engaged in this, I wanted to know what could have possibly happened, how three girls could just vanish.

Then we started getting to the twists and the reveals and I could not. Then, after I finished it and thought about it more, I got even more annoyed and liked it even less. Again, I can’t get into it without spoiling so if you want to see spoiler-filled thoughts, head to this post.

The House Across the Lake

Synopsis: Casey is a widowed actress sent to her family’s lakehouse in Vermont to take a break from the spotlight and get a handle on her drinking. Instead, with a stash of alcohol and a pair of binoculars, she becomes obsessed with watching the new neighbors, Tom and Katherine, across the lake.

One day she saves Katherine from drowning but as they get to know each other, it becomes clear their marriage isn’t as perfect as it seems. Then Katherine vanishes and Casey is determined to find her. And the truth.

My thoughts: I can’t believe I didn’t hate this. I didn’t like it that much either but it was entertaining enough to finish and my expectations already could not have been lower so 🤷🏻‍♀️. I will say, I knew going in that there was something supernatural in it, just not exactly what. I didn’t like that part but I would have liked it a lot less if I wasn’t expecting it.

Home Before Dark

Synopsis: When Maggie was 5, her family moved into the infamous Baneberry Hall in the woods of Vermont. Just three weeks later they fled in the middle of the night. Her father recounted the entire experience in his book House of Horrors but her parents would never tell her what really happened.

When her father dies 25 years later, it turns out he never sold the house. Maggie has inherited it and is set on finding the truth as she renovates it to sell it. She doesn’t believe a word of what her father wrote because ghosts aren’t real but something happened there and her return is anything but pleasant. As strange things start to happen, she begins to wonder if what her father wrote was more fact than fiction after all.

My thoughts: I was into this the whole time I was reading it, fairly creeped out reading it in the dar, and then I got to the ending and was so mad. I really can’t get into why I hated the end so much without spoiling, but if you want to know, you can see those thoughts in this post.

Survive the Night

Synopsis: It’s 1991 and Charlie, a movie-obsessed college student, may be in the car of a serial killer. Her university campus has been plagued by the Campus Killer for the last few years but when Josh offers her a ride back to her hometown, she agrees.

But the longer she’s in his car, the more unsure she is about who he really is. Could he really be the Campus Killer or is it all just a movie in her mind? (ugh, gag me with that phrase.)

My thoughts: When I tell you I raged, I mean I raged. Ok, maybe not raged but I was mad the whole time I read this. I audibly scoffed and complained to myself way too much. This was not good. At all.

I really loved the idea of this but absolutely none of it makes sense. None of Charlie’s actions make sense and you’ll never want to hear the word movie again after this. I was literally mad about this for at least two days after finishing it.

And I guessed the bad guy as soon as we met them. And if I can guess that bad guy, it must be obvious because I’m never right.

I also think the only reason he set this in 1991 was so he didn’t have to figure out how to get around Charlie having a cell phone.

Upcoming Riley Sager book

His newest book, The Only One Left, just came out and we’re patiently waiting for the next one to be announced!

Are Riley Sager books good?

Sometimes? I’m an outlier in the Riley Sager fan world. While I still get excited about new Riley Sager books and will keep reading them, I don’t usually love them.

But he’s extremely popular for a reason! He writes bingeable thrillers and so many people love them, it’s worth living them a shot whether I say they’re good or not.

Are Riley Sager books worth reading?

Yes, even though I usually don’t love them. They’re fun and entertaining, if infuriating (to me). I will say, Riley Sager books are extremely formulaic.

I would only read two in a row at a time and I would read the one (or two) you’re most excited about first! Once you read two, I think, you’ll probably understand the formula which can make them a bit less exciting since you know how they work. But still read them!

Which is the best Riley Sager book?

Obviously this is entirely subjective. My answer is Lock Every Door but Goodreads says Home Before Dark is the best Riley Sager book.

Technically The Only One Left is the best according to Goodreads , but it only has 6000 some ratings so I’m not counting it quite yet.

Riley Sager FAQs

These are just some fun random questions I frequently see about Riley Sager. Question two is my favorite.

Is Riley Sager a woman? No! I read Lock Every Door and didn’t realize until the very end that Riley Sager is not, in fact, a lady.

Is Riley Sager Stephen King? I love this question. No, Riley Sager is not Stephen King.

Is Riley Sager a pen name? Yes! Riley Sager is a pen name, a nom de plume if you will. I actually just learned this in the last few months and was surprised.

What is Riley Sager’s real name? Todd Ritter is Riley Sager’s real name.

Is Riley Sager YA? Nope! Riley Sager books are adult fiction thrillers.

Do you like Riley Sager? What is your ranking of Riley Sager’s books?