Riley Sager’s latest novel The House Across the Lake follows Casey Fletcher, a famous actress and Broadway star. Following her husband’s death, Casey succumbs to alcoholism, and the recent press she’s gotten has been unflattering to say the least. Casey escapes to her childhood lake house in Vermont at the insistence of her manager Marnie, and she notices something strange going on in the house across the lake where Katherine, a beautiful former model, resides with her tech-industry husband. She then makes it her mission to uncover what’s going on in the house across the lake…even if it means invading her neighbors’ privacy.
The House Across the Lake features some of the best qualities of a truly addictive thriller novel. It’s fast-paced, it’s spooky, it’s fun, and it keeps you guessing. It’s the kind of book I wanted to get back to whenever I was working or driving or eating or doing anything other than reading this book. Riley Sager’s writing style is totally engrossing and isn’t bogged down with boring, unnecessary details. The cover is also pretty great!
There are a couple of major twists in this story. One twist genuinely surprised me. The other twist is…much less satisfying and borders on the absurd. Not to mention, the twists are revealed a bit too early – about 2/3s of the way through – which means my interest in solving the mystery waned prematurely.
I’ve seen other reviewers mention that Sager’s novel is guilty of an overused trope: an unreliable, nosy female narrator who drinks too much à la The Woman in the Window. The House Across the Lake also features many other classic thriller elements including a creepy, secluded lake setting, untrustworthy husbands, and a red herring or two. Some might call these clichés, but for me, it all kind of comes together and becomes an ode to your classic thriller/horror story. The recent TV show The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window humorously plays up on these so-called clichés. As a fan of the genre, there’s something comforting about the familiarity of the thriller novel formula.
If you’re looking for a compulsively readable mystery, I’d recommend The House Across the Lake. While it’s not my favorite book from Riley Sager, it did reignite my interest in the thriller genre. Not to mention, Casey is a badass who you can’t help but root for. Even if many of Casey’s actions are morally questionable, there’s something quite likable about a determined, justice-seeking lead character!
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