The Only One Left, Riley Sager

 

The Book

This book is based around a made up rhyme, chronicling the terrible deeds of a teenaged girl. 

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

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

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

Kitteredge "Kit" McDeere is offered a job as a caretaker to an elderly lady who just happens to be the town's version of Lizzy Borden, or so the rhyme goes. The lady suffered a number of setbacks during the years and is now confined to a wheelchair. Apparently the only movement she has is in her left hand. So, taking up where the previous caretaker left off, Kit rolls Lenora up to the typewriter and reads what the lady writes. 

It's supposed to be a full accounting of what happened that night, 50+ years ago. Halloween, 1929 to be exact. But Lenora might not be telling the truth. Kit's predecessor left in the middle of the night without telling a soul. Kit herself is under suspicion of murdering her own mother. So, is Lenora clearing her name, or is she confessing to Kit, the only person in town she believes will understand her? Kit can't be sure. And worse, when she discovers her predecessor didn't leave, but has been dead all along, Kit knows there's a killer on the loose. The question is, which one did it? 

My Thoughts

I purchased this book for the cover. Being a novelist, I wanted a book that sold well and had a dramatic cover. Boy did this book deliver. It wasn't until I started reading the book that I read any reviews. One of the most memorable said, "Like most other Riley Sager books, this one has two plot twists too many." 

I can't prove to you that Sager, or rather, Todd Ritter, has taken Jane Cleland's Mystery Mastermind classes, I've never taken any of them. But I can tell you, that this book is almost precisely structured as she recommends. It's my belief she honed her plot twist pacing and her theory as to what counts as a plot twist in these classes. I just know I've seen it in her free versions. And I can tell you this book checks off that list precisely. I know, I just got the list the day I started reading this book. What a fun game to play along while reading. 

Here's the rub, I was down with the book. It's creepy, it's got a house literally falling off a cliff. Tons of lies. Tons of reasons for people to lie red herrings galore. Sifting through fact and fiction in this world was pretty twisty. Certainly, Todd has taken a few devices from Agatha Christie as well. He has her gift for authentically crafting parallel plot points. But, it does have too many plot twists. I put down the book, finally done with it and felt...cheated. I don't know if it just has two too many plot twists, or if the last two, well two of the last three plot twists, were just really, really lame. 

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

I did the bad thing here. I purchased this book for its cover. I have a book where the major setting is a house, and this cover is dramatic. Book was full priced, (you're welcome Todd). And this was the last time I purchased a full priced book. It took me nearly 2 years to get to reading it. The 384 page novel is in what I guess is a mat print? IDK, the cover felt super weird a picked up finger prints like something fierce. I'm shipping this book to my friend after Christmas, but I don't think it was worth the $18.00.

This Book                                                        $00.00

Library Items Reviewed This Year                $685.98

Private Books

This Book                                                       $18.00

Total of Private Books                                    $85.88

Total of All Items Reviewed This Year         $771.86

Still Here? 

 I am now a published author. You can pick up a *FREE COPY* of my novella The Big Intersection here.