Title: THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE
Author: RILEY SAGER
ISBN: 9781399700597
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Pages: 349
Source: Private Copy
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving.
Official Summary
21 September 2026
Riley Sager has once again shown me just how unpredictable his writing can be. The House Across the Lake started out really well and had me completely invested in the story. I was enjoying it so much and couldn’t wait to see where Sager was going to take things. And then came the twist that left me thinking, What has just happened?
Unfortunately, that particular plot twist did not work for me. I was loving the book up until that point, but the direction the story took completely lost me. I know Sager isn’t afraid to take his stories in unexpected directions, and that unpredictability is part of what makes his books so interesting, but this time the twist simply wasn’t for me.
Sager puts his protagonist, Casey, in an almost impossible situation. She has recently lost her husband and is struggling with alcoholism, leaving her vulnerable and unreliable. Then she becomes convinced that she has witnessed something terrible happening across the lake. With her own problems and her drinking making it difficult to know whether she can trust what she is seeing, the story immediately creates a fantastic sense of uncertainty.
I was so excited to see where this was going. There was something incredibly compelling about watching Casey become more and more involved in what was happening across the lake, while at the same time questioning whether she could trust her own eyes.
Casey was probably my favourite part of the book. She was a brilliantly flawed character, and Sager did an excellent job portraying her drunken moments. I could picture her stumbling around, making questionable decisions and trying to piece together what was happening. She wasn’t always easy to like, but she was certainly easy to become invested in.
The setting also worked really well for me. I loved the lake and the sense of isolation it created. There was something wonderfully unsettling about being surrounded by water, with Casey watching the house across the lake while having no real idea what was happening over there. It created exactly the kind of atmosphere I enjoy in a thriller.
Eli and Boone were also well-drawn characters, and I enjoyed the way they fitted into Casey’s increasingly complicated world.
For the majority of the book, I thought this was going to be another Riley Sager winner for me. The atmosphere was great, the characters kept me interested and the mystery had me wanting to read just one more chapter.
Sadly, the ending changed that for me.
Despite my disappointment with the final part of the story, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the book. In fact, I enjoyed most of it. I was completely invested in the mystery and genuinely wanted to know how everything would come together. It was just the direction Sager chose to take it that didn’t work for me.
This is one of those books where I wish I could separate the ending from everything that came before it, because there was so much I loved. The setup was brilliant, Casey was a fascinating protagonist, and the lake setting was perfect.
Unfortunately, for me, it was an awesome story that was ultimately ruined by an ending that didn’t work.
I’m still very much a Riley Sager reader, though. His books are unpredictable, and even when a twist doesn’t work for me, I appreciate that he is willing to take risks and surprise his readers. This one just wasn’t the Sager book I wanted it to be.
Also By Riley Sager
WITH A VENGEANCE
One train. No stops. A deadly game of survival and revenge.
In 1942, six people destroyed Anna Matheson’s family. Twelve years later, she’s ready for retribution.
Under false pretenses, Anna has lured those responsible for her family’s downfall onto a luxury train from Philadelphia to Chicago, an overnight journey of fourteen hours. Her goal? Confront the people who’ve wronged her, get them to confess their crimes, and deliver them into the hands of authorities waiting at the end of the line. Justice will at last be served.
But Anna’s plan is quickly derailed by the murder of one of the passengers. As the train barrels through the night, it becomes clear that someone else on board is enacting their own form of revenge—and that they won’t stop until everyone else is dead.
With time running out before the train reaches its destination, Anna is forced to hunt the killer in their midst while protecting the people she hates the most. In order to destroy her enemies, she must first save them—even though it means putting her own life at risk.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, most recently With a Vengeance, Middle of the Night and The Only One Left.
His novels have been published in 40 countries, with more than 4 million copies sold worldwide. His latest book, The Unknown, will be released on August 4.
A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
Thank you for visiting and reading my review. I apologise if my review spoilt this one for you. I will soon be sharing a review of The Unknown, Riley Sager’s new book which is a brilliant read. Keep an eye out for that one.
