July 2022 Standalone BOTM - The House Across the Lake, by Riley Sager

[Alaina]

The New York Times best-selling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night (“a master of the twist and the turn” - Rolling Stone) is back with his most unexpected thriller yet.

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.

With his trademark blend of sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy surprises, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake unveils more than one twist that will shock readers until the very last page.

**This BOTM thread will be open until August 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[christene_littlelibrary]

25% (view spoiler)[ At the first 25% of the story idk how many drinks the MC drinks everyday lol mixed drinks all day. (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

50% (view spoiler)[ Idk if its because the MC is alcoholic but its kinda creepy spying on your neighbors. But can't blame her behind those big glassy house i would also be interested! (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

75% (view spoiler)[ Okay wow didn't expect that coming all characters can be suspect at first behind Katherine's disappearance but that creepy story about the lake turns all the guessing! and with Len's secrets revealed! So sick af (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

100% (view spoiler)[ Finished! and confused. lol its kinda like the woman in the window story! But idk about the ending! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Will start this tomorrow!

[Kira]

22% : (view spoiler)[Nothing substantial happened till now it seems other than the fact mentioned that Royces were there when the girl vanished from Lake Morey, Katherine’s husband looks like a suspicious character and I don’t know where the story is moving at this point (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

40% : (view spoiler)[I am gonna be so mad if there is something completely different going on and NOT what we are made to believe. There were moments that I thought Katherine was deliberately trying to give Casey the idea that Tom might harm her. Katherine herself could be wicked enough to post the photo from her account to make Casey think otherwise. (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

64% : (view spoiler)[Sheeeshhhh Boone’s phone ringing gave me chills, I wonder what if the person Casey is interrogating in Now chapters isn’t Tom at all but rather Boone? His wife’s death was suspicious after all and he jumped into investigating Tom wayyy too fast, plus Casey’s mom freaking out when she heard about cops made me doubt Casey herself (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

82% : (view spoiler)[WTH? Why is there this ghost element in this book? I don’t like it at all. Len turning out to be the serial killer was a surprise but everything other than that deflated my mood tbh, I would have liked it better if Casey had killed him for her own reasons rather than doing right by those girls, maybe I just wanted the evil to show yk? (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Finished: (view spoiler)[I am feeling a bit disappointed ngl, everything wrapped up way too nicely for a thriller novel and it was even a happy ending of sorts, I was expecting a bit more terror and nail biting suspense. The paranormal element absolutely downgraded the book for me. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

I read this via audio which I thought was amazing btw, but my comments will be off because I don't have accurate timestamps only chapter titles lol..

2nd Now (view spoiler)[ Oh man poor Casey. Seems odd she's staying at the place of her husbands death but I guess grief makes us do crazy things. Wonder if she's going to see something she shouldn't at her neighbors across the way. Wonder if Catherine is having an affair with Boone? (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

4th Now (view spoiler)[OMG wait so is Boone the killer? Wow I was assuming it was Catherine's husband this whole time! (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

6th Now (view spoiler)[OMG what is happening? I'm really wondering if I'm going crazy or are they making Casey think she's crazy?!?!?! Ahhh this is crazy. I'm losing my mind because every Riley Sager book has me thinking there's a paranormal aspect but it's usually always explained away. How can this be explained away??? AND OMG SHE KILLED LEN, did not see that coming at all! (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Finished (view spoiler)[Wow I loved this. RS gets me every time and I have yet to be disappointed. Still can't believe not only was her hubby the serial killer but he was also body-napping those in the water close to death. Like I can't process it all lol. Glad Wilma is letting it lie with no one knowing what Casey did. Still this sucks. I can only imagine what her mother would say after the fact smh!!!! (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Kira wrote: "22% : [spoilers removed]"

I def had him pegged as guilty of something lol

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Christene Paula wrote: "75% [spoilers removed]"

Neither did I. Think that's why I like this author so much, there are always so many twists turns and unexpected things happening.

[Alaina]

Today is the LAST day to participate in this BOTM.