The Only One Left

[Vicki Willis]

Join us for a buddy read beginning July 27. Read at your own pace and use spoiler tags.

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

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

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

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

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

[Vicki Willis]

I started this one on audio and so far it is really good. The narrator is very good too.
30% in
I like how the story is being told (view spoiler)[The current timeline and then Lenora telling her story from the past on a typewriter one key at a time. The house is spooky and I like the descriptions he uses about it and think it being tilted is a cool touch. (hide spoiler)]


One thing that is funny is that I am unintentionally reading 2 books at the same time that have a similar format of an older character retelling the past through writing.
This one and Gone Tonight are told in a similar way.

[Kristie]

I may come back to this discussion later. I have the book, but can't read it right now. I'm in the middle of a couple of others. It sounds so good though! Looking forward to seeing what you think of it.

[Elyse]

I have 2 books at 65% and 75% so I'll be finishing those and then starting this one. I haven't read a Sager in awhile!

[Kristie]

I've actually never read Sager. A few of his books have ended up on my TBR, but I haven't gotten to them yet. This will be my first.

[Elyse]

I finished my 2 books and have read the gripping prologue!

[Trisha]

oooh I'm so excited to start this. I have 2 to finish and then I'll start, planning for tonight to begin!

[Elyse]

I read up to Ch. 16 (34%) yesterday. It's chilling! (view spoiler)[I love when the house is also a character! Who could Kit possibly be seeing in Lenora's room? It just reminds me of Verity, IYKYK! So Kit may not have actually killed her mother but it was definitely assisted suicide and I am a support of assisted suicide when it deems necessary. You should absolutely be able to die peacefully if you are suffering, IMO. I did like how that unraveled, you didn't immediately know that it was her own mother, you just knew it was a patient she was caring for. Brilliant storytelling! (hide spoiler)]
I will probably finish this today because I need to know what's happening. lol

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

I read the first few chapters last night and I’m hooked. I’ll try to finish this weekend.

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

10 chapters / 100pgs

The vibes of this house! Spooky. I'm hooked.

(view spoiler)[
Ok so.. there's no way she could havedone this right? Like physically? And if she did somehow do it, then why?

Where is the artist? And Mary? Why did the housekeeper come back?

This house is so creepy! Not just the murders. I don't know if I could handle staying in a house that's so close to tipping into the ocean that it's noticably slanted...

(hide spoiler)]

[Vicki Willis]

53%
(view spoiler)[ the plot thickens with the BABY. Is Carter the baby?
Poor Mary, where is the suitcase.
I love how the house cracks and shifts right at the moment to distract.
I wouldnt be able to stay in a cracked up, falling down house. (hide spoiler)]

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

24 ch / 200 pgs

(view spoiler)[
I totally saw the baby coming.

Archie seems like a red herring.

Is this going to be some stupid thing odlf someone didn't die? Or a Verity thing of ok actually she can walk?

(hide spoiler)]

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Done

(view spoiler)[ I called parts of this one, but not all of it.

Some stuff felt like a stretch like Kit's dad being Ricky. I had a hard time figuring out how the ages of everyone worked out.

Lots of loose ends too.

Overall though, I really enjoyed it!

(hide spoiler)]

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Vicki Willis wrote: "53% ..."

(view spoiler)[
Yes! How could anyone live there?!
(hide spoiler)]

[Elyse]

Shruti morethanmylupus wrote: "Done [spoilers removed]..."

(view spoiler)[I also had to keep doing math and keep reminding myself that the book's present day was 1983. And when the events in 1929 happened, they were all like 15-17 🤮. And I HATE the "fake paralysis for 50 years" plot device. NO ONE WOULD EVER DO THAT. That ruined the book for me, honestly. (hide spoiler)]

[Elyse]

I finished on Thursday and have just been stewing. lol. I was disappointed.

[Kristie]

Oh no... Can you post any reasons spoiler free?

[Elyse]

Nope! lol

[Kristie]

lol! Ok..haha. I'll get to it eventually, but I may push it down my TBR now. I'll have to see what the other ladies have to say about it.

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Elyse wrote: "Shruti morethanmylupus wrote: "Done [spoilers removed]..."

[spoilers removed]"

@ Elyse ...

(view spoiler)[ it felt derivative. It's basically Verity again and I was worried about that as I was reading. That and the someone didn't actually die which again was the case. I did otherwise enjoy it so I'm thinking 3.5 stars but idk if I'll round up or down yet. Still stewing on it.

(hide spoiler)]

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Kristie wrote: "lol! Ok..haha. I'll get to it eventually, but I may push it down my TBR now. I'll have to see what the other ladies have to say about it."

I'm thinking 3.5 stars but idk if I'll round up or down yet. Still stewing on it.

[Trisha]

late but finally here. starting now! Already lowered my expectations! lol

[Trisha]

11 chapters / 26%

I'm loving it so far

(view spoiler)[ but so far I think Mary is dead
and I think the Housemaid did it. lol

I wonder if she also killed her fiance.

I also wondered if she was really the older sister and not the maid, she only took over her life because they were close in age, but really, I don't know anything yet. Maybe the dad was attacking/raping her?

Kit. I like her so far. I think Lenora might tell her things because they were under the same suspicion - both having killed their family
but Lenora's lack of being able to go outside or, really, do anything, makes me think the housekeeper is the one keeping her locked down and controlled. Is she keeping her from talking? hmmmm (hide spoiler)]

so far I'm hooked but still keeping my expectations in check lol

[Vicki Willis]

I finished.
(view spoiler)[
I agree. I did not like that she FAKED paralysis for 50 years, but I didn't HATE it. Al the other aspects of the book were so good and I loved the house. But I agree that there is no way someone could fake that level of incapacity for any amount of time, much less 50 years.
I found it hard to keep doing the math too and trying to figure out when "present day" was.
But then at the end, I see why she did that. Because she was 101 when she died.
I am trying to decide how to rate it because if it had had any other type of reveal, I would have gone 5 stars. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki Willis]

The more I think, the harder it is to rate.
I guess I go with 3 stars. Was considering 4 because I loved the house and how it was like a character. I also liked how the information was rolled out.

my review

[Trisha]

22 chapters

eek. so many spoilers I can't click yet! lol

(view spoiler)[ Okay, so I'm feeling pretty confident that the woman watching over Lenora is her sister. Still might be wrong, but that's my guess

hmmm. . .pregnant?! that's a twist I didn't see coming. I wonder how that will play in to everything. I don't think Mary was her long lost daughter but I'm not sure where the baby went. . .is that what all the blood was from on her nightgown?

the gardener (I think that's who Ricky is) does sound mad but he seems like a pretty okay guy. I'm not buying that he killed them yet.

However, that definitely makes me wonder about Lenora. NOW she has more reason to have killed them. The baby might have died and she might have lost it. They also might have wanted to give the baby away and/or disown her for having the child. a lot of scenarios might have her killing her parents if the baby died too. hmmm. . .this is such an interesting twist. not sure how it plays out yet. (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

33 chapters

(view spoiler)[ Oh my gosh, there is no way I'd stay in that house! I'd be Jessie - I'm not falling into the sea for any job!

Interesting that she finally got Lenora out in the sun and the lady didn't kick her out. I'm still not sure who she is - is she the original lady? is she the sister?

And Lenora. I really hope she can't secretly walk. that would definitely lower my rating - depending on how it is revealed. Like, why she faked it. Because she's had a horrible life and it could have been avoided if she could actually walk and talk. (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

and I'm done

I liked this one! Lots of twists at the end!

(view spoiler)[ I didn't mind this conclusion at all
Kit's dad was a local after all! I never guessed it was him or that he'd been involved all three times! I did find it weird he'd arrived and tried to get her to go home, I didn't think it's because of all the things he did! Yikes!

I love that Virginia actually got away and that she was capable of walking and talking. I love that she ended up getting to meet her granddaughter and live life after that awful house!

and wow! all that she went through. I was okay with Lenora and Ricky (Kit's dad) staying in the house. the thing really was cursed and seemed to bring them all down. It wasn't until Virginia got out that she was free.

and Jessie. I love that she was tied to it too! I love that she left and then came back for her. I was curious about the taped books and wondered why they didn't just buy audiobooks but if she was giving her messages, then that makes sense!

good, entertaining and I didn't guess most if it! loved it! (hide spoiler)]

[Kristie]

I did finally get around to reading this one. I had a hard time deciding between three and four stars. I found it to be a quick, entertaining read, but you had to suspend your disbelief a lot.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Elyse]

Kristie wrote: "I did finally get around to reading this one. I had a hard time deciding between three and four stars. I found it to be a quick, entertaining read, but you had to suspend your disbelief a lot.

My..."

For reallll on the disbelief! 🤣

[Kristie]

A lot, A LOT!! lol

[Tasha]

Oh, I have this one on hold at the library but I think I may put it off to the side. I'm not one for needing to suspend a lot of disbelief. I'm ok with some if it's not terribly obvious but it sounds like this one might be a bit much.

[Tasha]

Actually, I'm reading other reviews at the moment and I think I may keep it on hold and just see how I feel when it gets here.

[Kristie]

Yes, you might say something like, "Oh, come on!" at the end. lol Which was disappointing because it was otherwise so entertaining.

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

This seems to be happening to me more and more with this author vs older books. With this one, I was mostly just disappointed. Could have done so my more with the Lizzie Borden theme than was actually done in the end and a lot of the twists were derivative of other popular thrillers.

[Tasha]

I am appreciating these comments. thanks!

[Elyse]

My short but opinionated review. lol