I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager Also by this author: Final Girls, The Last Time I Lied, Lock Every Door, The House Across the Lake
Published by Penguin on June 30, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Horror, Psychological, Suspense, Thrillers
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Goodreads
Every house has a story to tell and a secret to tell. When Maggie was young, she lived with her parents in a Victorian mansion in the Vermont. They only lived in Baneberry Hall for three weeks before fleeing in terror in the middle of the night. Her father, Ewan, recounted their terrifying tale in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. Though she had no memory of what happened that night, the repercussions of her father's book has haunted Maggie for the last two decades. After her father passes away, Maggie learns he never sold the home after they fled. Even worse, she's now inherited the ominous home. Maggie's father urged her never to return to Baneberry Hall, but as a restorer of old homes, she can't resist. Always the skeptic, she plans to simply renovate the home and sell it off. The past always comes back to haunt you...and soon Maggie finds herself attempting to uncover secrets that are more terrifying than she could have ever imagined.
This is one of the books of the summer you cannot miss, the very kind of book I’ve been seeking. I love a good haunted house tale and this one certainly reeled me in. Told in alternating time periods/points of view, Sager weaves a completely mesmerizing and expertly crafted thriller. The reader follows Maggie as she rediscovers her childhood home, while simultaneously witnessing the saga as it unfolded twenty-five years ago, through her father’s book.
The setting Sager creates is dark and chilling. You sense the dread and the fear as you read, spine tingling and skin prickling throughout the entire book. I rarely liken things to horror greats like The Haunting of Hill House, but this one definitely has some similarities. The house comes alive, in a sense, telling the story that must be told. The pure terror, no matter what the cause, contained within the walls of the home.
Unlike many horror greats, Sager’s female characters are not weak or afraid. They are true heroines. This is one of the many qualities of Sager’s titles I appreciate the most. While I have enjoyed all of Sager’s titles, this one takes the lead as my favorite. A horror and thriller all in one; the makings of a perfect book, in my mind!
Turn off all the lights. Lock all the windows and doors. This is a tale you’ll want to read in one sitting. Highly, highly recommended.
