THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One of USA Today's Best Books of 2020
“A haunted house story—with a twist….[Sager] does not hold back”(Rolling Stone) in this chilling thriller from the author of Final Girls and Survive the Night. Every house has a story to tell and a secret to share.
Twenty-five years ago, Maggie Holt and her parents moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. Three weeks later they fled in the dead of night, an ordeal her father recounted in a memoir called House of Horrors. His story of supernatural happenings and malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and skepticism.
Maggie was too young to remember any of the horrific events that supposedly took place, and as an adult she doesn’t believe a word of her father’s claims. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When she inherits Baneberry Hall after his death and returns to renovate the place and sell it, her homecoming is anything but warm. The locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous, and human characters with starring roles in House of Horrors are waiting in the shadows.
Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place where unsettling whispers of the past lurk around every corner. And as Maggie starts to experience strange occurrences ripped from the pages of her father’s book, the truth she uncovers about the house’s dark history will challenge everything she believes.
I've read all of Sager's books from his very first debut, and I must admit that this is my favorite book of his so far.
Home Before Dark is an eerily suspenseful ghost story full of thrills and chills. The book starts out really strong by serving up some awesome creepiness to the plot, and finishes with twists that had me flying through the pages. I particularly liked how the narrative style alternated between chapters of the book mentioned in the story, and the present plot story itself. The transitions were excellently crafted which really added depth and character to the book overall. Riley Sager definitely did an excellent job with this one! I can't wait for more of his work in the future.
My favorite books by Riley Sager listed in order: 1. Home Before Dark 2. The Last Time I Lied 3. Lock Every Door 4. Final Girls
