Book 45 Home Before Dark – Riley Sager
This is the second book I’ve read written by Riley Sager. The first was Final Girls which I read earlier this year. Both were outstanding books. Goodreads writes this about Home Before Dark
Home Before Dark ….. is praised for its creepy atmosphere, engaging plot, and clever twists, though some readers found the ending rushed or the supernatural elements less satisfying
The Fictional Past of the House of Horrors
Home Before Dark revolves around Baneberry Hall in the woods of Vermont. The rambling Victorian Estate also known as House of Horrors. The House of Horrors name comes from the super successful memoir written by Ewan Holt which recants his family’s horror filled 28 day stay in the house. Much of the action in the memoir centered around the 8 year old daughter in the family Maggie. Maggie throughout the family’s ordeal saw abs played with ghosts and even had her life threatenedp!
Throughout the next years of her life Maggie lived in the shadows of the book. Upon her father’s death Maggie discovers he never sold the house and now she has inherited Baneberry Hall. Now Maggie returns to Baneberry Hall to renovate it for resale.
Maggie Returns to The House of Horrors – What’s Real What’s not?
Maggie has always been told that, while the House of Horrors was written as a nonfiction memoir, in truth it was fiction. However, Maggie has always questioned that because she has vague memories from the past! And now as strange occurrences start to occur straight out of the book Maggie questions what is real and what’s fiction even more.
Home Before Dark alternates between Maggie’s homecoming and chapters from House of Horrors. And Sager keeps the tension up and Maggie’s quest to determine what’s fact or fiction isn’t answered until the final pages!
Final Thoughts
Home Before Dark received a 4.17 rating at Goodreads My rating was 4. While I really liked the book I wasn’t blown away by it. At some point I had an inkling of what was happening. With that being said, the ending did surprise me. So a really good book but not a really great book! At least in my humble opinion. So Check It Out!
Post Update:
Here are Riley Sager’s Bools
Books I’ve Read
- Final Girls (2017)
- The Last Time I Lied (2018) (2021)
- Lock Every Door (2019)
- Home Before Dark (2020) (2020)
- Survive the Night (2021) (2022)
- The Only One Left (2023) (2024)
Books to Read
- The House Across the Lake (2022)
- Middle of the Night (2024
- With a Vengeance (2025)
