-12% 🔥 Bestseller The Only One Left — Gothic

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The Only One Left

Name: The Only One Left
Price: 28.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780593183229

✍️ Riley Sager

Reader Score

4.4

(6 reviews)

$28.00 ~~$32.00~~ Save $4.00 (12%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A caregiver uncovers dark secrets from a 1929 massacre while caring for a mute woman in Maine.

The narrative structure alternates between the present day of 1983 and the events of 1929. Kit McDeere serves as the primary viewpoint character, observing Lenora’s deteriorating physical state. The typewriter acts as the central mechanism for plot progression and revelation. Sager utilizes the confined setting of Hope’s End to heighten the sense of dread. The story examines how historical trauma persists through generations. It questions the reliability of memory and official records regarding unsolved crimes.

Key Themes

unsolved family murders unreliable narration gothic isolation

Literary Context

The novel is set in Maine, referencing the real-world cultural memory of the Hope family murders. It engages with the Lizzie Borden archetype, a staple of American true crime folklore. The story bridges the gap between the 1929 massacre and the 1983 present day.

Riley Sager

📚 all books by this author (30) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · Daphne du Maurier · Tana French · R.L. Stine

🏚️

Gothic

🏛 Dutton 📅 2023 📖 383 pages 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9780593183229

📝 Description: The Only One Left

Riley Sager crafts a gothic chiller set in Maine, focusing on the Hope family murders of 1929. The narrative centers on Lenora Hope, who was accused of hanging her sister and stabbing her parents decades ago. She has remained isolated at Hope’s End ever since. In 1983, home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives to care for Lenora, who is now in her seventies and confined to a wheelchair. After her previous nurse fled, Kit begins tapping sentences on an old typewriter with Lenora. This device allows the mute woman to communicate her side of the story. The plot unfolds as Lenora offers to reveal everything about that bloody night. Her account challenges the schoolyard chant that has defined her life. However, details regarding her predecessor’s sudden departure raise doubts. Kit begins to suspect Lenora is hiding the complete truth. The tension grows as the seemingly harmless woman in care reveals herself to be potentially dangerous. Sager, a New York Times bestselling author, draws on Lizzie Borden-like historical echoes to build suspense. This book suits readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with gothic atmospheres and unreliable narrators. It may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions. The story relies on the claustrophobic dynamic between caregiver and patient within a decaying cliffside mansion.

💎 Our verdict on The Only One Left

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Riley Sager crafts a tense gothic chiller centered on the Hope family murders, using a dual timeline to explore historical trauma. The confined setting of Hope’s End heightens the dread as caregiver Kit McDeere uncovers secrets through a mute patient’s typewriter. While the atmospheric build-up and unreliable narrator elements are well-executed, this book may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions. It relies heavily on claustrophobic dynamics and psychological tension. Readers expecting traditional horror staples might find the pacing deliberate. However, fans of psychological thrillers with gothic atmospheres will likely appreciate the nuanced examination of memory and unsolved crimes within a decaying mansion.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy atmospheric gothic chillers and psychological suspense will find this book compelling. The narrative offers a unique perspective through the confined dynamic between a caregiver and her mute patient in a decaying cliffside mansion. Sager effectively utilizes the typewriter as a plot device to reveal hidden truths about the Hope family murders of 1929. This structure allows for a slow-burn investigation into historical trauma and unreliable narration. Those who appreciate detailed character studies within isolated settings will engage with Kit McDeere’s growing suspicion and Lenora’s deteriorating state. The book provides a tense, claustrophobic experience that focuses on psychological dread rather than action, rewarding patience with a deep dive into the persistence of past sins.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you crave atmospheric mysteries rooted in New England gloom and unreliable narrators, this is your next obsession. However, readers craving breakneck pacing or pure supernatural horror will likely find the slow-burn psychological tension too sluggish for their taste.

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 6 reviews

Ashley C.

May 28, 2026

Kept me up

First order from this shop. Read it in two sittings; the second one ran past midnight. Five stars from me.

Emily M.

February 20, 2026

Worth the read

Took a chance on it after reading the description here. The binding held up to being carried around for a week. It is the kind of horror that rewards reading with the lights on. Good, with the caveats above.

Matthew D.

July 20, 2025

Finished it over a stormy weekend, which helped. Good introduction if you have not read this author before. One of my better finds this year.

Carol M.

July 3, 2025

Good addition to the shelf

Not my usual subgenre but wanted to branch out. The ending is bleak and honest, not a twist for the sake of one. My only quibble is that the middle third sags a little. Still worth having on the shelf.

Tom V.

April 8, 2025

Solid horror

Arrived quickly and well packaged. The dread is in the pacing, not in gore, which is exactly how I like it. The cover feels thinner than expected.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, it is a psychological thriller. While it features gothic atmosphere and eerie settings, the horror stems from human deception and mental manipulation rather than actual supernatural entities.

The protagonist communicates through an old typewriter while mute, creating a claustrophobic intimacy between her and her caretaker. This device drives the plot as secrets are slowly revealed letter by letter.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Riley Sager taps into the enduring American folklore of domestic tragedy, echoing the sensationalized trials of Lizzie Borden to craft a modern gothic tale. By setting his narrative against the backdrop of Maine’s isolated winter landscapes and the timeless fear of the caretaker’s betrayal, he bridges classic slasher tropes with literary suspense. This work continues the tradition of exploring how historical trauma festers in isolation, proving that the most terrifying monsters often wear the masks of the helpless.