Survive the Night by Riley Sager

Survive the Night by Riley Sager
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Surviving the Night was a rollercoaster ride worth taking! Charlie’s best friend Maddy was murdered by the so-called “Campus Killer.” Charlie, lost in grief and guilt, chooses to leave university and return home. Feeling like she needs to flee as quickly as possible, Charlie enlists a stranger’s help to make the long drive home. However, the strange man that took Charlie’s offer so eagerly could be a dangerous psycho or a knight in shining armor. 

Thrillers these days, whether novels, film, or television, struggle to create a story that has depth, emotion, and real suspense - it’s a difficult genre to find success in. Oftentimes, we rely on cheap thrills, random twists, and frequent plot holes in order to create and maintain suspense. I was so relieved while reading Survive the Night that this book did not fall victim to this trend! 

I must be honest and say that in the beginning, as we meet Charlie, I was very skeptical. Immediately we learn about her past, which is riddled with trauma. Without spoiling anything, I will say that Charlie has a very interesting coping mechanism for when her brain is overloaded by stress. It is a coping mechanism that causes her to float in and out of reality. For the first 100 pages, I felt very neutral about the story. My feelings were that the characterization and portrayal of mental illness and trauma responses was rather dramatized. By 150 pages in, my feelings changed and I was hooked. 

Every decision, twist, and plot device in this story is intentional. The suspenseful energy is maintained until the very end and the character development gives this story the emotional depth that thrillers often lack. The ending was exactly what this story needed. It was well thought out and planned - every twist made sense and aided in enhancing the narrative as well as the experience for the reader. 

Survive the Night is a highly recommended book! It was absolutely superb! Great characters, great twists, great story, and great writing. I am definitely looking forward to further exploring the rest of Riley Sager’s catalogue!