La Crosse County Library discussion

Our August 2023 Book Club pick is The Only One Left by Riley Sager. Riley Sager is known for having twists galore in his books so expect some shenanigans.



The book is a gothic, mystery thriller that follows a caregiver who is assigned to work for the town's local urban legend. The woman was never convicted of the murders of her family, but the rest of the town seems to think she did it.

Kit is replacing the previous caregiver who up and left in the middle of the night while tending to Lenora can't move let alone talk due to a debilitating disease. Is Kit truly safe with Lenora, and did Lenora really kill her family all those years ago?

Tell us what you thought of the book below.

There are a lot of holds on this one! I have the audiobook held....but it will be awhile. Looks good.

Mandy wrote: "There are a lot of holds on this one! I have the audiobook held....but it will be awhile. Looks good."

I do think the book is well worth the wait. Patrons who were fans of the author's previous works but didn't like the more recent entries, enjoyed this one as well.

I am moving book cases and books, so presently I have stacks of books everywhere. Finding a particular book would take a magician. So I put this one on hold at the library. I know I have it - but until I can reshelve my books I would never find it. Hoping it doesn't take long to get it.

♥ Sandi ❣ wrote: "I am moving book cases and books, so presently I have stacks of books everywhere. Finding a particular book would take a magician. So I put this one on hold at the library. I know I have it - but u..."

I understand the struggles with book stacks so much. Hopefully you find it though!

Here are a few discussion questions to think about.


Did you enjoy the book?

The author uses a lot of twists. Did you see them coming?

Who was you're favorite character and why?

Riley Sager experimented with using the Supernatural in his last entry under this pseudonym. Would you like him to continue to do so, or are you glad he didn't in this one?

What is your favorite book by the author?

Would you like for this book or any of his other books to be adapted in video format?

Did you enjoy the book?

I ended up enjoying the book, and thought that this book was a return of form to him while also borrowing certain tropes from the genre. If I wasn't coming off of a book hangover from another book, I think I would have really like this book more than I did.

The author uses a lot of twists. Did you see them coming?

I actually did for the most part. There was one that threw me off though right until the end even though there was a small bread trail leading to it. (view spoiler)[ Of course, I'm talking about Kit's dad. For some reason, my brain kept telling me that he was too young to have been a part of the original working staff in the mansion. I should have known since his friend, the police chief(name Richard coincidentally...not), worked on the property when he was a tween. Everything else I guessed well before the reveal. I was 50/50 on who the actual grand child was too for a while. (hide spoiler)]

Who was you're favorite character and why?

Jessie and Lenora were probably my favorite characters. (view spoiler)[ I liked how Jessie was written and the ending with her makes it better. I chose Lenora well because you can essentially get two characters for one with that choice. Virginia was so witty towards the end and mentally so strong after going through so much. Lenora was one where I liked kind of how foolish and selfish she was to the point she didn't really know who did what until the very end. (hide spoiler)]

Riley Sager experimented with using the Supernatural in his last entry under this pseudonym. Would you like him to continue to do so, or are you glad he didn't in this one?

I don't mind the author using the supernatural, but it felt like such a cop out with the book he actually used it in. He uses the supernatural under another pseudonym that I enjoyed, but with this pseudonym he has always based his novels in reality with some twist that could explain events. "The House Across The Lake" didn't build to the supernatural or really give evidence of it. It seemed like the author used it in this instance because he couldn't create the big twist in the narrative and was under pressure to do so.
I was glad it was not used in this specific novel though. If the author wants to create maybe a series with the supernatural I'm all for that since I like those type of books. If in the future the author decides to use it in these standalone books, I won't be mad since he has already used it.

What is your favorite book by the author?

"The Last Time I Lied" is probably my favorite book by the author followed by "Home Before Dark."

Would you like for this book or any of his other books to be adapted in video format?

I think a lot of his books could be adapted into another medium. A few years ago I would have said a movie, but there are a lot of good mini series that adapt similar books. I could see a streaming service pick up one of his books too adapt them.

I just read this!! I felt the eeriness the darkness of the house the area...all of it. Jessie, Lenora - or Mrs. Baker....the cook, the groundskeeper..And the TWISTS - lordy there were many...I've left a review , just couldn't add it to my challenge! ( same goes for The Raven Thief!) I'm now only one book from achieving that..oh well..but I do recommend this one..--P/