Like clockwork, each summer Riley Sager releases a new standalone thriller. While he’s made his name with horror-tinged novels like Lock Every Door and Home Before Dark, he’s never been afraid to push into new territory. This year’s release, With a Vengeance, may be his boldest departure yet. Instead of haunted apartments or eerie estates, Sager gives us a classic locked-room mystery in the style of Agatha Christie, set in the 1950s, aboard a train hurtling down the tracks, where a murder leaves every passenger a suspect. It’s a familiar setup, but one I couldn’t wait to see Sager twist into something of his own.
Anna Matheson has been seeking justice for her family ever since six individuals destroyed their lives back in 1942. Justice, of course, is never easily won. For twelve years, Anna has been carefully plotting her revenge, and tonight her plan finally comes into motion. She’s lured those responsible onto a luxury train bound from Philadelphia to Chicago, an overnight journey with no escape. Once trapped together, she believes they’ll have no choice but to confess, and when the train pulls into the station, the authorities will be waiting.
But the best-laid plans rarely hold. A murder aboard the train threatens to derail everything. Someone else is on board, and they're pursuing their own brand of revenge. The first victim is only the beginning. Suddenly, Anna finds herself in an unthinkable position protecting the very people she despises, all while racing to unmask a killer. After all, she can’t have her vengeance if her enemies die before they confess.
With a Vengeance feels like the most straightforward mystery Riley Sager has ever written, and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that. I’ve come to expect original plots from him, filled with wild twists and at least a touch of the spooky or supernatural. While there are some clever reveals here, much of the story feels a bit too familiar. I also never fully connected with Anna as a main character. With nearly everyone else on the train painted as awful people, it was tough to root for anyone.
Maybe I’m being too picky. I do admire that Sager refuses to repeat himself, and with that approach, it makes sense that I’ll enjoy some of his books more than others. Taken on its own, With a Vengeance is a respectful homage to a bygone era of mystery writing. It didn’t thrill me in the same way some of his other novels have, but it’s still a perfectly fine, classic-feeling whodunit.
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(2025, 71)
A homage to a bygone era of mystery writing....alas I did not really read those bygone mysteries either
ReplyDeleteI like the classics just fine, but I was hoping for more from this one.
DeleteSorry it wasn't a great one.
ReplyDeleteIt happens. I liked it enough to finish it, so it's not all bad. Just a bit unexpected
DeleteEven though this isn't like his other books, I'm looking forward to reading this one. I do like that vintage-y Golden Age mystery feel, and I'm always in for a fun locked room (or train) mystery.
ReplyDeleteIt's still a fun read, just not as good as some of his other books.
Delete"Taken on its own, With a Vengeance is a respectful homage to a bygone era of mystery writing."
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Murder on the Orient Express with a twist (no investigator but a woman who must protect the very people she despises). I guess this one might work better for me than your typical thriller, since I love Christie and the likes...but you're more of a modern-thriller guy 😉.
That's a fair assessment!
DeleteI haven't read anything by this author before but have several on my list. It's too bad that this book wasn't as good as his previous ones.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed his last book, but this one wasn't my favorite.
DeleteThis sounds a lot like Murder on The Orient Express, but I loved that story so maybe I'd like this one, too? Then again I was underwhelmed by his last book, The Only One Left. It was like a poor imitation of The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James, a book I loved.
ReplyDeleteI think "pale imitation" is too harsh, but it all does feel both familiar and not as good at the same time.
DeleteThe scenario sounds all too familiar, so I can see how it left you feeling meh about it. I hope their next novel brings more of what you enjoy from them.
ReplyDeleteSager is usually a hit for me, so I'll chalk this one up as a rare miss.
DeleteI feel the same! I still gave it four stars because I loved the feel of the book, the atmosphere and the era. Not my most favorite of his books, but he did this particular familiar plot well I think.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for a fresh perspective on the familiar story. Otherwise, I’m not sure what the point is.
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