[Book Review] Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager is a tale that begins with a bang and will keep you anxiously reading as you try to guess what is going on in the Bartholomew.

I had previously posted my initial thoughts on this novel, but now that the publication day has arrived, I’m so excited to share more of my thoughts!

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts About Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Lock Every Door was so interesting and quite dark!

I absolutely loved that the story begins with a high-stress situation that shows you that something bad clearly happened. The storyline after that is organized in a way that jumps back and forth between the current timeline, and the days leading up to the scene in that first chapter. When the two timelines catch up to one another is when the tale gets even more intense.

I really enjoyed that the beginning of the tale focused on the characters and their relationships. All along, and mostly because of that first chapter, there was a strong mysterious, as well as a to good to be true, vibe lingering beneath the surface.

Only when Jules breaks one of the rules of the job, does the mystery begin to really develop. It’s clear that something is very, very wrong. But what, exactly, is going on?

We follow Jules as she carefully investigates.

While reading, I was so anxious to see what was going to happen next! This is certainly a roller-coaster ride of a story!

I really enjoyed the main character, Jules. She was in quite a difficult situation upon entering the Bartholomew. As the story progressed, she struggled with getting over her past, but she was so strong throughout!

I especially loved one scene where her ex showed up. How she spoke to him was perfect. Far too often, these types of scenes make me really angry because the characters let the interaction get to them too much and they cave or dwell on it for far too long. I was so happy to see Jules stay strong and angry!

I found it so interesting to learn little bits and pieces about the other residents of the building. This was written in a way that definitely added to the mysterious vibe!

Once I reached the end of the novel, so many things fell into place. Such as why one woman always wore sunglasses for just one quick example. This is definitely a story that I need to reread soon!

My Favorite Passages from About Lock Every Door

Her voice is champagne bright and just as bubbly.

Every so often, life hands you a reset button. When it does, you need to press it as hard as you can.

I’m sure some would say it’s my own damn fault. That is was my responsibility to build an emergency fund. At least three months’ salary, the experts say. I would love to backhand whoever came up with that number. They clearly never had a job with take-home pay that barely covers, rent, food, and utilities.

Memories lurch out of nowhere. Leaping on top of me until the sidewalk turns to quicksand beneath my feet.

It’s a beautiful afternoon. Mid-sixties, sunny and clear. It reminds me of my childhood. Of pumpkins and piles of leaves and trick-or-treating.
It also reminds me of my mother, who adored this time of year. She called it Heather weather, because that was her name.

Compared with the rest of the building, the basement is downright primitive, with walls of bare stone and support beams of concrete. It’s cold down here, too. A rush of cold air hits me as soon as I step out of the elevator. It feels like a warning.

There’s always a moment when worry turns to fear, he’d said. That’s when you should have called.

I wake with a jerk on the crimson sofa in the sitting room, the nightmare clinging to me like sweat. I can still smell the smoke and hear the blare of the fire alarm. It’s as if I’m not awake at all but simply caught in another, similar dream. The smoke tickles my nose and throat. I cough.
That’s when I understand what’s going on.
This isn’t a dream.
It’s really happening.

My Final Thoughts on About Lock Every Door

I absolutely loved this tale. I was so wonderfully paced and well written. A must-read for darker mystery fans!

Out of his three novels so far, this one felt the darkest to me. So of course, I cannot wait to see what Riley Sager does next!

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