Review: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

Hardcover, 371 pages

Published July 2nd 2019 

by Dutton Books

3/5 stars

I discovered Riley Sager just this past summer. Last Time I Lied is a book I’ve been recommending, it has that nice blend of mystery, suspense and ghosty vibes. Likeable characters and an intricate plot that I loved. Home Before Dark was darker, ghostier (not really a word I know) and creepy but it still worked for me. Going through his back list I cracked open Lock Every Door and I got stuck. Reading just over 100 pages I struggled, my interest waned with the slow pace. I switched over to the audiobook and quickly loved it. A coincidence that the book pickup for? Maybe but I highly recommend the audio.

The Bartholomew is a fictional place, I can certainly envision such a place. A place for high society, mysterious and full of scandals. Jules was an interesting character with a past that she keeps close to the surface.  As weird things happen she becomes entangled in an unimaginable web of betrayal and scariness.

As for the ending...well...I don’t even really know what to say without causing a major spoiler. So suffice to say I have mixed feelings. On one hand it was unique and kinda worked, but also came out of left field. But on the other hand it irked me and if you want to know why follow this link to my spoiler on Goodreads.

Though this might not have been a perfect fit for me it isn’t enough to dis sway me from reading more Riley Sager books.

My copy obtained from the public library