I absolutely love reading Riley Sager, I believe I have read all of his novels. Many of his stories surprise the reader with twists well towards the end of the book that totally flip the narrative in a completely different direction than what seemed to be unfolding. This novel was no different in that aspect, but the ending will likely pull on your heartstrings more than some of his previous works.
It's 1994 and best friends Ethan and Billy have set up their trusty orange tent in Ethan's backyard for a sleepover, something the boys have done many nights since they became friends. However, this time Ethan wakes up to Billy's empty sleeping bag and a gaping hole slashed through the side of his tent. A search ensues with no luck and Billy is never seen again.
Thirty years later Ethan returns to his childhood home to aid his retiring parents that have moved away from New Jersey to a warmer climate. What Ethan finds in his old cul-de-sac of Hemlock Circle are just more haunting memories of his once friend that he is unable to escape from. Strange occurrences begin to happen around Ethan adding to his recurring nightmare of the night that changed his life, the night that Billy went missing and Ethan was left with no memory of what had happened.
Much like his former novels this book will keep you guessing to the end, with enough twists to make you feel dizzy by the sad but satisfying conclusion. What I really enjoyed about the book was the nostalgia is brought for me as a 90's kid. I remember camp outs in the back yard with my best friends and ouija board sessions in the basement that would creep us all out well into the early morning hours. I recommend this one! It may seem like a slower burn kind of story but it is well worth the read! It may also reinforce that unsupervised tent sleepovers in the backyard were maybe never the best idea?🤣#90'sera #backyardsleepovers #horrornovels #rileysager
