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Cover of The Only One Left by Riley SagerThe Only One Left
New · Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

The Only One Left

by Riley Sager
2023 · 397 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In 1929, the Hope family was murdered in their mansion on the cliffs of the Maine coast, and seventeen-year-old Lenora Hope was blamed, though never convicted. In 1983, Kit McDeere, a caregiver with a dark past of her own, is assigned to look after Lenora, now old, paralyzed and unable to speak. Lenora can still type, and she wants to tell Kit what really happened.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a gothic thriller full of twists in a crumbling house.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

There's violence and twists to the very end.

By the numbers

70.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Goodreads Choice (mystery thriller) finalist (2023)

Reads as

Gripping, Dark

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is The Only One Left worth reading?

Yes. It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #1,230 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Only One Left about?

In 1929, the Hope family was murdered in their mansion on the cliffs of the Maine coast, and seventeen-year-old Lenora Hope was blamed, though never convicted. In 1983, Kit McDeere, a caregiver with a dark past of her own, is assigned to look after Lenora, now old, paralyzed and unable to speak. Lenora can still type, and she wants to tell Kit what really happened.

How long does it take to read The Only One Left?

About 10 hours (397 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Only One Left?

If you liked it, try The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier or Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak.