I DARE NOT say more.... just read it for yourself and you can hold Jules hand as she tries to plan her escape! I don't connect to the main protagonist Jules. She was so dumb sometimes and I don't really understand what her motive was. Why does she do stupid things? Okay, she was broke. In my opinion, money is not as important as her life. I hate this cliché when the character sacrifices his/her life because they don't have enough cash. WTF? Why is it better? She will be dead, and that's all about her money. Soooo sooo feeble-minded. Holy shit this book was intense and creepy. This is my third time reading a thriller from Riley Sager, and wow this book is great, it's my new favorite.

When left unattended, Jules lights her bed on fire using a lighter dropped by one of the nurses. In the ensuing chaos, she manages to escape from the building. After the fire has been extinguished, the police investigate the building and uncover the scheme. As a result many celebrities and former residents of the building are either arrested or commit suicide and the building itself is demolished.

The revelations of the manipulations and the psychological toll it takes on Jules contribute to the psychological suspense of the novel.

Although I didn’t guess the ending, I did not find it believable. How many times can you almost escape? Also, how do you not set off any alarms? Forced to crash on her best friend's couch until she can find a place of her own, Jules is beyond desperate to improve her situation.COULD NOT STOP! I was riveted by the climax and resolution of this book. It is the most riveted I have been in a long time! Whether there we any other negatives to detract from my review of this book (and there really were not), the end was enough to make up for anything else. Gist: Rowan takes a live-in nanny job at a luxurious but eerie smart home in the Scottish Highlands. As strange occurrences unfold and tensions rise, Rowan finds herself accused of a terrible crime. This atmospheric thriller explores the line between reality and the supernatural, keeping readers on edge.

The danger escalates as she gets closer to the truth, and she realizes that her own life is at stake.The book explores themes of trust, deception, and the power of perception as Jules navigates the complex web of relationships and secrets within Bartholomew. Some of that comes from the fact that I spoiled myself for it (I have an unbelievable tendency to do that - I have seen 2 seasons of Love Island, for example, and learned who won before I even reached the halfway point), but more of that comes from this just...not working for me. I was provided an ARC copy from Penguin-Random House First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. *** This thriller was Riley Sager’s first book. It also happens to be one of my favorite books of his. It was the winner of the International Thrillers Writer Award for Best Hardcover Novel in 2018 and for good reason. Jules’ exploration of her own past and her search for the truth about herself becomes a central theme in the book. She uncovers hidden aspects of her identity and confronts her own fears and insecurities, leading to a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance.