Incredible book. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. Sager packs so much into one night on a train. Twists and turns in every chapter! This book had me gasping and yelling out loud. Everyone needs to add this book to their 2025 TBR list right now.

In his upcoming novel With a Vengeance, Riley Sager shows his range! This book reads like a classic murder mystery, a nod to Queen Agatha Christie herself. But it's certainly got plenty of Sager's signature propulsive plotting and whiplash-inducing twists.

Sager is a titan in the thriller genre and for good reason! Each of his books are unique from one another. He's doing something fresh and interesting in each and every one and really exploring all facets of the genre. It's impossible for me to pick an absolute favorite of his books, but With a Vengeance is certainly up there! Out 06/10!!!

First of all, I know I am in for a treat with any Riley Sager book. Second, I want to book a train ride and re-read this book again to get the full twisty, creepy experience. I predict this will be a top five thriller released this year with everything a reader could possibly want from thrills, chills, and twists and turns. Definitely Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express vibes! With a Vengeance will take you on the ride of your life. Perfect for book club!

Riley Sager is an absolutely amazing writer and With a Vengeance is now at the top of the list as one of my favorites. The multiple points of view are written flawlessly. The twists and turns a long the way will keep you second guessing until the very end. Please please please do yourself a favor a read this as soon as you possibly can!

4.5 stars, rounded up to a 5.

Riley Sager hits it out of the park with a thrilling murder mystery for fans of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, Clue, or Glass Onion.

My Quick Takes:
- 4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️‍🔥 closed-door (past)
- Content 🤔 death, violence, murder, same sex relationship

Adding this into my top 3 favorite Sager novels. I loved the forced proximity, all the POVs, and how it seemingly bridged the gap between cozy murder mystery and thriller. Having the plot set in the 50’s gave it an edge of nostalgia that I enjoyed as well. Additionally, it had flashbacks to the ‘40’s and WW2, making it a great option for historical fiction readers that may want to expand their reading horizons.

In true Sager form, the twists and turns keep coming. Everyone is a suspect and Sager continually lured the reader into a false sense of security. I’m 0 for 9 on being able to figure out the ending of Sager’s novels and that’s just the way I like it.

I cannot read this as intended as NetGalley will not allow me to open it up on my Kobo and I refuse to use Amazon for anything.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was soooo boring. I am used to thriller mixed with a lil horror from this author. This was not that. What it was was a wannabe Agatha Christie mystery set on a train. Except I didnt care about any of the characters or their motivations. The plot was so convoluted, I cannot. This was honestly enough to make me hesitate to pick up Sager’s future work. Giving it two stars because the writing was decent.

Oh my gosh! I love Riley Sagers books and was so excited to get an ARC copy! This was such a fun read
Lost of twists - I read this so quickly!

He’s back, baby! @riley.sager ate and left no crumbs with this one.

It was such a fun read, very claustrophobic, very twisty - something would be revealed and then, “but wait, there’s more” would happen. I read this in one sitting, and for fans of clue, murder on the orient express, and locked room thrillers, I think you will enjoy this one! I do think this was different than his other books, but I can’t explain why without ruining it, so… you guys will see!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Thank you @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review. PUB DATE: 6/10
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An interesting premise, but an uneven read, this had all the makings of an Agatha Christie-style mystery—an atmospheric, historical revenge thriller set on a luxury train with a killer on the loose. The premise was strong, but the execution didn’t fully draw me in. The pacing felt uneven at times, and I struggled to stay completely invested. Anna had potential as a protagonist, but she felt a bit distant, and the mystery itself didn’t grip me as much as I’d hoped.

Riley Sager is an author I continue to read, even though none of his books have completely blown me away, and this one was no exception. Still, there were some well-done moments of tension and a few twists that kept things somewhat interesting. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, this could be worth a read, but for me, it was just okay.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing an eARC of With a Vengeance prior to publication.

3 stars

In 1942 Anna Matheson’s latest fe was destroyed when her family was stolen from her. Now it’s 1954 and she is ready for revenge.

She brings together those responsible onto a train, and not just any train, but one that was the crown jewel of her father’s company. As the train makes a non-stop, overnight trip from Philadelphia to Chicago she will confront each of the perpetrators before delivering them to law enforcement at the end of the journey. Unfortunately there’s a killer on board who has other plans.

Riley Sager books always sound so good when described but I’ve often found them disappointing. This one was OK, though I wish he had made some sort of effort to make the book read as if it were actually set in 1954; but for the fact that it takes place on a train the rest reads like this happened yesterday. Also, Anna? Not the sharpest tool in the ol’ train house. No real surprise this didn’t turn out like she planned. However, I do like books set on a train….for another good one to be published soon check out 6:40 TO MONTREAL.

I loved this book, a different style for Riley Sager, but so good! Laid in the 1950’s on a train, a locked room mystery with an Agatha Christie feel.

...𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦, 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.

How far would you go for vengeance? Would you take another's life? Would you let the desire for retribution slowly poison you over the years? Anna Matheson has waited 12 long years. Six people are responsible for the downfall of her family and the deaths of those she loved the most, and they've gone unpunished--until now. "Revenge is a dish best served cold," the saying goes, and for Anna, she's planned every last detail.

Anna lures these people onto a luxury train from Philadelphia to Chicago, a non-stop, overnight journey of fourteen hours. Her goal, however, is not to execute these people. She plans to confront them in the safe confines of the train, get them to confess their wrongdoings, and smugly deliver them into the hands of the proper authorities when the train arrives in Chicago.

However, her plan falls apart when she finds a passenger murdered. Soon, it becomes clear that someone on board has their own personal vendetta, and they're not interested in delivering the guilty to the proper authorities. They only have one thing on their mind, and that is vengeance.

I really enjoyed the locked room aspect, the twists and turns that were perfectly executed, but most of all, I loved the moral dilemma presented. Would you put yourself in harm's way to save the lives of the people you abhor the most, and if so, what's your motivation? Is it to preserve the dignity of human life or to ensure these people stay alive to atone for their crimes? In addition to being a stellar thriller, I think readers will appreciate the depth in this plot.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/Dutton for this early copy. This book is expected to publish June 10, 2025.

Riley has done it again! Anna sets out on a train ride of revenge. All of the people who ruined her family and whose actions caused the deaths of her parents and brother are on the train. She has invited everyone under false pretenses and has a non stop train ride to Chicago at the end of which the fbi will be waiting to arrest all of them.. if only they all survive the train ride. What unfolds is an into to all the characters and and then things start happening - stabbing, shootings, and whiplash galore about who is involved in the happenings and why. I relate found myself liking Anna her goal was just to get justice but along the way there was retribution, understanding about the past and layer by layer the truth came out. Everytime I thought it was wrapped up another surprise happened. Loved this one by Riley.

This book, a classic "whodunit" set in 1954, on a train, felt like Film Noir. Just like some of those old films, the plot wears thin in places, and there are some "wait, that couldn't have happened...", but it was a fun read, with some really surprising twists and turns.
Anna Matheson's family was torn apart deliberately. She has spent 12 years plotting her revenge on those responsible.
Anna sends out invitations, unsigned, but with information sure to lure those people onto a luxury train going from Philadelphia to Chicago, nonstop. What they don't know is that there are no other people on the train, other than the engineer who has been paid off. Anna's goal is to confront them one by one with the hard evidence her late aunt left to her. Things go wrong almost from the start when one of them ends up dead. Someone else has plans for these people, and unless they discover who it is, they will all be dead by Chicago.
If you're a person who likes to read books analytically and look for mistakes, you might find plot holes in this book. But if you read strictly for a good story and a fun time, you will enjoy this ride!
expected release: June 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

With a Vengeance is an EXQUISITE book. Each character had depth and a story and I loved trying to work it out every step of the way. The plot is simple enough to understand while also being so so engaging and fun. What I most need to say about this book is: Riley Sager is able to accomplish something with his writing that is so unique and special. I have tried to capture the same feeling in so many other thrillers and nobody manages to shock me like Sager. This book is a uniquely Riley Sager read, which to me means: fun, engaging, with twists and turns that leave me giggling and gasping. I absolutely loved this book!!!!!

Riley Sager does it again! This is giving Clue & Murder on the Orient Express. I was changing my guess for who the killer was every other chapter and in the end I was still wrong!! Such an incredible story.

This premise ws great - I love a murder mystery where everyone is trapped in one place. Make it during the 1950s on a beautiful overnight train? Even better. I read this in about 24 hours -- the very end was a little much for me (re: a particulr job offer), but other than that I really enjoyed it!

Riley Sager's new book is a mix of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes set on a train in the 1950's. By far my absolute favorite of her books she has written, the ending was absolutely perfect! An absolute must read for thriller and crime solver lovers!

Twelve years after her family’s destruction in 1942, Anna Matheson is ready to exact her revenge. She deceives the six individuals responsible for her family's downfall into boarding a luxury train for a fourteen-hour journey from Philadelphia to Chicago. Her plan is straightforward: confront her adversaries, extract confessions, and hand them over to the authorities waiting at the journey's end to ensure justice is served.

However, her meticulous plan unravels when one of the passengers is murdered. As the train hurtles through the night, it becomes evident that another passenger has their own vendetta and intends to eliminate everyone on board.

With the clock ticking, Anna must track down the killer while safeguarding those she despises most. To triumph over her enemies, she must first protect them, even if it means risking her own life.

I loved the time frame and setting of this book, it was a classic locked-room thriller. While parts of the book were predictable, I enjoyed this fast-paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for this ARC!