Total transparency, this was not my favorite by Riley. It was so slow and times and honestly all the twists were very predictable. I'm used to his writings being more horror, slash thriller but this just seems like a "locked door" thriller or an Agatha Christie novel. I almost DNF a few times but respect this author too much to do that. The ending was predictable and it was all just okay.

Again, not his usual writing style. I could be an outlier here but I didn't really enjoy it. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

three stars rounded up.

Riley Sager has yet to write a novel that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed. A train, murder, and a mystery… I thought I had the entire storyline figured out and as usual, I was wrong. 5 stars for With a Vengeance, I’ll anxiously await Sager’s next thriller!

Sager takes on Agatha Christie with a train ride to Hell!

Sager has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read "Final Girls." I promised myself that I would read and rave about everything he releases into this world, even if it were just a note written on a napkin. That's how much I love his work.

However, this latest book felt like a train ride from hell. It was incredibly boring, and I almost gave up on it several times. In hindsight, I probably should have. The story added absolutely nothing new; it felt like a recycled tale from other authors, offering no fresh perspective or originality.

Trains are supposed to move fast but this one was slow going. The concept of getting everyone on the train was intriguing, yet it wasn't enough to keep me fully engaged. The mysteries on and off the train put me to sleep. Every time I got amped up to read the story, I would read a few pages, and instantly get annoyed or bored. Why the hell was everyone's full name used every single damn time they were mentioned? I think my eyes are stuck from rolling them so much.

'With a Vengeance' was the story that I wanted more out of. Agatha Christie is screaming from wherever her soul is and she's mad as hell. I love the books from Sager but this is one I want to forget.

Riley Sager is a top-notch author. His thrillers grab the reader’s attention and demand they keep reading. Although I’ve never liked locked room mysteries with multiple people to keep track of, Riley Sager turns in a masterful story. The conclusion is satisfying and could even lead to a sequel.

Entertaining! A solid who dunnit mystery! This book isn't Sager's usual paranormal style, but I enjoyed it. I liked the MC and the time period.

Now, I love Riley Sager, he is one of my favorite authors! That being said, I don't necessarily love every single one of his books. I've loved the last few so one that would disappoint was due.

The premise of With a Vengeance gives off 'Murder on the Orient Express' meets 'And Then There Were None' vibes and I was here for it!! The book started off interesting but I couldn't get over the main characters intentions. Anna Matheson cons every person who had a hand in the traumatic downfall of her family onto a train that is travelling from Philadelphia to Chicago. She tells everyone immediately after they've left that she has all the evidence she could ever need to show their guilt and have them arrested. The FBI is waiting in Chicago to arrest them when they arrive and for the next 13 hours, everyone will suffer through a train ride together. And that was her plan! Kind of anticlimactic sounding but it soon turns deadly as people start dying and Anna is desperate to make it to Chicago in one piece. Twist upon twist keep you guessing what will happen next but it became too repetitive and made the twists lose their oomph.

I still will read anything Riley Sager writes and his books are very popular at the library so we'll definitely be ordering this! I'll just hope for a better one next time and reread his other books in the meantime!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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.

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.