4.5* Riley Sager has created another whodunit with multiple twists and suspects. Aboard the Phoenix train, traveling from Philadelphia to Chicago, are six suspects and Anna. She has lured them aboard with invitations, but little do they know she will deliver them to authorities at the end of the journey for the downfall of her family. In 1942, Anna's family was destroyed and twelve years later she sought justice. Nothing goes as planned. One of the passengers is murdered because someone else must be seeking revenge. As Anna hunts for the killer, she must protect the ones she despises for her justice. It becomes complicated and there isn't anywhere to go or without knowing who is the killer, she suspects them all.
"One train. No stops. A deadly game of survival and revenge."
Quite entertaining and mysterious. I love Riley Sager. I'm not a fan of train books, but he set it up well. It is fast paced, which is a plus.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Riley sager is such a hit or miss author for me but this one was a huge knockout of the park!

One of the best locked room mysteries I’ve read in a long time with twists and turns that just kept coming! I was questioning everyone and in the end didn’t see it coming!

Loved loved loved and can’t recommend enough

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc! Riley Sager has easily become one of my favorite thriller authors, I was SO excited to receive this advanced reader copy of his new book!

I loved how fast-paced this story was, and the setting made it even more ominous to read. This book takes place over the course of one night on a 12 hour train ride with limited passengers. It is very much so a who-done-it type of story line that makes you want to keep reading more! The plot was addictive and so thrilling to follow… I am just unsure of how I felt about the ending of it all, that’s where I hesitate to give it a full 5 stars. It had aspects I could guess, but also couldn’t, so it was a mix of predictability and shock.

Overall though, I highly recommend to all lovers of thrillers, Riley Sager, and addictive, fast-paced plots!

Riley Sager's With a Vengeance is a high-stakes, claustrophobic thriller set aboard a luxury train in 1954. The novel follows Anna Matheson, who orchestrates a journey from Philadelphia to Chicago to confront six individuals responsible for her family's ruin in 1942. Her plan for justice is upended when one of the passengers is murdered, revealing that someone else aboard has their own deadly agenda. ​

The train setting amplifies the tension, creating a locked-room mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Sager's narrative is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the final pages. However, some readers have noted that the multiple perspectives can be disorienting, and certain plot developments may feel familiar to fans of the genre. ​
NetGalley

Despite these critiques, With a Vengeance offers a compelling blend of suspense and character-driven storytelling. Anna's quest for retribution and the unfolding mystery aboard the train make for an engaging read that will appeal to fans of classic whodunits and modern thrillers alike.

I've read all of Sager's books and always look forward to his new books - this is not one of his best. It's a quick read but it seems like the "train took a long time to reach the station." Thanks for the ARC.

So many red herrings, plot surprises, and unexpected revelations- all on a train barreling to Chicago!

While the story is interesting and the setting is fun - very Agatha Christie - this is not my favorite Riley Sager story. Revenge turns to several murders when these 8 people come together on a train journey.

Overall, I found this to be a rather lackluster, melodramatic mystery that relied a bit too heavily on obvious tropes. By the time things began to get interesting, I was already underwhelmed by the characters and didn't really care what happened to any of them. The unrepentant Nazi was certainly a choice of a character as well. I hated all of them and didn't care whether they lived or died. The twist lacked originality and felt like a reuse of Sager's debut. Multiple narrators can help in a novel such as this, however it was done in a confusing manner where the narrator change happened out of nowhere and detracted rather than added to the plot. I know that Sager has faced a lot of criticism and I respect his attempts to take the feedback and attempt to put out what some of his audience is asking for, however as someone who loved his early works this attempts at change have made me wary of new releases and justifiably so.

Anna Matheson’s family was ruined by six people so what does Anna do? She anonymously invites them all on a train ride…a deadly train ride. Anna plans to confront these people and then turn them into police when the train arrives in Chicago except that doesn’t go as planned. From the opening of the book, we are presented with one dead passenger. From there the story starts in the past, when each passenger boards the train. Riley Sager is one of my favorite authors and this was a good, quick paced book but I feel the passengers on a train is an overdone trope so I was also slightly disappointed with that plot/setting. Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy!

This book and the previous one have just not been as good as Riley's other books. Anna invites all of these people onto a train to get revenge for their part in ruining her family. Turns out other people on the train want the same thing and people end up dead. I literally read why they were on the train, and turned to the back to see whole the killer was. Just not that interesting.

Sager does it again with his wild twists and action packed mystery. I finished this in one sitting. Couldn’t get enough.

In With a Vengeance, Riley Sager delivers a gripping locked-room mystery set on an inescapable train ride. Anna Matheson pulls the strings to bring six people to their downfall—but when someone else strikes first and one of them ends up dead, Anna suddenly finds herself playing detective. Sager’s writing is sharp and clever; he practically dares readers to solve the puzzle before the final page. With fantastic character development and an atmospheric, unforgettable setting, this is a must-read for fans of locked-room mysteries. With a Vengeance is a total winner—and it’s bound to bring Riley Sager a whole new group of fans.

Not the best Riley Sager book I have read. I didn't feel much of a connection with any of the characters, so I wasn't really hurrying to the end to see what was going to happen with any of them.

3.5 TY to Net Galley and Penguin Dutton Group for the ARC. What I loved: the setting on a train is impeccable along with the seclusion that brings. What I didn't love: any of the characters or the plot twists that come at you like a machine gun in the end. I still love Riley but this is not a favorite for me.

Another excellent Riley Sager book! I enjoyed the unique setting of the story, would make a great winter read!! Excellent pacing and characters.

Anna Matheson had lost her father, mother and brother at the hands of Kenneth Wentworth. Anna's father, Art Matheson, had built a luxury train called the Philadelphia Phoenix. Kenneth wanted to take Art's train from him and destroy him. Art had won a military bid to transport 37 soldiers, her brother included. The engine was defective at Kenneth's direction, and all 37 died. Kenneth Wentworth had it in for Art And he saw to it that the train was sabotaged. He also paid off four people who were close to the Matheson family to participate. He disgraced Art and saw to it that he was arrested and he was killed in prison. Anna's mother was devastated by the loss and she committed suicide. Anna's, Aunt Rhetta had received documentation in the mail that proved her father was innocent. Her aunt told her that she had the proof and that it would find her. A man named Seamus found Anna and gave her the proof. She sent it to the FBI in Chicago and told them that she was going to bring the five people responsible. So she booked all of the seats on the Philadelphia Phoenix and invited the five players along with Seamus to ride to Chicago. They didn't know the invitation had come from her. And by the way, Seamus's brother had been among the 37. So he was in cahoots with Anna.

Seamus had told everyone to meet in the first class lounge at 8:00, which is where they learned that Anna was behind it. She made the announcement that they were headed to Chicago to meet the FBI. She told them that they would be arrested and spend the rest of their lives in prison. She also told them that she had proof of what they had done. Everyone was there except Kenneth Wentworth. His son Dante came in his stead. Anna was furious about that because Kenneth was the ringleader.

They had 13 hours to travel and during that time three people were killed. Try your state may, they couldn't figure out who the killer was. There had been one more person on the train, Reggie, who was a member of the FBI. He didn't identify himself as an FBI agent, but he told them that he had purchased a train ticket and he had accidentally gotten on the wrong train. As the bodies began to pile up, Reggie decided to reveal who he really was. And it turns out, his father had been on the debacled train.

This book had all of the elements of the perfect whodunit. And what I loved most about it was the fact that there was more than one culprit and they were who you would least expect. I thought the author did a fabulous job telling the story and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved each and every character and they were well developed. This is a story I thoroughly enjoyed and I would love to read more by this author. I gave it five stars.

This was such a fun ride (see what I did there) and masterfully intertwined old train mysteries into a new tale. This is a fantastic who dun it, and keeps you guessing until the very end.

I've read many a Riley Sager and once again, he has put out an absolute, fast paced, page turner. I was able to read this book in just one sitting. I enjoyed the vibes and the setting of this novel. Some of the scenarios may be a little out there, but this is a fiction novel we're talking about and the action is no more goofy than you would see in a tv show or film. The story is supposed to take place in 1942 but some of the situations and dialogue can read a little modern in my opinion. Overall, this isn't my favorite Sager novel but I had a decent time reading this book!

I did not like this book. I found it to be pretty ridiculous to be honest. There were moments I enjoyed, but I overall was very underwhelmed by this. And when the reveals were happening at the end, it didn't spark any interest or surprise in me. I'll still continue to pick up Sager's work, but this was a disappointment to me.

This one is for the Agatha Christie fans! This book felt Agatha-esque with the vibe of traditional whodunits, while this author adds his own modern twists to keep readers on their toes.

The book’s strongest asset is its atmosphere—the snowy setting and sense of claustrophobia heighten the tension from the start. The pacing is quick, and the “race against the clock” urgency keeps the pages turning. It’s a story that’s easy to get swept up in, especially for readers who enjoy a high-concept mystery that doesn’t overstay its welcome.

However, some elements may divide readers. Character development takes a back seat to plot mechanics, and while the setup is compelling, the twists might feel more familiar than fresh for seasoned thriller fans.

That said, this is a fun, bingeable read—perfect for a snowy weekend or a plane ride. Recommend to readers who enjoy fast-paced thrillers with a touch of retro mystery flair, or anyone looking for a quick escape with a strong sense of place.
I won’t be selling it in my store as it wasn’t particularly memorable, but I’ll recommend to friends personally!