Thank you to NetGalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first Riley Sager novel, and I unfortunately did not love it. The mystery felt fairly generic and unoriginal, relying heavily on plot twists that have taken place in famous mystery novels (particularly Agatha Christie novels). The characters felt quite flat and disconnected, so I did not feel particularly invested in the outcome. However, I did enjoy the 1950s setting and the locked door mystery aspect. It was a fast-paced and easy to read novel, but just not one of my favourites. I look forward to trying out more Riley Sager novels in the future.

*2.5 Star Rating

I absolutely LOVED this book! With a Vengeance was full of suspense, mystery, drama, betrayal, and revenge. It's also completely different from any of Riley Sager's previous books. It's a revenge thriller, locked room mystery (in this case, a train), one by one, and an Agatha Christie style who-dunnit all rolled into one fabulous thriller.

I loved everything about it, from the strong and complex characters and the love to hate ones too, the crazy twists that I didn't see coming, the train setting, and the 1950s time frame.
I was hooked immediately, and I devoured it in one sitting. Riley has a very addictive writing style that draws you right in. I've read and loved all of his previous books, and With a Vengeance is no exception.

I love how diverse Riley's writing is, I never have even the slightest idea where he's going, but I love coming along for the ride.
I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Brilliant 👏 I highly recommend.

5 well deserved stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Hachette Australia & New Zealand, and Riley Sager for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A locked room (well, locked train) mystery featuring a cast of unlikable characters you won’t mind suspecting. I liked the setup and the backstory that brought them together for their I’ll fated trip, but it dragged in parts and never fully hooked me.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!

I usually enjoy Riley Sager’s books, but With a Vengeance didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The premise was intriguing, and I kept waiting for that signature twisty moment — but it never fully delivered.

The pacing felt a bit slow in parts, and I struggled to connect with the main character. There were definitely a few tense, eerie moments, and the atmosphere was strong, but overall the plot didn’t grip me like I’d hoped.

Not my favourite from Sager, but I know others might enjoy the layered storytelling and the more subtle suspense. Still glad I gave it a go — just not a standout for me.

I love a good Riley Sager read but I felt this one fell short of the usual gripping thrillers I am used to by him. I still enjoyed the twists and turns and how the story unfolded but I felt a little less invested in the story than I usually do. This thriller is set on a train and gives off Murder on the Orient Express vibes, which I loved, so 5/5 for the setting. However, I felt the story fell short when it came to the characters, as I felt I did not care about them enough to be invested in their stories. This was still an okay read, and I liked the twists, but I just felt it did not have me hooked.

Riley Sanger’s new release With a Vengeance is the quintessential locked-room mystery (as it takes place on a moving train) and pays homage to that golden age of detective fiction. 
Unfortunately for Anna Matheson the gathering of those (she believed) responsible for the ruination and (ultimately) death of her family ends not in retribution but murder. Well, that should be plural... murders. 



This is set in 1954 just as the heyday of train travel is dissipating with other options increasingly available. 



Anna is a likeable lead though her offsider Seamus is harder to read. Her small band of traitors predominantly comprise those who once worked for her father and family, though there’s a ring-in in the form of a stowaway.



Anna unveils her plan immediately the train starts knowing those on-board have no way of leaving the train before it reaches its Chicago the following morning. 

Of course it doesn’t take long before secrets are revealed and lives lost. 



This is an enjoyable read with a satisfying but unexpected conclusion.

In 1942, siz people destroyed Anna Matheson’s family. Twelve years later, under false pretences, she has lured those responsible onto a luxury train for a fourteen hour trip. Her goal is to elicit a confession of their crimes and deliver the justice waiting at the end of the line.

But when one of the passengers is murdered, Anna’s plans are quickly derailed and it starts to seem like she’s not the only person who wanted these people on this train.

The premise of this book was great. I love a murder mystery especially when the murderer has to be someone on the train. This book however was trying to do too much. Too many twists and turns and the narrative ended up confusing and hard to follow.

thank you net galley & hachette australia new zealand for providing this digital arc!!!

riley sager is my favourite mystery/thriller author and every time he releases a new book, i’d always look forward to it. but unfortunately, this one’s a bit of a miss for me.

if you like murder on the orient express, then this one is for you. however, i thought there were way too many twists in this book that just made me go “what? another twist?”

there were so many twists and so many people involved that it got a bit too confusing at one point.

overall, 3.5 stars ⭐️

Big thanks to Hachette for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In the grand tradition of the classic whodunnit and with Agatha Christie vibes comes Riley Sager’s latest epic adventure With A Vengeance.
A locked room mystery but in this case a train, a well written, razor sharp plot with clever twists and turns.
In 1942 Anna’s family were wiped out.
Now twelve years later, Anna is seeking revenge.
She lures those responsible to board a luxury train from Philadelphia to Chicago.
An overnight journey with no stops.
Confronting them all and wanting answers.
But soon someone is murdered.
And Anna realises there’s someone else with their own plan.
Can she hunt down the killer and get the truth before the police arrest those responsible at the end of the journey…..
A protagonist with skill and you will applaud their decisions and can’t help but really like.
The setting of a bygone era luxurious train makes for a wise choice and the 1950s is a splendid time period.
I adored this book, it was such a fun read and I enjoyed the conundrum and suspense.
A wonderful story from one of the masters of thriller genre.
This one comes highly recommended and well worth a read.

pretty fast paced, decent thriller. Reminded me of “murder on the orient express” but it fazed off towards the end and all those revelations felt lacklustre to me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review Riley's new ARC.

I have read quiet a few of Riley Sagars books and find them all so different and intriguing, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into the whole murder of a train thing.
The story lacked depth and was mostly underwhelming for a murder mystery/thriller story.

Thank you Netgalley and Hatchette for this ARC.
I though this book was well executed. I loved the thought process and like the calculated movements of our main character. I really like Agatha Christie books and this was low key giving those vibes and since the chapters were in like hours countdown instead of chapter 1, chapter 2 and so on. It made the book really suspenseful like oh just more chapter. This did have some similarities to other books but still had enough uniqueness in its own right. This is my first Riley Sager book, and honestly I am eager to read more.
Solid 3.75⭐️

If you liked the movies Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Knives Out or Murder Mystery, this one’s for you.

Set in 1954, Anna invites six people on a 14-hour luxury train ride to Chicago under false pretences. No one else is aboard, just her and them. Her goal? Get them to confess to the crimes that ruined her family and hand them over to the authorities at the end of the line. But someone else has a plan, and guests start turning up dead one by one.

I’ve read/watched many closed-door mysteries, but this one really stood out. I loved how each character got their own intro chapter, diving into their mindset. It was a clever way to kick things off. The whole thing felt like a movie. If you’ve seen Knives Out, you’ll get the vibe - suspects pointing fingers, shady motives, all unfolding over one night. The luxury train setting was also a fun change from Sager’s usual backdrops. I’ve seen mixed reviews for this, but I thought this was a solid mystery. It kept me guessing and I finished it in one sitting, which always says a lot🤗

With a Vengeance was fun but unfamiliar. The setting was cool and tangible and the suspense was solid, but as a big Sager fan, the murder mystery / whodunnit just fell a little short for me. 3 stars.

I usually absolutely love books by Riley Sager however With A Vengeance sadly didn’t cut it for me. The premise sounded very promising however I found the story to be very uneventful and flat.

I would rate this book 2.5 stars. Thank you for the opportunity to review!

As Riley’s books are all so different, I’ll still be adding future titles to my TBR! Not every book is for every person after all 😊

I love me a Riley Sager and while I ate this up - I had my issues. I think the main problem here was the fact that we are coming off the back of Middle of the Night and The Only One Left, which for me, were absolute banger thrillers. I had that expectation going into With a Vengeance and eeeek I hate to say it but I was a little disappointed.
A locked room murder mystery set on a train and while the vibes were fabulous, if I wanted to read an Agatha Christie, I would have picked up an Agatha Christie?
The murder mystery, who-dunnit style of story are absolutely up my alley but I just didn't expect it from Riley and it threw me.
BUT…..at the end at of the day, it was still fun because Riley always is and I'll still read everything he ever writes.

This book feels like Riley Sager stepping into unfamiliar but welcome territory. Set aboard a luxury train in 1954, it plays out like a love letter to classic locked-room mysteries, particularly those of Agatha Christie. The isolated train setting is used effectively, and the structure of the story, including how the characters are introduced, echoes that golden age feel.

The pacing is fast, which keeps things engaging, and it felt like the pace was accelerated by the idea of train travel without escape. Something about that made this immersive and quite compelling. While the characters do react to the chaos around them, they also seem in some scenes to accept the escalating danger with surprising ease. That tonal mismatch left me feeling like the stakes weren’t always fully realised. Still, the protagonist's evolving plan, one that begins with control and slowly unravels into uncertainty, works well and creates a good emotional focal point. It was cleverly written and I felt the unease with the protagonist.

The twists are fun, even if a couple of them stretch believability, but that type of twist suited this book. I think one key detail might have been given away too early, which slightly dulled the impact of the later reveals. That said, the book keeps up the momentum, and for fans of classic mysteries, there’s plenty to enjoy.

Overall, this is one of Sager’s more unique outings, and a successful one. Engaging, fast-paced, and structured with intention, it’s a solid entry for readers who enjoy murder mysteries with a vintage flair.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely a different one for Sager. A reaaaal slow burn of a mystery. And while it was fundamentally good, it wasn’t my kind of mystery. I like something with a little bit more pace that keeps me on the edge of my seat a bit more.

There are 6 people locked on a train who were involved in a crime committed in 1940 and on their one way trip (as people start being murdered) they have to work out who is actually behind it.

It’s an interesting story but not my favourite Sager story.

With A Vengeance
Riley Sager

‘Revenge is fleeting.
Vengeance lasts a lifetime.’

This had more twists and turns than a windy country road. I may have sustained whip lash with all the back and forth and the speculation on just who was the killer was brutal, everyone had their time as a prime suspect.

"Don't you see? She brought us here to murder us. This trip-this night-is her chance for revenge, and it's been a long time coming."

One train. No stops. A deadly game of survival and revenge.

“Well, it had to be someone on this train," Anna says. "And since we're the only people on it, that means it was one of you."

Anna falsely lures people she holds responsible for her families demise onto a luxury train from Philadelphia to Chicago. Fourteen hours non-stop to confront the people who’ve wronged her, get them to confess and deliver them into the hands of waiting authorities. But Anna’s well laid plans quickly start to derail with the murder of one of the passengers.

"For the past year, every thought, every action, every damn minute has been spent preparing for this night. And now it's all gone to hell."

This creates a locked room environment with a cast of characters who all have means and motive, as the train barrels across the country.

"A man did just die while drinking a martini you mixed,"

I didn’t love that this was set in the 1950s. And quite possibly this heightened the feeling I had when reading, that this is too similar to Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express.

"Be careful," Sal had warned. "Boys will break your heart without a second thought."

Review posted 27th May.

A thriller missing most of the thrill.

With a Vengeance seemed like the kind of book that would be a blast: a closed-space caper (they're on a train! For 12 hours! With no stops!), everyone is guilty of something, the main heroine isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. This had all the makings of an epic, twisted whodunit.
Unfortunately, I just found the whole thing to be quite dull.

It was much too slow paced for my liking, and the chosen writing style just didn't work: every character gets a point of view chapter and every single one of them spends that chapter overthinking and rehashing exactly what action just occurred and then detailing in minute detail to the reader how that made them feel and why. There was just too much tell and not enough show in this one.

Hopefully my next Riley Sager will be better, we shall see.