Home Before Dark cover art

Home Before Dark

A spine-tingling, totally gripping thriller

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Home Before Dark

Written by: Riley Sager
Narrated by: Cady McClain, Jon Lindstrom
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About this listen

 'Clever, twisty, and altogether spine-chilling. . . . [A] deliciously terrifying story. . . .You'll want to read this one after dark, ideally with the wind whistling in the eaves and a window banging somewhere just out of reach. But keep the light switch handy. You just might need it' Ruth Ware, Book of the Month

What was it like? Living in that house.

Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into a rambling Victorian estate called Baneberry Hall. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a memoir called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon.
Now, Maggie has inherited Baneberry Hall after her father's death. She was too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father's book. But she doesn't believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don't exist.
But when she returns to Baneberry Hall to prepare it for sale, her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the pages of her father's book lurk in the shadows, and locals aren't thrilled that their small town has been made infamous. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself - a place that hints of dark deeds and unexplained happenings.
As the days pass, Maggie begins to believe that what her father wrote was more fact than fiction. That, either way, someone - or something - doesn't want her here. And that she might be in danger all over again . . .

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

One of . . .

Huff Post's "10 Of The Most Anticipated Book Releases Of June 2020" - Good Housekeeping's "The 35 Best Books of 2020 to Add to Your Reading List" - Travel + Leisure's "20 Most Anticipated Summer 2020 Books" - PopSugar's 17 Most Anticipated Summer Thrillers - Working Mother's "The 20 Most Anticipated Books of 2020" - Newsweek's 20 most anticipated summer reads - Publishers Weekly's "Summer Reads 2020" - BookPage's "2020 Most Anticipated Thrillers and Mysteries" - Today.com's "16 highly anticipated summer reads" - The Star Tribune's "Great Escapes" summer reads - BookPage's "Private Eye July" - USA Today's"Summer reading guide: 20 new books you won't want to miss" - CrimeReads "10 New Books Coming Out This Week" - Buzzfeed "17 New Thrillers That Will Keep Your Summer Exciting" - The Everygirl "30 Books That Should Be on Your Summer Reading List."

(P) 2020 Penguin Random House Audio©2020 Riley Sager Amateur Sleuth Horror Mystery Psychological Supernatural Thriller & Suspense

Critic Reviews

Praise for Final Girls
Great . . . If you liked Gone Girl, you'll like this
Fantastic
A terrific read
Praise for Home Before Dark
Holy moly, I haven't been that shocked by a twist in quite some time. I actually laughed aloud when the big reveal came-because I was so delighted to have been so fooled. It's hard to write a book that's equal parts fun and frightening but Sager has done just that-and thrown in impeccable plotting for good measure. If you liked The Haunting of Hill House, you're going to love Home Before Dark. Addictive and atmospheric with a twist you definitely won't see coming
A dark, frightening and twisty story that you won't be able to put down. Read with the lights on!
Clever, twisty, and altogether spine-chilling. . . [A] deliciously terrifying story . . . You'll want to read this one after dark, ideally with the wind whistling in the eaves and a window banging somewhere just out of reach. But keep the light switch handy. You just might need it
One of my favorite thrillers of 2020. Scary! Addictive! Shocking!
What could be better than a haunted house with ghosts aplenty? Home Before Dark is equally superb and terrifying. Buckle up for a wild ride. This book should come with a warning not to be read after dark
Flawless pacing, a dexterous dual narrative, and character through the roof. But the biggest revelation to be found in Home Before Dark is this: There's nobody writing scarier books than Riley Sager is right now
I'm a sucker for a haunted house story and this one has all the best ingredients and more. Loved the brilliantly fresh twist at the end. Terrifying
A fantastic modern take on the classic haunted house story. The pacing was also pitch perfect and the story kept me guessing right until the reveals
Home Before Dark has more twists than you can shake a ghost at . . . an unforgettable horror book of intelligence and chills
All stars
Most relevant
I didn't expect to finish this book in a single sitting! Loved every moment of it.

Gripping thriller!

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Didn't feel bored for even a second. Brilliant pacing and excellent storyline. Great performances by the voice actors. Truly didn justice to the book.

Absolute joy.

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Home Before Dark is a chilling, atmospheric listen that blends haunted house suspense with a layered family mystery. Riley Sager keeps the tension high by alternating between past and present, and the dual narration really adds to the immersive experience. While the story leans on familiar haunted-house tropes, the twisty reveals and eerie mood make it hard to pause. Not quite perfect, but a gripping, entertaining listen that horror-mystery. I enjoyed it.

Enjoyable Listen. Gripping and Suspenseful.

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lot of interesting twists ,for sure a very good pick... everything dint make sense so well and typical riley master piece

wonderful read

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I enjoy books with a gothic old-house setting, and this one was quite engaging. The narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. Riley’s books are easy reads, and I appreciated the smooth, fast-paced, and fluid writing here. That said, the ending could have been stronger.

A decent thriller

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