Oh, how I’ve waited for another Riley Sager release this summer, and it finally arrived just as August decided to show off its hottest days. Sitting in the shade of my garden with a Coca-Cola Zero packed with ice, this book resting on my legs while nature hums around me already feels like the definition of a perfect reading day. Let’s hope this one completely blows me away.
The Unknown follows Marin Keane, a struggling actress who lands the role of a lifetime in a film based on one of America’s most chilling unsolved mysteries. One hundred years ago, five women mysteriously vanished from the isolated island of New Avalon, leaving behind nothing but five empty dresses hanging from an ancient oak tree and whispers that a séance awakened something that should never have existed.
As Marin and the cast travel to the island to prepare for filming, strange sounds echo through the woods, unsettling symbols begin to appear, and a sudden disaster leaves them trapped on New Avalon. When history starts repeating itself and people begin disappearing once again, the line between reality and the supernatural becomes terrifyingly thin. Armed with nothing but the diary of one of the original missing women, Marin must uncover the truth before the island claims another victim.
A remote island, a century-old mystery, eerie séances, an isolated film crew, and Riley Sager’s signature promise that nothing is ever what it seems… I already have a feeling this is going to keep me glued to my Kindle long after the ice in my Coke has melted.
Right from the very first pages, the atmosphere is wonderfully eerie, and I couldn’t be happier. It doesn’t just feel like Summerween—it feels like Halloween itself slowly creeping closer. It’s Augtober, autumn girlies, and honestly, what better way to celebrate than reading about witches, séances, and a creepy little island in the middle of summer?
It also gives me major Widow’s Bay vibes—and yes, that’s officially a genre in my vocabulary now.
I love the parallel between the group of women from a century ago and the women in the present. They’re not nearly as different as they first seem. The story has already delivered a few surprises I genuinely didn’t see coming, even if it hasn’t become outright terrifying yet. It’s eerie, not scary, and I absolutely love that. It’s that perfect brand of creepy-cozy that makes you want to keep turning the pages with a cold drink in one hand and the lights dimmed just enough.
Honestly, I think this might be the first time I’ve found myself hoping a thriller doesn’t reveal a human killer. I actually want this to be a true ghost story. Normally I’m the complete opposite.
At this point, I have no idea what to expect beyond the fact that history is repeating itself. But I don’t trust the crew. I definitely don’t trust Loretta or Violet. What if they’re descendants of the women who once lived on the island? What if, in order to save themselves from Azra—the demon—they’re luring these actresses here to become the next sacrifice?
I also really like the chemistry between Marin and her director. It definitely helps that he’s hot, but there’s absolutely no way I’d trust him that quickly. I’m only halfway through, so I’m incredibly curious to see where this story goes. People are starting to disappear. There’s no boat. No one is coming. Loretta is nowhere to be found. And with every chapter, the sense of dread grows heavier.
I adore the ghost-story aspect of this novel. It genuinely feels like it was written for Summerween—meant to be read on warm summer nights, out on the porch, surrounded by darkness and the sounds of nature. The atmosphere alone is worth picking this book up.
Oh… I can already see this becoming not only a five-star read but one of my favorite books of the year—right behind My Dreadful Darling, of course.
And then…
Fuck me.
This book just became so interesting.
I had a theory, and I was completely right. I’m obviously not writing it here because I hate spoilers, but wow… when that realization hit, I just sat there grinning like an idiot because everything suddenly clicked.
And that ending?
WTF.
This story is absolutely insane. It made my eyes go wide in a way no thriller has managed to do in a very, very long time. I genuinely sat there staring at my Kindle thinking, what the hell did I just read?
Without a doubt, this is my favorite Riley Sager novel to date.
Absolutely incredible.
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