Dnf on chapter 9 at 18%

I’ve noticed a pattern in the past when it comes to Riley Sager books. If I dislike one then his following book ends up being enjoyable. Unfortunately, that’s not the case this time.

I’ll start with the positive. The premise gives And Then There Were None vibes.

I found the talks about the mechanics of the train boring and the typing errors were off putting.

An enjoyable locked room mystery written in the style of a period Agatha Christie. This was my first book by Riley Sager and although it seems to be very different from their others, I would read more by them

Riley Sager leans fully into the mystery genre for this locked room murder mystery about a group of passengers trapped on an overnight express train in the 1950s who are being picked off one-by-one.
With an array of suspects - all with their own motive for the crime - it's a bold departure from Sager's usual horror edged thrillers but a novel that will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie.

Much anticipated arc of Riley Sager ‘With a Vengeance’ thanks to NetGalley and no disappointment’s in this read. Having read all of Riley’s previous books I knew the kind of thing to expect but this one was a different style from the usual horror thriller. I love the Agatha Christie style of writing that comes from this book it was a nice change.
This book had me gripped from the very start what’s not to love about a train journey with people being questioned to find who destroyed Anna’s family and then a murder! As the accused are the only passengers on the journey it leaves a small number to work out whodunnit!
Great style of writing and great depth to the characters I really loved style of writing taking me back to the Christie era.
Don’t expect your usual Riley but you will still walk away shocked and surprised !

Nothing could go wrong when Anna invites the people she believes killed her family and wronged her father to join her on a train voyage to Chicago, right? When visitors begin to pass away, it becomes a locked room mystery on wheels. Is there another passenger on the train? Can any of these individuals commit murder? When they finally make it to Chicago, what will happen? An exciting journey that I was unable to put down. A really exciting fast paced thriller.

With a Vengeance by Riley Sager delivers a suspenseful, locked-room mystery that pays clear homage to the golden age of crime fiction—think Agatha Christie with a modern edge. Set aboard a train, this whodunnit sets the stage for a tense and atmospheric ride where no one is above suspicion, and everyone has something to hide.

What really worked for me was the setup: a classic confined-space mystery with just the right number of characters to keep things intriguing but not overwhelming. Sager does a solid job of giving each character their own motives and quirks, adding layers to the puzzle without bogging it down.

That said, the pacing in the latter half of the book starts to lose steam. What begins as a gripping, page-turning ride becomes a bit repetitive as the story unfolds. The suspense starts to stretch thin, and some plot points feel like they're circling the same tracks, which dulled the impact of the final twist for me.

Still, if you're a fan of Christie-style mysteries with a modern twist, this one’s worth checking out. It's not perfect, but it hits some nostalgic notes in a fresh setting that mystery lovers will appreciate.

Anna invites six individuals to board a night train from Philadelphia to Chicago. She ensures they are the only passengers in one of the carriages and intends to force confessions from each person for destroying her family. But then one gets murdered, and, before she can return to her plan, Anna has to put aside her hatred of the others to find the killer.
This was quite different from the horror/ psychological thriller titles by Riley Sager that I've read. As befits its 1950s locked room setting (the sleeper carriage), the novel is written in the narrative style of a golden age mystery and it's ideal for fans of the genre.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

On publication, I will post my review on my blog and GoodReads.

#WithAVengeance #NetGalley
Riley Sager’s With a Vengeance is a razor-sharp, high-stakes thriller that blends classic noir vibes with pulse-pounding suspense—set entirely aboard a luxury train speeding through the night. It’s 1954, and Anna Matheson is a woman on a mission. Twelve years after a group of powerful individuals ruined her family during the war, Anna orchestrates a clever plan to lure them all onto a lavish overnight train from Philadelphia to Chicago. Her aim? Justice—cold, calculated, and legal. But justice quickly turns to chaos when one of the passengers is murdered. Trapped on the train with no way out and a killer on the loose, Anna must shift from architect of revenge to reluctant protector. If she wants to see her plan through—and survive the night—she’ll have to uncover the truth and face the terrifying possibility that she’s not the only one seeking retribution.
What I Like :-
1 Claustrophobic Setting: The confined luxury train becomes a character in itself—isolated, elegant, and terrifyingly perfect for murder.
2 Twisty, Layered Plot: Sager weaves secrets, betrayals, and shifting motives with expert precision, keeping the reader guessing until the final stop.
3 Complex Protagonist: Anna is fierce, flawed, and driven—her journey from vengeance to survival is both thrilling and emotionally resonant.
Overall, With a Vengeance is Riley Sager at his best: a locked-room mystery on wheels with vengeance, moral ambiguity, and a body count that keeps rising. It’s a stylish, cinematic ride through guilt, justice, and how far someone will go to make things right—or make others pay.
⭐ Rating: 5/5 – A murder mystery that doesn’t let up until the last page. All aboard for a thriller you won’t forget.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Stoughton for giving me an advance copy.

A murder mystery set on a train in 1950's, very similar to the movie Clue (which is one of my favourite films ever). I wasn't overly impressed with this book throughout, it was a big jumble of too many things and could really have had a lot of aspects cut out of it.

There were also a lot of nonsense things that happen, like why didn't the aunt do something earlier if she had this evidence?
The MC handed in 6 boxes of evidence and expected the FBI to read through it all by the next morning and be there waiting for the train?

I got a bit tired of how many killers there were and too many twists all at once. There is nothing wrong with a twist, but if you do too many you're just going round in a silly little circle.

The FBI agent that was asked last minute to attend the train journey happens to have a family member killed in the original incident and decides to go on a murder spree..?

Showdown on top of the train in a blizzard? And probably a very long dress, going off the time period.

Jealousy is seriously the reason behind this? Killing her dad or framing him of something is one thing, but killing an entire train of innocent people- men going to war for your own country? What?? Also seems like a lot of work for one man? Surely something much simpler could have been arranged? Instead of having an entire train built to fail, having it filled with new army recruits and paying off tons of people to help.

All in all I was disappointed but it wasn't a bad book, I just expect more.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
This is only my third book by Riley Sager - one was a five star read the other a DNF so I was interested to see where this one would fall. Well I thoroughly enjoyed this one! With more than a nod to the great Agatha Christie, Riley Sager serves up a delicious ‘locked room’ mystery. The characters are interesting, not all of them likeable, the story is fast paced and the plot keeps you guessing. It’s full of twists and red herrings some predictable others leaving you in awe. What I really loved about this book was the atmosphere - the author did make you feel you were in the 1950’s on board a train with the snow storm adding a chilly feel. Ok so it’s slightly over the top with the train roof scenes near the end but given that the rest of the book is utterly riveting it becomes a minor quibble! Riley Sager is an author that is starting to intrigue me. 4.5 ⭐️

3.5 ⭐️

I don’t want to say too much to avoid giving anything away, but this is a “locked room” thriller set in 1942 following Anna Matheson who is seeking revenge on the people who ruined her life.

I tend to have mixed feeling about these types of books because there is ultimately only 2 ways they can go: it’s someone in the room (or on the train), whom we’ve come to expect not to trust anyway, or someone else entirely which can be frustrating because they come out of no where (this isn’t a spoiler, it’s just a fact with these types of stories). In that sense, I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending.

I did however enjoy aspects of the story and I definitely wasn’t bored, there are a lot of twists and turns which keep you guessing and I definitely didn’t expect to be feeling sad for any of our characters but there was a moment which really hit the heartstrings. I also liked the old style train setting, it gave the story a very eerie “murder on the orient express” vibe.

If you are someone who likes these kinds of “locked room” mysteries then this was a good read, however if you like to be completely shocked this may not be the one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eARC, all opinions are my own.

Riley Sager's newest book has a unique plot that was interesting and gripping from the start. When Anna seeks revenge on the people she believes sent her father and brother to their death, she invites them onto an overnight train where they are the only passengers.

The sole objective is to get them to the final destination where the FBI will be waiting. The night is long and not all will survive.

There was some good plot twists through the book. With quite a few characters, it was a lot to keep up with, but the writing was very good.

Another addictive and twisty novel from an author who is quickly becoming a must read for me! Whilst I’m not a huge fan of the cover, and it did take me a little longer to get into than his last book, I ended up absolutely hooked on this clever revenge tale that explores the morality of an eye for an eye.

I especially liked the main character, Anna, and all the misdirection which kept me guessing right until the very end - and the short, punchy chapters make it an easy binge read too!

Riley Sager is an author who can't be pigeon holed - from the gothic thriller feel of The Only One Left, to the midway genre switch of The House Across the Lake, to this most recent period piece locked room style thriller you don't know what you're going to get.
With a Vengance is a '50s set twisty tale which sees Anna Matheson concoct a plan to get those she believes are responsible for her family's tragedy together and without any other passengers on board a non-stop train ride to meet their justice.
For lovers of locked room or multiple twist thrillers, you're getting a two for one here: nothing is as it initially seems, and as Anna's plans go off track (pun sort of intended), things become even less as they seem.
It can be a challenge to sustain the momentum in a small space with a limited set of characters, but Sager manages it effortlessly and will keep readers guessing through the entire journey.

This is a twisty, locked room homage to Golden Age detective fiction. There's more than a nod to Agatha Christie with the cast of characters and the train setting. It's fun and entertaining gor a light, diverting read.

A twisty, turny whodunnit with a whiff of Agatha Christie mixed in with the pressure cooker environment that Will Dean is great at creating. Another fun ride (literally) from Riley Sager, who can truly do no wrong 🙌🏻

An absolute journey of a story - exactly what Riley Sager is good at, twists and turns that keep you gripped until the very end!

4 - 5 stars rounded up

On December 14, 1954, The Philadelphia Phoenix departs Philly at 7 pm EST and will arrive in Chicago at 7 am CST. Individual notes from Anna Matheson brought six passengers on board for the long non-stop journey. Anna has a good reason for luring these people on board as 12 years previously, they are responsible for her families downfall. This journey is a reminder of what she has lost and it’s time for vengeance and justice. Judd Dodge, Herb Pulaski, Sally Lawrence, Edith Gerhardt, Jack Lapsford and Dante Wentworth (representing his father Kenneth) all reluctantly accept the invitations and it’s time to face the music. At 8 pm Anna appears and informs them of the evidence she has obtained and the situation for the six is grave. However, Anna‘s plans are shattered when one of the six is murdered. Who else on board this non-stop train has vengeance on their mind? Anna now has to act the detective in order to protect those she hates so that her ultimate plan is still fulfilled. Can she? Is her own life at risk? Only time will tell.

This is a very entertaining homage to the golden age mysteries and movies of the 1940s and 1950s. The writing flows well, the characters and plot feel of their time and Anna’s rage at the six is very understandable. It’s chock full of atmosphere especially the Philadelphia Phoenix which is very appropriate for a mystery of this type, the chilly atmosphere aboard the steam train which is matched by blizzard conditions outside and some scenes are reminiscent of action movies. I like to the references to the past especially World War II which very much has a bearing on the plot.

Riley Sager keeps me guessing throughout, peppering in some very good chapter ending bomb like revelations that blow Anna’s plans out of the train windows, deepening and complicating the mystery as a consequence. Lies, lies and more damn lies. Puzzles, conundrums, double bluffs, red herrings, tension you could cut with a knife it’s so highly charged and just when you think it couldn’t get any more suspenseful, the author up the ante. A storm builds on the inside just as it does on the exterior and the impossible seems to be possible. Twists? Naturally, some are so good my jaw drops and there are so many good ones towards the end it makes my head spin! I suspect everyone and learn to trust absolutely no one even those you think you might just be able to.

Overall, highly entertaining fun read which is hard to put down.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated daily copy and return for an honest review.

This was just okay for me. I find this author's books very repetitive with weak middles, then it ended abruptly. Love the cover and premise though! Thank you for the arc.

It's simple, Riley writes and I read.
This books was full of twists and turns, and a fun mystery to unravel. Its done in a way that you can't tell who did what and I think that carries the book.