I was really disappointed with this :( it was such a good premise and I love a locked in mystery but this just didn’t do it for me. If it was shorter maybe I would have liked it more but it was just very repetitive and the characters were two-dimensional. I’d say the last 30% of the book was a bit more fast paced and I enjoyed it but again, still a bit too repetitive and drawn out.
Cover idea but the execution wasn’t quite there.

A satisfying tale of retribution and twists worthy of helter-skelter. I wasn’t sure if revealing the reason how they were all connected at the beginning would hinder the plot but the murders and false steps kept me entertained.

The claustrophobic setting is such an enticing premise, and Sager really delivered with his latest novel. With a Vengeance is a fast-paced, high octane filled thriller, with a real emotional core as one woman yearns for the life stolen from her brother. It puts a spin on the Murder on the Orient Express plot, that while all the passengers contribute to the murder, this time they're going to pay. It becomes a survive the night story with sooo many twists, just when you think you've got a handle on it, the rug is pulled out from under you. My only gripe is with the third person perspective, specifically for Anna - the emotion was slightly too distanced, so I would've preferred a slightly closer narrative. Still, I had a great time reading and will always look forward to his next book.

I was pleased to receive an ARC of With a Vengeance, and as a long-time fan of Sager’s work, I was intrigued to see him take on a historical, locked-room style setting. This one’s set in 1954 aboard an overnight train from Philadelphia to Chicago, and he absolutely makes the most of that setting: confined, glamorous, and unsettling in equal measure.

The story follows Anna Matheson, a war widow who lures six people onto the train—individuals she believes are responsible for her husband’s death. But before she can reveal her reasons, someone turns up dead, and what starts as a calculated mission becomes a desperate bid for survival.

Sager really leans into the claustrophobia of the moving train—the narrow corridors, closed compartments, and inescapable atmosphere work brilliantly to create rising tension. There are clear nods to classic Golden Age mysteries, but this still has the pacing and modern twistiness fans will expect. The writing is slick, the structure tight, and the red herrings land well.

That said, not all of the supporting characters felt fully fleshed out, and there were moments where the plot stretched believability slightly. But Anna is a strong, determined protagonist, and the final third of the book barrels forward with excellent It’s a strong return to form—stylish, unsettling, and full of satisfying reveals. One to recommend to fans of Murder on the Orient Express, locked-room puzzles, or vintage thrillers with teeth.

Anna's family was destroyed by six people and she has now engineered for them all to be aboard a train set for Chicago so that she can extract her revenge. However, as deaths start to happen Anna's plan starts to spin out of control and she realises that there may be another person on board that wants their revenge too.

I love locked room mysteries and the fact this all happens on a train that isn't intending to stop until it reaches its destination was gripping. I loved that we learnt the back story to each character and why they took part in the plot against Arthur Matheson. There were lots of twists and turns which kept me on edge until the very last second.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

With a Vengeance has a strong premise and delivers some suspense, especially with the closed train setting that adds to the tension. I was intrigued by Anna’s character and her quest for justice.

That said, some parts felt repetitive, and a few of the twists were so over the top they pulled me out of the story. The ending, while dramatic, didn’t quite land for me. It felt rushed and a bit too convenient.

Still, it’s an somewhat entertaining read overall, just not as tightly written as some of Sager’s earlier work.

In 1942, six people destroyed Anna Matheson's family. Twelve years later, she's orchestrated a plan to bring them to justice. Under false pretenses, Anna lures them onto a luxury overnight train from Philadelphia to Chicago, intending to confront them, extract confessions, and hand them over to the authorities waiting at the final stop. Justice, long delayed, is finally within reach.

But when one of the passengers is murdered, Anna’s plan begins to unravel. Someone else on board is seeking revenge - and won’t stop until everyone is dead. As the train hurtles toward its destination, Anna must track the killer and protect the very people she despises. To destroy her enemies, she must first save them, even if it puts her own life on the line.

I love a locked-room thriller—or in this case, a "locked train" mystery. There's something about the confined setting and lack of escape that really heightens the tension and drama. This was an easy, addictive read, with the countdown to the train’s final stop adding a great sense of urgency that kept the pages turning.

The story played out like a movie in my mind - this would make one hell of a film. The grand, claustrophobic setting of the luxury train is practically a character in itself: isolated, elegant, and the perfect backdrop for murder. The “but how could it have been done?” element gave me strong Murder in Paradise vibes, which I really enjoyed.

I liked Anna, our main character - despite some questionable choices, I was rooting for her throughout. She’s forced into a fascinating moral dilemma: protecting the very people she wants to see punished. While the supporting characters were less fleshed out and mostly served the plot, they were distinct enough that I had no trouble keeping track.

This is my fourth Riley Sager, and it felt like a departure from his usual style - leaning more into classic Agatha Christie territory. Home Before Dark remains my favorite, but this was great fun.

Far-fetched? Yes. A twist or two too many? Probably. But a lot of fun nonetheless. A really enjoyable bit of escapism.

A huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for review consideration.  All opinions are my own.

Mind the plot twist!

I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy of With a Vengeance via NetGalley, and I can confidently say Riley Sager is my favourite mystery/thriller writer right now - and this might just be his best yet.

Set aboard a golden-age American train, this locked-room mystery oozes glamour and danger in equal measure. It gave me serious Murder on the Orient Express vibes, but with Sager’s signature style: cinematic, character-driven, and filled with deliciously clever twists.

I found the backstories genuinely compelling - I was hooked trying to figure out how all the characters were connected, and loved the slow trickle of revelations from different perspectives. The unknown element introduced midway through deepened the mystery in such a satisfying way, and the wartime backstory gave the whole plot real weight and urgency.

There’s brilliant foreshadowing, expertly timed reveals, and enough red herrings to keep you second-guessing right until the final page. I loved it. Sager is the king of the twist - and he proves it once again here.

Does Riley Sager ever miss? Deeply intriguing thrills combined with complex and difficult protagonists have made Riley a must read. This one is as equally exciting!

Thank You for the opportunity to read this book.

This one had so much potential, being a Sager book, but something was missing. It was atmospheric and had the right amount of mystery, but I just couldn’t understand why the protagonist insisted on hand-delivering the accused when she had ample proof and could’ve simply shown it. Also, there were moments where her wandering alone on the train felt forced—like it was done just to make something happen. Not one of Sager’s best for me, but still worth a read.

This wasn't a typical Riley Sagar book for me. Highly enjoyable but a lot different to his usual writing.

Riley Sager does it again! This one is a classic MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS style murder mystery.

I was completely sucked into the mystery and wizzed through it in a couple of days.

I thoroughly enjoyed it like the rest of his books!

My god this was a slog. I love Riley Sager and I will pick up every book he ever writes but this joins the pile of the ones I’m not fond of. I didn’t enjoy the plot, the characters, the twists or the ending!

Riley Sager is one of my favorite authors that always give me books i get hooked into.
Sager has a unique voice buy took a spin on this one, going for a more christie style of writing, while different still utterly delightful.
the snow and train journey created a eerie and atmospheric scene, although i’m not a huge train or locked room mystery kind of reader i loved the race against the clock Sager took us on.

With a Vengeance had an intriguing premise and some strong moments of suspense, but overall it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I appreciated the fast pace and Riley Sager’s signature twists, but I found it hard to fully connect with the characters. That said, there were definitely parts that kept me turning the pages, and fans of Sager’s style will likely still find it entertaining. It just didn’t wow me the way some of his other books have.

Unfortunately the formatting of the book messed up on my kindle and was missing a lot of letters randomly throughout which also definitely affected my enjoyment.

Riley Sager has been a hot name for a while. Everybody seems to love his books. So I jumped up and down when I managed to get my hands on his brand new novel.
This is a very Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. It's all about who did it. And it takes place in a train, which is awesome, because trains are awesome. True cliche.
The problem is... You can't hide in a train; there is nowhere to hide. When you walk from one end to another, you will walk past everyone who is onboard. The roof access is not as simple as some think. So, hiding extra characters to create a surprising twist is not working.
Dialogues. There's a lot of talking. Talking and talking. Oh, and isn't Anna smart? Figuring out everything instantly, creating new explanations within splits of a second, how clever. Especially for someone who hasn't slept in more than 24 hours, hasn't eaten in roughly the same time, and has been living in enormous stress for god knows how long. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes now.

I enjoyed this book- probably a 3.5/5. It had a really interesting storyline and the back story of the characters were all really interesting . My reason for marking it as 3.5 stars is that it was just a bit confusing, a lot to remember and a lot of main characters. The twist was great but again, a lot of different parts to the twist and a lot of characters. All in all I just found it too busy for my liking but it was an all round good story!

I loved this book. It felt like a great nod to classic crime novels. It reminded me of Murder on the Orient Express but with more plot twists.

The plot was action-packed. Once I started I really struggled to put this down. I devoured it in just over two days because I didn't want to stop reading. It was full of plot twists, most of which I didn't see coming. It was just so enjoyable.

I really loved the setting. I'm a sucker for a mystery set on a train. I also liked the setting of the 1950s. It felt more glamorous and more like the classic age of trains and murder mysteries.

Despite the fact that Anna was on a revenge mission, she is a very likeable and relatable character. You wanted her to get her revenge and closure all the way through. I loved her as the main character.

I would highly recommend this book for murder mystery fans. It is so gripping and I think it has become one of my favourite books of the year. This book will be released on 12th June so make sure you check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Riley Sager, and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fast-paced thriller set on a non-stop night train in the late 1950s where everyone has a possible motive to kill their fellow passengers? Sign me up! This locked room murder mystery has twists aplenty and multiple POVs to keep things interesting. This was - in typical Sager style - an extremely easy read and I'd recommend it to anyone who's enjoyed their previous books.

What a thriller! This book follows a train journey where 6 of the passengers previously were involved with a previous horror. Someone is killing them. What's going on? Very well written and kept me gripped from start to finish. I've never read Riley Sager before but will certainly read more. Highly recommended. I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy and leave this review willingly.