Hi all!
Welcome back to the book club! In March, we read Lock Every Door by Riley Sager for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub! If you wish to access all of the latest updates/information, click here. Spoilers ahead!
Quick Reminder: This month we are reading ‘The Reformatory’ by Tananarive Due! We will read it for the entire month of April AND May.
Today I’m going to discuss the book in the same way I normally do my Instagram videos. You can find the recorded talk on my book club Instagram page. I’ll give a quick plot summary plus my overall star/scare-factor ratings. Then I will share the discussion topics and trivia questions. Please include all of your answers and opinions down below. I want to know exactly what you thought. I’ll also leave the answers to the trivia questions at the very bottom of the post, so if you wish to guess without being spoiled, do not scroll to the end until you’re ready. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
LOCK EVERY DOOR BY RILEY SAGER – MARCH 2024
PLOT SUMMARY
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story – until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.
OVERALL STAR RATING
I gave this story 3.5/5 stars. I loved the setting. The Bartholomew was my favourite part of the book. I felt like it was a character in and of itself. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the ending and found the reveal(s) far too predictable. Once I knew what was happening, the impact lessened significantly. Riley Sager set up the events perfectly, but along the way, the momentum dipped.
OVERALL SCARE-FACTOR RATING
I gave Lock Every Door a scare-factor rating of 3/5 stars. As mentioned above, the plot twist(s) changed the horror elements of the story for me. I was genuinely creeped out at the beginning until the reveal(s) hit. The atmosphere, however, is perfect neo-gothic literature.
DISCUSSION TOPICS
1.) What were your thoughts on the twist reveal(s)? Did you see them coming?
The twist reveal(s) were the main reason I didn’t enjoy the book. They were far too predictable and disappointing. I wish it hadn’t gone in the ‘cult’ direction. I would’ve loved a supernatural, haunted angle.
2.) Given the rules, would you stay in the Bartholomew? Why/why not?
Ignoring what we know by the end of the book, I would love to stay in the aforementioned illustrious building. I’m a huge introvert, so keeping to myself wouldn’t be an issue. It sounded beautiful and the view, immaculate. Why the hell not?!
3.) Where would you rank Lock Every Door amongst Riley’s other works?
I’ll be honest, I’ve only read Home After Dark. I much preferred that one, so Lock Every Door would be ranked second. Do you recommend any of his other books? What should I pick up next?
TRIVIA QUESTIONS
Easy: What was the name of Greta’s book?
Medium: What floor does Jules stay on?
Hard: What name does Jules give the gargoyle?
I hope you enjoyed the book club discussion in this post and on Instagram. As mentioned above, share all of your thoughts in the comments below! If you have any feedback/suggestions to improve the book club, please let me know. I look forward to talking to you all next month! Thanks for reading!
Peace & Love xoxo
TRIVIA ANSWERS: Easy: ‘Heart of a Dreamer’. Medium: 12th. Hard: George.