Pages: 350
Published: 3rd July 2018
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Content warnings: Missing person storyline, strong sexual references
Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she–and anyone–saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings.. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale–and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp’s twisted origins.
This is all about trying to locate the truth as it lies deeply hidden beneath a catalogue of lies. Such is the mystery and misdirection in this book, the reader is left unsure who or what to believe throughout as suspicion falls on multiple characters as a well executed concept is complemented by clever writing, complete with a jaw-dropping twist that changes everything.
Dual timelines are used very effectively to create intrigue as what happened in the past is constantly a factor during events in the present, giving it an added sense of menace, and uncertainty as to whether there are yet more secrets in the story left to unravel. Intricately plotted yet in many ways character driven, it keeps you guessing to the last page and beyond.
Owned by wealthy socialite Francesca Harris-White, Camp Nightingale is a summer camp for elite high school students. Emma Davis stayed there 15 years ago when tragedy occurred, as the three girls with whom she shared the cabin known as Dogwood left one night and never returned. After all this time nobody knows where they went or what became of them, and the camp has been closed ever since.
Emma has now made a career as an artist, painting enigmatic images in which the three missing girls are always present yet deliberately obscured. One evening she is presenting her work at an exhibition when she receives a visit from Francesca, who announces that she is reopening Camp Nightingale for the summer and invites Emma to be an art tutor.
After initial hesitation at returning to the scene of the most traumatic event of her life, for which she still carries serious feelings of guilt, Emma agrees. When she arrives, she insists on staying again at Dogwood and again shares it with three teenage girls, but amid mistrust from Francesca and her family, she soon realises that someone is keeping a very close eye on her.
At first it takes a little bit of time to feel attuned to the plot, but it really takes off once Emma returns to Camp Nightingale and begins delving into what happened all those years ago, all while having to contend with the suspicious attitudes of others who were there at the time. In turn, the frequent flashbacks add so much to the mystery by giving the missing girls – especially Vivien – a voice and weaving a detailed narrative behind their disappearance.
Lies act as a central theme in the story, and a common feature that we see at various points is the game Two Truths and a Lie, which is used rather tactfully as a means of character development. It becomes extremely intense and unpredictable towards the end as a result of that startling twist, although I was not completely enamoured by the way it was revealed; in a passage somewhat abruptly written in italics.
Including the flashbacks, the entire book is written in the first person from Emma’s point of view. As she is still plagued by guilt regret and blaming herself for the girls’ disappearance, she is always fighting against the tide and having to account for her actions. She keeps certain uncomfortable facts from the reader too, which is one of the many things that make her an unreliable narrator.
There are moments which provide cause to question the accuracy of how events in the past timeline are presented, or if she has an ulterior motive for returning to Camp Nightingale. However, the best way to describe Emma is as someone who made mistakes as a naïve teenager and struggles to avoid being defined by them even as an adult, with the fate of the girls still unknown. Either way, she is definitely easier to empathise with in the present.
The other characters are all developed well and of them, Vivien is by far the most memorable. She is in some ways an alpha female who could be friendly and ruthless in equal measure, but ultimately is shown to be much more complex than that, with her diary making for fascinating reading. The three girls Emma stays with in the present timeline are also a lot of fun, all having their own little quirks such as Sasha’s constant recital of obscure facts.
Frannie and her family are an odd bunch, with all of them appearing shifty at varying times. Lottie lurks ominously in the background while Mindy takes a more active role, coming across as slightly two-faced. Theo is the one who has the most central part to play in the story, and given what we are told about him it is difficult to tell if he is evil or simply scarred by past events.
Camp Nightingale is at first presented as a stunning place with grand architecture, but as we learn more about its origins, it becomes rather more unsettling. This feeling is exacerbated by the fact Emma is being watched, and the secrets which lie upon the rugged landscape on the other side of the lake. It was good to see the setting be so critical to the wider plot.
The writing is articulate and really brings the most out of all the characters, providing occasional wit along with bags of tension. This is particularly evident towards the end where the stakes are increased dramatically and the finger of suspicion pointing at one character after the next, almost like a game of musical chairs. I thought for a moment that I had successfully predicted the villain, only to be proved wrong as the next character was accused.
Overall, this is an exciting and unpredictable read that expertly utilises a range of techniques to develop one intriguing mystery, and then adds another, more gripping one on top. The twist makes a major difference and gives it an impact, making the aspects of the dual timeline and unreliable narrator stand out more. Once it gets going, it is quite the ride.
Having previously published mysteries under his real name, Riley Sager is the pseudonym of a former journalist, editor, and graphic designer. He has become one of the most well-known names in the thriller genre, achieving widespread recognition initially with Final Girls in 2017.
That was followed by Last Time I Lied and three more bestselling novels, with his most recent Survive The Night being released in 2021. Originally from Pennsylvania, he now lives in the neighbouring state of New Jersey.
An unpredictable thriller full of atmosphere, twists, and clever writing; I really enjoyed it and can see why Riley Sager’s thrillers are among the most popular.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 