A decade in, Riley Sager wanted ‘The Unknown’ to 'feel like my Eras tour'

Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAYTue, August 4, 2026 at 10:01 AM UTC

0

Thrillers usually end with a final girl, but Riley Sager's journey began with one.

His debut novel, "Final Girls," which published in 2017, was a hit. So were his next books, each attaining bestseller status.

Sager's latest, "The Unknown" (out Aug. 4), is his tenth novel in 10 years.

In "Unknown," Marin Keane, a struggling actress, has been cast in a major film with big costars and an even bigger director. But the role requires a trip for the cast to the script's source material: an isolated island in Vermont where the five women they're portraying disappeared 100 years ago, leaving behind only their dresses hanging from an old tree. The immersive retreat starts off with period costumes and séances, but there are also strange noises, symbols and other sightings. Then people start disappearing.

How 'The Unknown' connects to other Riley Sager books

He wanted to "do something special" with "The Unknown," Sager tells USA TODAY.

"When I pitched it to my editor, I said I wanted this to feel like my Eras tour," Sager says. "I knew that it would contain different elements from my other books."

Easter eggs and allusions to previous works are woven into "Unknown," along with indirect references, such as similar themes, characters and plot points.

There's no set numbers of spoilers, Sager says, "I didn't push them. If something didn't fit, I didn't include it."

Early on in the book, regular Sager readers may recognize mentions of Ewan Holt and Camp Nightingale. And, no spoilers, but his favorite Easter egg is related to the character Ronan Peters: "That one's sneaky."

Settings add to the shared lore between the books.

Many of the lead characters of Sager's novels have a connection to Pennsylvania, where Sager grew up. "The Unknown" is also the third one taking place in Vermont, where he says he likes to set his spooky books.

"It feels haunted, and I mean that as a compliment," Sager says. "I guess it's all the history and all the mountains and just something about it feels inherently spooky. I love it."

Longtime fans who have checked out some of the publications from Sager under other names (his real name, Todd Ritter, and alias Alan Finn) might wonder about familiarities there. While "The Unknown" delves into mediums and séances similar to Finn's "Things Half in Shadow" (2014), it's more coincidence than connection.

"I've always been fascinated with spiritualism, séances, spooky things, creepy lakes," Sager says.

But catching the callbacks isn't required.

"I look at this book as a celebration of 10 years, while also being a book that someone who's never read me before can pick up and hopefully enjoy," Sager says.

Advertisement

Riley Sager reveals his easiest book to write – and one of the most difficult

The writing process for each book has been somewhat different for Sager.

"'The House Across the Lake' was so easy," Sager says. "I knew from the start that it was going to be absolutely bonkers. I didn't second-guess myself, and I had the full support of my agent and my editor. So I had fun with it."

He said writing it was the most creative experience he's had to date. "I've been trying to replicate it ever since."

The most difficult? "Home Before Dark."

Sager says he's proud of the novel, but "that one truly did almost kill me." Scheduling issues and other conflicts meant he was writing nearly 12 to 14 hours straight every day for a couple of months to make the deadline.

"I love that people love it," he says, "but I never want to experience that again."

"Survive the Night" was one of his most misunderstood, he says: "It was a movie!"

Though Sager says he doesn't really have a favorite among his novels, three that impacted his career most are standouts.

"Some books mean more to me than others, just by nature of how they fit into my life," Sager says. "'Final Girls' changed my life. 'The House Across the Lake' because it was so much fun to write. 'The Only One Left' because that one resonated in ways I never imaged. When I was writing it, I truly thought, 'Everyone's going to hate this one.' That is by far my most popular book."

Broadly, though, the bestselling author is proud of all of his books and grateful for his success.

"This is what I've always dreamed about," Sager says. "There is a definite sense of gratitude."

Riley Sager wants his books to be 'more than just the twist'

Plot twists, turns and a couple of final surprises are common – inevitable, maybe – in each Sager novel.

But there's also usually more to the books beyond the central mysteries. Even if a reader cottons on to a coming twist, the catch wasn't the core part. There's usually something else being built – a subtle theme or a social observation – in the background of Sager's tightly written books that doesn't become clear until the end, right along with the mystery being unraveled.

"I try to have excellent twists," Sager says. "I try to surprise readers, but I do want the book to be about more than just the twist. I have read books where it was solely about the twist, and I find those to be disappointing reading experiences. So I want to try to give readers both. I want the gotcha twist and the surprises, but I also want characters that resonate and people to still be thinking about the book long after they finished it."

What's next for Riley Sager

While promotion kicks off for "The Unknown," Sager is busy working on his next book, set to release in 2027.

"I can't say too much, except if Book 10 was the quintessential Riley Sager book, Book 11 is … I've never done anything like it," he says.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A decade in, Riley Sager wanted ‘The Unknown’ to 'feel like my Eras tour'

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”