Book Review: Lock Every Door

Ira Levin's chilling Rosemary's Baby is a tough act to follow, but Riley Sager pulls off an almost psychological, spooky and unputdownable thriller, offering a clever thematic variation that ratchets up the tension in ways unpredictable and engaging. Jules Larsen, the 25-year-old heroine of Lock Every Door, is heartbroken and broke. Nursing a breakup and down in the pits after losing her job as an administrative assistant, she stumbles upon an ad that seems too good to be true: be a house sitter at a Manhattan luxury apartment overlooking the Central Park called the Bartholomew, which also happens to be the setting of her favourite book, in exchange for $12,000 for a period of three months. Against her best friend's misgivings, she accepts the position (you know she will, or otherwise there's no story!), which requires her to strictly adhere to a number of odd rules, including entertaining no visitors and refraining from interacting with the other residents, not to mention having to answer strange questions about her blood type and her family health background. But soon enough, the luxurious facade cracks and the inner machinations of the residents come to light as it builds into a devastating finale. Brooding and atmospheric, Lock Every Door relates ominous events and spooky developments with skill, adding an element of social commentary and a surprise twist ending — elevating this exercise in terror above the workaday shocker.