{"product_id":"home-before-dark-isbn-9798217044535","title":"Home Before Dark","description":"\u003cb\u003eTHE INSTANT \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES \u003c\/i\u003eBESTSELLER\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A haunted house story—with a twist . . . [Sager] does not hold back” (\u003ci\u003eRolling Stone\u003c\/i\u003e) in this chilling thriller from the author of \u003ci\u003eWith a Vengeance \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Only One Left.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eEvery house has a story to tell and a secret to share.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwenty-five years ago, Maggie Holt and her parents moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. Three weeks later they fled in the dead of night, an ordeal her father recounted in a memoir called \u003ci\u003eHouse of Horrors\u003c\/i\u003e. His story of supernatural happenings and malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling \u003ci\u003eThe Amityville Horror\u003c\/i\u003e in popularity—and skepticism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaggie was too young to remember any of the horrific events that supposedly took place, and as an adult she doesn’t believe a word of her father’s claims. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When she inherits Baneberry Hall after his death and returns to renovate the place and sell it, her homecoming is anything but warm. The locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous, and human characters with starring roles in \u003ci\u003eHouse of Horrors\u003c\/i\u003e are waiting in the shadows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEven more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place where unsettling whispers of the past lurk around every corner. And as Maggie starts to experience strange occurrences ripped from the pages of her father’s book, the truth she uncovers about the house’s dark history will challenge everything she believes.“A dark, frightening and twisty story that you won't be able to put down. Read with the lights on!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eShari Lapena, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Couple Next Door\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A cross between Gillian Flynn’s \u003ci\u003eDark Places\u003c\/i\u003e and ghost hunter heir Alexandra Holzer’s autobiography, Sager’s latest is a haunted house story—with a twist. . . . Sager is a master of the twist and the turn, and he does not hold back in his fourth book. Like any good thriller, you have to read to the very last page to find how who did what to whom and why.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Rolling Stone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sager's novel is packed with the expected horror-trope-tinged suspense, literary jump-scares, and more than one twist, but its best moments are the quiet ones exploring the history of the house.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—USA Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Something fresh, shot through with shocks of real horror.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—New York Times Book Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“[A] propulsive thriller . . . There are truly horrifying scenes. . . . Maggie soon learns what we already know: Real life is scarier than ghost stories.”\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e–Washington Post\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Riley Sager reimagines the classic haunted house tale in \u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e, a stunning tale that blends genres with the ease of a master painter mixing colors. . . . This is scintillating suspense writing, Sager leaving no stone unturned in crafting a page-turner of rare depth and complexity.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—The Providence Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This spooky, surreal haunted-house story goes through plenty of twists at the end. . . . Sager has become one of my favorites for gothic stories that scare and make you think.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—The Parkersburg News \u0026amp; Sentinel\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“You might believe in ghosts; you might not. But a story with a ghost inhabiting a creaky old house and haunting its new residents is simply irresistible. At least in the right hands, and Riley Sager’s definitely are the right hands. From the shadowy figures in the woods to the sounds that go bump in the night, \u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e is certain to creep you out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Bookreporter\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Clever, twisty, and altogether spine-chilling . . . [A] deliciously terrifying story . . .You'll want to read this one after dark, ideally with the wind whistling in the eaves and a window banging somewhere just out of reach. But keep the light switch handy. You just might need it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eRuth Ware, \u003ci\u003eBook of the Month\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sager has laid out an exciting story that is hard to put down.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—New York Journal of Books\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark \u003c\/i\u003epays homage to \u003ci\u003eThe Amityville Horror \u003c\/i\u003eand, as in Sager’s other novels, the story blends psychological suspense with elements of classic horror, for a creepy, edge-of-your-seat read.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–\u003c\/i\u003eBuzzFeed\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e is a compelling and layered mix of taut psychological suspense, genuinely scary haunted-house terrors, and the vagaries of memory, capped off with an inventive and satisfyingly wild ending.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–Bookpage, \u003c\/i\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What could be better than a haunted house with ghosts aplenty? \u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e is equally superb and terrifying. Buckle up for a wild ride. This book should come with a warning not to be read after dark.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Mary Kubica, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Other Mrs.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Flawless pacing, a dexterous dual narrative, and character through the roof. But the biggest revelation to be found in \u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e is this: There’s nobody writing scarier books than Riley Sager is right now.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Josh Malerman, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eBird Box\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMalorie\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“[Sager] really pulls off something ingenious here.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Erik Larson on \u003ci\u003eMental Floss\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Holy moly, I haven't been that shocked by a twist in quite some time. I actually laughed aloud when the big reveal came-because I was so delighted to have been so fooled. It's hard to write a book that's equal parts fun and frightening but Sager has done just that-and thrown in impeccable plotting for good measure. If you liked \u003ci\u003eThe Haunting of Hill House\u003c\/i\u003e, you're going to love \u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e. Addictive and atmospheric with a twist you definitely won't see coming.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–\u003c\/i\u003eStephanie Wrobel, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eDarling Rose Gold\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Houses breathe. Some have a heartbeat. None forget. Grabbing you from the first page, Riley Sager crafts a devilish plot, twisted timelines, and horrors that linger in this haunting thriller that needs to be on your reading list!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–J. D. Barker, international bestselling author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eShe Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Part ghost story, part murder mystery, \u003ci\u003eHome Before Dark\u003c\/i\u003e is a nightmare ride of haunting terror and suspense. Dripping with atmosphere and danger, Baneberry Hall is the new Hill House. I couldn’t turn the last 100 pages fast enough.\"\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Richard Chizmar, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[An] outstanding supernatural thriller . . . Sager, who makes the house a palpable, threatening presence, does a superb job of anticipating and undermining readers’ expectations. Haunted- house fans will be in heaven.”\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Publishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e, starred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“The ghosts and poltergeist activity Sager conjures are truly chilling, and he does a masterful job of keeping readers guessing until the very end.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Kirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“For fans of the \u003ci\u003eAmityville Horror\u003c\/i\u003e story comes yet another breath-stealer from the hit machine Sager.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–Good Housekeeping\u003c\/i\u003e, “The 35 Best Books to Add to Your Reading List ASAP”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Sager does a superb job of upsetting reader expectations in this horror thriller.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–Publishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \"Summer Reads 2020\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Enough twists to keep you guessing until the final, shocking chapter unfolds.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePopSugar\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"King of thrillers, Sager returns with a pulse-pounding, goosebump-inducing tale of a woman who goes back to her childhood home—and the setting of a true horror story.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e–Newsweek\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Another breathtaking hit from Sager, who’s proven himself a master at crafting new twists on classic horror tales.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–Booklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“If you love your thrillers with a touch of the supernatural, Sager's haunting new bestseller is just the thing to tingle your spine. . . . This is a keep-the-lights-on winner from the horror master.”\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e–AARP\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"[E]verything you want from a haunted-house story, and never quite what you expect.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–Mental Floss\u003c\/i\u003e, \"13 Essential Horror Novels From the Last Five Years\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eRiley Sager\u003c\/b\u003e is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of nine novels, most recently \u003ci\u003eWith a Vengeance \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eMiddle of the Night. \u003c\/i\u003eA native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.\u003cb\u003eOne\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the moment I enter the office, I know how things are going to go. It's happened before. Too many times to count. And although each incident has its slight variations, the outcome is always the same. I expect nothing less this go-round, especially when the receptionist offers me a knowing smile as recognition flashes in her eyes. It's clear she's well-acquainted with the Book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy family's greatest blessing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlso our biggest curse.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I have an appointment with Arthur Rosenfeld,\" I say. \"The name is Maggie Holt.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Of course, Miss Holt.\" The receptionist gives me a quick once-over, comparing and contrasting the little girl she's read about with the woman standing before her in scuffed boots, green cargo pants, and a flannel shirt speckled with sawdust. \"Mr. Rosenfeld is on a call right now. He'll be with you in just a minute.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe receptionist-identified as Wendy Davenport by the nameplate on her desk-gestures to a chair by the wall. I sit as she continues to glance my way. I assume she's checking out the scar on my left cheek-a pale slash about an inch long. It's fairly famous, as scars go.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I read your book,\" she says, stating the obvious.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI can't help but correct her. \"You mean my father's book.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's a common misconception. Even though my father is credited as the sole author, everyone assumes we all had something to do with it. And while that may be true of my mother, I played absolutely no part in the Book, despite being one of its main characters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I loved it,\" Wendy continues. \"When I wasn't scared out of my mind, of course.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe pauses, and I cringe internally, knowing what's about to come next. It always does. Every damn time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What was it like?\" Wendy leans forward until her ample bosom is squished against the desk. \"Living in that house?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe question that's inevitably asked whenever someone connects me to the Book. By now, I have a stock answer at the ready. I learned early on that one is necessary, and so I always keep it handy, like something carried in my toolbox.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I don't really remember anything about that time.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe receptionist arches an overplucked brow. \"Nothing at all?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I was five,\" I say. \"How much do you remember from that age?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn my experience, this ends the conversation about 50 percent of the time. The merely curious get the hint and move on. The morbidly interested don't give up so easily. I thought Wendy Davenport, with her apple cheeks and Banana Republic outfit, would be the former. Turns out I'm wrong.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"But the experience was so terrifying for your family,\" she says. \"I'd surely remember at least something about it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are several ways I can go with this, depending on my mood. If I was at a party, relaxed and generous after a few drinks, I'd probably indulge her and say, \"I remember being afraid all the time but not knowing why.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOr, \"I suppose it was so scary I blocked it all out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOr, a perennial favorite, \"Some things are too frightening to remember.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut I'm not at a party. Nor am I relaxed and generous. I'm in a lawyer's office about to be handed the estate of my recently dead father. My only choice is to be blunt.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"None of it happened,\" I tell Wendy. \"My father made it all up. And when I say all of it, I mean all of it. Everything in that book is a lie.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWendy's expression switches from wide-eyed curiosity to something harder and darker. I've disappointed her, even though she should feel grateful I'm being honest with her. It's something my father never felt was necessary.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis version of the truth differed greatly from mine, although he, too, had a stock answer, the script of which never wavered no matter who he was talking to.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I've lied about a great many things in my life,\" he would have told Wendy Davenport, oozing charm. \"But what happened at Baneberry Hall isn't one of them. Every word of that book is true. I swear to the Great Almighty.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat's in line with the public version of events, which goes something like this: Twenty-five years ago, my family lived in a house named Baneberry Hall, situated just outside the village of Bartleby, Vermont.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe moved in on June 26.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe fled in the dead of night on July 15.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwenty days.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat's how long we lived in that house before we became too terrified to stay a minute longer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt wasn't safe, my father told police. Something was wrong with Baneberry Hall. Unaccountable things had happened there. Dangerous things.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe house was, he reluctantly admitted, haunted by a malevolent spirit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe vowed never to return.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEver.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis admission-detailed in the official police report-was noticed by a reporter for the local newspaper, a glorified pamphlet known as the Bartleby Gazette. The ensuing article, including plenty of quotes from my father, was soon picked up by the state's wire service and found its way into bigger newspapers in larger towns. Burlington and Essex and Colchester. From there it spread like a pernicious cold, hopping from town to town, city to city, state to state. Roughly two weeks after our retreat, an editor in New York called with an offer to tell our story in book form.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince we were living in a motel room that smelled of stale smoke and lemon air freshener, my father jumped at the offer. He wrote the book in a month, turning the motel room's tiny bathroom into a makeshift office. One of my earliest memories is of him seated sideways on the toilet, banging away at a typewriter perched atop the bathroom vanity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe rest is publishing history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInstant bestseller.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWorldwide phenomenon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe most popular \"real-life\" account of the paranormal since The Amityville Horror.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a time, Baneberry Hall was the most famous house in America. Magazines wrote about it. News shows did reports on it. Tourists gathered outside the estate's wrought-iron gate, angling for a glimpse of rooftop or a glint of sunlight bouncing off the windows. It even made The New Yorker, in a cartoon that ran two months after the Book hit stores. It shows a couple standing with their Realtor outside a dilapidated house. \"We love it,\" the wife says. \"But is it haunted enough for a book deal?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs for me and my family, well, we were everywhere. In People magazine, the three of us looking somber in front of a house we refused to enter. In Time, my father seated in a veil of shadow, giving him a distinctly sinister look. On TV, my parents being either coddled or interrogated, depending on the interviewer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRight now, anyone can go to YouTube and watch a clip of us being interviewed on 60 Minutes. There we are, a picture-perfect family. My father, shaggy but handsome, sporting the kind of beard that wouldn't come back in style until a decade later. My mother, pretty but looking slightly severe, the tightness at the corners of her mouth hinting that she's not completely on board with the situation. Then there's me. Frilly blue dress. Patent leather shoes. A black headband and very regrettable bangs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI didn't say much during the interview. I merely nodded or shook my head or acted shy by shrinking close to my mother. I think my only words during the entire segment were \"I was scared,\" even though I can't remember being scared. I can't remember anything about our twenty days at Baneberry Hall. What I do recall is colored by what's in the Book. Instead of memories, I have excerpts. It's like looking at a photograph of a photograph. The framing is off. The colors are dulled. The image is slightly dark.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMurky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat's the perfect word to describe our time at Baneberry Hall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt should come as no surprise that many people doubt my father's story. Yes, there are those like Wendy Davenport who think the Book is real. They believe-or want to believe-that our time at Baneberry Hall unfolded exactly the way my father described it. But thousands more adamantly think it was all a hoax.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI've seen all the websites and Reddit threads debunking the Book. I've read all the theories. Most of them surmise my parents quickly realized they'd bought more house than they could afford and needed an excuse to get out of it. Others suggest they were con artists who purposefully bought a house where something tragic happened in order to exploit it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe theory I'm even less inclined to believe is that my parents, knowing they had a money pit on their hands, wanted some way to increase the house's value when it came time to sell. Rather than spend a fortune on renovations, they decided to give Baneberry Hall something else-a reputation. It's not that easy. Houses that have been deemed haunted decrease in value, either because prospective buyers are afraid to live there or because they just don't want to deal with the notoriety.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI still don't know the real reason we left so suddenly. My parents refused to tell me. Maybe they really were afraid to stay. Maybe they truly and completely feared for their lives. But I know it wasn't because Baneberry Hall was haunted. The big reason, of course, being that there's no such thing as ghosts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSure, plenty of people believe in them, but people will believe anything. That Santa Claus is real. That we didn't land on the moon. That Michael Jackson is alive and well and dealing blackjack in Las Vegas.","brand":"Dutton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233233383653,"sku":"NP9798217044535","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9798217044535.jpg?v=1767729155","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/home-before-dark-isbn-9798217044535","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}