Riley Sager's Survive the Night offers a tense, atmospheric thriller that keeps readers on edge with its unpredictable plot twists. While some praise its fast-paced and suspenseful narrative, others find the characters underdeveloped and the story implausible. The novel's gripping premise may entertain, but its execution can feel uneven.

Readers who enjoy fast-paced, twisty thrillers with a psychological edge, akin to The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins or Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, will be captivated by Riley Sager's Survive the Night. Ideal for those who appreciate a blend of suspense, plot twists, and rich character development.

In Riley Sager's psychological thriller Survive the Night, film enthusiast and college student Charlie Jordan suspects during a 1991 car ride with stranger Josh Baxter to her Ohio hometown that he may be the Campus Killer who murdered her friend Maddy, leading her to question her reality amid her grief and movie-themed hallucinations. This novel includes depictions of mental health crises, psychological manipulation, and mentions of sexual violence.

Suspenseful / Mysterious / Dark / Unnerving / Challenging

Riley Sager

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

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Overview

Get ready to explore Survive the Night and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Survive the Night Summary and Study Guide

Background

Survive the Night Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Nine p.m.”

Prologue-Part 1

Survive the Night Prologue-Part 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Ten p.m.”

Part 2 Survive the Night Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Eleven p.m.”

Part 3 Survive the Night Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Midnight”

Part 4 Survive the Night Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5: “One a.m.”

Part 5 Survive the Night Part 5 Summary & Analysis

Part 6: “Two a.m.”

Part 6 Survive the Night Part 6 Summary & Analysis

Part 7: “Three a.m.”

Part 7 Survive the Night Part 7 Summary & Analysis

Part 8: “Morning”

Part 8-Epilogue

Survive the Night Part 8-Epilogue Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Survive the Night Character Analysis

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Themes

Survive the Night Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Survive the Night Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

Survive the Night Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

Survive the Night Essay Topics

Survive the Night: A Novel

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Survive the Night?

Reading Age

Book Details