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 is a pen name used by author Todd Ritter, who originally worked as a journalist and editor before transitioning to writing thrillers like Survive the Night.
- Survive the Night draws inspiration from the author's love of 1990s movies, echoing the suspenseful and psychological elements found in films from that era.
- The novel taps into the universal fear and paranoia associated with hitchhiking and trusting strangers, a theme Riley Sager has cleverly woven into a tense, page-turning thriller setting.

**Charlie Jordan**  
A 20-year-old student at Olyphant University with a passion for films and a complicated relationship with reality, who navigates life while dealing with intense feelings of grief and guilt.

**Josh Baxter/Jake Collins**  
A bounty hunter and one of the major characters who forms a complex bond with Charlie during a transformative journey, characterized by his charm and moral questioning.

**Robbie**  
Charlie’s boyfriend and a swim coach who appears kind and supportive but harbors a dark and arrogant side, leading to significant tension in the story.

**Marge**  
A waitress and Maddy's grandmother who is deeply affected by her granddaughter's murder, driving her to take drastic actions in pursuit of justice.

**Madeline “Maddy” Forrester**  
Charlie’s outgoing and vivacious best friend, whose murder profoundly impacts the characters and sets off a series of pivotal events in the narrative.

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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.”

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Part 8: “Morning”

Part 8-Epilogue

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Character Analysis

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Important Quotes

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Survive the Night: A Novel

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