The Only One Left | Haunted Houses, Twisted Confessions, and Riley Sager at His Best

In this episode of Dragons and Spaceships, Brandi unpacks Riley Sager’s gothic thriller The Only One Left, a story dripping with atmosphere and tension. Set inside Hope’s End, a crumbling mansion perched on a cliff, the book creates an eerie cinematic experience where every shadow feels alive and every typed confession reveals another piece of a long-buried truth.

Brandi explores what makes this novel so addictive, including the haunting tone, the masterful pacing, and the unsettling way Sager blurs the line between past and present. She also digs into the complex question at the heart of the story: can anyone ever escape the reputation the world decides for them

This week’s Dragon’s Roar highlights the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards, where readers cast a record breaking 7.5 million votes across fifteen categories. From the historical fiction winner Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid to fantasy, romance, horror, and contemporary fiction, this year's roundup celebrates the wide range of stories that resonated with readers around the world.

Brandi closes with her final thoughts on why The Only One Left stands out among modern thrillers. It is dark, emotional, twisty, and atmospheric in all the best ways. If you love gothic settings, unreliable narratives, and endings that leave you breathless, this one belongs on your shelf.

Episode Highlights
- The immersive atmospheric power of Hope’s End
- Why the typed confession structure builds tension perfectly
- Unreliable characters and the fear of being misunderstood
- The central question of reputation, truth, and reinvention
- Dragon’s Roar: 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards recap
- A curated reading list inspired by this year’s biggest winners
- Final thoughts on why Riley Sager is a standout in modern thrillers