Best-selling author Riley Sager has shared a list of his six favorite books, offering recommendations for readers looking for their next compelling read. Sager, known for his own thrillers that keep audiences on the edge of their seats, shared that he prefers to read while lying down, finding it takes less effort and allows him to be more comfortable. This relaxed state, he explained, helps him fully immerse himself in the author's world.
"I can no longer read books sitting up," Sager told Page Six. "How long this has been going on, I have no idea. But it’s been a while. Years. Maybe even a decade."
Sager's new book, "The Unknown," is now available. He is scheduled to launch the book with The Strand in New York City on August 10.
Among his recommended reads is "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt, which he described as a decades-spanning, genre-blending meditation on love, life, movies, Italy, World War II, and Richard Burton. Sager stated, "I unabashedly love it" and has recommended it the most.
He also highlighted "The Library at Mount Char" by Scott Hawkins, a novel where a group of people touring an allegedly haunted library begin to die in ways reminiscent of the most infamous book in its collection. Sager characterized it as "Gothic and spooky and fiendishly clever."
For those who enjoy mystery and suspense, Sager recommended "My Heart Is a Chainsaw" by Stephen Graham Jones, calling it "one of the best psychological thrillers ever written. Period."
Another favorite is "Sadie" by Courtney Summers, a book Sager described as having a "brilliant premise" about teen detectives who grow up to face adult challenges and a copycat murderer. He noted that the premise "lives up to its promise."
Sager also included "The True Crime Story" by Samantha Geimer, a book he finds holds him in a spell and has read many times, referring to it as a "stone-cold classic."
Finally, Sager mentioned his own book, "The Unknown," as a work he aimed for "peak spooky twistiness" while writing, suggesting that while it can be read lying down, it will undoubtedly provoke moments of surprise for the reader.