Initially I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this book, the premise sounded very much like Hanna Jameson’s ‘The Last’ and Ruth Ware’s ‘One by One’; and admittedly whilst there are similarities in terms of being locked door and the setting, the story and style itself is very different.

This was a very slow burn for me, it took me DAYS to get to 30% of the book. I wasn’t quite connecting with the narrative and I felt the pace was a little slow. But then it started snowing outside and I felt much more connected to the plot as a result so sat down and read it for much longer than I had been doing previously. At around 50% in, it turned. All of a sudden I couldn’t put the book down, flipping through as much as possible. It was as though I’d been in a carriage of a rollercoaster, slowly climbing to the top of the drop, then the carriage had accelerated down and couldn’t be stopped. The rest of the novel was that level of excitement, a frenzy of action.

All the time I was guessing people’s involvement, I don’t think I trusted anyone at one point! However one of my hunches was correct, I just maybe don’t find the why believable. On the whole a really solid thriller and one that will certainly get you drawn in

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for my free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Sanatorium is a chilling, atmospheric thriller, set in the Swiss Alps. Elin has been invited to her brothers engagement party in a 5* mountain retreat - a hotel in a converted sanatorium. Understandably (I think), I was creeped out by this whole scenario, and the opening chapter didn’t do much to put me at my ease - but it’s OK, I like being scared witless by a book! Frankly, if a book sells itself as being unnerving or potentially scary, and you can still go up to bed with the landing light off, then it won’t have fulfilled the brief. I sent my husband upstairs first to switch the lights on whilst I was reading this...
Elin is a troubled character, and clearly needs some help with past trauma. This makes her a nervy person who doesn’t have any self-confidence. She shuts her boyfriend out - and can I just say here that he seemed to be an incredibly patient person? I liked his character a lot. Most of the other characters are pretty unpleasant people if I’m honest, and I think any of them could have been the murderer. Some of the people reading along with me on the Pigeonhole worked out who the murderer was, but as usual, I merrily read on without a clue (this is OK by me - I’m in it for the ride and don’t feel the need to try and work it out).
I can’t quite believe that this is a debut, and I really enjoyed it. I would most definitely recommend it!
Many thanks to the Pigeonhole for serialising this. It was a great experience, as always, made all the better by sharing my thoughts with my fellow Pigeonholers! Oh, and thanks again for helping me read another book off my NetGalley list!

The book is well written with plenty of back story about the main character. I enjoyed the plot and even though the storyline is a bit grim, it wasn’t too graphic. I had no idea who the killer was until near the end and even then I had to wait for the big reveal to discover the truth. Everything gets wrapped up nicely which is always appreciated in this genre. Thank you #netgalley

There have been a few murder mystery/thrillers set in ski resorts lately. One by One, The Chalet, Shiver and now The Sanatorium. I've read 3 out of the 4 (not read Shiver yet) and I have to say, I've enjoyed them all.

The Sanatorium is set in an exclusive hotel in the mountains of Switzerland now renamed Le Sommet. And yes, it has a slightly creepy background as it used to be a sanatorium for TB patients in the early 1900's.

Elin is invited for a holiday at Le Sommet by her estranged brother Isaac, to celebrate his engagement. Elin is already on edge when she gets there. A detective, she's suffering from anxiety and panic attacks after a job went wrong. And there are difficult family dynamics to discuss. And that's all before people start going missing, including Isaac's fiance Laure. Elin has to take charge after an avalanche makes the hotel impossible to reach for the local police. It's a very tense situation, knowing there is a killer in their midst, with no idea who will be the next victim.

This is a very macabre and grisly story, but highly entertaining. There are enough twists and turns and red herrings to keep you guessing until the very end. And keep an eye out for the epilogue. Will there be a sequel 👀 ?

This is the first ive read from this author and can’t say I was too impressed. I did persevere with it till the end hoping for a brilliant ending but it wasn’t to be . The end could only be described as confusing and disappointing. It left things very much in the air , was it due to there being a sequel ? I wasn’t keen on the characters and the story was very weak and predictable. Not for me this one , thanks anyway to netgallery for letting me read a preview

Ren “Renata” Viradaux is an ex-street rat and con-artist who has arrived in Nadežra with her sister Tess to insert herself in the House Traementis pretending to be a long-lost cousin. Easily accepted by her cousins, she has to work hard to win the affection and trust of Donaia, the family head. Soon, Ren finds herself involved in family feuds and the political intrigue of the city.

What I loved most about this novel is its variety of characters. They are all likable, complex, and intriguing, and full of secrets. Ren is very smart, always ready to keep intact her façade of wealthy young woman who wants to reconnect with her family. Her cousins Leato and Giuna are fun characters and I like how their storylines developed throughout the story. Captain Grey is asked by Donaia to look into Renata’s life, but he also becomes obsessed with the case of missing children while facing ghosts from his past. Vargo is a crime lord trying to work his way up to the nobility. A bit shady and mysterious, he is a character that it is hard to read and that I can’t wait to see how it develops in the second book. And, last but not least, there is The Rook, a Robin Hood-vigilante character that helps the poor against the nobles. Around from hundreds of years, his identity is a mystery that Ren spends the entire book trying to uncover.

The world-building is incredible and rich. I was fascinated by the different noble houses, the rebels groups, and the different layers of magic. Sometimes the story feels slow-paced by the many information the author gives, but the more I read the more I found myself completely addicted and, thanks to the perfect and gripping ending, I can’t wait to see what happens in book number 2!

3.5 stars
This is a good read.
Elin and Will go to meet her brother at Le Sommet, a very exclusive hotel in Switzerland for his engagement party.
The hotel used to be a sanatorium and gives Elin the creeps. Elin is on a break from the police after a difficult case, but soon has to use her investigative skills when a body is found.
The hotel has to be evacuated due to an avalanche warning and then road closures mean that the hotel and remaining guests are cut off from help from the local Police.
Elin reaches them by phone and is asked to help them until they can get there. Another murder is committed and Elin is also attacked by the killer.
I didn’t feel gripped by this story and didn’t really connect with any of the characters as I felt they were kept at arms length from the reader.
A good read for fans of mystery thrillers.
Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this early read.
From the blurb, this sounded exactly like a book I would enjoy.
However, in my opinion the book just didn't live up to my expectations for a number if reasons.
1) I found the whole premise unbelievable.
2) the characters were unlikeable
3) the reveal, it seemed a bit far fetched to me
4) the epilogue, I didn't really understand it unless it is paving the way for a sequel.

Le Sommet, an ultra exclusive hotel in Switzerland - with a dark past as a sanatorium - is the setting for this twisted thriller. DS Elin Warner , on a break from the police after a difficult case, has come to the hotel with boyfriend Will to celebrate her brother Isaac's engagement to Laure. When the hotel has to be evacuated due to an avalanche warning and then a consequential road closure means that the Hotel and remaining guests are cut off, Elin is left to investigate two deaths and a missing person.

Although advertised as a psychological thriller, I found this book a little long on the descriptions and a little short on the suspense. There was a lot of activity in the book and a lot of unanswered questions. I also struggled to like any of the characters.

Having said that, other readers may find this a page turner.

This was an atmospheric thriller and it was the perfect weather for me to read it with the recent snow where I live.

I'm very much in the minority here but I found this really stumbled at the reveal. I can't say too much but I found the reveal of the culprit and the motive really made me feel let down. Sadly, with psychological thrillers and mysteries so much hinges on the reveal and this one actually made me angry.

The writing was fine, a lot of cases of two adjectives where one was enough, a lot of people doing stupid things, particularly our main character. She seemed to oscillate wildly between being frozen by inaction and rushing headlong into danger.

I think the core idea here was good but I would have preferred it to take a different turn. Or, to lean more fully into where it did go in the end and have it make more sense in terms of who was killed and why. The motivations behind several of the killings seemed weak. I also thought it was a bit obvious who the mysterious person was at the end and I don't really know how that person was there if I'm right. This was meant to be a hook for another book with these characters I think but I won't be reading the next.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good! I read it pretty much in one sitting- if my kindle battery hadn’t died I would have! It’s almost a locked-room mystery as there are only so many people in the hotel, which I adore, and yet there were so many twists that even when I thought the big reveal was revealed, it wasn’t! Has great potential to be a series as well. I want more of Elin’s backstory- this almost read like the second in a series as there were so many references to her last case and, of course, THE ENDING. Such potential there.

A fantastically dark and gripping tale, I was glued from the very start!

A well paved novel with distinctly gothic ubdertones, this book grabs you with its eclectic mix of grandeur and forboding

Going into this I was excited. This was one of my most anticipated books of the first half of the year. Thankfully I'm not left disappointed.

Starting off this felt off. But I'm unsure if it was the pacing or me. I just struggled a little the first half to really get invested. Despite enjoying it. Something was holding me back. However looking back the pacing worked. Everything happened at the right moments. At the book progressed the pacing picked up which got me more invested to the point I couldn't put the book down.

When it comes to theories while reading I don't think I had any solid theories. I just side eyed a few characters. Pearse gave small hints to make me wonder if certain people were innocent or not.

The reveal regarding Elin and Isaac I saw coming. Just because I've read so many thrillers with a similar reveal. But that didn't impact my enjoyment.

The atmosphere became intense at times. But it worked perfectly. Especially with the added element of being trapped with no way of getting help due to weather.

However I do feeling something was missing. I can't put my finger on what.

I do like that this is left open for a possible second book. I'm unsure if that's the plan but I'm left intrigued to who that person is. I need answers, so I would definitely pick up that book.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

An imposing, isolated hotelhigh up in the Swiss Alps, is the last place Elin Weaver wants to be. But she's taken time off from her job ad a Detective, so when she recieves an invitation to celebrate her estranged brother Isaac's recent engagement, she has no choice but to accept. Arriving in the midst of a storm, Elin immediately feels on edge. When they wake the next morning, they discover Isaac's fiancee Laure has vanished without a trace.

The hotel was formerly an old abandoned sanatorium high up in the Swiss Alps. Elin and her boyfriend Will have been invited to celebrate her estranged brother Isaac and Laure's engagement. Erin is currently on leave from work following an incident that left her traumatised. The guests were asked to evacuate the hotel as the weather takes a turn for the worst. But before they could leave, Laure has disappeared. Filled with twists. suspense and gruesome discoveries. It's alsocreepy and atmospheric. This is an easy book to read.

I wouold like to thank #NetGalley, #RandomHouseUK #TransworlsPubloishers and the author #SarahPearse for my ARC #Thesanatorium in exchange for an honest review.

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse was a gripping read for me yet.....it was also confusing and frustrating and left me somewhat disappointed and dissatisfied with the conclusion. Although there were lots of red herrings to ensure that the final reveal could be a surprise, there were a few too many connections between the characters to br totally believable and far too many loose ends to satisfy me as a reader. The final epilogue is just weird and made no sense to me at all. I have subsequently read some reviews where theories are put forward and they do make a lot of sense but are speculative. The author may be setting up for a sequel but she needed to sow a few more seeds throughout the storyline if that’s the case. I did enjoy and would be drawn to a sequel to follow Elin’s path so, overall, I think that’s four stars from me

I love a book that surprises me, I’ve read so many Psychological Thrillers and Domestic Noirs that not only do I normally guess the ending, but pretty much the whole direction of the book. The Sanatorium was a breathe of fresh air and really helped me out of my reading slump, and got the books of 2021 off to a great start.
The setting is perfect for the plot line. A top-class hotel, recently converted from an old sanatorium, high in the Swiss Alps. Whilst the hotel style is modern and minimal, the developers have incorporated artefacts from the original building into the decor. The constant reminder of the building's original purpose adds a subtle chill to the proceedings.

Elin Warner and her boyfriend Will have arrived at the hotel to attend the engagement party of her estranged brother Isaac and his financee. Elin is a police detective, currently on extended leave after a traumatic incident at work. She's fragile and a little bit broken. She's not sure that travelling to see her brother after all this time is a good idea. Elin harbours a lot of resentment toward Isaac. Their younger brother Sam died as a child and Elin has always held Isaac responsible. She's also angry that he didn't return home to visit their terminally ill mother before she died, and didn't even attend the funeral.

The hotel makes Elin feel uneasy too. Coupled with the the impending storm and the fear of an avalanche and not being able to leave, she's really jittery.

The discovery of a woman's body; mutilated and wearing a strange and frightening mask doesn't add anything to Elin's mood, and despite the fact that she's not officially working, and is in a different country, she jumps in to help. This will only put her and her family in more danger.

Pearse has created a tense and chilling story that goes to another level due to the setting. Even without the gruesome murders and the absolute terror of realising that there is a killer amongst the hotel residents, the description of the claustrophobic ice and snow add so much depth. It's the type of book that makes you want to wrap a blanket around yourself as you read.

As Elin gets deeper and deeper into the investigation, it becomes clear that nobody can be trusted. There are so many secrets being hidden. So many things unsaid, and the author creates such a feeling of unease and darkness that my heart began to pound in terror.

There were times when I wanted to scream at Elin. Her past experiences don't seem to have taught her much and her determination to solve the case, and prevent any more deaths often seem to make her blind to the danger she puts herself in. There's a feeling of self-despair that comes from her, with her own personal history becoming entwined with current events.

The Sanatorium is a vividly described, tense and chilling thriller. I was glued to the pages, frantically turning each one as the complex and cleverly structured story unfolded.
Anyone who loves a twisty ride of a book will enjoy this one.

I loved the sound of this book, and thought it started well.it was very creepy, and interesting, but as I read more it seemed to go off the boil ,and I started to lose interest. I thought the main character needed to grow a backbone, and the men in her life were total control freaks, it just didn't add up for me. I can enjoy a book without liking the characters, but it didn't work for me in this case.

I love a good mystery and this was no exception. The story was told well and kept you on the edge of your seat not quite knowing who was good and who was quite frankly evil. Great twists to the story and enjoyed it.

For a debut novel, this is an excellent read as Sarah Pearse has managed to totally encapsulate the Swiss surroundings of an old sanatorium now a luxury hotel. In the night time, the beautiful mountains around the hotel which are so picturesque in daylight, become dark, menacing and threatening. ( I have to say that whilst reading this book, I was watching heavy snowfall outside of my home which just added to the novel!) People go missing and some end up dead during which time no-one can get in or out of the hotel due to the adverse weather conditions and Elin who is on gardening leave from the UK police force and a guest there, tasks herself with trying to find out just what is going on.
I found it a great page turner as your thought jumped from one person to another to try and guess the perpetrator and why it all was happening. Probably best read in the dark, winter months though!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review all of which are entirely my own thoughts.

A great premise but 200 pages too long. I found i was incredibly bored trying to get through the second half of this book