I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the opportunity to read and review The Retreat. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.

An eco-wellness retreat has opened on an island off the English coast, promising rest and relaxation. But the island itself, known locally as Reaper’s Rock, has a dark past. Once the playground of a serial killer, it’s rumoured to be cursed.

Detective Elin Warner is called to the retreat when a young woman’s body is found on the rocks below the yoga pavilion in what seems to be a tragic fall. But the victim wasn’t a guest, she wasn’t meant to be on the island at all.

When a guest drowns in a diving incident the following day, Elin starts to suspect that there’s nothing accidental about these deaths. But why would someone target the guests and who else is in danger?

Elin must fine the killer, before the island’s history starts to repeat itself…

After being afforded the opportunity to read and review The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse back in 2020, I couldn’t pass up the chance to read and review the second instalment of the Detective Elin Warner series.

I still remember some of the reviews for The Sanitorium saying that it was too slow paced. I agree that it was slow, not too slow, just slow. But it was slow in the most atmospheric way. I really enjoyed it, I just think that people didn’t get it. But, if this was one of your complaints… pick up The Retreat NOW! Your prayers have been answered. This story is much more fast paced and there’s something happening at every twist and turn.

If there is one thing that Sarah Pearse is good at, it’s creating an eerie ambiance. For the second time, she has absolutely mastered it.

I have absolutely no complaints in regards to this book. Simply put, it’s an action packed thriller. There’s no shortage of things going on in this story and I loved every single page. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Detective Elin Warner.

I've tried reading this book a number of times and also tried listening to the audio book. Unfortunately it just didn't engage me like the first in the series The Sanatorium. In the end I pushed through to finish the book but I wouldn't be so quick to pick up another by this author in the future unfortunately.

A fast-paced and interesting thriller. Sarah Pearse’s books always create a strong atmospheric setting and this was no exception. The characters are well developed and this is a fantastic series - hoping there will be more!

After the events of previous book, The Sanatorium, DS Elin Warner is called to the scene of a death on Reaper's Rock - an island off the coast of Devon. The death might have been an accident Warner is unsure as yet, but the island itself has a dark past as the hunting grounds of a serial killer named Creacher. The island has recently been developed into an eco-wellness retreat called LUMEN - which just happens to have been designed by Warner's boyfriend, Will. As Warner & partner, Steed, investigate they realise that there is more to the case than first glance suggests & a second body confirms their suspicions. Is there a copycat killer or was Creacher actually innocent & the real killer back to claim more victims?

An isolated island, a serial killer, & a storm cutting them off from the mainland - this should have been a slam dunk, but at times I nearly gave up as the pacing was so slow. Looking back at my review for the first book, my main issue was with Warner & it's more of the same here There are obviously issues that she is working through but I find her lack of confidence & insipid character very frustrating for someone leading a murder inquiry. Otherwise, the storylines are quite good & there's dual plots running here with the investigation itself & the dramas of members of one family who visit the retreat for a holiday. Overall, decent plot but slow pacing & the MC lowers my rating.

This is book two in the Detective Elin Warner series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel, although personally I like to read from the start. I have just re-read this one before reading book 3. Elin and her partner Steed are called over to Reaper’s Rock off the coast of Devon. The Rock is said to be cursed as some strange things have happened over the years. Elin’s boyfriend Will has designed the new luxury resort that has been built on the island.

Early morning and a woman is found dead, it looks like an accident as it seems she was reaching over a balcony where her scarf had blown, and fell. Could it be that simple? When the rest of her family see her, they hadn’t even realised she had arrived, as she was supposed to be working in America, and couldn’t make this family gathering.

But as well as dealing with this Elin is getting messages tweeted with photos of herself with her eyes gouged out, who is doing this?

As with the authors last book The Sanatorium, the setting is the key part of this book, with its claustrophobic atmosphere, and a rock that looks like the grim reaper hanging over them, this adds to the tension.

The story pulls you in right from the get go, the toxic family relationships, is the main part of this thriller. The group who have arranged to stay here have been through a lot, it has pushed them away from each other which is why they are all trying to get relationships back on track. As their history is cleverly unravelled as the story progresses. Have things gone too far to bring them back together? Now with one dead what next?

Elin is still struggling herself, should she be back at work as she fights her own past tragedy. The story is filled with shocks and surprises throughout, and Elin has to decide who she can trust as she fights for her life. Another book with some great characters, full of action, followed by a slower tone which gives you an insight into the different subplots being played out by other characters.

Overall another great read by Sarah Pearse I am now looking forward to reading the next book.

I recently finished reading “The Retreat” by Sarah Pearse, and I have to say, it was an exhilarating experience from start to finish. The novel is set on an island off the English coast, known as Reaper’s Rock, which has a dark and mysterious history. This backdrop alone creates a suitably menacing atmosphere that is perfect for a psychological thriller.

The story revolves around a wellness retreat that promises peace and relaxation, but the island’s cursed past soon overshadows any sense of tranquility. The protagonist, Detective Elin Warner, is called to investigate a series of suspicious deaths, starting with a woman’s body found below a yoga pavilion. As more bodies turn up, Elin uncovers layers of secrets and historical horrors tied to the island.

What I loved most about “The Retreat” was Pearse’s ability to vividly draw the setting and make it an integral part of the suspense. The complex relationships between the characters, especially between Hana and her sisters, added depth to the narrative and made their interactions believable and engaging.

Elin Warner’s character, returning from Pearse’s debut novel “The Sanatorium,” is compelling, though her investigation at times feels a bit convoluted. Nevertheless, the book’s fast pace and the twisty plot kept me hooked. The novel’s ending sets up intriguing possibilities for future stories, hinting that Elin might become the target of a killer herself.

Overall, “The Retreat” is a gripping read that blends psychological suspense with a classic locked-room mystery. It’s perfect for fans of atmospheric thrillers looking for a story that keeps you guessing until the very end

This book was everything I hoped it would it be.
I was hooked quickly and completely unwilling to put this down. I devoured this book in just one sitting. I have no regrets and can’t wait to read more by this author.

There are far too many characters in this story. It became confusing. The pace was slow and I became a bit bored in places. The writing style was good and the description of the setting was excellent. Average read

A twisty, engaging, page turner. Another gripping thriller and story line from Sarah Pearse. I can't wait for the next one!!

I must apologise for not reviewing this one earlier, I thought I had. I loved the first book in this series and enjoyed catching up with DI Elin Warner. I felt like this story has been done before and had similar traits to several other books I’ve read recently. The setting was set well and it was easy to visualise, but I certainly don’t want to visit it!!

This is the second book in the Detective Erin Warner series and after reading "The Sanatorium" which I loved, I could not wait to start this book.

Detective Erin Warner is called out to a wellness retreat on an island off the English coast. A woman's body has been found on the rocks below the yoga pavilion. The victim is not a guest and it at first appears to be a tragic fall, but when a second person dies the next day, Erin suspects something more heinous is occurring.

The island itself has a dark past, the locals call it "Reaper's Rock" once the playground of a serial killer and rumoured to be cursed.

This book had me hooked me from the start with a creepy feeling throughout.

A compelling read full of drama and suspense.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic book, a dance of secrets and surprises, this heart-stopping thriller invites you to venture into a world of mystery that will leave you breathless.

A follow up to the first book in what will be a series of books based on a female detective. The last book ended SPOILER ALERT!! with someone stalking Erin. So I was desperate to read this. It’s a great standalone but I’d definitely recommend reading The Sanatorium first.

As soon as I picked up Sarah Pearse's The Retreat, I was instantly intrigued by the promise of an idyllic wellness retreat with a dark and mysterious past. The book did not disappoint.

Set on an island off the coast of Devon, known as Reaper's Rock, The Retreat follows DS Elin Warner as she investigates the suspicious death of a woman found below the yoga pavilion. What at first seems like a tragic accident quickly turns into a complex web of secrets, lies, and past traumas that haunt the island to this day.

Pearse masterfully weaves together a suspenseful and atmospheric thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Her attention to detail and intricate plot development ensure that every twist and turn is both surprising and believable, leaving readers guessing until the very end.

One of the things I loved most about The Retreat was Pearse's use of setting. Reaper's Rock, with its stunning natural beauty and eerie history, feels like a character in its own right. Its past traumas and the curse that haunts it add an extra layer of tension to the already gripping plot.

DS Elin Warner is also a compelling and relatable protagonist. Her dedication to solving the case, even in the face of danger and personal turmoil, is admirable and keeps the reader invested in her story.

Overall, I highly recommend The Retreat to anyone looking for a well-crafted thriller that will keep them guessing until the very end. Sarah Pearse has once again proven herself to be a master of suspense and storytelling, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. As for braving The Retreat this summer? I'll leave that up to the readers to decide.

3.5 ⭐
#TheRetreat by #SarahPearce is stronger than her first offering in #TheSanatorium but I'm still not completely convinced by the storytelling. The writing and the ideas work but there's just something not quite there- yet. One element Pearce uses that I'm not a big fan of regardless of who uses it, is the ultra quick wrap up, straight into an epilogue.
■■SPOILER■■
Both books, featuring DS Elin Warner have finished the same way. It wasn't necessary the first time but Pearce has built on the idea for this book. Sadly, it's both too little and too much to be convincing. I hope, if there's a third installment, readers are given some answers.

Thanks to @randomhouse and @netgalley for the free e-ARC in return for an unbiased review.

I liked Pearse's first book - 'The Sanatorium' - because of the claustrophobic atmosphere and the edge-of-your-seat tension levels. I had high hopes for this book, 'The Retreat', as this marks the return of detective Elin Warner in a different but equally remote setting.

This book is set on an island off the Devon coast which has been made into a wellness getaway. The island has a sinister past - a school with a dodgy history, the creepy 'Reaper's Rock' and a series of brutal murders - but that hasn't stopped the LUMEN developers from making it a luxury retreat. When an accident happens at the resort - a fatal fall from the island's yoga pavilion - DS Elin Warner is called in to investigate. Struggling with her own past trauma, she begins to uncover some of the island's deadly secrets as both the tension and the bodies begin to stack up...

Pearse, as with her first novel, manages the tension of the setting brilliantly - what starts out as a luxurious guest experience soon becomes a nightmare because of the events and the inhospitable weather moving in. The island is remote and cut off from the mainland - all the better to host a potential serial killer.

It was also good to see DS Elin Warner again - I liked 'The Sanitorium' but felt she could be more developed as a character and here she is! I liked that she stepped up to investigate in this book - she wasn't the default detective on site, but insisted she was up to the job even though she was still working through her own troubles. She also had a personal link to the island as her husband, Will, was on the design team and his sister, Farrah, worked there - this made the stakes feel higher with regards to what was happening.

The key guests on the island - centring around a family group - were much harder to like! There were a fair few sisters and husbands/partners, plus a cousin, and I did sometimes forget who was who. Some of them were quite unsympathetically portrayed - although none of this stopped me from engaging with their stories, their secrets and lies.

I liked the more investigative/police procedural elements of the novel best - there are some great little twists in there, including at least one revelation that really threw my amateur detecting. There's some sections of the book where Elin is going it alone when I felt that the tension was unbearably high. As usual, I suspected everyone and didn't see the final denouement until it came - exactly as it should be.

I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-managed, tense and atmospheric thriller with a solid police procedural at its heart. I was pleased to meet Elin Warner again, but I also think that new readers to the series wouldn't struggle to follow the story without having read 'The Sanitorium'. I think I liked this second instalment better than the first and I'm looking forward to book three.

An isolated location, creepy history with murders in the background. What can go wrong?

Detective Elin is back to investigate the crimes. I love how she acknowledges her limitations, yet she tries her best to solve the case.

A family group arrives on the island, and pretty quickly things get nasty. Secrets and betrayal come to life, when one person after another disappears.

The book is really well-ploted, it's quite dark and tense. A fast-paced story which makes you want to continue until you find out what is really going on.

I liked The Sanatorium, and I think The Retreat was even better. I can't wait what else the author brings to us!

As much as I was a fan of the first novel in this series I’m not sure that it should have been a follow up. Bit odd and too many characters made me lose interest at the beginning and I had to fight to get through it

I really enjoyed The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse, and did not realise when I started The Retreat, that I would revisit the character of Detective Elin Warner.

Both books have a similar premise: murders take place in isolated areas which means that flawed, damaged Elin Warner is forced to investigate cases, which perhaps should not be handled by someone with her limitations. The setting is glorious and atmospheric, in a similar way to The Sanitorium, and works perfectly for this story. There were lots of twists and most were not predictable until the end when there was practically no-one left; however, for me, the idea of Jo, Bea et al, all holidaying together felt forced and a little unconvincing from the start.

I felt like I have read similar story lines to this before and there was something a little clunky about some of the reveals and the backstories as to why they were there.

Having said that this didn't quite work for me, I will be keen to read the next in the series to see how Elin develops. Her personal life and her professional life is a bit of a mess and I'd like to see her being a detective without almost being thrust in uncomfortable situations to see her more triumphant and less of a chancer.

The Retreat

I wasn't a huge fan of The Sanatorium and Elin but wanted to give her a 2nd chance because the premise on this looked great.

A creepy island with a rock shaped like a Reaper...where bad things happen. This book is so atmospheric and you almost get a horror movie vibe from it. Everything is gradually creeping up on you and there were a few times the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Full points for atmosphere and world building. Really could visualise and feel the energy of that island.

Elin is still a tricky character. She doesn't seem that good at her job, she takes really silly risks and it takes her a long time to find out anything.

This book did surprise me in a few places..
The deaths come thick and fast. The deaths were very well done and all unique and jarring. I appreciated that.

There is some brilliant ideas here and then some easy reasoning to make them work which is frustrating. The reason for no back up could have been so much more. I am not convinced that the police force wouldn't send back up to a series of murders though because they were dealing with an road traffic accident! There were also a few coincidences that just felt a bit too easy.

I enjoyed this much more than the 1st book and would definitely like to read the next one.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.