I really enjoyed The Sanitarium by the same author so was very keen to request and read this one. Unfortunately I’m left with very mixed feelings. Firstly it felt very long with some chapters dragging on and not much happening. I was stuck in a dilemma of it being interesting enough to not want to DNF but also not interesting enough for me to want to pick it up and read it. It took me just over a week to read. Don’t get me wrong when things started to come together it was interesting but the big reveal didn’t feel much like a big reveal, there was only 3 characters left at the end so it was fairly obvious who the killer was IMO. I did like the added twist at the end but it also confused me why that wasn’t looked into further by the detective 🤷🏻‍♀️ all in all a fairly good time, the writing was good, I just wasn’t sold on the story.

I enjoyed reading this, characters were very believable and I loved the storyline. Gripping, interesting and recommended, the story came alive in my mind
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

An idyllic location with a less than ideal history, what could possibly go wrong..? It turns out, quite a lot actually! I really enjoyed the first book in the Detective Elin Warner series, The Sanatorium, so I couldn’t wait to dive into book 2, The Retreat.

This one has a very different feel to The Sanatorium, but is no less tense. When our main family group arrives on the island we quite quickly get the impression that all is not particularly well with the group dynamic. And the events of the first few chapters only serve to bring this into even more sharp focus. After Elin Warner arrives things go from bad to worse and I was left wondering whether anyone would get to the end of the book completely unscathed.

DS Warner is a fascinating character and I was really glad to see her back in this new novel. Though this is her second case, I’d say you needn’t have read The Sanatorium to fully enjoy The Retreat. It works perfectly well as a standalone.

The Retreat is a really well-plotted, atmospheric and tense thriller, which I very much enjoyed. With thanks to Bantam Press for gifting me a digital copy to review.

Many thanks to the publishing team for my digital copy for a review
This was my second read from the author. I really enjoyed The Sanatorium so knew I would be in for treat for The Retreat.
A really engaging book with lots of action and suspense, but it wasn't an overly fast paced book. The author did a good job threading in different themes from friendships, loss, relationships and and jealousy amongst one of the emotions. It was weaved throughout the different characters up until the build up. A mixture of characters that each hold their own story and hidden agenda just added that extra layer of suspicion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I haven't read the previous book in the series but there are reference to what has gone before so I didn't feel that I had missed anything crucial. There are many descriptions of the feeling of threat on the island so it's astonishing the resort is so popular. There are evidently ill-feelings between the group of friends as well as the actual murder story which is spread over a period of time due to historical murders in the area. The setting and characters are English so American spellings were misplaced, and frequent references to 'acid', 'bile', nausea and vomit began to make me feel sick. There were many twists, including at the end causing a cliffhanger, but I felt that the book was overlong, pages of wind, sea, flying objects and noise of the storm were unnecessary, we understand there's a storm! I probably won't read any more of the series.

I read Sarah’s debut novel; The Sanatorium, last year and although I really enjoyed it there were a few things that held it back from getting the 5 stars from me - mainly the ‘what happened to the bodies’ question that I kept going back to. While I was reading it though I got accepted to read her second book on Netgalley and I have finally got around to reading it.

The drama and tension in this is extreme, you feel like you are on the island with Elin and need to watch your back as well, I think we all know how it feels when you think someone’s watching you and this is what this book delivers tenfold. It did take me a few chapters to get into the pace of the book but once you do there’s no stopping and you’ll want to pick this up every day.

I have to admit, I didn’t have a clue who the killer was in this at any point, my theories switched between people quote a few times but I never struck gold, I also didn’t see the finale coming either!

Like with the Sanatorium, Pearse finishes this book with a question and some unfinished business that leaves you wanting more… Elgin’s story isn’t over yet and I’m now eager to get reading her next instalment! If you’d struck this off after reading The Sanatorium then I would recommend giving this a chance as it definitely got me going!!!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Gripping twisty and well written I’d recommend as a good read!

I read and enjoyed The Sanatorium when it came out so was really looking forward to this second book in the series and I'm so happy to say that it more than lived up to it... in fact I think I liked it even more! This novel again follows Elin as she goes on a family getaway to an isolated retreat where years ago a serial killer was at loose. The place feels so claustrophobic and eerie from the start so this was a great set up to the novel, and I love it when the location is a character in its own right. The pace in this novel ramps up quickly and I was utterly engrossed from start to finish. I read this at a time when I was struggling to concentrate on reading but this was the book that grabbed me and kept me hooked. There were twists and turns galore and I loved being kept on my toes. I very much enjoyed this one and hope there is more to come in this series!

This was such a great sequel for The Sanatorium. I loved how all the new characters were set up and they fit into the already created characters really well. I liked how this was paced and the drama as it was all explained and written well. I really want to get the next book in the series as this end on such an interesting note.

I chose this after reading, and loving, the Sanatorium. I didn't enjoy the second in the series as much as I had done the first, although I did like to see the character progression in Elin.

I read some of this on my kindle and some of it I listened to the audio book. I did not enjoy the audio book at all, I felt that it had the wrong narrator. She was more suited to a yoga retreat and guided meditations than a thriller novel.

📝 Book Review

THE RETREAT by Sarah Pearse @sarahpearseauthor

This is the second book in the Elin Warner series which can be read as a standalone.

The setting is a wellness retreat on an island only accessible by boat. Elin and her partner Steed are called to the site when a woman is found dead on some rocks under the yoga pavilion. Many think that she accidentally fell but when another dead body turns up the next day suspicions rise and the police think that there is more at play. Should the other visitors be worried – are they at risk?

The island has a history of death, cults, superstition and child abuse which Elin starts to learn about. The retreat is a new addition to the island plastering over the traumatic aguish of the past but the memories in some, still remain.

The setting and premise for this book are great. The atmosphere created added to the tension, suspense and thrill which if you’ve read The Sanatorium, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is becoming Pearse’s signature move.

For those that read thrillers or mysteries – this is the classic locked-room, whodunnit format. A medium pace with a rush of twists and reveals at the end which you will race through.

4 stars

You might like this book if you liked Sarah Pearse’s first book – The Sanatorium. Nine Perfect Strangers or anything by Lucy Foley.

After having loved the first book in this series, I wasn;t sure how id feel trying the sequel, but I was wrong! If anything, this book was better! I really enjoyed the mystery and plot twists to this one! It was great!

I really enjoyed the second installment in the Elin Warner series! Whilst I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the first one I still found it had me hooked until the very end!

The Retreat is an exciting thriller, set on the infamous Reapers Rock. It’s a wellness retreat called LUMEN, and seems perfect. Until a body is found on the rocks.

Initially it looks like a tragic accident, but it transpires that the victim shouldn’t have even been there. And then it’s followed by a diving accident.

There’s loads of mystery, action and secrets on the island, and Detective Elin Walker is the one to solve the crimes.

I felt that Elin was much more together and confident than she was in The Sanitorium, which I think is the reason for her boyfriend Will’s behaviour (honestly, it’s not great behaviour 🤷🏼‍♀️).

I loved how the secrets were slowly revealed - lots of deep intakes of breath on my part!

Absolutely NOT somewhere I’d want to be going on holiday, but a fabulous read!

I read The Sanatorium and really enjoyed it, a lot darker, twistier and atmospheric than your standard crime book.
Pearse writes well and creates an eery location with ease, albeit the extreme weather never feels likely in the UK.
Not my favourite book of the year but a good read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Sarah Pearse has fast become a favourite author of mine. I adored The Sanatorium but The retreat also was perfectly paced, full of twists and in the atmospheric style of writing that I devour. This one kept me gripped and I read the book within 24 hours of starting, it’s one I would highly recommend to mystery/ thriller enthusiasts

I really wanted to love this one but sadly I found it to be very mediocre.
With lots of loopholes & lots of unanswered questions.

What a read from start to finish.

I had started it a while back but had to abandon it as life got crazy hectic and I just couldnt concentrate or stay awake long enough to get stuck into a book but I restarted a couple of days ago and its defo brought my reading mojo back....which is a sign of a fab read if ever I saw one!

So creepy and full of twists and turns throughout. I loved the plot ajd the characters and flew through this one. Pulled me in from the firsr chapter.

An author on my watch list for future foe sure.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this latest book.

4 Stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Retreat is the second in the Elin Warner series. Whilst Elin struggled in her return to the police force in book 1, following a trauma, and her detecting skills were a little jaded, she now appears a lot stronger and more on her game. The Retreat is set on a remote island with a dark history. It is now packaged as a Retreat. We follow a group of friends and within a few days the are two unexplained deaths. Elin soon suspects foul play. The islands dark past seems to be repeating itself. A suspenseful read. #theretreat #netgalley

Thank you to the publisher Penguin, the author Sarah Pearse and Netgalley for a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read the next instalment in the DS Elin Warner series. I adored The Sanatorium with its cold setting and the creepy haunted building. This second book has a similar structure with murders occurring in an isolated wellness retreat during a hot summer. The rock that is built on the island ( reapers rock 🪨) is said by locals to have bad energy. Instead of the location being cold it’s hot but the element of the location seemingly possessing evil and murders occurring while Elin is there is the same.

I really liked the character development of Elin. In the first book she was so anxious and unsure and in this book she really came into her own. I think the hot isolated island setting didn’t float my boat as much as the cold setting in the first one. Also the ending was slightly too long and drawn out for me this time.

However I found the plotting of who the murderer would was and the motivations and the linking of these murders with past murders on the island, as well as the history of the school that was on the island in the past really impressive. The way the author introduced plot structures and suspects that just wouldn’t fit until we got the reveal showed real ingenuity and talent.

I am very excited to continue on with the series and I would read anything else this author writes. You know with Sarah Pearse you will get well written, impressively structured, clever thrillers with strong character development. I am so excited to continue following this authors journey.