This one was one of my most anticipated reads but unfortunately it felt slow going and took a while for me to get into as there wasn’t much suspense. I liked the interesting setting with a dark past. I still like the detective Elin, she’s an interesting character but there were so many other characters, it was hard to keep track. I like Sarah Pearce’s writing style, she’s quite descriptive of her locations and makes you feel like you’re there. Disappointed it’s not as good as Sanatorium but I’ll definitely read from this author again.

This was a gripping murder mystery and I’d really recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers! It can be read as book 2 in the series or as a stand-alone I think.

I actually enjoyed this more than The Sanatorium (book 1) although it didn’t really endear me to Elin still (and Will continues to be THE WORST?!). The one question I continuously came back to though was why did they build that kind of resort in a country that usually has horrendous weather? It was a great setting for the book but that bit of the story didn’t stick for me…

Overall this had me hooked immediately and it seems like there will be another book which I’ll definitely be reading! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Captivating and a real page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and a real murder mystery. Sarah writes a great book with all its twists and turns, Excellent read.

I read Sarah Pearse's debut, The Sanatorium, and had a great time with it, mostly due to the snowy setting and the dark and unsettling atmosphere. While I don't think The Retreat pulled this off as well, I still very much enjoyed the isolated island setting. I do wish the retreat itself had been fleshed out more before the deaths started happening, as the setting was once again very important to the plot.

Speaking of the deaths, I found everything to be a little too coincidental. Or perhaps a little too convoluted. Not everything had to be connected in this way, and yet...

The Retreat was certainly as fast paced as the first book and it had some thrilling moments. The reveals were a bit of a let down, as was one unrealistic scene in which a character goes swimming during a storm.

Overall though I enjoyed The Retreat and I would pick up more from this author in the future. I particularly want to see where this main character goes!

I found this book very slow and all a bit beyond belief. None of the characters were likeable.
Not impressed.

Oh my goodness this was incredible. I was utterly thrilled and intrigued by the sanatorium and this book was just what I'd been craving.

We return to some of the characters from the first novel like Elin Warner, who has returned to solve a different case but still in a secluded location. It kept me on the edge of my seat and honestly I can't wait for the next now.

I really enjoy Sarah Pearse's writing style and I just find her twists and turns mean I'm up late promising myself just one more chapter. Brilliant.

3.5 stars from me!

Firstly, I LOVE locked in thrillers.
I was looking forward to digging back into the life of Elin Weaver after thoroughly enjoying the Sanatorium. I like that the sense of place is an island off the coast of England and one that had a sense of place and past and was a difficult place to escape. I could understand the draw of it being some sort of retreat spa and the first death was thrilling - a death that looks like an accident, the perfect murder!

However for me I think, for a locked in thriller I need a cast of characters that don’t know each other so that it keeps them guessing and suspecting each other. Having a family as the suspect and murder list kept it a little obvious for me, I knew who the key players and were going to be and who the murderer would be rather early on.

A lot of action for Elin, could easily be a film! Great twist at the end too.

This book was a great read! Another brilliant crime thriller from this author. The island itself was really creepy and the perfect setting for the murders. A well crafted story and I liked the addition of Steed!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Bantam Press for my ARC for free in exchange for an honest review.

Very similar plot setting to The Sanatorium, remote location, death, isolation and decline in weather. Some would find it very repetitive after having read The Sanatorium but I thoroughly enjoyed the same style of book!

Thrilled to see Detective Warner overcoming many of the traumas we experienced with her!

Would highly recommend to fans of the Sanatorium and can’t wait to see what’s next!

A fairly interesting story which also provides some answers to questions raised in the first book, although it lacks the eerie atmosphere that pervades The Sanctuary (probably my main reason for enjoying the first installment). However, given the overall improvement that this was compared to The Sanctuary, and now that Detective Elin Warner's character has been established a bit more, I'd definitely be interested in reading more books in the series.

I was really excited to give this book a read as I’ve seen lots about this authors other book ‘The Sanatoruim’.

In this story we follow Hana and police officer Elin. I really liked the dual points of view although I do think it could of worked better and been more impactful if it was written from a first person narrative.

The story was pretty fast paced and I liked the twists towards the end of the book and how they were revealed.

The book did leave some loose ends however and some of the plot lines were questionable and possibly didn’t need to be there.

Overall worth a read and I’m rating it 3/5⭐️

The Retreat is very similar in concept to The Sanatorium, trapped in a location away from outside help, murderer on the loose, the mood reflected in the wild terrain surrounding the characters.

Detective Warner is no more competent or believable in this book sadly and I found myself occasionally distracted from the plot by the implacability that she would be running this investigation with no outside support.
Nevertheless, I did engage with the story and enjoy elements of the plot, such as the sub story of the legar family.

My biggest frustration with this novel is that it still leaves elements unresolved, Elin’s mysterious feeling of being watched. I suspect this will remain unresolved for a few more sequels yet.

An engrossing sequel to The Sanatorium, I was unable to put this down. A complete page turner. A brilliantly, twisty suspense novel set on an island. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and the locked room mystery genre.

A brilliantly atmospheric read that had me gripped and constantly on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put this book down!

I can’t get over how good this book is, so I apologise for my somewhat rambled thoughts. I just had to say what I thought!

It was so gripping, and dark. Very unpredictable, and had the most insane twists! So good!

This book was just trying to shock from start to finish. But it seemed to lack something- depth. The plot was fairly basic and so easy to follow. It was quite clever on a basic plot level.
The characters were ok- just a little unbelievable.
I much preferred this writers first book. I guess, as I liked that one so much, I had high expectations for this one. It’s an easy read if you fancy something a bit on the edge, but not to complex.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)

This was exactly what I wanted and expected - a pacy, atmospheric and very suspenseful thriller full of secrets, family drama and murder. Big fan!

This is the second novel in the DS Elin series. There were constant references to her past case, which did confuse me and I did find myself wishing I had read The Sanatorium, as certain things went over my head. That aside this started of promising.
Elon is working again, though not yet a detective due to the previous stressful experience she had. She gets a chance though to investigate again when a body is found-Bea.
Bea is the sister of Hana and Jo. Jo is an influence, who bagged a free trip to a retreat on an island near Devon. Along for the ride is Maya, her cousin and Seth (Jo’s boyfriend), and Caleb (Bea’s husband), although Bea herself is unable to come. So when Bea’s body is discovered the next day many questions are asked.

Liked:
- the sibling and family dynamics of Hana and co, is very relatable. Their narrative was gripping. I loved all the tensions and secrets.
- The setting of the story was the perfect escapism.
- Elon is also a well written female detective.

Disliked:
- references to past cases and links felt too coincidental and shoe-horned into the story.
- this wasn’t really a retreat, but more of a hotel/spa experience. My expectations with retreats are courses and self-development with a teacher. I felt the title misleading.

On the whole this was an engrossing enough of read. As the bodies piled up and red herrings were introduced I did feel that the pace was at the cost of characterisation.

An engaging read from the author of The Sanatorium, following the same detective character and her architect husband. It will be helpful to re-read The Sanatorium as there were references to a past case.

This novel is split into two narratives: one follows Detective Elin and the other follows Hana and her family who are on a retreat. The narratives merge when one member of Hana’s family is found dead...

This was a fast paced read with lots of red herrings. It did feel a little insular at times and the stakes weren’t raised enough in my POV. Parts of did lag, nonetheless I was engaged through and through.