4.5⭐️

Blood is thicker than water. But how much would you cover for your own blood?

It was a supposed to be a relaxing trip-a couples retreat paid for by Mako, Hannah’s brother. But everyone is so wrapped up in their own issues and secrets: an affair, illegal business dealings, and secret hidden half-siblings. While trapped at the cabin during a storm, a surprise from Mako’s past come back to haunt them. What does she was and what does it have to do with the DNA kits hidden under the Christmas tree the previous year?

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six examines nature versus nurture and how much the environment a person is raised in can change things, no matter what genetics a person shared with someone else. The story also looks at how much a person can overlook and how much they are willing to cover in order to keep their family safe.

Each character in this book was flawed in their own way and really makes you think about what you would do or believe in these situations. My biggest question though, and maybe I just missed it, is what’s the story with the property manager? There was a lot of build-up regarding him and I don’t feel like I got enough wrap up on his involvement.

Thanks NetGalley for providing this ARC to me!

Honestly, I was so excited to read this book, one of my most anticipated, but it was a little bit of a let down for me. I thought the twist was too simple. The information is laid out for you all throughout the book, but it was still upsetting how easy it was. I wanted a bit more, but overall a fast read!

I enjoyed this. The plot was a bit slow to pick up and it was quite far fetched at some point; however, I still was interested in what was happening. No big twists in this one, at least not for me, but the dark atmosphere was suspenseful and I quite liked it.

Twists and turns but too many. And too many characters to keep track of, and their point of views. Boring in areas. Slow moving and a couple plots in one so it feels so long. Not a totally bad read but it is slow moving.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

Very good thriller! I had a bit of a hard time with all of the characters and had to go back a few times. The story is very complex and the twists unexpected. The one thing that got me is that I felt the ending tied up to nicely. Not my favorite of Lisa Unger's novels but I definitely will read her again as I always enjoy the ride.

I was expecting more from this book but it was still a good read. The character list was complicated so I had to draw a map of how everyone was related.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Legend Press and Lisa Unger for letting me read an ARC of “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six” in exchange for an honest review!

When Hannah’s brother suggests a trip away with family and close friends to a luxury cabin in the remote woods of Georgia, it seems like exactly what they all need. Although reluctant as a new mother, Hannah decides what could be a better way to relax, unwind, and recover from their hectic lives? Once arriving, this story turns into your typical, locked room mystery. There’s a massive storm heading for the isolated cabin prone to flash floods and power outages. With a creepy, involved owner, who built the cabin with his bare hands, and a staff who lets the guests know immediately about the land's ominous past, something is bound to go wrong during their stay.

With multiple points-of-view and dual timelines, this is definitely a winding and complex story that has you having to "read between the lines" for some of the plot. My only complaint with this book is that I felt like there was a lot revealed at the end and then wrapped in a beautiful bow. After all of the twists and turns throughout the first 90% of the book, this didn't seem to fit in my opinion, as everything went a little too perfectly. Overall, I loved the atmosphere and variety of characters in this book. I found myself saying *one more chapter* way past my bedtime. Four stars!

Holy moly I was not ready for all of those twists. The second I thought the story was going one way, it went a completely different one. I loved this! I will say though that the parallel time lines had so many supporting characters in each of them that if you were not paying complete detailed attention to everything that it could have been a bit confusing. Still, I loved the ending!

This is the first book by Lisa Unger that I have read, and I was really excited to dive into this. I thought this book was entertaining, but I was a bit underwhelmed.

The plot and subplot I did find interesting, and I liked the uniqueness of adding DNA testing to the plot. I liked reading about the characters, even if some of them are a bit cliche and lacked depth; I still enjoyed reading their stories. The book is told in multiple POV's and different timelines, but I personally did not find it difficult to follow. Although I did question why a couple of the POV's were included at first, since they didn't seem to jive with the main narrative until they tied into the story later. The writing was just okay for me, repetitive at some parts.. I swear the word "virile" was used to describe most of the male characters.

I love a good locked-room mystery, but for me this wasn't too mysterious. I had started to figure out who the antagonist was early on and the reveal didn't really surprise me. The book was still an entertaining read, with some OTT moments. Although this wasn't my favorite, I do think that I will give Unger another try.

Three couples rent a secluded, luxurious cabin. When one of the six seemingly up and leaves in the middle of a storm the others begin to wonder if something more sinister is at play.

It has been a few weeks since I read this book and I can barely remember it. A bad sign. It was gripping enough that I finished it, yet I can’t recall the ending or any feeling of satisfaction with the conclusion. None of the characters were particularly likeable and they all lacked depth. Some characters and storylines seemed to add nothing to the plot. Were they just thrown in there as red herrings or am I missing something? While the premise sounded very interesting, I was let down by it’s execution.

Thank you NetGalley and Legend Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the storyline and I found the plot was suspenseful and moved quick enough to keep me intrigued. However, there were a few POVs that seemed to not add anything to the story. I would have been happier without anything from Bracken and found most of Henry’s storyline unneeded. I wish I had more from Trina. I think the story could have been shorter and that would have made it much better and even more of a page turner.
3.5 stars rounded to four for GR.
Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy of the ebook!

Six people rent out a cabin for an epic weekend together except they’ll be trying to get out alive. This book is told from multiple point of views and it is just so messy. The characters lack depth. I feel like there are characters that were introduced for no reason such as the cabin host and his cameras, which just ends. Just lots of extra “storylines” throughout but doesn’t add to the story at all.

This book was a miss for me.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps six sounds like an incredible premise. Atmospheric woods, storm, personal drama in spades...but to me it was more twisted than twisty. Flashbacks and multiple perspectives weave a tale of dysfunctional family, piles of disturbing secrets, an interesting dose of DNA testing, detestable one dimensional characters and a very over-the-top ending.

With plenty of luggage and emotional baggage, three couples head to a secluded cabin, the height of luxury, for a weekend. A few characters had misgivings and should have trusted their instincts. Even the professional chef knew tales. Then things move into the unbelievable realm.

Lisa Unger is a clever author and I was eager for this one. But it unfortunately sold itself short. One of the characters had such potential to add more flavour and take this in a more thrillery direction.

Sad to say this novel did not bring me any reading enjoyment.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: February 16, 2023
Three couples rent a beautiful cabin in the secluded woods of Georgia, looking for rest and relaxation. Hannah is hoping to reconnect with her husband, Bruce, after the birth of their daughter, Gigi. Hannah’s brother, Mako, and his wife, Liza, are trying to start a family and are hoping the change in scenery will provide them with the perfect stress-free environment. Cricket, Hannah’s best friend, is excited for the hot tub, the free flowing drinks, and is bringing her new boyfriend, Joshua, along for the ride. But the cabin is almost too good to be true. The private chef reveals that a murder-suicide took place on the property, and ghosts roam the grounds. Hannah’s family is not without their own secrets, and when the unpredictable weather has the entire cabin without power, and with no escape, everyone’s dream vacation quickly turns into a nightmare.
Powerhouse author Lisa Unger returns with her newest locked-in thriller, “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six”. After twenty plus novels, Unger is no stranger to the world of suspense fiction, but “Cabin” has a modern twist, with family DNA tests and deep, dark secrets of the tech industry adding to the intrigue.
Each female character narrates part of the story in modern day, but there are portions of the story that are told by a seemingly unrelated character named, Henry, that starts in the late nineties and carries on through present day. Presumably, Henry has a connection the characters at the cabin but part of Unger’s readability is the guessing game component- who is Henry now? How does he fit in?
There are a lot of characters in this novel, with intricate and complex connections, so it is very easy to get lost if you aren’t paying close enough attention. The characters themselves are all high earning, high society, technology geniuses, but luckily Unger manages to avoid too much computer and tech lingo, making the novel generalizable while still maintaining good flow.
Although “Cabin” is not one of Unger’s best, I still enjoyed its high-octane family drama and the secluded yet stunning setting. A mystery with a modern twist, “Cabin” delivers right on through to the surprising and satisfying ending.

4⭐️ What a ride this was! I really enjoyed the way this story built up its backstory through multiple POVs and how unique the idea was - I also love a good twist at the end 🌪️ A great addition to your thriller TBR Lists!
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A big thank you to Legend Press and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy to read and review! Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is available NOW✨

I am usually a huge Lisa Unger fan, so I'm not quite sure why this book failed to engage me. It had an interesting premise and was a "locked room" style mystery which is among my favorites. But I just failed to connect with the characters. Plus, it seemed like the author was throwing a lot of red herrings, just for the sake of creating confusion, but not to add to the coherence of the plot.

However, I was interested enough to finish the book to the end. I found the solution a bit unsatisfying, but overall, I would say this may just be personal preference. I can see how others, especially fans of Lisa Unger, would find this an exciting read.

Thank you Netgalley and Legend Press for allowing me to read this arc.

Summary: This story follows multiple POVs, including 6 couples who decide to stay at a secluded cabin. While there, strange things happen and secrets slowly start to unravel. One person ends up missing. The story also flashes back and forth in time past & present, revealing more and more about what is happening.

What I liked: I love the idea of 6 people going to a secluded rental (isolation trope). It started to remind me of the movie ‘The Rental’, which is very creepy.

What I disliked: There are almost too many characters to follow. And the timeline between the 6 at the cabin in the present and the story of Henry in the past felt disjointed for a long time. Wondering if it would have helped to reveal more of the current secrets the 6 in the present had and less of the build-up of Henry’s life. Because of the slow build-up, the story felt very slow until two-thirds of the way through. Almost every character was despicable in some way. Bracken’s character was almost unnecessary.

Overall: I give this story 2 stars. Possibly 2.5 if I were allowed to add a half-star.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
Author: Lisa Unger

eARC & Book Review
Pub Date: February 16, 2023


“This place is epic. You’re gonna die.”

In this atmospheric thriller, three couples rent a luxurious cabin in the woods for a relaxing getaway. However, their trip is anything but relaxing.

Featuring a group full of people with their own secrets, staying in a house with a deadly history, owned by an almost too-present owner, what could go wrong?

Answer: a lot.
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I’ll be honest right off the bat, I had higher hopes for this one. The idea was there, it was just executed poorly. The characters were irritating, so many stupid decisions were made, and it honestly took awhile to understand who was who — or was that just me? lol

The setting, however, was amazing. It was described perfectly and it really felt like I was in the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Legend Press for this aARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited to get Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six but, for me it missed the mark. I found the characters unlikeable and the storyline a little disturbing. This one wasn’t for me.
Thank You to Legend Press, NetGalley and Lisa Unger for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I loved the premise of this book. It was entertaining and fast paced, however I found that it was a bit unbelievable that so many of the characters had secrets that impacted the whole group. I was really intrigued by the aspect of the unknown person gifting the DNA test and why! Having just been on a personal journey of discovery with my own DNA I was interested and intrigued. There were a lot of characters and a lot of backgrounds to keep sight which was somewhat confusing. I have read this author before and enjoyed her books. I loved the premise but for me this just didn’t really add up. I give it a three star rating.