This is an interesting read. Alec and Peggy are like any other couple- or are the?. He appears to have secrets and she has scars from her past. Having been withdrawn Peggy begins to come out of her shell a little and Alec sees the Peggy that he first fell in love with. Up to fifty per cent of the way into this book I didn't really know where it was going but it kept me interested. Chapters are about, and headed, several of the main characters. We start with a chilling prologue that leads us to believe something either has happened or is about to. A well written book with interesting characters and a twist at the end. A very different way of telling a story and an interesting premise.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
I just reviewed The Retreat by J A Baker. #TheRetreat #NetGalley
https://www.netgalley.com/book/291113/review

A slow read and pretty dark at times but it was well plotted out with some really original characters and twists that I didn't see coming

WOW! How have I not been already introduced to the deliciously twisted world of J.A. Baker before???

The Retreat is a slow-burn thriller that focuses on the life of Peggy, a writer in a troubled marriage, haunted by a difficult childhood. Her husband Alec, the good-looking, hot-tempered teacher who has recently received a promotion, has endured a traumatizing childhood as well. When a woman they both know goes missing under suspicious circumstances and her sister sets out to find her at all costs, the suspicion mounts and nobody is to be trusted. As past demons resurface and unreliable witnesses emerge- you'll be wondering if ANYONE in this twisted tale can be trusted!

The writing was so descriptive that it was almost claustrophobia-inducing at times. I mean seriously... how can you NOT be hooked with any opening paragraph like this...

"Huge, pulsating waves of pain exploding in my head, drag my eyes apart, try to focus properly, look around; work out where I am. Darkness everywhere. Nothing to see. No shadows, not even a vague outline of anything recognisable. Just complete blackness. Am I awake? Am I dead? I wait, my breath uneven, irregular. Pockets of hot air fall back on my face, shrouding me in a sticky, warm mist. I continue to stare, my eyes sore and gritty. Still nothing. No focus or adjustment to my surroundings. Zero."

Just WOW!

A great read that I highly recommend for the psychological thriller, mystery/suspense lover.

*Thank you JA Baker, Net Galley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Review: 5/25/23 -https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/124028693
Instagram Review: 5/26/23 -https://instagram.com/the_books_we_love_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Amazon Review: 6/27/23

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This one was definitely a slow read for me. Took me a bit to get into it but was overall good and suspenseful. Loved the remote setting.

This was a good read overall, twisty and suspenseful with characters you aren't sure you can trust! The author weaves the narratives of different charcters together in such a way you don't know where it's going next! I would recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the Arc of The Retreat by J A Baker.

I’m a huge fan of this author’s writing, such a raw talent for weaving a twisty story. Once again the slow burn keeps you coming back for more! Loved it.

Peggy suffers from agoraphobia. Her marriage is in trouble and someone is watching her. Alec, her husband, has issues as well. Both of them have had terrible childhoods, and are damaged by the trauma they suffered.

There is a missing woman, and she is tied to both of these characters in different ways.

The woman who lives next door has dementia and is adamant that she saw a fight, and a woman that was killed.

Alec's father who was his abuser, and Peggy's mother, who caused her disfigurement both reappear in their children's lives. Why? All these years later, they still aren't welcome.


A tense and gripping read. I found this book hard to put down. I did guess one of the situations early on in the book, I don't want to say what, as it is a spoiler, but it has to do with a relationship. But the guess did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.
There was a lot of darkness surrounding the characters, probably from their damaged pasts, and the ending was unpredictable.
Worth reading. I devoured it in a night.

J.A. Baker knows how to keep the reader in suspense!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the author and the publisher. The realistic characters keep the story moving. Red herrings kept me guessing. Enjoy this book by this talented author. This would make a great movie. Imagine trying to watch these characters while trying to guess what will happen next.

I approached "The Retreat" pretty intrigued by the premise and thought it had the potential to be a very engaging story.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book and thought it fit the plot really well.
This was a bit of a slower read for me, it felt like a slow burning suspense thriller with a final twist at the end. Overall it was just an okay read to me.

Thank you JA Baker, Net Galley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.