THE RETREAT

SYNOPSIS

They couldn't wait to stay here.

An idyllic wellness retreat has opened on an island off the coast of Devon, 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 rumored to be cursed.

But now they can't leave.

A woman is found dead below the yoga pavilion in what seems to be a tragic fall. But DS Elin Warner soon learns that the victim wasn't a guest - she wasn't meant to be on the island at all.

And they would do anything to escape . . .

The longer Elin stays, the more secrets she uncovers. And when someone else drowns in a diving incident, Elin begins to suspect that the old stories about the island are true.

Because history seems to be repeating itself - and the guests might not make it home alive

Title: The Retreat

Author: Sarah Pearse

Series: Elin Warner #2

Publisher: Bantam Press

Publication date: July 21, 2022

REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

2021 was a year of fantastic debuts. Shiver, In My Dreams I Hold A Knife or The Sanatorium were amongst my favorite books, making it to my top ten list. I was curious to see if their sophomore books would maintain the level and OMG they did! The Retreat is the second books in the Detective Elin Warner series and as good and exciting as The Sanatorium.

Elin and her partner Steer are called to a secluded island off the UK coast where a young girl has been found dead in a luxury resort. Although initially it looks like an accident, a second body from the same group of guests is suspicious enough for Elin and Steed to launch an investigation. A wild storm will cut them off from the mainland, but will they catch the killer before anyone else dies?

Talk about a page turner! I read The Retreat while on vacation and my bf almost had to physically take the book from my hands to go do some vacation things (what’s more vacation than reading by the pool?!). 

I was grabbed by the story right from the start. It was great to see Elin in her home turf, though still dealing with some of the revelations about herself she uncovered during her stay at The Sanatorium. The character’s already showing some growth from book one and, flaws and all, she was even more appealing this time around.

The setting was really atmospheric, giving away creepy vibes I adored, loving the contrast between these eerie feeling and the vibrant and colorful resort, though honestly, you had me at secluded island! 😆

The rest of the characters were a pretty unlikeable bunch, really well drawn, with tensions growing between them as the story progressed, leading to an ending that packed a punch, with a last minute surprise I did not see coming. Like the island itself, the story is full of cliffhangers and twists that will make you dizzy.

The Sanatorium left Elin going down the mountain with someone watching, following her steps, and that someone seems to be back, sending her some disturbing messages, which I hope we’ll learn more about in book 3. I, for one, can’t wait, since Sarah has gone straight to the top of my auto buy author’s list.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Press for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review.