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The Retreat cover art

The Retreat

Written by: Sarah Pearse
Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
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Publisher's Summary

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

From the
New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium, a Reese’s Book Club pick, here, Detective Elin Warner uncovers the truth behind the suspicious deaths on a stunning island getaway

“Devilish and deliciously twisty.”
—People

“The suspense inexorably builds to a stunning climax.”
—David Baldacci, #1
New York Times bestselling author of Long Shadows

They couldn’t wait to stay here.

An idyllic wellness retreat has opened on an island off the English coast, 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 young woman is found dead below the yoga pavilion in what seems to be a tragic fall. But Detective Elin Warner soon learns 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 there’s nothing accidental about these deaths. But why would someone target the guests at this luxury resort? Elin must find the killer—before the island’s history starts to repeat itself.

Most came to recharge and refresh. But someone’s here for revenge.

©2022 Sarah Pearse (P)2022 Penguin Audio

What the critics say

“A riveting, twisty page-turner . . . Readers of Pearse’s earlier book or Ruth Ware’s suspense novels will be hard-pressed to put down this atmospheric, sometimes creepy novel.”
—Library Journal (starred review)

“Full of foreboding and high-stakes tension, Sarah Pearse's latest is a page-turner. The past doesn't stay buried for long, at sea or on land, and what comes to the surface is both shocking and chilling.” —Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid

“Pearse goes from strength to strength in The Retreat. The suspense inexorably builds to a stunning climax. An added treat is the return of Elin Warner, who is a fascinating character one can only root for.” —David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dream Town

Featured Article: 22 of The Best Mystery Audiobooks of 2022 That Will Keep You Guessing

Are you ready to discover the most thrilling and twisty audiobooks of the year? Audible presents the best mystery audiobooks of 2022 full of twists and turns. Listen to thrilling novels that cover everything from mysterious disappearances and betrayal to exciting tales of action and adventure. Featuring work from prolific authors like Janet Evanovich (The Recovery Agent) and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (The Golden Couple) and newcomers like Stacy Willingham (A Flicker In The Dark), our Audible collection of the best mystery audiobooks of 2022 has enough to keep listeners entertained, intrigued, and on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

What listeners say about The Retreat

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ups and downs

loved her first book and was so excited for this release. it was good but I felt it went up and down and wasn't consistently good. Will continue to read another release in the future. the setting was just amazing. good characters just didn't move forward as well as I would have liked from time to time.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Wasn’t as good as her first

I really wanted to love this second novel by Sarah Pearse, but unfortunately, it just fell flat.

The story line is incredibly similar to that of the first novel in the series, and the book starts with about 12 characters characters.

I found the volume of characters to be quite overwhelming, and the storyline to be quite mundane & lacklustre, unfortunately. I find that when I’m reading or listening to a good book that I feel a connection to the book, and I just didn’t feel
that with this novel.

Hopefully the next novel in this series will be a redeeming experience 🤞🏻

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  • 2022-08-24

loved it!

Loved it. Great follow up to Sanatorium. I look forward to the next one.
I do worry about how similar they are in the final circumstances during the final scenes. It could get repetitive if it happens exactly the same in the next one.

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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very good!

Fast enjoyable pace. I was very engaged. I liked the voice of the narrator. Good character development.

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