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  • Published: 17 October 2023
  • ISBN: 9780552177320
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 416
  • RRP: $26.00

The Retreat

The new top ten Sunday Times bestseller from the author of The Sanatorium




The Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller. An atmospheric locked-room thriller from the breakout brand Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium, the bestselling crime thriller debut of 2021.

Will you brave The Retreat? The new bestselling thriller from the author of The Sanatorium.

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 . . .

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Readers enjoyed their stay at The Retreat :

'If The Sanatorium was all about the atmosphere, The Retreat is all about the tension.' *****

'Fast paced, tense, suspenseful and unpredictable, I loved it!' *****

'Wow what a book!' *****

'We all fancy a spa break don't we? Well don't include me after reading this book. It had me hooked from start to finish.' *****

'Atmospheric and blisteringly exciting.' *****

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'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, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Mercy

'A world-class thriller writer. Superb. Pre-order it now. ' Steve Cavanagh, Sunday Times bestselling author of Thirteen

'The Retreat recalls the one-by-one nerve-shredding of Agatha Christie at her darkest. A fresh, daring, irresistible thriller.' A. J. Finn, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

'A eerie, atmospheric thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read. A wonderfully chilling story of grief, revenge, and family secrets. An absorbing escape!' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push

'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, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Maid

'The Retreat was so atmospheric and hold-your-breath tense with cleverly executed twists and a finale that gave me the chills. Brilliant!' Claire Douglas, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Couple at No.9

  • Published: 17 October 2023
  • ISBN: 9780552177320
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 416
  • RRP: $26.00

About the author

Sarah Pearse

Sarah Pearse lives by the sea in South Devon with her husband and two daughters. She studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Warwick and worked in Brand PR for a variety of household brands. After moving to Switzerland in her twenties, she spent every spare moment exploring the mountains and still has a home in the Swiss Alpine town of Crans Montana, the dramatic setting that inspired her novel. Sarah has always been drawn to the dark and creepy - remote spaces and abandoned places - so when she read an article in a local Swiss magazine about the history of sanatoriums in the area, she knew she’d found the spark of the idea for her debut novel, The Sanatorium. Her short fiction has been published in a wide variety of magazines and has been shortlisted for several prizes.

You can find Sarah on Twitter @SarahVPearse and Instagram @sarahpearseauthor

Also by Sarah Pearse

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Praise for The Retreat

'Be careful who you root for, as no character is safe in Sarah Pearse's new novel The Retreat. In the spirit of a true thriller, the tension is taut and the suspense is real as the pace builds to a heart stopping finale. A triumphant second novel, which is no mean feat.'

Sandie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Woman

The Retreat recalls the one-by-one-by-one nerve-shredding of Agatha Christie at her darkest. A fresh, daring, irresistible thriller.'

A. J. Finn, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

'Dazzling and inventive, like an Agatha Christie mystery split open by a heatwave. The Retreat is transporting, with an unforgettable setting and a complex web of secrets. I didn't want it to end.'

Flynn Berry, New York Times bestselling author of Northern Spy

'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, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Maid

'Detective Elin Warner is back in another atmospheric thriller. Pearse cleverly develops intrigue and ramps up the tension relentlessly as the stakes become deadly. Fans of The Sanatorium will love it.'

Gilly Macmillan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Long Weekend

'Sarah Pearse is an expert at building tension and then holding us suspended until we're on our last nerve. The Retreat is utterly thrilling and destined to be yet another must-read from the queen of the murderous holiday read.'

Jo Spain, bestselling author of Dirty Little Secrets

'With The Retreat Sarah Pearse confirms her spot as a world-class thriller writer. I only stopped turning the pages so I could re-read a particularly fine piece of description or characterisation. Superb.'

Steve Cavanagh, Sunday Times bestselling author of Thirteen

Sarah Pearse has expertly crafted another eerie, atmospheric thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read. A wonderfully chilling story of grief, revenge, and family secrets. An absorbing escape!

Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push

A story as unsettling as the island that serves as its setting. Don't trust anyone at The Retreat.

Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark

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, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Mercy

I absolutely loved it. So many threads, more red herrings than a North Sea fishing trawler, cliffhangers galore and my absolute favourite - short, snappy chapters. It's a riveting, twisty turny read, a classic whodunnit with a killer final twist.

John Marrs, bestselling author of The One

Deliciously paced with rich worldbuilding, The Retreat teems with questionable motives, unspoken frustrations, and hair-raising cliffhangers. I absolutely could not put this book down!

Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

'Atmospheric and richly described, with surprises around every corner. From the terrifying prologue to the chilling final twist, Pearse has created another highly creepy thriller!'

Allie Reynolds, author or Shiver

'Unsettling, unnerving and unforgettable. The Retreat is the kind of creepy, atmospheric thriller that burrows deep beneath your skin until the chilling climax.'

Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End

'Sarah Pearse has done it again! The Retreat is a heart-pounding, adrenaline-soaked thrill ride. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.'

Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here

'Just like The Sanatorium, The Retreat tells a twisty, chilling and tense tale in a location so vividly imagined, you feel like you're there too, among the guests. Long may Sarah Pearse continue to ruin the idea of luxury-resort travel for us all...'

Catherine Ryan Howard, No.1 Irish bestselling author of The Nothing Man

'The Retreat is a masterfully crafted thriller that kept me guessing until its final page. With a deeply sinister atmosphere, a propulsive plot, and a cast of complex suspects, this is thriller writing at its finest.'

Lucy Clarke, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Castaways

'The Retreat is a delightfully creepy thriller set in a fantastic gothic location. I loved it!'

G. R. Halliday, author of From The Shadows

Wonderfully atmospheric, frequently surprising and cleverly plotted. If you loved The Sanatorium, you'll never want to leave The Retreat.'

B. P. Walter, author of The Dinner Guest

'Sarah Pearse really knows how to write an opening that grabs you by the throat and from that first, terrifying page I was hooked. The Retreat was so atmospheric and hold-your-breath tense with cleverly executed twists and a finale that gave me the chills. Brilliant!'

Claire Douglas, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Couple at No.9

'A well-written fusion of psychological thriller and whodunnit ... Pearse smartly reworks Christie's setting, making her island at once a gothic throwback, with caves and talk of a curse, and a very 21st-century escape, with green values and holistic therapy. And she's very good on the relationships within the group as tension builds.'

The Sunday Times

'I can't help but cheer for an author who ramps up the creepiness at every turn.'

Observer

'If you're wanting a crime novel to sink your teeth into, then this is the perfect fit.'

Chat magazine

'This thriller races to a heart-stopping finale.'

Heat

'This thriller novel is so dark and tense, it's the perfect read for anyone lounging in the sun this summer, grateful that your holiday isn't so chaotic'

Cosmopolitan

'An addictive revenge read set on a remote island - it's another hit for this must-read writer.'

Woman's Weekly

'Thrilling, dark and full of suspense, The Retreat is a must for crime fans - you won't be able to put it down.'

Pick Me Up

'Pearse skilfully builds a sense of foreboding throughout this creepy thriller packed with satisfying twists.'

Sunday Express

'Another brilliant thriller from the bestselling author of The Sanatorium.'

Hello!

'An addictive revenge story set on a remote island, it's another hit for this must-read author.'

Woman

'The Retreat is designed to keep you guessing to the very end. A great one to read on holiday.'

The Herald

'Be careful who you get attached to ... no character is safe in this tense thriller!'

Yours