The Retreat

Very well-written and unpredictable. Excellent plot structure.

The book is a bit dark and contains one very explicit sex scene which is not my preference.

Heartbroken after losing her daughter and husband in a tragic accident, Julia opens her home as a writer's retreat. But eerie things start happening after the guests arrive. Julia, believes her daughter is just missing, believes the “citings” are Lily her missing daughter. But, not everyone else is so easily convinced. This is my second book I have read by this author and I did enjoy it. I will read more.

Maybe closer to 3.5 because I LOVED the end.

But the pacing was off and it dragged for a whileee.

Part mystery, part ghost story. Set in Wales, it's a glimpse of the rural UK. Perhaps all the more interesting and exotic for an American to read. Though life isn't all that much different in the part of the world where the story takes place, the story is set at a writers retreat recently start at an old home built on the site of an old slate mine. The region is steeped in a superstition that goes back more than a generation. Unraveling the source of that phenomenon lies at the heart of the story.

A truly brilliant book that keeps you on the edge of your seat like all proper thriller mysteries should!

This book is, without a doubt, one of the most gripping books I've ever read. Never before, after every chapter, have I gone “cor this is good!” And want to tell everybody around me why I'm so ready for the next chapter.

The characters are believable, lovable and in-depth. The story, as aforementioned, is unbelievably gripping and sometimes quite spooky. The book is simply written so means you can read it at a break–kneck pace. I would HIGHLY recommend for any mystery/who dunnit lovers!

This was my first foray into the work of Mark Edwards. I found The Retreat immensely enjoyable. I was hooked from chapter one. I look forward to reading more by this author.