The Writing Retreat: A Novel

In this instant New York Times bestselling and "utterly addictive thriller" (Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author), a young author is invited to an exclusive writer's retreat that soon descends into a pulse-pounding nightmare.

Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn't dampen her excitement.

But when the attendees arrive, Roza drops a bombshell--they must all complete an entire novel from scratch during the next month, and the author of the best one will receive a life-changing seven-figure publishing deal. Determined to win this seemingly impossible contest, Alex buckles down and tries to ignore the strange happenings at the estate, including Roza's erratic behavior, Wren's cruel mind games, and the alleged haunting of the mansion itself. But when one of the writers vanishes during a snowstorm, Alex realizes that something very sinister is afoot. With the clock running out, she must discover the truth--or suffer the same fate.

A claustrophobic and "audacious psychological thriller debut" (Publishers Weekly), The Writing Retreat expertly explores the dark side of female relationships, fame, and the desire to have our stories told.

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320 pages

Average rating: 6.68

270 RATINGS

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9 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

blewballoon
Nov 21, 2024
6/10 stars
I started this and stayed up until 2am reading it, then finished it the next morning. I was certainly gripped and the suspense sucked me in, but that doesn't necessarily mean the plotting and characters were great. I can't read too many books with this type of dark content, but I would say if you like thrillers this is effective enough. Check the content warnings and other reviews.
KBenoit
May 17, 2024
4/10 stars
Not at all what I was expecting
Writer13
Apr 26, 2024
2/10 stars
**review coming soon**
Hartfullofbooks
Nov 20, 2023
8/10 stars
This chilly winter thriller is over the top and overdramatic and I loved it. The premise was intriguing but a little obvious and the characters interactions were cringey at times, but overall I enjoyed the craziness of this thriller, that always had me guessing.
Jhutch1324
Oct 09, 2023
6/10 stars
I truly enjoyed the plot, characters and especially the writing. This one didn't have the biggest twist, but otherwise this is a fantastic novel. Especially the character development. I would pick up more books about Alex for sure. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from this author!

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