I was sent a copy of The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse to read and review by NetGalley. I was really looking forward to reading this book but unfortunately it didn’t meet my expectations. There were moments when I felt that the story could be going somewhere and that the history of the sanatorium would play a stronger part, but these were few and far between. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and there was an aspect of the authors writing that really irritated me. All in all I feel I’m being quite generous giving it 3 stars! Sorry!

A really unnerving thriller: nothing is quite what it seems, except for the creepy tuberculosis sanatorium turned five-star hotel - which is exactly as creepy as it seems.

I had seen some reviews of this book and thought I would try it.
It is similar to a lot of books around at the moment which drew me to it.
I liked the idea of the hotel in the mountains and I could picture the surroundings and the cold!
I liked the main character and her story and was interested to find out how her story would play out.
There were twists and turns in this book as you would expect and this kept me reading and I wanted to find out who the culprit was.
The ending was interesting and suggests a follow up book.

The Sanatorium is a well-written atmospheric mystery that's perfect for fans of Ruth Ware's "One By One". It's a bit of a long read filled with characters that I personally found difficult to connect with. However, that didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the book as it kept me guessing all throughout.

I did guess the motive (I believe you will too if you're used to reading lots of locked room mysteries/thrillers), but there's another reveal - within the epilogue - that I wasn't expecting and that confused me a bit as it wasn't exactly justified. I personally felt like it was a very out-of-the-blue reveal (about the identity of the culprit) which addition didn't gauge any reaction from me.

I might not have ended up with a that feeling of amazement upon finishing this book but I'm sure that it will appeal even more to other mystery lovers.

A new hotel is opened, the building has previously been used as a sanatorium in the Swiss Alps. Elin is attending her brothers engagement party when a body is discovered and people start to go missing, including the bride to be. Elin is a detective, on leave following an incident, and is asked to help investigate as the weather has stopped the local police attending. The bodies start piling up as Elin is under pressure to find who is responsible.
This is a great story. The tension is added to with the location of the hotel and the weather being so bad. This adds to the tension. However I did not like the main character Elin. She is troubled following a childhood accident and the incident that happened in work but that incident is never explained. She is very deep but not very nice to her boyfriend and not very likeable.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Sarah Pearse has written a superb, atmospherically chilling, crime thriller set in the snowy mountainous Swiss Alps, in the resort of Crans Montana and Le Sommet. Elin Warner, a detective who has PTSD is on extended leave and is invited to celebrate her estranged brother's engagement at the newly renovated hotel: Le Sommet. Her brother, Isaac is to marry Laure, an old childhood friend, now an assistant manager at the hotel. When two women vanish, one of them being Laure, and the area is cut off because of the inclement weather, Elin feels compelled to investigate...

This is a really clever and fascinating crime début that drew me in right from the first pages. Sarah Pearse engages the reader with layered characters, a mystery that has many underlying themes and a vividly drawn setting. The author makes fabulous use of the isolated location and harsh weather conditions to develop a very suspenseful and atmospheric murder mystery. The fabulous plotting and great pacing also contributed to my huge appreciation of the story. There was quite a lot of brutality in the tale involving the way in which the victims were mutilated but it never overwhelmed the story. Elin's own insecurity and neuroses formed a fair chunk of the overall novel as, burdened by her uncertainties she wondered as to whether she could serve as a police officer back home, again. In addition, she had unresolved grief at the death of her younger brother during childhood to cope with.

If you love a good crime mystery fiction read with plenty of chills, intensity and twists, then The Sanatorium is for you. Very highly recommended. Rating: five stars.

I read The Sanatorium in staves with other Pigeonholers as part of a group. A special thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers/ Bantam Press, Sarah Pearse, NetGalley and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Elin has taken some time off from her job as a detective, following a traumatic incident. When her brother announces his engagement and invites Elin & her boyfriend to an Alpine hotel to celebrate, she recognises that this could be a much needed break before she makes the decision whether to go back to work or not.
The hotel is luxury, but has an underlying darkness as it used to be a TB Sanatorium. Maybe it’s the remoteness, maybe it’s the blizzard outside, but something about this place makes Elin very uneasy – and when an avalanche cuts off access to the hotel, and a dead body is discovered, Elin has no choice but to step in … can she figure out what happened when she is in such a remote location, in a foreign county, with limited communication?
This book had all the potential to be a great mystery but overall it didn’t work for me. I didn’t warm to any of the characters. The constant flashbacks & fleeting thoughts that Elin had were odd, too frequent and didn’t add much to the story. The first half of the book was definitely better than the ending, which I found odd & weak.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book free from the publisher via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
#TheSanatorium #NetGalley #BookReview

An intense read.
I found the main character very unlikeable and it seemed like she was always trying to find fault with people. I got a really bad vibe about her boyfriend even if that was unfounded.

I feel that the storyline dragged on too long in places whereas other places it went way too fast. I understood why the first victim had been attacked but the other victims - whilst I understood why they were eventually killed, surely they all knew the dangerous game they were playing? Not victim blaming but if you know someone has already killed 3 times, why would you even stick around??

I did not see the perpetrator coming right until the last minute when the main character worked it out. It was an interesting way to go as none of the clues had been pointing their way, in my opinion.

The epilogue did frustrate me because - is there going to be a second book? This sure makes it feel this way. But if not, why is it there as now I want to know who that is!

This book was not at all what I was expecting! I enjoyed it, and found myself intrigued all the way through, it had an interesting storyline and the characters were equally likeable and annoyingly horrible. The ending surprised me, it had a twist I wasn’t expecting.

Whilst The Sanatorium is an excellent read by debut author Sarah Pearse, and an interesting storyline, I have read other books which I have thought were a more fascinating book. I would read other books by Sarah Pearse in the future. It is just the the book has been hyped to be one of the best books this year and is celebrity book club reads, which is wonderful for a debut author, but I felt that maybe it wasn’t quite a worthy read for the hype. It may be me as an older reader, that I have become more selective as a reader.
The Sanatorium was an excellent read the setting was amazing and the storyline fascinating and the characters were interesting.
Recommended

https://lynns-books.com/2021/02/22/the-sanatorium-by-sarah-pearse/
3.5 of 5
The Sanatorium was certainly not a bad story and in fact has some really great moments but at the same time I didn’t love this quite as much as I expected and I wonder if perhaps my expectations were ridiculously escalated for which I can only blame myself. Still enjoyable though.

So, the premise for this one is really good. We have an excellent setting. High on the mountains, bad weather looming, a former sanatorium converted into a 5* hotel and a meeting up of family and friends for a special occasion. The hotel is only just opening and the pressure is intense. A lot is at stake here and so when one of the party goes missing tensions run riot. On top of the history with the place and the spooky feel there’s a good deal of history between some of the characters.

As the book starts there’s a great opening chapter which really sets the pulse racing. We then jump forward a few months. Elin is travelling to the hotel with her partner Will, they’re due to meet Elin’s brother Issac and his partner Laure to celebrate their recent engagement. Unfortunately, Laure goes missing and this seems to be the catalyst for events.

Now the thing with this story is there’s a lot of history. Both with the place and between the characters. Elin and Issac’s young brother drowned in a tragic accident and his loss pushed the family apart. Elin and Issac in particular have many issues unspoken between them and this has led to a build up in resentment. Things fair little better between certain employees at the hotel and secrets are going to eventually spill forth. On top of that Elin and Will are struggling a little, Will is looking for commitment and Ellin is keeping him at arm’s length.and alongside Will exerting pressure on her Elin is also facing pressure from work. She’s on an extended absence of leave following an incident and they’re keen for her to make a decision. Elin is a detective who suffered a scary experience that has left her questioning her own judgement.

Then the story escalates, everyone needs to leave but a few remaining guests and staff are forced to remain behind when the road is blocked. Further avalanches threaten, and a dead body is discovered. The Swiss police can’t get to the hotel and Elin reluctantly steps in, without any real jurisdiction, to at least try to gain and preserve some semblance of order and the few snippets of evidence that can be found.

Okay, I didn’t dislike this. It was an easy read and well written but I did have some issues.

After a rather quick start things do slow down considerably. There are lots of different elements to discover about the characters and to some extent this slows things down a good deal in the first half while we take everything on board. I didn’t really mind this build up in a lot of respects because it helps us get to know the characters a bit better and it would be difficult to care about all the outcomes without any sort of a connection. However, in some respects I still found it difficult to connect, particularly with Elin and there’s an element of things constantly being ‘unspoken’ which I do find a little frustrating.

I did think that there was a good horror vibe going on and the former Sanatorium come hotel with it’s creepy backstory were interesting to read about. Plus some of the scenes where the ‘baddie’ appears were definitely scary. However, some of the tension was diluted somewhat by Elin acting like a headless chicken. Okay, that’s probably a little harsh. She was trying her best at the same time as dealing with personal issues, but I felt that she walked heedlessly into situations that made me think she was auditioning for a short role in a horror movie.

My main criticism however has to be the eventual reveal which just didn’t sit right for me. I don’t know why but I just didn’t buy it plus, there’s this slightly crazy ending that I didn’t really understand and had to go back and reread it – and I still don’t know what it signifies. Now I realise that I’m probably being a little dense there so I hold my hands up.

Overall, this seriously wasn’t a bad read at all. In fact it was remarkably easy. I just think I was expecting something slightly different. I’m all for character depth but I think this one maybe needed less of the personal family drama going on at the same time as everything else, it felt like a lot to unload.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3.5 of 5 stars.

I have only given 3 stars as although I enjoyed it by the second half of the book I got bored. A very good thriller of a different dimension

This was definitely a 50/50 for me... I liked the first half but felt that at about halfway it seemed to peter off and lose any momentum.

Set in an eerie, sinister location of a hotel in the swiss mountains it started off well but I think I'd pretty much guessed what was happening and 'who dunnit' about a third of the way through so it spoiled it a bit for me.

I couldn't relate it connect with any of the characters, I couldnt seem to get a grip on any of them. They felt rather flat if I'm being totally honest.

The first half offers quite a bit of tension and suspense but it just seemed to evaporate after a while and never claw it's way back.

Ot sadly just wasn't for me.

Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Random House UK for the ARC

I loved this book. The setting was creepy and the murders were well paced throughout. I thought that Elim was well described and was put in the terrible situation of not knowing who to trust. The building and the surrounding areas were clearly defined and it was easy to feel the cold surrounding the hotel. The story is not a fast paced one nor is it the usual type of thriller but it is a superb murder story with a great deal of depth and many more underlying stories that lead the reader up different false paths.
Highly recommend this debut novel and for readers to look out for follow ups by this author.

This is a very different thriller that I have read in a long time. The setting in the mountains, within a converted sanatorium makes for an unusual plot.

A slow burner, with interesting characters, with a plot that keeps you guessing right until the end, and even then, I certainly couldn´t figure out who was doing what to whom. It definitely leaves the door open for a follow up as there is a devilish twist right at the end

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy.

Elin and her boyfriend Will arrive at an exclusive hotel, a former sanatorium in an isolated position in the Swiss alps, ready to celebrate her brother Isaac’s engagement to Elin’s childhood friend, Laure. Elin is on leave from her job as a police detective after an incident apprehending a criminal that left her injured and traumatised. Elin struggles with the decision over whether to return to work, as well as with her unresolved issues over the death of her and Isaac’s brother in childhood but is soon thrown more to deal with when Laure goes missing, the mutilated body of a staff member appears and an avalanche cuts the hotel off from the rest of the world. Elin is left to investigate what is going on whilst a killer still lurks.

I came to this book shortly after finishing one that called itself a horror book and there was nothing in it that really scared me at all. Whereas this thriller had one of the creepiest opening scenes I’ve read in a while! The setting is great and really lends itself to the whole creepy atmosphere of the book. You can’t help but feel despair with Elin at her isolation from the authorities and the responsibility on her shoulders to try and protect the remaining hotel staff and guests. I really liked the fact that Elin was dealing with a lot of issues and struggled to cope with everything thrown at her; I think this made it ultimately more satisfying that she rose to the challenge, despite them. The plot twists and turns and keeps you guessing; the object of my suspicions changed several times! I did feel that the plot lagged a little in places though and I didn’t get that feeling of “oh my god, cancel my plans, I HAVE to read this book” but I did enjoy it and think fans of this type of fiction will too.

Omg ! How can I review this book and do it justice? I loved this book. Right from the first page to the last it kept me guessing !
It’s very suspenseful and quite dark and just when you think that you may have it worked out it all changes again !
It is the best book I’ve read for a while.
5 stars 10/10.

This is a brilliantly atmospheric, slow burner of a thriller with a whole cast of suspicious characters that will keep you guessing until the very last moment. And then the very last moment will leave you hankering for even more!

The location of an old Sanatorium in the Swiss mountains filled me with tension immediately - even though it’s now a modern hotel, you can almost feel the horrors of its past and it is really as much a part of the story as the disappearances. Plus I just loved escaping to the snowy mountains for a little while...even if it was terrifying!

Elin makes for an interesting lead character - she’s clearly processing a lot of trauma herself, and this means that the novel takes on quite a psychological aspect as she tries to piece together a tragedy in her history. Quite a large percentage of the story is about Elin and her problems, which is why it felt like more of a slow burn despite the short chapters - there’s not actually as much crime or drama as you may expect, although when there is it’s pretty shocking!

I loved playing detective alongside Elin, but I never managed to guess the ending so that was a great twist for me!

I’d definitely recommend this to those who love their thrillers to be atmospheric and to slowly build the tension - I was fully immersed in the story whenever I picked it up, and didn’t want to put it back down!

A very clever debut, and hopefully more coming...

Elin is a detective but after a particularly gruelling case she has been on leave for a long while & wonders if she will ever return. When her brother invites her & her boyfriend to the high class hotel in the Alps to celebrate his engagement she's not that enthusiastic but they go anyway- if only to see this amazing hotel that has received such publicity because of its design & the fact it was an old TB Sanatorium. The hotel has a menacing atmosphere that is well portrayed & as a blizzard closes in stranding a group of guests & staff a body is discovered. An avalanche cuts them off completely & Elin is left to do the job she thought she had left behind, but in a foreign country & limited communication.

I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy this more. The setting was perfectly described & it was easy to get involved with it. Maybe it was the characters that didn't grab me. However it wasn't a stand out read for me, although I'm sure it may well be for others. Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for letting me read & review this book.

I thought this would be my dream book - snowy isolation and murder always sound fun! - but it ended up being a real disappointment. I think the Switzerland setting did work well, but everything else fell flat for me. Elin was the least believable detective I think I've ever read, and the rest of the characters weren't much better. I can usually overlook that if the mystery itself is great and this one wasn't. At the final reveal, I was seriously underwhelmed. It was the most farfetched and ridiculous reason for murder!