Lisa Unger is a prolific thriller writer; I've read many of her books and they do not disappoint. This was no exception. Tech mogul, Mako books a relaxing trip for his sister, Hannah, her husband and another couple. The buildup is a slow burn. There is an interesting integration of DNA testing into the plot. I liked that unique addition to the locked room mystery.
Everyone has secrets, the characters are deeply flawed. The interest went up and down for me and then way up with the ending which brings this to a 3.5 star book for me.

Using a unique tool to drive her thriller, Ms Unger delves into the popularity of DNA testing to trace family relationships. The setting is perfect: an isolated “cabin” deep in the woods of Georgia that she describes so well the reader could be lurking in the trees. The novel is peopled with those harboring secrets that ultimately lead to the real meaning of family. Very enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for the ARC to read and review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. All of the different characters and stories didn’t work for me. I had a hard time keeping track. I ended up DNFing the book because I really could not stay interested.

Lisa Unger does it again!

I read and LOVED Confessions On The 7:45 and couldn't wait to get my hands on Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six!

There's just something so special about Ungers writing! I can't get enough!

Lisa Unger is all about intense writing that will keep the reader guessing continuously, like her previous books from “Last Girl Ghosted” and “Confessions on the 7:45”. While I enjoyed the previously mentioned books this one was not my cup of tea. There were multiple POVs, which are one of my favorite writing styles, and I kept thinking I had it figured out, Unger was sure to be able to pull the rug out from under me and had me rethinking everything I thought I knew.

The story begins with a family holiday gathering that revolves around the anticipating of heading up to this beautiful secluded cabin [that sleeps six] that the brother of one of the main characters is paying for. No one can find much information about the place other than it’s five star reviews but one character does find an off-putting review that has her questioning whether the new mom should really go or not. They all arrive and though the place is breath taking there is just something not quite right.

What I did not like is that the ending did not need to continue on as long as it did. I understand it was to wrap up all of the questions but it could have been much shorter. I also believe the holiday gathering the beginning went on a bit longer than necessary. After finishing the book, I felt there were too many perspectives within the book, and some could have been left out. Even with leaving them out the story still would have been portrayed clearly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This is one of my favorite books by this author. It’s about some grown siblings and their significant others going on vacation together in a secluded cabin. Things quickly go awry….
I had a hard time putting this one down! There is a very interesting aspect of DNA weaved into the storyline. Definitely recommend!

“𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆, 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆.”

This is my first Lisa Unger read and it will not be my last; I really love a locked room mystery!

Unger creates a spooky setting with the luxury “cabin” deep in the woods. The main characters are interesting and have many layers. I at first worried all the different perspectives would be tricky to keep straight, but this was not the case; each has a grey moral ground and secrets that you cannot wait to see revealed. They are selfish in their own ways, flawed with layers and mistakes, which makes for such great reading. There is a feeling of tension and being watched, especially once someone goes missing and the storm starts - it becomes truly eerie. I also loved that the way Unger weaved a couple seemingly unrelated narratives into the story and revealed their connection with some good solid twists. The mystery is heightened by the topics of genetics, chosen family and the search for answers; Unger certainly highlights that family isn’t always about biology but about the actions of those around us.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is a story of genetics and chosen family, secrets, lies, wealth, finding answers, and connection. It’s a quick paced suspense novel that made for a wonderful ScaredStraightReads book club pick; it’s encouraged me to pick up some other Unger books in 2023. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book kept me up late. Very exciting and well written. The characters were interesting, they all seemed to have hidden secrets. I found the theme was very interesting. Of course the Florida storm just added to the atmosphere. Good research here. I felt for Liza when she had a migrane, I have experienced them before, so I can relate. I would certainly recommend this book, it wasn't perfect but it was still a good read.

So many characters and storylines to keep track of. I had high hopes for this read. Secluded cabin, 3 couples and family secrets - could make for an engaging read. But for some reason this one did not do it for me. I think there were too many characters each with their own storyline. Made it hard to keep everyone straight.

I enjoyed the premise of this one but it seemed a little bit slow moving for me and honestly a bit complicated. Overall I enjoyed the story but it seemed like some of the parts were drawn out much longer than they needed to be but, it was wrapped up nicely at the end.

I loved the vibes of this locked room thriller! The book alternates between the couples at the cabin and two characters who seemingly have nothing to do with the initial story. I enjoyed the mix of twisted family dynamics as well. 4 stars!

› Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is a suspenseful thriller with a great atmosphere. It's told in different time periods and from multiple perspectives. We learn about Henry and his mother in 1997, Hannah and her family in 2017, and Hannah at a cabin her brother rented for six couples in the present. We also get to meet Trina, who calls herself "The Watcher" and Bracken, the owner of the cabin who observes his guests with cameras all over the property. This story had me guessing the entire time and made me think of DNA kits in a different way. We learn that no one is ever ALL good or ALL bad. We all live in shades of grey, and morality is a chameleon. Do the ends ever justify the means?

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 6
Hannah is well-developed, with goals, strengths, and flaws. The side characters were a little flat and I had a hard time distinguishing one from the other.

› Atmosphere: 7
Good description of the setting, world-building and mood, but I struggled to feel appropriate emotions.

› Writing Style: 6
Quality writing, however, it is a little repetitive and the dialogue comes off as corny.

› Plot: 5
Excellent beginning, muddy in the middle, the pacing was weird from 80% on. The ending left me feeling unsatisfied.

› Intrigue: 5
The suspense lost me around the 80% mark. I just didn't care about any of the characters anymore.

› Logic: 5
I felt confused. Some elements don't make sense.

› Enjoyment: 5
The overall experience was a little meh for me.

Average 5.6

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★

› Final Thoughts
• Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is a claustrophobic, stormy thriller about family, secrets, lies, regrets and learning to not take anyone for granted. It makes the classic one-setting mystery more interesting with modern DNA kits. With unlikeable characters, multiple plot lines, timelines, and perspectives, this can be confusing. Get your pen and paper and get ready for a ride.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

We meet Hannah, Bruce, Mako, Liza, Cricket, and Joshua as they head out for a weekend getaway together in a luxe cabin in the woods.
Everyone has secrets; Bruce with his work issues, his feelings about his boss, Mako, who just so happens to be his brother-in-law, Mako with his extramarital activities, Liza with a health issue, and Cricket with her unresolved Mako feelings.
Incorporate a mysterious Airbnb owner with a penchant for spying, a torrential storm, and a vendetta to beat all vendettas and you are led down a road with surprising revelations, twists and turns, and a snapshot of the hidden characters of even the most upstanding characters.
This was a fun ride from beginning to end.

This thriller by Lisa Unger didn't do it for my like her last novel. I just thought it was a little predictable and cheesy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Whoa - this one caught me a little off guard. It was twisted and dark in some places and had lots of misdirection! The multiple time lines with different characters occasionally made it hard to know who was who but I eventually got there. Solid read overall about nurture v nature- are some people just born bad?

Lisa Unger never disappoints. Like so many twisted thrillers, it is better not to know too much before reading, What I can offer you is this—three couples embark on a restful gateway to a luxurious secluded cabin only to be greeted by a dark and stormy night filled with more than just some gorgeous cocktails and mind-numbing edibles. Sketchy cell phone service, a busted generator, and messy characters with a lot of dirty baggage fill the pages of this locked-room mystery. Throw in a few ghost stories, characters have gone missing, and perhaps even a trail of blood, and you’ve got yourself a fast-paced atmospheric read. Don’t let the number of characters in this book scare you. They all come together for a wicked, fun ending!

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is told with multiple narrators and in multiple timelines. Listening to the audiobook, I wonder if having a full cast would have made the book more compelling. That does not impact my rating, but just wondering to myself. Hmm. Anyway, this book took a familiar theme (deranged family heritage) and put a completely new twist on it--DNA tests. Add in a luxury cabin far from civilization AND a storm and we know that a thriller is about to happen. I loved the setting and the atmosphere, I didn't feel like all of the story threads were needed and I felt like some were extra. Overall it was a decent read.

Creepy af!
I’ve read other books, involving DNA testing, but this one wins the award for the best reason I would think twice before sending mine over (mine is already sent lol).

On Christmas Day someone in the family is pretending to be Santa and has stashed dna test kits from one of those national brands to everyone in the family.
What follows is something you would never imagine that happens to take place in a snowed in cabin for the weekend.
Must read this winter.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙪𝙭𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙-𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧.

I have been wanting to read this book ever since my ARC arrived and I’m so glad I saved it for October. It started off with such an interesting set of characters, but it got too confusing with who was who. I had to go back a few times to try to remember the characters.

In this story, we follow three couples who rent a luxury cabin in the woods - spectacular views, a hot tub, and a personal chef. What more could you ask for? Siblings - Hannah and Mako - take their significant others…as well as another couple. They’re all expecting a nice and relaxing getaway weekend, but they are not prepared for the danger that unfolds: a deadly storm, secrets kept from one another, and a spine-tingling history.

I found this to be a captivating looked-room thriller. It took some twists that I wasn’t expecting. I did find some predictable things, however. It did take me a bit to get entertained by the story, but once I did I wanted to see how the story would end. I think the ending made sense - nothing too spectacular though.

Again, there were so many characters involved that I kept getting confused at first. I kept questioning who was who and what part they had in the story. Most of the characters were super unlikeable, but I still found their roles to be intriguing and entertaining.

Overall, this was a solid thriller. This is my first Lisa Unger book, but I most likely will pick more up in the future. If you’re a locked room fan then I think you will enjoy this one!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my physical ARC - all thoughts are my own!

I really enjoyed the writing, multiple POVs, and the characters. There were a few loose ends I would’ve liked tied up, but that didn’t deter me from overall enjoying this one. The drama and twists were very entertaining and bonus points for the Florida setting close to where I live!