Kalah's job as a poison control hotline nurse is something she really enjoys, especially since it gives her down time to read thrillers. She wins a contest to travel to a remote island in the Florida Keys to read an as-yet unpublished book by a new author. Six other readers are on the island, another contest winner plus various literary influencers. The island and the resort turn out to be less than expected, and then one of the guests disappears. As the group searches for the missing person, another guest disappears, and the group is terrified that there is a serial killer among them who won't stop until everyone is dead. Kalah is suspicious of almost everyone, but does her part to explore the island while looking for the guests who are lost.

This book started really slowly, and it was hard to stay engaged. None of the characters had much depth. The premise is good -- a 'locked room' sort of situation, but too many things happened that just didn't make sense. The conclusion was unexpected but a bit disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

READER’S RETREAT follows a “locked room” type of mystery set on an isolated island. Seven individuals—most self-proclaimed book influencers—are invited to this island for a reader’s retreat to read an upcoming release by a new author, Jonathan Foster called DEATH ISLAND. They include:

1. Kalah - A nurse who works the poison control hotline and who is an avid psychological thriller and horror reader. She is one of the two invitees who win a spot on this trip through a contest. The story is mostly told from her perspective, both in current day and from a year ago.
2. Donna - A forty-something readers’ influencer
3. Jack - A twenty-something man who is the other contest winner
4. Phillip - Another twenty-something influencer who reviews horror novels
5. Ruth - An influencer who is the admin for an online reading group; she uses a cane stemming from a childhood illness
6. Dwight - An influencer who reviews horror novels
7. Tommy - A literary agent

The writing immediately drew me into the story. I liked the isolation aspect, and the island’s creepy caretaker, Leon, gave off some weird vibes.

The group gets a few chapters of the book daily, which they are told to read and discuss over the next day. The book they’ve been given to read is a classic—and somewhat cheesy—horror story featuring a group of wealthy foreign tourists who visit an isolated island in search of a troll, and who end up getting stuck there when their boat disappears.

Mirroring the book they are reading is a bit of a foolish situation of their own involving their remote island. I mean, if the author is completely unknown, why are these influencers interested in joining this trip? Was it just the buzz the author has created for himself on social media, and the allure of getting an all-expenses paid trip to a private island for a week? This premise was a bit thin to me.

But I can’t deny the compelling storytelling. Coupled with the disappearance of one of their own after only a day, the anxiety of their situation ramps up quickly. While this premise has been done before, the author has some interesting twists in store that make this story unique. Unfortunately, I wish it had ended differently.

I enjoyed this book very much. Lots of twists and turns. Definitely didn’t see the ending happening the way it did.

"You'd be surprised what people think they can get away with way out here, so far away from their regular world."

I have a weakness for any premise that mentions a remote location, a killer on the loose and multiple suspects to side-eye. This thriller delivers on all of those points, and executes (pun intended) them well.

We mainly follow Kalah, who goes from the daily horror of having to answer phone calls all day (too relatable) to being invited to a remote island in order to read an advanced copy of a thriller author's debut. But events are set into motion quickly when the murders mentioned in the book actually seem to start happening on the island.

"Then again, if characters in novels behaved like rational adults, there would be far fewer books to read."

Kalah is an AMAZING main character. Does she make stupid decisions? YES, frustratingly so. But she is clever when she needs to be.
Some of the chapters are from her perspective, but from a year before the story at the centre of this book. These chapters were so intriguing to me. What is the point? How are these things connected? It was a lot of fun and paid off well. I love the red herrings and all the little clues strewn about. You can definitely figure some things out before the reveal, but I'm sure what's actually going on and how it will be resolved will surprise you plenty.

This is a great thriller for everyone who loves fast-paced reads with plenty of twists and turns. And it's a good warning to read ARCs from the comfort from your own home, and not on an island with strangers! You have been warned.

First, thank you Netgalley and Writer Layne Publishing for this ARC!

I'm giving this one solid 4 stars. The concept is great - a book within a book - and it had the right pace with twists and turns always surprising me. While the story was mainly told from the POV of Kalah, there were many characters to keep up with, and that is something I do usually struggle with. But I did enjoy the locked room mystery like I always do, trying to guess who did it as I followed Kalah through the story. And yet, I did not see the end coming! I do recommend reading and trying it yourself once the book does publish.

This storyline had potential, but the result just didn’t work for me. I’m in the minority, with the book having 4.2 stars on Goodreads at the time I finished it. I got tired of the repeated descriptions of the characters traveling around the island, I needed more information on the back story, and the ending just didn’t make sense to me.

I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

So the very first pages of the story were intriguing and made me want to read more. Unfortunately, after that I had a hard time keeping up.

I think the cast being so large might not have been a problem except for the book-within-a-book concept. The "book" also had a large cast.

It was tough to follow the real story and the "book" story.

*** spoiler alert ***

The stalker being connected to the island character was a bit predictable.

I think maybe the stalker storyline was introduced too early because we learn about the stalker in the first few pages, but then we skip to the island where she says she's been working from home for a year - the same time the stalker appears.

Maybe if the story started off the gang going to the island and introduce the stalker after arriving on the island maybe it would have been not as predictable. Then again, maybe not. The first few pages were the best.

Thank you NetGalley and Writer Layne Publishing for an e-copy of READER'S RETREAT to review.

I rate READER'S RETREAT three out of five stars.

7 horror fans on a remote island! Dream retreat turns deadly! First of all let me say I’m happy to finally read a thriller with an introvert main character, one that just wants to be alone and read and avoid people. It’s like I’m in the book! What a roller coaster ride, non stop action and a few shocking twists thrown in. A must read!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc

“Readers Retreat” starts with promise but struggles to fully deliver. The first half moves slowly, with pacing that made it difficult to stay engaged. Thankfully, the second half picks up, adding momentum and urgency as the plot shifts more decisively into part whodunit, part survival story—though it never quite reaches thriller territory.

The concept is intriguing, but the characters could have used more depth. I found Kalah particularly hard to connect with. While I don’t need characters to be likable to enjoy a story, her constant judgmental attitude made it difficult to root for her or invest emotionally in her journey.

Overall, this was a tough read for me. Despite the stronger second half, the lack of character development and slow start kept me from feeling fully immersed in the story. There's potential here, but it didn't quite land.

Thank You NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Of course, all opinions are my own.

7 people are chosen to read on a island with no way to leave other than swimming their way out or wait for the the retreat to end. After they all arrive to the retreat they realize someone is terrorizing them but they don’t know if it’s one of them, the author of the book, or someone else. They also begin to see similarities between the book they are reading and the things that are happening on the island.

The story is told mainly through the POV of Kalah and alternates from the present during the retreat and her past. I didn’t like Kalah at all. Her character is very judgmental of others and isn’t very friendly. She also doesn’t respect the boundaries of Ruth and infantilizes her when it came to Ruth’s disability.

The other character weren’t very detailed and it felt difficult to tell them apart due to how similar they were in personality.

The second half of the book was better and had more twist than the first half. I hadn’t been able to accurately guess who person targeting them was or why they were targeting them. I liked how eerie the setting was at a remote island.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Writer Layne Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Michael Layne’s “Reader’s Retreat” is a gripping, meta-psychological thriller that starts like a classic whodunit and escalates into a high-stakes survival story with a sharp, modern edge. Set on a remote island ominously named Isla Tumbas the book creates the eerie atmosphere of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” with the intensity of a locked-room thriller and just enough tongue-in-cheek commentary to delight die-hard mystery fans.

The story follows Kalah, a poison control hotline operator with a haunting past. When she wins an invitation to a private retreat for readers hosted by an anonymous debut author, she joins six other guests, including bloggers, influencers, and a literary agent, on an isolated island in the Florida Keys. Their task: read and review a never-before-published thriller. But as they begin reading, unsettling parallels between the manuscript and their own surroundings start to emerge. When people begin disappearing and turning up dead, it becomes clear that this retreat is anything but relaxing.

Told mostly from Kalah’s perspective, with strategic flashbacks from the past year when Kalah was being stalked, the story skillfully builds suspense. Kalah’s background as a poison control specialist proves unexpectedly vital, making her a refreshingly capable and layered protagonist. She embodies classic “final girl” energy where she is mentally scarred but smart, cautious but resilient. Her inner commentary, especially as a reader and mystery lover herself, adds a self-aware, even humorous, tone to the book that’s both clever and cathartic. It’s a delightfully meta nod to the genre: the characters are not just in a thriller—they read thrillers, and so do we.

Layne’s writing shines in crafting a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere. The island setting is vivid, menacing, and well-utilized, not just in terms of isolation, but as an active threat. From dangerous wildlife to suspiciously missing caretakers, every detail builds a sense of dread. Flashbacks to Kalah’s past with a stalker add an extra psychological layer, helping you understand her mistrust and trauma while ramping up the tension.

The plot walks a fine line between mystery and thriller. Early on, it's a classic whodunit: guests begin to suspect each other, secrets bubble to the surface, and paranoia spreads like wildfire. Later, the book shifts into pure survival horror as the killer is revealed and it becomes a brutal one-on-one showdown. The final act is especially intense, offering alternating perspectives between Kalah and the killer in a high-stakes, deadly confrontation.

Not all the character choices make sense (there’s a lot of classic horror-movie splitting up), and while the killer’s identity is intriguing, it's not entirely unpredictable. And though the ending brings resolution, it leaves some threads dangling, perhaps intentionally, which not all readers may appreciate but it was definitely unique.

Overall, “Reader’s Retreat” delivers where it counts: it’s suspenseful, well-paced, and deeply immersive. With themes of obsession, revenge, survival, and literary escapism gone wrong, it’s a love letter to thrillers wrapped in a chilling cautionary tale. For fans of locked-room mysteries and survival thrillers with a self-aware twist, “Reader’s Retreat” is a smart, sinister treat. Michael Layne has written a story that both celebrates and subverts the genre and keeps you turning pages long into the night.

I really enjoyed Reader’s Retreat! I don’t usually go for books where people get picked off one by one, but this one pulled me in and kept me turning pages. It was genuinely entertaining — I found myself up in the middle of the night, in the dark, heart racing, wondering what would happen next. The atmosphere was tense in the best way, and the pacing kept me hooked.

That said, I didn’t love the ending — it felt a little off compared to the rest of the book. Still, the ride getting there was well worth it. A suspenseful, addictive read I’d recommend for anyone who enjoys thrillers with a bit of a classic mystery vibe.

A secluded island
Exclusive to a new book
Read uninterrupted
Food
Resort
ALL FOR FREE....

Kalah wins a dream reading retreat all expenses paid. All the author asks for is honest review of his new book. Kalah along with 6 strangers are swept away to a beautiful island. Well that's what they have in their minds until they arrive. They quickly learn they won't just be reading the story but living it....

The island is the perfect backdrop for a creepy whodunit. The story becomes more than just that as it turns into a fight to survive.

Each character brings a bit of a different background. Five are the typical spotlight book/movie reviewers. Making for some rival competition. One is a book editor. And there is Kalah who just got lucky and won a contest. She needs this time away to heal from her past. For me as a reader she became the most relatable.

Michael Layne paints a picture through words. Captivating the very essence of the island to add to his inventive storyline. He does well building up the suspense with each page.

Right from the start I was intrigued. As a reader I'd easily fall for this sort of thing. Well maybe not now 😳. I liked the whole atmosphere of the book. Just the right amount of characters and clues to give you red flags making it hard to guess what will happen. Some shocks, turns, and twists. A bit of everything that makes a good thriller. It didn't end at all like I thought it was leading to. It left me with some questions and needing a second book 😁.

𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮, 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙮𝙣𝙚 𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙇𝙖𝙮𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝟭𝙨𝙩, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱


When Kalah wins a contest hosted by a mysterious debut author, she’s thrust into a deadly game she never saw coming.
Whisked away to a remote island in the Florida Keys with six fellow readers, Kalah expects a literary paradise. Instead, their idyllic retreat unravels into a nightmare when the island’s caretaker vanishes… and then, so does one of the guests.
With paranoia setting in and a killer possibly hiding in plain sight, Kalah must face her deepest fears. Trust no one. Outsmart the hunter. And survive—before she becomes the final chapter in a chilling real-life thriller.


*ೃ༄ 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
⁀➷ 𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

❝𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞.❞

I went into reading this book without any expectations, really, since I had never before heard of Michael Layne. After finding and requesting this book on NetGalley I was more than intrigued. Since it’s summer, I was looking for something set in a tropical setting that’ll keep me on my toes and keep me guessing the entire time…

Let me just say, all my expectations were met. Michael Layne’s writing is fast paced, on point and simple — sucking you in before you even realize it. I often fond myself wishing for more character depth in most thrillers and ending up not really moved by twists because I didn’t connect to any of the characters … But with Reader’s Retreat, I had none of those problems. Michael Layne has a way of making his characters feel so real, of making you get such a deep insight into each and everyone, while still not boring you at all.

I especially liked Kalah and found myself connecting to her in so many ways. She wasn’t the typical naive, helpless damsel in distress we often find in thrillers, but a strong, independent and conscious woman. She wasn’t too cold or too angsty, but she also wasn’t perfect. She did what had to be done, and I absolutely adored that. I also really appreciate how Michael Layne doesn’t completely ignore his “side” characters, but gives each of them their own, unique personality.

I really didn’t expect this book to keep me guessing for this long, but I was truly hanging on to every word, always trying to guess who was the bad guy. And while I had so many guesses and changed my mind so many times — I was never right. Not one time. I love what he did with the ending, really wrapping the story up in the best way.


Reader’s Retreat is a gripping, action-packed thriller that will keep you on your toes the entire time, making you binge it without even realizing it until it’s over. I would recommend this to truly everyone who loves a good thriller set in a tropical setting that’ll even also spook you and keep you thinking.

Michael Layne's "Reader's Retreat" takes a compelling premise—seven thriller fans win an exclusive trip to a remote island in the Florida Keys—and transforms it into a tense horror story. Invited by a mysterious new author to read his debut novel, the guests expect a pleasant vacation. However, this tropical paradise quickly turns into a living hell as they begin to disappear one by one, and fear takes over.

For fans of classic Agatha Christie-style mysteries, especially "And Then There Were None," this book will feel like a well-executed modern homage. The isolated island setting—named Isla Tumbas, or "Island of Graves"—creates a chilling and paranoid atmosphere from the very beginning. The author masterfully builds suspense slowly but surely, making readers feel trapped alongside the characters, guessing who can be trusted and who the killer hiding in their midst might be.

Told from the perspective of Kalah, a poison control hotline operator, we directly experience her growing fear and suspicion. One of the most fascinating elements is how the plot of the novel they are reading begins to mirror the terrifying events on the island, blurring the lines between fiction and deadly reality. With short chapters and a fast pace, the book is nearly impossible to put down. Every page raises new questions and clever red herrings, keeping you hooked until the very end.

While some supporting characters may not be deeply developed, this only enhances the mystery, as everyone has a hidden motive and is a potential suspect. Michael Layne showcases his talent for crafting a story full of unexpected twists. Although a minor detail—the mystery of how the killer gained access to a locked room—feels unresolved, it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment. The climax delivers a satisfying and hard-to-predict twist.

Overall, "Reader's Retreat" is a must-read for lovers of psychological thrillers, locked-room mysteries, and stories filled with atmospheric tension. If you're looking for a book that will keep you up at night, guessing until the final page, don't miss this one.

This was so fun! The premise was so interesting to me and I was so excited to read, and it didn’t disappoint. The writing style sucks you in quick, and I think the pacing was really good and kept you focused. I think the story was fairly predictable, but the ending was a true twist!!! I ate up every second! Also Kalah is such a badass??

A story within a story, this locked room style mystery is based on a group of people brought together to review a book, only to find themselves at the heart of the plot. There is just enough bulk to each of the characters to make you wonder who is reliable and who is not, but not so much that they slow down the pace. And the pace is cracking. The author is merciless in churning through events just as you think you know where things are headed. I thought this was a really enjoyable, interesting and entertaining read.

If you’re a lover of dimly lit bookstores, rainy afternoons, and the comforting crackle of a fireplace, Reader’s Retreat will absolutely get your aesthetic senses tingling. The way Michael Layne captures the quiet soul of bookish spaces and wistful wanderings is borderline poetic—and honestly, it’s what kept me turning pages.

That said, it’s not all literary magic. For a place with such a promising setup, the pacing felt a bit like a long, meandering walk through a used-book sale: charming at first, but eventually a little repetitive. Some character arcs don’t quite land, and a few of the more poignant moments come off like dog-eared clichés rather than fresh insights.

The ambiance? Impeccable. Layne paints with mood: dusty light filtering through curtains, tea steam rising in the lamplight. The plot? Less gripping, more gently floating along like a leaf in a puddle.

Would I recommend it? For folks who want atmosphere over action, yes. But if you're craving a story with emotional punch or sharp turns, this one might feel more like skimming pages than diving in. Pleasant visit, but I didn’t move in.

"Like my mother used to tell me- trust what someone does not what they say."

When stuck on a remote island with 7 other people, in what was supposed to be a reader's retreat, Kalah wonders if her mom's saying holds weight. When an author puts out a contest for a book retreat, Kalah can't believe she won. She needs a break from a work and to process what happened a year ago with a stalker. When the group gets to the island, everything is fine at first, eating, talking, reading together until they start dropping off like flies one by one. 8 total strangers, with little food and no way to contact a pilot, the groups emotions run high and Kalah can't figure out who to trust or a way to get back home.

I really enjoyed this thriller/mystery. At first coming into this novel, I'm like well I can already see where this is headed. The setup into what was going on was too easy. The author clearly tricked us as we get into the latter parts of the book. The main character Kalah had some major character developments we see throughout the course of this book. We see how this situation reminds her of the past and how she slowly rises over her anxiety, isolation and fear. I like how the author switches the POV at a crucial turn of events and I think it was a perfect point to do so. I thought it was funny how it tied into the book the group was supposed to be reading. I liked the twist at the end with the right amount of action. I will pick up more books by this author.

Seven thriller fans. One remote island. A dream retreat turned deadly. Kalah loves her job as a poison control hotline operator. She helps strangers through the worst moments of their liveswithout ever putting herself in danger. But when she wins a contest from a mysterious new author, everything changes. She and six other readers are invited to a secluded island in the Florida Keys for an exclusive retreat to preview the author’s debut thriller. At first, it's paradise until the island’s caretaker vanishes without a trace. Then one of her fellow readers disappears! Wow! What a wild read! Fantastic characters! This book had chilling suspense, gruesome murders, mystery, intrigue and a, action, and some absolutely shocking moments! The storyline was a bit out there but very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! It was a great chilling thriller! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!