This was a really good book that kept me captivated and on the edge of my seat. The book felt similar to a couple others I have read but that didn't take away from my experience. The idea of a dream Getaway vacation to read a new author's book? Count me in! I did guess one of the twists but didn't see the ending coming. Thank you to Netgalley and Writer Layne Publishing for the ARC.

Creepy, twisty, and totally unputdownable.

A book retreat on a private island? Yes please. Until the host vanishes and guests start going missing.
Michael Layne builds suspense like a pro, I was second guessing everyone and still didn’t see that ending coming.

Perfect for fans of locked-room mysteries with a bookish twist.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

What starts off as a dream getaway for seven thriller fans quickly turns into a nightmare in “Reader’s Retreat” by Michael Layne. Invited to a private island by a mysterious new author for an exclusive preview of a new thriller, the guests expect a fun, bookish escape—but instead, they’re thrown into a real-life suspense story when people begin disappearing… and then turning up dead.

With a killer on the loose and danger around every corner, the suspense and intensity never let up. I was hooked from the first chapter and constantly guessing who was behind it all.

If you're a fan of twisty, locked-room mysteries, this one is a must-read.

I could’ve sworn I have read a book with a similar story line before. The first half of the book was excellent, it had me on the edge of my seat and I refused to put it down. The second half of the book was bizarre, the killers reasoning was all off, the story lines got so twisted that I feel like the author couldn’t keep track of it and it fizzled.

I did enjoy that the was a bit of an ending and it played out over a few chapters. I love the trope of a group of people stuck somewhere, it gets me every time.

It felt like the main character was trying too hard to be ‘not like other girls’ and it kind of frustrated me.

All in all, an ok read for a cosy day in but I wouldn’t read it again.

On the surface, this book is a whodunit in the most classic tradition: a group of strangers go to an island with a missing host and, one by one they start to die. At some point though, the plot transitions into thriller and becomes very suspenseful. I don’t want to say more for fear of spoilers but it was really very entertaining. This time, instead of a writer’s retreat (which has been done often), these characters are readers, there to preview a new whodunit that starts feeling more and more familiar. There are a lot of twists, and the author gives enough details of their environment without slowing down the plot. The island becomes familiar to the characters and to us. The pacing keeps up, making for a quick read. All that said, my #1 favorite thing about this novel is that it’s very meta. The whole cast could be us. They are devoted readers of whodunits and, at least the main character keeps a running commentary of what I was thinking at the time. It is hilarious and made it even more engrossing. I was really rooting for her because I could completely understand what she was thinking based on her love of mysteries. I liked the baddie, I figured out who it was but only got an inkling of why a second before the reveal, and I think that the ending was fantastic.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Writer Layne Publishing.

The first half of this book was a solid 4/5 stars for me, it was intriguing, and I wanted to see more of the characters. I was waiting for something like "And then there were none".
Sadly, the other half of the book was so bizarre. The killer's motive was so irrational, I was hoping for more. I don't want to give away spoilers, but I was expecting a better outcome at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

What reader wouldn't want to be whisked away to an all expenses paid tropical vacation to read an ARC with some other bookish people? 

I was really intrigued by the premise, but the book was just boring. It also felt weird that the author was making fun of the fictional author in the book and how bad his book was when his was not much better. Very arrogant move. 

The main character really annoyed me. She was way too not like other girls and thought she was very smart when she made a bunch of bad decisions. She also kept hounding Ruth about how she shouldn't go places alone or walk so much because she uses a cane, but I really think the person using the cane knows their limits better than our MC. Really, really frustrating stuff. 

I also really didn't understand why every man was obsessed with our milktoast protagonist? Like, why?? 

The ending was somewhat predictable and in general I just didn't really like it.

This book was a completely different story line than I’ve read previously! I expected different but I loved it! Was not how I expected it to play out but glad it wasn’t! The twists kept me going

Loved!

Kalah and six other lucky readers have been invited to a private island in the Florida Keys to preview a brand-new novel by a mysterious author.

At first, the retreat feels like a dream—sun, sea, and exclusive access to a buzzy new book. But when strange things begin to happen, excitement turns to dread.

Cut off from the mainland, Kalah doesn't know who to trust—or if she'll make it off the island at all. The only thing she can hope for is that the boat returns... and that the story she's trapped in ends better than the one she’s reading.

#WryterLanePublishing #ReadersRetreat #MichaelLayne

"Reader's Retreat" by Michael Layne is an intense psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages until the very end. One remote island. Seven readers. A retreat gone awry. I'm a sucker for this trope, so the blurb immediately caught my eye—and I wasn’t disappointed.

Told from the first-person POV of Kalah, a poison control hotline operator who wins a contest hosted by a mysterious new author, the story alternates between her perspective and a couple of others, with occasional flashbacks woven in.

First, there were seven—readers, influencers, bloggers, even a literary agent. They’re invited by a new author to a reading retreat on a secluded island in the Florida Keys to preview his debut thriller. At first, everything goes smoothly—until the island’s caretaker vanishes without a trace. And that’s just the beginning.

It may look like paradise, but every paradise has its snake—and this one has one too. As the guests begin reading the thriller, they notice a disturbing similarity between the book’s plot and real life. And pretty soon, life begins to copy art—with deadly consequences.

This is the first book by the author that I’ve read, and it definitely won me over. I loved the writing—it flowed smoothly and kept me completely hooked—and found the plot deeply intriguing. The island’s name—Isla Tumbas, or “Island of Graves”—couldn’t be more fitting. The atmosphere is thick with tension, paranoia, and the growing sense that something is very wrong.

There are brief excerpts from the ARC throughout the book, though in some scenes, we’re simply told what it contains rather than shown it directly. It gave me "And Then There Were None" vibes, a book I loved—the same eerie isolation, mounting dread, and the sense that no one is safe.

While only a few characters felt fully fleshed out, enough description was provided to give a decent sense of the rest. The book explores themes of revenge, isolation, obsession, hidden secrets, and survival. Toward the end, I began to suspect the villain’s identity—and though I was right, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment, nor did I guess the motive.

One detail that nagged at me was the locked-room murder—it was never addressed how the killer gained access to a locked room, which stood out in an otherwise tightly plotted story. However, it didn’t diminish my appreciation of the book.

To sum up, I enjoyed this book immensely and finished it in a few sittings. The trope may be familiar, but the motive felt refreshingly original, and the twists delivered suspense in spades. It’s a fresh take on a classic setup, and the final twist lands with chilling precision. Highly recommended for fans of the trope, dark psychological suspense, and atmospheric, locked-room thrillers.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.