NOTE TO PUBLISHER I am part of the blog tour for this book so will publish my review on my blog on 9th May as part of the tour - here is what I've written ....

I’ve been lucky enough to be one of the very first to read his new book and I’m delighted to report it’s as excellent as his previous work which include his debut The Magpies and the terrifying Follow you Home.
My Review
In his latest psychological thriller Mark draws on his experience as a writer and bases his newest work around a writers retreat in Wales. A book with a small group of authors as many of its main characters makes the keen reader feel instantly at home and that’s how author Lucas feels when he arrives at the writers retreat run by Julia but his peace of mind is soon to be shattered by a plethora of inexplicable and spooky occurrences. As an established horror writer Lucas should be used to strange goings on but a recent tragedy, the death of his girlfriend have left him shaken and mistrustful.
Perhaps this is why he feels drawn to Julia, owner of the old country house she has recently opened the doors of to a host of writers. She too knows the pain of loss, she has never come to terms with the deaths of both her husband and her only daughter Lily. Despite the 2 years have passed since the dreadful accident which took them both from her she is unable to accept that Lily is actually dead, especially since her body was never retrieved from the swollen river which swept her away and in which her father drowned trying to save his daughter.
Rural Wales is brimful of legends and myths which should provide the ideal inspiration for Lucas’ writing be he struggles to find the right words, his writing muse has fled. So he immerses himself in local life and listening to the scary legends which include the Red Widow who steals young children and consumes them.
Hi fellow writers turn out to be a disparate bunch with whom he has less in common than at first he hoped, and he soon becomes enamoured with the beautiful Julia and takes it upon himself to try and help her by secretly investigating the mystery which remains around her lost daughter. With the help of a young private eye he sets out to find what really happened to Lily, hoping to provide closure for Julia, but he opens up a whole can of nasty wriggling worms that twine ever more tightly around him and he ends up making matters between them worse and even putting his own life at risk.
Local residents are deeply superstitious and secretive and he realises more is being concealed than revealed as he doggedly battles on to uncover the mystery around Lilys disappearance and that 35 years earlier of another pre pubescent girl.
It would seem that nobody can be trusted. Nobody is telling the whole truth and it appears that local legends which indicate something supernatural going on seem to have some foundation after all. Despite his sceptiscism, after all as a horror writer he knows things that go bump in the night are firmly made up just to scare people. But when the truth is finally uncovered its far more terrifying than anything he could have dreamt up.

Fantastic book. Real fan of Mark Edwards and this book didn’t disappoint. In depth character development and full of twists

Having read almost all of his work so far. I couldn’t wait to read The Retreat by Mark Edwards! I follow him on Twitter and Facebook and I’ve been excited about this book since he first announced he was writing it. When the synopsis was revealed, I knew this was going to be another brilliant book from Mark Edwards.

As usual, his writing is very good and well paced. There is just so much content there that keeps you constantly guessing how this book would end up. I really enjoyed the build up and the big reveal and couldn’t put it down once the story really started to progress. I was completely thrown by this one and I would never have guessed where it was going. That’s why I love Mark Edwards’ books so much - there are so many clues but so many red herrings thrown in there that the final reveal just feels so rewarding! Very enjoyable and I’ll definitely recommend and read again myself.

4 big stars from me for what I hope will be another Mark Edwards bestseller!

A very big thank you to Mark Edwards, NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Okay .. so this book had all the bells ringing for me when I started reading, for reasons that don't mean anything to other readers I am sure, but made me smile. I have a great-niece called Lilly and her brother is Lucas ... Add in the fact the Private Investigator in this book is from an area of Telford just a couple of miles from where I work and ... well. It amused me.

Those small coincidences aside, I absolutely devoured this book. Totally a one afternoon sitting kind of a read. As soon as I picked it up I knew i was going to have to set aside any other plans (which were in fairness rather limited) and just devote myself to reading as I was hooked from the off. Setting the scene in the most dramatic of ways - the disappearance of young Lily. So small, so innocent, a scene so totally shocking that took me completely unawares that I was compelled to read on to find out what was going on and why.

Cue the main body of the story. Writer Lucas is trying desperately hard to write a follow up to his massively successful novel but struggling to find muse or focus after the loss of his long term partner. Booking himself into a writer's retreat near his hometown, he has no idea of the history of owner Julia, and the tragic story which haunts her. The longer he stays at the retreat, the more he finds out about Julia and her missing daughter, Lily, the more determined he is to help her find peace. As Lucas starts to look into what happened on that fateful day years ago, terrifying things start to happen, not only at the house, but in the neighbouring community, events which put everyone's lives at risk.

Man, oh man, what a story. The whole idea of a missing child is bad enough. Who would abduct a young girl and can she possibly still be alive after all this time? But when you take this most harrowing of circumstances and give it a Mark Edwards twist, you are assured of a read which is not only thrilling but, in this case, totally chilling too. Capturing some of the uncertain and creeping edge which underpinned The Devil's Work, and there is a nod to that book in that Julia used to work as an illustrator for Jackdaw, Mr Edwards has pulled together one hell of a read with an undercurrent of unease from start to finish. Mysterious noise in the walls, spirit guides, unexplained voices singing in an empty bedroom - the atmosphere in this book is eerie to say the least, the mystery compelling.

What I love about Mark Edwards' work is the way he is able to make you so invested in the characters. He has quite the mixture here, beginning with Lucas, damaged by his personal loss and able to easily identify with Julia as a result. He was a character I warmed to immediately, and this is just as well as the  majority of the story is told in first person from his perspective. Julia was harder to get to know but as a quiet character, easy to sympathise with her and her overwhelming sense of loss. The other writers, Karen, Suzi, Max and eventually Ursula make up a real mix of characters, from the slightly odd to the downright rude, but all felt real. Then there are the villagers, all trying to keep their own counsel as secrets from the past do not make for good reading.

There is a sense of the otherworldly about this novel, local superstition and folk-lore informing the story in surprising ways. So many suspects to divert your attention and so many people who had made such grave errors in the past which now begin to impact the present. The pacing of the book was spot on, matching the story with slower periods of reflection contrasting against the high tension, heart thumping moments of peril. Skin crawling characterisations kept me on high alert and as segments of the story moved to Lily's perspective in the months leading up to her disappearance, I could feel myself being drawn deeper and deeper into the story. This was quite probably my favourite book so far by this author. Top stuff combining all the things I like in a story - chills, thrills and a good old-fashioned mystery.

And then that ending ... Just desserts? Quite possibly but not what I was expecting. Bravo sir.

The Retreat is the latest release from one of my favourite authors, Mark Edwards, and is available to purchase from 10th May onwards. You can catch my reviews of some of Mark's previous books by clicking the following links (be warned, there may be a spot of fangirling): Follow You Home, The Devil's Work & The Lucky Ones (I have read more than these three, but they were pre-blog so no reviews to share. Shame on me!).

Normally, after finishing one of this author's books, I sit back and think, 'Wow, could that happen to me!?'. I didn't do that this time, which is probably something I should be relieved about. The story felt a little more 'fictional' than others before it, but that's neither here nor there. This is another fantastic addition to Mark Edwards's catalogue of outstanding psychological thrillers. How does he do it?! Time and time again! (Honestly, if you've never read anything by this author then you are seriously missing out!).

You may know me as a die-hard crime fan but I'm also a massive fan of the horror genre and The Retreat is billed as a psychological thriller with a horror twist. If the word 'horror' puts you off then don't fret, it's a not a gruesome, gory slasher fest (which I love, by the way). The horror is provided by a small community's fear of its own fables. A myth handed down through the generations, from parent to trusting, mesmerised child about a witch; the Red Widow. The Retreat shows the reader the terrifying consequences of an urban legend, and the uncomfortable power an adult has over a child's beliefs to tease...and terrify. And ultimately, what terrible damage can be done.

Lucas Radcliffe is our main protagonist and possibly my favourite lead in a book ever. He's a horror writer, recently bereaved after the horrific death of his girlfriend and following his one bestseller is struggling to get anything he's even remotely proud of down on paper. That's why a trip to Nyth Bran, a new writers retreat seems like such a good idea. Particularly as it is just down the road from where he grew up as a child and he knows Beddmawr fairly well. That's where he meets Julia, widowed owner of the writers retreat and mother of missing daughter, Lily. Life hasn't been kind to Julia; her daughter disappeared and was believed to have drowned in the River Dee, her husband leapt in to save his daughter only to drown himself. Julia firmly believes that Lily is still alive and convinces Lucas who sets out on his own mission to find the truth. That's when the strangest things start happening at Nyth Bran and to the residents of Beddmawr...

Most of the chapters in the book are narrated in real time, but every so often the reader gets to hear from Lily before she went missing back in 2014. I thoroughly enjoyed these chapters and marvelled at how well Edwards managed to replicate an 8-year-old girls voice (I have a 7-year-old daughter myself so feel I'm fairly well qualified to comment!).

Would I recommend this book? I would. Read this and every single other book written by Mark Edwards as I can guarantee, you will not be disappointed. If you're looking for a book to make you feel a little on edge, a book to take you to places you never imagined and to witness deeds you never foresaw, then give The Retreat a go. Such a compelling, well-written and accomplished book and one I devoured in just over 24 hours. Mark Edwards remains one of my very favourite authors and can't seem to do anything wrong in my eyes.

Four and a half stars out of five.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Retreat. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Mark Edwards is fantastic!
I love every book that he writes. His characters are well developed and the story is beautifully thrilling

Happy Publication Day! WOW. Where do I begin? The Retreat is a must buy and must read from me, it has gone straight into my top twenty books of 2018.. A bloody brilliant story that I would recommend to you all. A well deserved five stars. Very Impressed.

I love the cover of this story! If that prologue doesn’t grab the readers attention and pull them in then I don’t know what will! A gripping opening that had me intrigued and hooked until I finished the story. I couldn’t put it down, The Retreat is a sleep stealer of a book. This story is a fast paced thriller which is easy to read and contains short chapters.

The Retreat is chilling, dark and will have the hairs on your arms standing to attention. It will have you looking over your shoulder and on the edge of your seat until you have devoured it. A story that you cannot read alone with the lights off at night! Creepy. This is one writing retreat which you don’t want to be on. A cleverly written story. Is it true what the old tales say? Will the truth be set free? You will have to read on to find out. Brilliant belter of a book, very high expectations for future books after this one.

So did I love this book? I sure did, every chapter of it! Buy it, you won’t be disappointed.

I agreed to read The Retreat without knowing much about it based solely on the fact that it was written by Mark Edwards. His book The Magpies was brilliant and since I read it I’ve been wanting to read more of his books.

The Retreat is set in a secluded cottage near a small village in Wales. The owner, Julia, suffered a huge tragedy and has turned her cottage into a writers retreat and author Lucas soon arrives, desperate to get some writing done after producing a best seller but struggling to come up with an idea for his next book. Three other authors are already staying and together they make up a mixed bunch that would never normally be together.

Soon strange things start happening and the visitors aren’t sure what’s going on and why. Lucas has picked up on the sad story behind Julia and is determined to investigate what happened in order to give Julia closure. This quickly gets him into trouble, taking the rest of the visitors with him. The question is who will survive?

I don’t like horror books, I used to but as I’ve grown older I have to admit that I no longer enjoy being scared. The Retreat isn’t really a horror book, but it is definitely spooky and I’m sure that some might find it scary so be warned.

I really liked the first-person account of Lucas’ journey and the story is predominately told by him. The story sucked me right in and kept me hooked and although I thought that the ending was a little bit neat and tidy I enjoyed reading The Retreat.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer for a copy of The Retreat by Mark Edwards. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

When I tweeted my excitement at reading this novel, Mark replied and said he wanted to keep me and other readers up all night. Well, hats off to you sir, you did just that. There will be many many people having read this today on its release date who are looking forward to going to sleep tonight. That’s if the dreams don’t get them that is.

There’s something especially thrilling about a writing retreat going wrong. I’ve come across a few in fiction and delight in meeting the characters, seeing what goes on and Mark Edwards gave me such a gift with this lovely lot! Scarred and weighed down with so many secrets, a missing girl believed to have drowned and a hidden chapel in the woods.

The locations are fictional thank goodness. Imagine if it was a real retreat! either no one would go now or it would be overpopulated by horror writers. The cover of the book is eerie enough but wait till you get inside....

I rubbed my hands with glee with the twists and turns of these urban legends and stories based n myth and in the deep dark woods, anything can happen. Mr Edwards makes sure of that....

What a page turner. Characters were believable, setting scary, and the plot spine tingling creepy. I would highly recommend this book. I for one could not stop reading it and the more pages turned the deeper I fell. I will be reading more of Mark Edwards book and so should you!

Having read and enjoyed one of Mark Edwards’ previous novels (The Magpies) I was delighted to be invited to join the blog tour for his latest novel, The Retreat.
A missing child. A desperate mother. And a house full of secrets.
Two years ago, Julia lost her family in a tragic accident. Her husband drowned trying to save their daughter, Lily, in the river near their rural home. But the little girl’s body was never found—and Julia believes Lily is somehow still alive.
Alone and broke, Julia opens her house as a writers’ retreat. One of the first guests is Lucas, a horror novelist, who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Lily. But within days of his arrival, the peace of the retreat is shattered by a series of eerie events.
When Lucas’s investigation leads him and Julia into the woods, they discover a dark secret—a secret that someone will do anything to protect…
What really happened that day by the river? Why was Lily never found? And who, or what, is haunting the retreat?
I went into The Retreat expecting a thriller, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that this had darker undertones and an almost horror story vibe, so much so that I wasn’t entirely sure whether the outcome would be supernatural or whether there would be a rational explanation for everything. I won’t spoil it for you, but I thought that this aspect of the novel worked really well, and it added a little something extra to the missing child story, as I found The Retreat to be an extremely creepy novel, and I loved the atmosphere throughout.
The plot was fascinating, and I desperately wanted to know what happened to Lily on that day by the river. The police have all but given up their investigation, convinced that the most obvious answer is the right one and that she drowned, her body swept away by the fast-flowing current. The novel opens with that day by the river before moving forward two years to Lucas’s arrival at the writer’s retreat, and so the reader knows a little more than the characters in the novel, but not much. This was a story that kept me guessing to the very end, and I didn’t even come close to putting together a halfway decent guess as to what had happened.
The Retreat is predominantly narrated by Lucas, with a small number of chapters told from Lily’s perspective in the run up to that fateful day at the river. I thought that this structure worked brilliantly, and whilst Lucas’s investigation continues to result in more questions than it answers, the reader gets a little more insight from the Lily chapters, although the who / what / when / where / how remains elusive until the very end. I have to admit that I didn’t really like Lucas all that much, but this didn’t stop me enjoying the novel at all – the story was plenty to keep me engaged. And I REALLY wanted to know what happened to Lily.
The Retreat is a brilliant thriller with a hint of the supernatural thrown in and is a novel that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Just don’t read it in the dark.
The Retreat was published on 10 May by Thomas & Mercer and is available in digital and paperback formats. Many thanks to Gabriella Drinkald for the opportunity to read and review this title ahead of its publication.

This was a damn good spooky story! Lucas, a horror novelist goes away to a writers retreat in hopes of finishing his latest book and becomes enthralled with Julia, the owner of the house whose husband drowned on the property the same day her daughter went missing. Lucas is determined to help Julia find out if in fact her daughter is missing or has died. Strange happenings both in and out of the house begin to interfere with the investigation and add to the overall creepiness of the story. Great ending too! I thank Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. Highly recommend!

I have spent the last few days with Mark Edwards at The Retreat. Not in real life may I add but in between the pages of his latest release.

The Retreat is my first Mark Edwards book and I feel I have been looking for a thrilling read like this for a long time.  Like a fly to a spider I was caught, stunned and well not eaten thank goodness but consumed in great length by the story.

When a widow opens a getaway writing retreat, the guests have no idea for the unique and creepy hospitality they are signing up for. Lucas is our leading protagonist and as he tries to find inspiration for his next best seller he is distracted by an array of startling events and he gets caught up in a whole host of drama that could change his life forever.

Mark Edwards has a startling ability to build a scene perfectly. You will find yourself in an emotionally driven scene and then jumping out of your skin the next. I am not too proud to admit that I did have to get out of bed and put the ‘big light’ on.

I must be extremely careful with my review today because I enjoyed the plot and the fact that it was so twisty turny I didn’t know what was going to happen and I want my readers to have the same read.

But what I can say is I was so impressed by the writing, I was never bored or skim read. I cared about the characters and was very eager to see what would happen. So much so that I feel I have a book hangover and whatever I read next will have to be so good to compete with the journey I have just been on.

So, book into The Retreat today by buying your own copy.  I can guarantee you will never forget your stay.........

This was my first Mark Edwards book and I absolutely loved it. Wow...from the first page right to the very last, this book captured my full attention and sucked me in. I had thought at around 15% that this book was a little creepy and I wasn't sure where it was going to go. The writing was flawless though and as I continued the story grew and grew and I had no idea how it was going to end. Lucas and Julia's characters were great and I loved the chapters we got from Lily's point of view every so often.

The story revolves around Julia who lost her husband and daughter two years ago. She decided to open a writers retreat and this is how we meet Lucas. He's grieving the death of his girlfriend and is on a deadline to write his next bestseller. There are others at the retreat too, Karen, Max, and Suzi, and soon enough strange and spooky things start happening. When Lucas decides to hire a private detective to help uncover what really happened to Julia's daughter Lily, things really start to heat up and it seems most of the village is in on it. The finger of suspicion points to one man in particular, but is he really the one to have carried out the deed?

This book takes the reader on one hell of a journey and I wasn't expecting things to be revealed the way they were. I was on tenterhooks as the story played out, trying to figure out who the murderer was. I really wasn't expecting things to turn out the way they were. At times I gasped out loud, at times I held my breath, and when I got to end, I didn't want to close the book. This is a story that devoured me whole and I know I will definitely be reading more of Mark's work. He sets the scenes beautifully and I felt like I was right there with Lucas as he scoured the woods and tried to unravel the mystery surrounding Lily's disappearance. Fantastic book that I know will stay with me for quite some time.

Never fails to disappoint- I was very much looking forward to reading the new book by Mark Edwards and it kept me gripped from the get go. Clever writing and great characters.
We see Julia opening her home to writers following the death of her husband and the disappearance of her daughter Lily - the story is fast paced and you just want to keep turning the page to see what happens next - highly recommended!!!

I'm a huge fan of Mark's writing already, so I was incredibly eager to read his new book. This felt quite different from his other books, it was spooky and eerie in places but I absolutely adored it. I loved the character of Lucas, and even the other guests at the retreat. It left me guessing right up to the last sentence. Overall my favourite Mark Edwards book! 5*

Omg this book was so creepy....chills, no one wants to hear about missing children. Shudders. Thanks Netgalley for a copy to read and review and give my honest opinion. Lovely creepy cover and outstanding blurb.

Lucas Radcliffe is a huge success after his first horror novel but he has writers block when it comes to his next book. Deciding to go back to his roots he returns to where he grew up and got an idea for his first book. He decides to attend a retreat for writers, which is basically a B&B that hosts for writers since much of the place isn't fully finished. In a town where superstition and secrets run deep, Lucas stumbles on some missing children coincidences. The farther he goes into the mystery the more the plot thickens. Once you start this book it almost compels you to continue.

Loved it, I couldn't put it down. You ever read a book that chills you and then you have to take a step back to absorb it. This was that book for me. After I finished I had to go to bed, I just couldn't think about this book. What makes this book so creepy? That everything in this book could be a shadow of truth. Superstition is a very huge thing for some people and communities in the world. People will stop at nothing, even murder to prevent bad juju. I gave this book five stars for entertainment! I would definitely read from this author again.

I am a massive fan of Mark Edwards and for me this has to be his best book to date. Set in wales

with an OMG prologue this book grabs you right from the start where we follow one chilling and

eerie story where we meet Lucas who has gone to the Retreat to write a horror story. Who actually

finds himself in the center of a real horror story after he finds out that Julie Marsh husband

drowned in a search her eight year old daughter who went missing two years ago and is still missing

and delves into the disappearances.



The Retreat is told in three parts and alternates back to what happened before. I knew just five


percent into this story that it was going to be a corker of a read. and I certainly wasn't wrong.

Mark weaves a well crafted,chilling and creepy story that will make the hairs on the back of your

neck stand up. I loved everything about this book from the story line to the author's writing. It is a

quick and easy read with a story that flows and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.



Julie and Lucas are very intriguing characters and I loved learning about his

writing journey with references to being a self published author. The more Lucas wanted to know

about what happened with Julie's daughter the more I wanted to know. This is an excellant

who done it story. Which is full of mystery and suspense and keep you guessing until the every end.



Did I mention that horror is favourite genre?! so here we have a crime story with a twist of horror!

This book is simply perfect with references to urban legends and witches...I freaking loved it.

And highly recommend it giving it 5 massive stars.

Mixed feelings on this one... a good story,some creepy goings on,nice bits of tension and times where you weren't really sure what was going on.
But the whole plot centres around a witch taking a child every 35 years,and I struggled at how easily a whole village accepted this with so very little to back it up.
A lot of slightly nuts people,and a twisting path to the villains kept me entertained enough.

I read one other book by Mark Edwards, Follow You Home, and I knew I was going to love this one. I was really eager to pick this one up and couldn’t put it down. You have a missing child and someone willing to investigate it for the sake of the child’s mom. This is a well written book with a great plot as well as some great plot twists that will have you turning the page wanting more. Mark Edwards does a fantastic job of describing things that make places and situations eerie but definitely fits into the story line.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I have read everything Mark Edwards has released to date so was excited to find a new book on the horizon. Unfortunately this book didn't quite hit he mark for me. It took me a lot longer to read than it would have normally and I can only think this is because I wasn't engaged enough in the story. I could easily have put it down unfinished.

The characters were uninspired and the hints at witchcraft and sinister folk stories, while tried to add to the spooky and suspenseful aspect of the story, just dragged it out unnecessarily.

I'm sorry, but I was bored within the first few chapters and this never improved for me. I have higher expectations from Mark Edwards and he just didn't deliver this time.

I had a really hard time with this novel. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was happening but at the same time it was just trudging on and on with no real significant direction. Lots of characters being thrown into the mix, which I'm okay with. It worked in this story but I felt more and more people were just there to distract you from nothing happening.

I would have DNF but I ended up pushing through and the only reason I'm going with three stars instead of one is because of the epilogue.

I did like the eerie aspect.. the old spooky retreat where writers go to work on their novels. Creepy things DID happen, I just wanted more. I expected to be scared and that's not what this is. So if you like a good slow burn of surprise, then this one is probably a go for you.

When I think of a retreat it conjures up images of somewhere quiet , an oasis where you can rest and reflect or write, somewhere you feel safe, well that was until I picked up The Retreat by Mark Edwards, who turns an idyllic setting into something far more sinister. Steeped in atmosphere and disturbingly creepy The Retreat is a reminder of why I’m such a fan of Mark Edwards writing. Lucas, a horror novelist, arrives at the retreat hoping to write his next book, but within days of his arrival, the peace of the retreat is shattered by a series of strange events, are the events linked to Lily a missing child? And who, or what, is haunting the retreat?

It’s great that the author doesn’t conform to a specific genre, with elements of the supernatural, horror and psychological running through its veins you are never quite sure where the author is heading with an unpredictable plot. Mark Edwards maintain the overwhelming sense of suspense and unease throughout. The tale is shrouded in local folklore, and spooky ghost stories, the author does a fabulous job in evoking the horror, the fear and trepidation around such tales.

Told in the present peppered with chapters told from the missing child Lily’s POV you get a feel for Lily, her fears that are grounded in the folklore tales, her worries about her family, it was these chapters that I found the most intriguing and also the most creepy. These chapters were the ones that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, made me jump at every noise, and kept me reading long into the night (with the lights on of course!)

Steeped in atmosphere with a backdrop of creepy settings, and an array of characters who as the reader you can’t help but mistrust, Mark Edwards has written another outstanding book. I never thought the author could top The Magpies one of my favourite books ever, well until now but The Retreat is definitely his best book yet, it’s unpredictable, engaging with one of the most deliciously satisfying endings I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommend.

I’ve read all of Mark’s books to date. Some of them I've loved and a couple I’ve felt lukewarm about. Sadly, for me, The Retreat was more the latter than the former. That said, I’m sure I will be in the minority and many people will enjoy it.

There has been a glut of missing children thrillers lately and I was hoping that this one would be more original, but unfortunately I found the plot lacking in credibility at times.

The writing was still good and at times the story was creepy, but the characters seemed one-dimensional and forgettable.

I will continue to read Mark’s books when they come out because I think he’s a good writer and I’ve loved some of his books (especially The Magpies), but, for me, this one was just mediocre.

The Bottom Line:

The Retreat has an intriguing storyline and hits all the right notes on suspense, thrill, eerieness, setting, and pace, making for a fast, engaging read.

My take:

What I liked the least about The Retreat was Julia. Although you do feel for her after everything she’s been through, she comes across as a little too annoying, too often. Of course, the woman lost her husband and her daughter and is living in a state of limbo. So you can understand the irritating attitude. But what I couldn’t understand about it was how Lucas seems to be oblivious to her flaws. The dynamic between them, for that reason, didn’t make all that much sense to me. Still, it wasn’t the worst, could be written off as the result of the experiences they’d had in life, and was the only slightly irritating part about the book. And the rest of it more than makes up for this.

The story is quite intricate, with a lot of things happening across decades, leading up to the events of the present. The characters are all well defined and have a good real-ness to them. They are all incredibly human in their arrogance, humility, successes, and failures, and in their good and bad. That is what makes the story so relatable – you can actually imagine everything that happens really taking place in a similar setting. It’s also got great suspense and a great setting. It pulls you in right from Page 1 and keeps you hooked throughout.

The best part about the book, though, was its thrill. The Retreat isn’t one of those books where scary faces look out at you from the dark. The thrill it evokes is more subtle and, consequently, incredibly effective. It’s one of those books where the creepiness is brought on by that feeling that you’re being watched, when the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, but when you turn around there’s no one there. Yet, you know that someone, or something, was there. It’s the kind of thrill that gets under your skin and stays there, making you a little jumpy at sudden sounds and dark areas. That’s why it stays with you longer and really makes you experience everything that’s happening in the book.

I received The Retreat from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It’s the second Mark Edwards book I’ve gotten from them and although the first one I’d read – The Lucky Ones – was quite good (you can read the review for that here), this one was definitely better. Edwards, who I’d started following after The Lucky Ones, is definitely one of the better (newer) thriller writers and I would love to read more from him. What really makes his work interesting is the variety he brings. It’s not just serial killer thrillers. Edwards writes different stories that just come to him, and while all are of the thriller genre, each of them has a different take on the category. The Retreat, especially, does more than enough justice to the psychological thriller genre under which it’s pitched, which is quite refreshing because (lately) too many books are sold as psychological thrillers when just ‘thriller’ would be more suitable a tag.

I’d strongly recommend The Retreat to:

fans of thrillers and crime fiction novels
anyone who wants to try out a new thriller author (I’m sure you’ll enjoy Edwards’ style)
those who want a thriller with a twist

Mark Edwards is a great story teller and he has done it again with The Retreat. A retreat for writers to come to to relax and write.. although there is no relaxing at this retreat! A spooky and suspenseful tale that will keep you on your toes and guessing until the end!

This is not my first book by Mark Edwards and so I was looking forward to reading it. The book starts with the disappearance of Lily who is abducted by an unknown person while her parents are busy having an argument. Moving forward two years Lucas returns to the area of his birth to a retreat for writers and from there the plot takes off at a great pace. Whether Lily's disappearance is straightforward or whether she was taken by a many hundred year old Red Widow to appease her is the question!! Well plotted with a twist or two in the tale. Definitely worth reading.

Many thanks to Mark Edwards/Netgalley/Amazon Publishing UK for a digital version of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

As always Mark Edwards entertains and leaves the reader wanting more. This book contains everything you can want in a scary novel. However I did find the ending a bit contrived.l. Still a good read for those fans of a Magic Cottage by James Herbert.

My first Mark Edwards book! I've heard so many wonderful things about his books, that I could'nt contain myself when I recieved this title. It did not dissapoint!

In The Retreat we follow author Lucas, who desperately needs to write a new book. To get that done, he goes back to the town where the inspiration for his first book came from. He stays at a writers retreat run by Julia. A widow who, after a while, opens up to Lucas and trusts him with what bothers her the most; her missing daughter and dead husband.
Shit hits the fan pretty quickly when Lucas feels the need to help Julia get some closure; they must find Lily's body. While he hires a private detective to figure stuff out and he gets to writing his book some strange stuff happends in and around the house..

I loved the way the storyline evolved.. I never saw it coming, and I definitely love it when a story does that! The characters were great, there were some great plottwists and overall,.. the whole book was set up pretty neatly.

No complaints whatsoever, I really hope to read more of Mark Edwards in the future!

I have read several of Mark Edwards books including the well known Magpies & Follow You Home. I found his previous work to be well constructed & complex thrillers full of suspense. This book is no exception.

Set in rural Wales, Lucas comes to stay at Julia's home which is a writer's retreat. Lucas has one bestseller under his belt and is desperate not to be a one hit wonder. Julia is attempting to recover from the terrible loss of her husband and daughter (Lily) whilst Lucas has his own personal loss to deal with. All is not totally quiet in the farmhouse - who sings during the night & is author Ursula as psychic as she would lead you to believe? Did Julia's daughter die as is generally believed or was something more mysterious at work?

This is quite a complex book which is well constructed. It doesn't pay to take your eye off the ball as a throwaway comment may just be the clue you need to solve the mystery. The setting is a quiet village full of secrets and steeped in folklore. Not everyone is proud of their past & not everyone is keen to answer questions about Lily's disappearance.

The characters in this book have interesting personalities & the author takes great care to make them three dimensional. The supporting cast - villagers and other writers at the retreat - are also well written leaving no clues as to who is important & who isn't.

The ending of this book is excellent. All of the threads come together and everything makes sense. Then there is a little added twist which was the icing on the cake.

An excellent all round read that I struggled to put down.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley

I’ve read a few of Mark Edwards backlog books. The Retreat is quite a bit different in some ways but super similar as well. I really enjoy his slow build ups. Now I’ll be honest, I struggled with that first 20% of the book. It was a bit slower than I like suspense book to be. But, I get it. Mr. Edwards needed to set the stage, build the characters, and get us right where he wanted us. Once that was set, I felt the build up steadily increasing. My favorite thing about The Retreat is I had no idea what the story was giving me... what it was hinting at. While Mr. Edwards gave me all the puzzle pieces he did not show me a picture to follow. So it took me a while to put everything together. That impressed me. A story that can keep me in the dark nearly the entire time is a talent! I can usually rattle off the ending based on what I would do in the authors place and generally, I’m correct.

Now, I’ve included the synopsis above my review so I’m not going to rewrite it in my own words. However, what I will tell you is that Mr. Edwards sticks to what he’s used to writing but strays a little bit with The Retreat. This book, while he wrote in a similar way, he was still able to give his readers something unique, something original. There was a large cast of characters but they all held their own and made an interesting addition to the story. I found that the closer I got to the ending the quicker my heart was pounding, the quicker I was flying through the pages. Adding in folklore and local myths from the town made the story super creepy and you wondered if there was a paranormal or ghost aspect to this story. I didn’t realize how invested I was until I had 10% left and I was devouring the last of it.

I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
My very first book by this author and I have no words to describe how much I loved it. It was creepy, chilling, thrilling and very suspenseful. I enjoyed it so much. Well written, with likable characters. I highly recommend it.

Mark Edwards had had an amazing amount of success with his spectacular, scare your pants off psychological thrillers and The Retreat is another brilliant novel!

The story of a women who after her life falls apart opens up an inn for authors to come and work on their novels, a retreat of sorts, a place to get away so they can work in a peaceful environment. But is it peaceful, or is it haunted, a missing child, mysterious deaths, and thing that go bump in the night... are they dreaming or is it real.

The Retreat is a must read Mark Edwards novel that does not disappoint!

This is my first time reading this author but I think I've found a new favorite! The storytelling was tremendously creepy. I was captivated from page one and couldn't put it down. I had to bargain with my family this weekend to get more time to finish the book as I had to know how it ended! They got more screen time and I was able to get all of the answers. The story was so well written with lots of twists and turns and a few spots where I think I was holding my breathe. I'll be picking up more of his books and letting my reader friends know about this one!

Julia opens a writing retreat two years after the disappearance of her daughter and the loss of her husband who died diving into the river to try and save Lily who they believed had fallen in after running ahead. Julia is convinced that Lily is still alive somewhere and disagrees with the police who were convinced that she drowned. Lucas one of the guest writers at the retreat decides to try and help Julia find out what happened to her daughter, that is when he hears the legend about the Red Widow...

Mark Edwards is one of my go to authors and I have read every book that he has brought out so far. This book didn’t disappoint. It kept me interested and wanting to read just one more chapter. The story didn’t go in the direction that I thought it would go in. I love that I can still be surprised and not work it out.

Typical story by Mark Edwards although not as creepy as some of his work it is still a fantastic story. I could not put it down as I was enthralled from the beginning. The writers at the retreat were so diverse in character and so some friction was caused. The story unwinds in perfect timing to give the reader just a little bit more information every so often. The idea of the Red Widow that runs throughout seems so real yet bound in urban myth. What is the truth about her! Does she eat children every 35yrs or not?
Loved the ending great job Mark and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre.

What a great read. Creepy, dark and thrilling, I could not put it down until I knew the truth about the Red Widow.
I am a sucker for books about small town communities full of secrets and lies and this fits the bill nicely.

I love a story involving old folk lore and this didn’t disappoint. It’s chilling, creepy and if read late at night and alone may even give you the willies. Highly atmospheric with an old retreat and eerie woodland setting this hooks you in from the first page and like “the widow” doesn’t let you go.

I have just finished reading The Retreat. I need a retreat after reading this scary ghost story. The story is about a writer who goes to a writer's retreat to write his next book. There he meets Julie, who husband has died and her daughter has disappeared. 2 years have passed since this happened but Julie refused to believe her daughter is dead. The story takes place in a small town full of myths. The biggest one being the widow, who every 35 years steals and eats a child. Lucas refuses to believe that the widow has taken Lily. He set out to find the truth. I read this book in 2 days, unknown for me. It has a bit of everything, including love. A real 5 star read. I loved It and hope to read more by this writer.

The story is a very cleverly written thriller based around a remote Welsh village. Lucas is an author struggling to write his next book, so heads to ‘The Retreat’ to focus on his writing. He quickly gets involved with the other residents as well as the B and B’s owner. You soon learn the background of the B and B and village in which it’s based, with local folklore and witch’s thrown in for good measure. As the story unfolds you learn more about children who have gone missing and it becomes a bit of a ‘who done it’. The main characters are very likeable and the story is definitely a little creepy.
This is the first Mark Edwards book that I have read, but it certainly won’t be the last. This book has all of the ingredients of a fabulous thriller - It’s fast paced, gripping and totally believable. I enjoyed this book from the first page and found it hard to put down.

This is the first book I've read by Mark Edwards, but I will now definitely be looking at his other works! This was a very enjoyable dark, creepy mystery that had me questioning the motives of all the characters involved and an ending I didn't see coming!

I received an ARC from Net Galley and publisher Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE Mark Edwards. I don't think I've actually reviewed any of his books properly before but I read through all of them about two summers ago. He is one of the few authors where I have consistently loved everything he's done and The Retreat is no different.

For starters, the setting of this book is amazing. I have actually been on a writer's retreat to Wales before and this book captured the creepy atmosphere brilliantly. I also love the basic idea. The main character is a horror writer (whose biggest book is clearly a homage to It) famous for writing about missing children. He accidentally chooses to stay at a place where the woman who runs the retreat had her child go missing. It provides the opportunity for a lot of great character interaction, as well as a solid reason for him to get invested in the mystery.

Before I get too gushy, this book isn't perfect. The story gets a little convoluted near the end, although I still found the ending satisfying. There's also a recurring thing that Mark Edwards does which is he describes female characters somewhat sexually, even when they're not meant to be love interests. It's very minor in this book but I still noticed it to a degree.

On the whole though, I would still very much recommend this book. It has an exciting story and I could not predict where it was going, which was so refreshing. Even if it got a little convoluted, each new hint to the solution was surprising to me and I could not put it down whilst reading it. There are a lot of genuinely creepy moments in here as well, or little atmospheric things which really strengthen the story. Ultimately this is another great book from Edwards and I highly suggest you pick it up.

Overall Rating: 4/5

One of the first psychological thrillers I read was by Mark Edwards. I thought it was fantastic and I have since eagerly looked forward to his new releases. This was no exception. I was drawn in immediately and didn’t stop until the end. Folklore, shifty suspects, it has it all

Lucas stays at a cottage in Wales where he joins fellow writers for a writing retreat.
Lucas is a horror writer and he’s searching for inspiration for this next best seller.
The other guests at the house are a mixed bag with their own worries and emotional baggage. The host of the retreat centre is Julia. Julia lost her eight year old daughter, two years ago. The girl was presumed to have drowned in the local river, along with her father who dived in trying to save her. The body of the father was found but not that of the daughter, and, against all the evidence, Julia has clung to the belief that her daughter, Lily, is still alive.
Lucas is attracted to Julia and a romance blossoms. He also becomes obsessed with Lily and he hires a private detective to dig around and find out more. He himself begins to question the police findings. He becomes suspicious of several members of the close-knit, local community, of which his own mother and father were a part. Lucas has suffered a loss himself, and this gets thrown into the mix.
Strange things start to happen at the house – noises in the night, sounds of someone coming and going, ghostly singing. A couple of the other guests start cracking up. Lucas doesn’t believe in ghosts but the horror writer in him is hooked on the incidents and he begins to wonder what is real and what is imaginary.
It’s all pretty spooking stuff. I thought the author did the supernatural element extremely well and we see how each guest is weakened by the weird events. (I think that’s all I can say about the story – if you want to find out more you’ll have to read it.)
My favourite parts of the book were the first third, when we are getting to know the group and the villagers, and the middle part where the spooky events really ratchet up.
In summary – this book is a great mystery, supernatural suspense and the author has a lovely, fluid writing style. A highly enjoyable read.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Y’all should just read this book! Yeah, that’s my review! I should just leave it at that, right? Seriously though, this book is awesome and I hope that all fans of thrillers will get a chance to read it.

The story begins with Lucas’ arrival at a writer’s retreat. Lucas has one successful book to his name but is currently struggling to find inspiration for a second book. He hopes that a retreat at a secluded location will help inspire him. Julia is the host of the retreat which is also being attended by three other writers, Karen, Max and Suzi. The vibe of that place is super spooky. The house is huge, old and has some unusual noises that have everyone on edge. In addition, Julia’s daughter, Lily, has been missing for over two years. All these contribute to a very, creepy, atmospheric read.

I couldn’t stop turning pages once I started reading this book. The plot was interesting and it moved at a fast pace. I was curious about Lily’s disappearance. The police believe that she drowned and her mother was certain that she was alive somewhere. I couldn’t decide which version to believe and so I eagerly followed the narrative waiting for the reveal. The story had quite a number of twists. None of which I could have predicted. I can’t even begin to explain the number of times my jaw dropped.

I loved everything about this story. I enjoyed the narrative style where urban legends were integrated into the story hence contributing to the suspense and creepy atmosphere. The Retreat by Mark Edwards is an amazing, descriptive,captivating read. The surprises just kept coming until the end. I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

I never fail to be impressed by this author. I thought I had it figured out SO many times but I was completely wrong. The story is completely addictive and new! I’ve never read anything like this one. Clever with an amazing twist! So many lies and secrets. You can’t go wrong with this one!

I could not put this book down. This is my first read by this author and I was blown away. From beginning to end it kept me in suspense and wondering who did it. Kudos to Mark Edwards for a great job.
This ending had more twists an turns than a maze
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good psychological thriller.

The Retreat by Mark Edwards is a thriller with mild horror elements in which a young girl, Lily goes missing and little evidence is left to find her. The story is a little clumpy to start off with, the writing seems to be a little laboured but once we get to the action about a third of the way in, it starts to loosen up and a suspenseful atmosphere is created. Julia the mother of the missing child who has lost her husband in the search for Lily, opens her house as a writers retreat where she has four guests stay. Lucas one of the guests, who has also lost a partner, signs up to complete his novel but has difficulty focusing and insists on trying to help Julia, by finding out what happened to Lily. The plot thickens with historic disappearances and the horror story of the red widow spread by children and parents alike, leading to a lengthy, twisty and yet quite satisfying conclusion. Would recommend.

A slow burn that was absolutely brilliant. I loved everything about it. As a writer myself there was so much I could appreciate here - the differing author personalities, the need to "know" answers, the mystery while still having an entirely plausible (rational) explanation. I did not see the end coming, I'll admit that. Usually I find this type of book very predictable and while I did have part of the answer it was a small part so well done for that ending! I would definitely read more by this author. It made me feel very much at home since I'm from there and could really picture everything. Well described, the theme of the river continuing the whole way through helped bring the book together well.

Thoroughly enjoyed the previous books by this author & this latest one was excellent too.

The setting, characters & storyline were very atmospheric giving goosebumps at certain passages.

4.5 stars