I have been loving my spooky season reads, but I am soooo excited to get into winter thriller season 😫😫😫😫😫 there’s something that just hits so hard in reading a winter thriller, once it starts going dark at 5pm, you’re freezing cold wrapped up in layers of blankets and you begin reading a thriller that involves extreme weather, isolation, snow aesthetic and chaos.

Sarah Goodwin is a PRO at writing unlikeable characters, there is a devious sense of smugness that comes from watching everything go from bad to worse when you already wish the character will get a harsh reality check.

I enjoyed watching the events unfold, from avalanches to unalived bodies to all hell breaking loose.

Thank you for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

Far fetched and crazy but i loved every moment of it.
Well written but mainly awful characters.
A storyline that kept me on my toe's.
Thought i had worked out who was the villain but got that wrong!
Two rainy afternoons had me engrossed.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I love Sarah Goodwin’s books; each one is an adventure filled with crazy people and situations. This one involves Chloe, a fixer for the wealthy and powerful, who’s a pro at managing crises. She’s on a much-needed break at The Sorgente, a retreat also for the wealthy and powerful, when disaster strikes. Honestly, I’m surprised this book wasn’t titled ‘Avalanche’ because that’s what sets everything in motion. And because it’s a wellness lodge for peace and relaxation, everyone had their phones and technology taken when they first arrived, so there’s no way to get help. The clients make a big deal about this, but you’d think they’d be used to reading the fine print. Or at least their agents and lawyers would.

So a bunch of demanding and overpampered guests are trapped and confined up in the mountains with the few roads in and out blocked. The building housing the generator was destroyed, and you see where this is going. All options for rescue are out, and it’s going to get nuts. Especially when the first murder victim is found. Can anyone control the chaos and ensure that people are still alive to be rescued when help finally arrives?

What this author does brilliantly is create unlikable characters that don’t prevent you from enjoying the story. She’s literally the only one seemingly capable of this, as that’s normally a deal breaker for me. Chloe’s pretty terrible and self-involved, but she slowly changes throughout the course of the story. She manages this crisis like she would any other, except it's actually life and death this time. Twice over, because if they don’t die of injuries, hypothermia, or starvation, they may very well be the next victim of the murderer hiding somewhere in the lodge, taking out people one by one.

Sure, the plot may stretch credibility here and there, but really, who cares when you’re too busy enjoying the ride?

I really loved this book, Sarah Goodwin never fails. The story was full of action, mystery and it was so intense I could not stop reading. I finished it in two days!
I'm looking forward to more books by Sarah.

Rating: 4.1/5

Sarah Goodwin's earlier books used to frustrate me. There was usually a solid premise and the novels would start strongly and pique my interest. Then, sadly, there was a tendency for the storylines to tail off in the second half. Thankfully, those earlier traits now seem to have been addressed by the author and her more recent offerings have built on the promise of her earlier works, but now deliver captivating reads throughout.

Her latest, "The Alpine Retreat", is set in a high-end wellness centre, The Sorgente, in the Swiss Alps. The first person narrator and central protagonist is Chloe Wallace. Chloe has decided to treat herself to a break from her lucrative, but stressful, life as a PR crisis manager - or, if you prefer, a fixer - the person celebrities call upon to salvage their careers when they have, ahem, committed something of an indiscretion. Apart from sharing her time at the retreat with the kind of people whom she is normally called upon to dig out of the mire, all appears to be well. Then disaster strikes when an avalanche completely cuts off the already secluded location. To add to the peril, the avalanche has also damaged the electric fence that keeps the wolves at bay and, as if that weren't enough, there now appears to be some malevolent individual at large who threatens the lives of the avalanche survivors.

Sarah Goodwin isn't the first writer to set a story in a wellness retreat, nor is she the first to choose an isolated and snowbound location as the backdrop, but there is a reason why a number of authors have chosen similar settings and that is because it creates great atmosphere. Obviously, there is also the potential risk of producing something that is far too similar to books that have gone before, but Sarah Goodwin succeeds in avoiding that potential pitfall. This is due, in no small part, to the strength of Chloe as the central character. The skills gleaned from her day job come to the fore as the narrative develops and the tension mounts. If you like a book that moves along at good pace, with well-drawn characters, action, mystery and suspense all bundled up into a neat package, then "The Alpine Retreat" could be just what you are looking for.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Was a very fast read for me. I couldn't put it down. Superb setting. I immersed myself in the characters. 4 stars all round

This is a very well crafted story with characters you'll love to hate because they are so awful. It is a slow burn suspense but the tension is kept up nicely.

I've read so many thrillers where a group of people get stuck in an isolated snowy location, but I will always seek out more, and that's partly because only a small percentage of them really get it right. Sarah Goodwin's The Alpine Retreat joins Ruth Ware's One by One, Catherine Cooper's The Chalet and Allie Reynolds's Shiver on my recommendations list for. this sub-sub-genre. I immediately appreciated protagonist Chloe, jaded by her job managing PR crises for celebrities, and so abrasive and sarcastic in a way that makes her a recognisable individual, rather than the cookie-cutter 'likeable' narrators you often get in thrillers. Goodwin scored more points with me by properly bringing the setting to life before introducing the chaos, so when an avalanche hits the wellness retreat in the Swiss alps where Chloe has travelled to to try and escape work stress, we feel like we're actually there. It's a smart authorial move, too, because it means Goodwin doesn't have to rely on tired tropes about the situation being engineered by a character who has Secrets in Their Past, but explores how this accidental event naturally brings darker happenings out of the woodwork. The Alpine Retreat ultimately felt much more grounded than a lot of thrillers, and Chloe has a nice character arc, too. I was convinced that I'd already read something else by Goodwin when I requested this, but I don't think I have, so I'll definitely be checking out more of her work.

Great thriller with twists that kept me guessing

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe is a fixer she makes issues disappear for celebrities but she needs a break and what better than a retreat. However an avalanche traps her, the other guests and the staff in the lodge with no help coming but even worse murders start happening in the lodge.
Wow this thriller is intense, i loved it. I did not guess the twists and turns this story took at all. There was a lot of characters to keep up with in the story which at times I had to think who was who. It was very atmospheric you could feel the cold and bleakness of it. I have read several thriller books involving retreats recently but this is my favourite one so far.

This is an easy to read thriller with some good twists and turns.

Chloe is burned out from her job as a PR crisis manager to the rich, so treats herself to a spa break in the mountains in Switzerland.

Things go wrong from the off and the sense of foreboding and claustrophobia grow quickly.

If you like tension and murder in idyllic locations, you’ll love this book

The Alpine Retreat by Sarah Goodwin is an engaging survival thriller told entirely from Chloe's point of view.
The story moves at a medium pace, and while I felt there were a few plot holes, I was able to overlook them for the overall enjoyment of the story. The writing was very immersive, thanks to the several smaller threats the characters faced beyond just the killer on the loose, which really added to the tension. The twist was refreshingly unique and interesting - I didn't see it coming.
What really set this book apart from other survival stories was the character dynamics. The large cast of characters didn't show great distrust for one another and generally did as they all pleased instead of trying to stay together.
My only complaint is that after the big reveal, the story felt a bit boring as it took several chapters to wrap everything up in a neat bow.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves survival thrillers.

Now, this book is going to get compared to Nine Perfect Strangers and The White Lotus, BUT it really shouldn't as it's a great stand-alone thriller. I was gripped and enthralled by the story, and yes, we all know they're going to get trapped, and a murder will happen, but it's written in a very witty and captivating way.

I disliked Chloe at the start. She really seemed like a one-dimensional corporate cow, but honestly, as soon as Chapter 2 started, I was enjoying her 'adventure' and her a lot more.

The best line in the whole book "Tell me where you got the gun or I am going to push you right outside that door and let the wolves enjoy a new enrichment game of twat on a chair" made me actually laugh out loud.

A good read indeed!

This one was SO good and so atmospheric!! I think I yelped when I saw I was approved to read it. It was so good and got under my skin and was just a really great read. I will be recommending to everyone!

The Alpine Retreat drops readers into a wintry mountain getaway where the snow piles up fast and the trust evaporates even faster.

A small group of strangers arrives seeking calm, quiet, healing, and maybe a scenic moment. Instead, the weather locks them in, the paths vanish under snow, and one guest disappears as abruptly. From there, the atmosphere shifts from mildly awkward to deliciously paranoid, with every glance turning suspicious and every silence stretching a little too long.

Goodwin’s prose is crisp and quietly cinematic, distilling the hush of snowfall and the unease of being trapped with people who might be lying through their teeth. The characters bring plenty of emotional baggage, and watching them negotiate the shrinking space between them is half thriller, half social experiment.

If you enjoy mysteries with a gothic edge, where the landscape feels alive and the real danger is whatever everyone carries in with them, this one hits the mark.

Huge thanks to Sarah Goodwin, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC—and for convincing me that the safest retreat is still my couch.

The Alpine Retreat is a snowbound thriller steeped in isolation, suspicion, and the quiet unraveling of trust. Sarah Goodwin delivers a chilling tale set high in the mountains, where the air is thin and the secrets run deep.

When a group of strangers gathers at a remote retreat, the promise is peace, healing, and a break from the noise of the world. But as the snow begins to fall and the paths out disappear, tensions rise—and one guest vanishes without a trace. What follows is a slow, simmering descent into paranoia, where every glance feels loaded and every silence stretches too long.

Goodwin’s prose is crisp and quietly evocative, capturing the eerie stillness of the alpine setting and the emotional claustrophobia of being trapped with people you’re not sure you can trust. The characters are layered, flawed, and compelling, each carrying their own shadows into the snow.

This is a story for readers who love their thrillers with a touch of the gothic, where the landscape is as much a character as the people, and the real danger lies not just in what’s out there—but in what’s been brought in.

My thanks to Sarah Goodwin, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

Every single one of Sarah’’s book absolutely throw me off and I’m truly impressed by this one.
The FMC is not likeable and truly none of the characters are, but the thrills and storyline are so good. As usual the characters truly were outshone hy the plot but I like it better that way in this instance.

Fast paced, right to the drama is how I like my books. Sarah Goodwin always writes a good thriller. This book was no exception. The setting, the characters, all made this story work. There were a few moments of disbelief at some of the characters actions, but it helps move the story along. From beginning to end this was an unputdownable book!

When an avalanche hits the Swiss Alps, the entitled guests holidaying at an exclusive wellness retreat are trapped. Without power and the road blocked by snow, rescue is several days away. Tempers begin to flare as their situation worsens. Then a body is discovered. . .

I really enjoyed The Alpine Retreat. As the body count climbed I was suspicious of everyone. Danger and paranoia lurked around every corner. I loved the remote setting where the deep snow, bitter coldness, isolation and the rapidly diminishing food supply caused suspicion and accusations. The atmosphere was claustrophobic and menacing throughout. Whilst not the most original plot, it was fast-paced and exciting. I look forward to reading more of Sarah's books in the future.

I didn't pay enough attention to the synopsis or got mixed up with another book as for some reason I went into this thinking it would be a rom com set in a ski chalet. It absolutely is nothing of the sort which was a pleasant surprise.
Let me tell you, this is super fast paced, one minute we are learning about Chloe a stressed out crisis PR manager needing some time off the next we are knee deep in chaos in the retreat. Think avalanches, wolves and a whodunnit murder mystery.
I read this late at night and was tired but kept saying just one more chapter til it was finished. It's a great easy to read, fast paced thriller. A little predictable in places but fun read never the less.

Another great story from Sarah Goodwin
Great characters and keeps you guessing right to the end.

Looking forward to the next one.

The Alpine Retreat by Sarah Goodwin is a gripping murder thriller that keeps you on edge from the first page. The remote mountain setting adds a chilling atmosphere, and the twists and turns in the plot make it impossible to predict who can be trusted. Dark, suspenseful, and utterly compelling