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

The Alpine Retreat is Sarah Goodwin doing what she does best—trapping a group of people somewhere deadly and watching everything unravel. This time, it's a luxury wellness retreat high in the Swiss Alps. Chloe, a burned-out crisis manager, arrives at the exclusive Sorgente retreat with celebrities and social media stars, expecting rest and rejuvenation. Instead, they're faced with murder and mayhem, including wolves prowling outside, a broken ski lift, mounting paranoia, and the creeping realization that someone among them is hunting.

The pacing is relentless, and the twists kept me guessing--and when the truth about the retreat finally came out, it was both shocking and somehow inevitable.
If you're a fan of locked-room mysteries, survival thrillers, or books where nature and humans are equally terrifying, this is the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Alpine Retreat is anything but a place of relaxation as its name suggests! First an avalanche and then people are murdered! Its absolutely brilliant

This is a solid 3.5 stars.

This was a fast paced thriller with a whodunnit vibe. I loved the atmosphere the author created making you feel just as isolated as the characters in the book.

It’s a great Winter read especially when you are looking for something to pass the time that is an easy read and will keep you turning the pages.

Brilliant! A whodunnit set on a mountain during an avalanche.....hooked from the start. Likeable characters, suspicion throughout and just the right amount of tension and atmosphere. Definitely recommend.

"The Alpine Retreat" is a captivating mystery thriller set in the stunning Swiss Alps at an exclusive wellness retreat, where high-profile celebrities and influencers come to unwind. When an avalanche unexpectedly hits, the guests find themselves trapped in this luxurious escape, cut off from the outside world. As rescuers work tirelessly to reach them and food supplies start to dwindle, tensions rise, creating a tense atmosphere. Then, things take a dark turn when a dead body is found, and suddenly everyone—from the glamorous guests to the retreat staff—become suspects.

The story does take a little while to get going, but once it does, the chilling winter setting really draws you in. I loved how atmospheric it felt! While the plot is interesting, I thought it could have been a bit more original, and some moments felt a tad repetitive. Despite the many twists and turns throughout the book, I figure out the big reveal a bit earlier than I wanted to.

The characters had great potential at first, but I found them a bit annoying as the story went on, which made it hard to connect with any of them.

Overall, "The Alpine Retreat" is a fun read, just not as unforgettable or thrilling as I expected. Still, I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to add a cosy locked-room mystery thriller to their TBR list!

Always a guarantee for a good thriller with Sarah Goodwin. Love the worlds she creates and the tension she builds. I have always fancied going on a retreat to Switzerland but might not now. Why is a snowy landscape so threatening?Ha! Well this got me good and proper and was a compelling ride.

This is the 3rd book from this author that I have now read and each one is brilliant. When an avalanche hits a hotel where celebrities and the rich go to relax it causes panic. Chloe is used to stress and people management due to her job and tries to help the staff. When people start going missing and bodies start to turn up she will soon wish that she hadn't.
Brilliant book that keeps you in suspense.

gorgeously effective thriller with some intense vibes and a fun group of characters. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

The Alpine Retreat by Sarah Goodwin is a fast paced, twisty thriller that kept the tension high from start to finish.

Set in a luxurious wellness retreat high in the Swiss Alps, the story quickly turns sinister when an avalanche traps a group of wealthy, influential guests and then people start dying. Cut off from the outside world, with secrets bubbling to the surface, the book leans heavily into a classic Agatha Christie / Knives Out style whodunnit, complete with paranoia, red herrings, and plenty of suspicion.
The pacing is one of the strongest elements here. Short chapters and constant reveals kept the thrills coming and made it very easy to keep reading “just one more chapter.” The isolated, snowbound setting adds a claustrophobic atmosphere that really works for this kind of locked room mystery.
While some characters felt a little familiar and a few twists were easier to spot than others, the overall ride was entertaining, tense, and satisfying. If you enjoy ensemble thrillers, isolated settings, and modern takes on classic murder mysteries, this is a great pick.

This book was the perfect snowy thriller! It had everything I was looking for - trapped in the middle of nowhere vibes, snowy threats, lots of twists and turns!
I loved the story, with the perfect variety of love-to-hate characters and the ultimate isolated wintery setting.

A luxury resort in the remote part of the Swiss Alps provides the perfect location for this locked room thriller. After an avalanche cuts them off from the outside world, the celebrities and staff members find that they have more to contend with than they could have imagined.

Because pretty soon, the first body makes an appearance. And then, there are more to follow...

Sarah Goodwin does a terrific job of delivering yet another gripping thriller. I love her books, and this one is highly recommended.

Wow! What a wild ride that was. I loved it. What an outrageous adventure I have just had at an Alpine Retreat in Switzerland. I should have been there for the health, wellbeing and relaxation. Instead I have been pulled from brilliant but crazy situation to the next.

We meet 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. Avalanche! The demanding and overpampered guests are trapped and confined up in the mountains, freezing cold, the few roads in and out blocked. All options for escape and rescue are out of the question. And there's a killer on the rampage. It's a recipe for chaos, utterly brilliant chaos!

The author has very skillfully created characters that are mostly unlikeable and untrustworthy, but it doesn't prevent you from enjoying the story. For me it can enhance a story when you meet unsavoury and unpleasant characters, especially when a book is full of them.

From the opening chapters, the sense of unease is immediate, and we are quickly thrown into the catastrophe that is unfolding around us and everything escalates dramatically. It was a really engaging, quick read. Full of tension and twists and turns. And quite a dark side to the story to get to grips with too. The story was elaborate and stretched credibility - but it was such a great read that it was impossible not to just go with it.

A really fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Many thanks to Avon and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I went into The Alpine Retreat expecting a fairly familiar premise, but it very quickly proved to be something far more intense. From the opening chapters, the sense of unease is immediate, and once the major catastrophe hits near the beginning, everything escalates dramatically. It’s not a slow burn into danger either – the scale of what happens is huge and instantly raises the stakes, making it clear that no one is truly safe.
What impressed me most was how sustained the tension felt. There was never a lull where things settled or felt comfortable. Even during quieter moments, there was a constant pressure hanging over the story, as though something else was waiting to go wrong. The author did a great job of layering multiple threats at once, so it wasn’t just the environment causing fear, but the people trapped within it as well.
The claustrophobia was particularly effective. The remote setting, harsh conditions, and enforced proximity all combined to create a suffocating atmosphere that felt very real. I could almost feel the walls closing in as tempers frayed and trust eroded. It’s the kind of book where you can sense how quickly rational thinking starts to unravel when fear takes over, and that psychological element really strengthened the story for me.
I did feel slightly conflicted about the handling of the antagonist. Once they were revealed, it seemed as though the author pulled back from fully embracing their darker side. The softening of their character reduced some of the threat that had been built up so carefully beforehand, and I found myself wishing she had been bolder there. A stronger commitment to that role might have made the final sections even more powerful.
Even with that reservation, this was a very enjoyable read. It was fast-paced without feeling rushed, immersive without becoming confusing, and incredibly hard to put down. I devoured it in no time at all, constantly telling myself I’d stop after one more chapter. Overall, this is a gripping thriller that delivers sustained suspense and a strong sense of atmosphere, and it left me keen to read more from the author.

I love a locked room mystery, and bonus points if it's in a snowy location, so I was looking forward to this!

I liked the writing style immediately and knew from the first few pages that I would enjoy the book. The characters were not likeable, but they were believable and that's what matters to me. I really enjoyed the hospitality angle, and the awful guests still being demanding in the face of disaster felt unfortunately realistic.

A drawback was that I did find that the plot got a bit repetitive in the middle. Also, yes Sarah, a wolf DOES count as a dog, I found that shooting very unnecessary!

The Alpine Retreat is a tense and claustrophobic book that takes the glossy promise of wellness culture and strips it down to something far darker. Set high in the Swiss Alps, it turns luxury and isolation into the perfect breeding ground for fear, suspicion and survival.

Chloe Wallace is a compelling central figure. A high powered PR fixer used to managing celebrity scandals, she arrives at the retreat hoping for rest and renewal. Instead, she finds herself surrounded by the very types of people she usually cleans up after. When technology is confiscated and an avalanche cuts the group off from the outside world, the sense of control Chloe relies on begins to slip away.

The setting is brilliantly used. Trapped overnight in a remote lodge with no escape, wolves circling outside and the ski lift destroyed, the tension builds steadily. The damaged electric fence adds another layer of threat, while the disappearance of one guest shifts the story firmly into nightmare territory. As paranoia spreads and secrets begin to surface, it becomes clear that the real danger may not be the mountain itself.

The first person narration keeps the reader close to Chloe’s growing unease, and the atmosphere grows increasingly oppressive with every chapter. The book plays cleverly with themes of curated identity, power and the illusion of safety, particularly within elite wellness spaces.

The Alpine Retreat is a gripping and unsettling read that balances environmental danger with human menace. Fans of locked room thrillers and survival stories will find this an addictive and nerve wracking book.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a page turner and I read it in around 4 hours. Really entertaining and a great palate cleanser for me after an heavy fantasy book

Now this was a really different kind of story to what I was expecting, it totally gripped me and will stay with me. It begins in a very general way where we learn that the main character is very confident, overworked... she's heading off for a retreat... but then suddenly dramatic moments happen and it's all very intense. There's lots of amazing description and crazy insights into people. It was very far-fetched and had some things which seemed most unlikely, but overall I found it very engaging and immersive.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A tense, atmospheric thriller set high in the Swiss Alps. The isolation, confiscated technology and rising paranoia make The Alpine Retreat a gripping, fast-paced read. Familiar twists, but the setting and suspense kept me hooked throughout.

A Gripping Alpine Thriller That Kept Me Up All Night

I couldn't put this one down! *The Alpine Retreat* has everything I want in a thriller – a luxury wellness retreat in the Swiss Alps, trapped celebrities with no phones, an avalanche, and a killer picking them off one by one.
The main character Chloe is smart and relatable, and the isolated setting creates such incredible tension.
I figured out one twist early and some characters felt a bit stereotypical, but it didn't stop me from racing through it.

If you like Lucy Foley or Ruth Ware, grab this book.
It's atmospheric, fast-paced, and genuinely creepy.
The kind of thriller that keeps you up late because you *have* to know what happens next.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

a solid thriller/murdery mystery. It reminded me a bit of the show Nine Perfect Strangers. I loved the setting in Switzerland and being at a wellness retreat for higher net worth individuals which led to some very hateable characters and a clear divide (behind the scenes) between a lot of the staff and retreat goers. The author did a great job depicting the chaos amongst the group following the avalanche and having no access to any of their tech. Overall it was a fast-paced book that i enjoyed. My only notes were that some parts were predictable but there were still enough surprises for me to enjoy it. And, it think sometimes amidst the chaos, it could get a little confusing for me to follow the conversations some of the characters were having. i would recomend for people that like an escapism thriller and a locked-room type thriller.

The Alpine Retreat pulled me in from the very first pages and kept the tension simmering throughout. Sarah Goodwin creates such an atmospheric setting that I felt completely immersed, and the slow burn suspense really paid off. I loved how the characters’ secrets unfolded naturally, making the twists feel both surprising and believable. A gripping, unsettling read that’s hard to put down.

❄️🛖🩸 The Alpine Retreat – Sarah Goodwin 🩸🛖❄️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📅 Release date: 15th January 2026

Relax. Recharge. Run for your life.

Blurb
High in the secluded Swiss Alps, the Sorgente wellness retreat promises luxury, rejuvenation and total privacy — a dream escape for celebrities craving anonymity.

Chloe, a burnt-out publicity crisis manager, joins a carefully selected group of actors, influencers and stars, hoping for peace and quiet. But the moment their technology is confiscated, unease sets in.

When an avalanche traps them overnight in the remote lodge, things take a deadly turn. By morning, one guest has been attacked — and soon the bodies begin to pile up.

Cut off from the outside world, surrounded by brutal nature, with the aerial lift destroyed and a killer among them, paranoia spirals and secrets unravel. Nothing — and no one — is what they seem.

My thoughts 💭
Huge thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooksuk for the ARC copy.

This isn’t my first @sarah_goodwin_author read and once again, it absolutely lived up to the hype.

If you know me, you’ll know I’m a sucker for short chapters, fast pacing, high suspense and a strong whodunnit — and this delivered on all fronts.

The setting was deliciously atmospheric, almost too perfect to be true, and I was hooked from the start, racing through the pages like I was on a countdown timer.

If you’re a fast-paced thriller lover, this one is definitely for you ❄️🩸📖

#Bookstagram #ThrillerReads #PsychologicalThriller #ARCReview #NewReleaseBooks

Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and Sarah Goodwin for the early access copy of The Alpine Retreat.

Sarah Goodwin does an amazing job at painting a vivid and tense reading experience throughout The Alpine Retreat. The story grips the reader from the start.

I dont think this was ever a problem Chloe expected to have to get through. With her smarts and bravery shes going to have to do more than just help outrageous celebs in a crisis. Her job now is to survive.
Going on a retreat is just what Chloe thinks she needs. Away from the world and celebs in crisis in an Alpine retreat. All good right....? Things feel red flags from the start. But when an avalanche hits and the world goes dark and dangerous there is something far more sinister at work. When the bodies begin being picked up and picked off there is only one way out. Figure it out and or somehow get out of this trapped cold nightmare.
This books was brilliant. You had that ever present build of tension and unease. There is danger and intrigue but also the whys? Who? How to stay alive.
The trapped in nature begun before the weather came in. And the clever suspects and suspense didnt let it.
Great read. Probably not one to read when the UK is currently in snow!

The Alpine Retreat by Sarah Goodwin is a tense, atmospheric thriller that leans hard into one of my favorite setups: an isolated location, a tight cast, and the creeping sense that someone isn’t who they say they are. The Alpine setting does a lot of heavy lifting in the best way—cold, remote, and beautifully claustrophobic once things start to unravel.

Goodwin keeps the pages turning with short chapters and steady escalation. The tension builds in layers: small discomforts become bigger cracks, relationships start to feel unstable, and you get that delicious “okay, what are they hiding?” feeling that makes it hard to stop. I also liked how the story plays with suspicion—almost everyone feels potentially guilty at some point, and the book is good at shifting your assumptions.

I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because a couple plot beats felt slightly convenient, and there were moments where I wanted a bit more depth/clarity around certain motivations near the end. But overall, it delivers exactly what you want from a locked-in, high-tension thriller: sharp pacing, escalating dread, and a satisfying payoff.

If you like isolated-setting thrillers with twisty secrets and that “no one is safe” vibe, The Alpine Retreat is a great pick.

Chloe is a fixer, she makes problems go away for the rich and famous, but she is tired and fed up so books herself into an exclusive retreat in the Swiss alps, so exclusive it has no media presence.
On arrival Chloe expects to have her mobile, her jewellery and cigarettes taken off her, but she doesn’t expect the hidden stuff in her luggage to be taken too, no sneaky snacks, vape or even showy designer clothes.
At the welcome dinner surrounded by the proceedings are interrupted by a rumbling, an avalanche crashes into the building, luckily stopping just before Chloe and the others at her table are crushed into the wall.
Things quickly deteriorate into panic, people demand the staff help them. Chloe offers to help but is attacked, then the first body is found.
An amazing book with twists and turns and well worth reading, I couldn’t put it down.

Avalanche! This is a locked room thriller with a murderer circling the well heeled and obnoxious guests of a high end wellness resort in the Swiss Alps. An avalanche leaves the guests unable to get help (because they gave up their phones among other things) and dealing with not only the cold but also a diminishing food supply and, of course. a murderer. It's a one by one spree. Chloe the more or less heroine of the story (she's not very likable) has to figure things out and keep herself, if no one else, safe. It's a fast and entertaining read. Thanks to the publisher for the arc. Will be a good travel book.

Wow! A big fan of locked in thrillers, this one got the nail on the head, especially when an avalanche is involved!! This is a tense thriller! Locked in, can’t leave and people are dying. I had no clue who to trust.

Release date January 15, 2026

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting me an ARC of The Alpine Retreat.

I love a locked room style novel, always good to keep your brain ticking over, worrying about what’s round each corner and who is running around murdering people and why! This one didn’t disappoint.

I have read a few books by Sarah Goodwin, and they are all entertaining and twisty. I didn’t guess who the culprit was until I was more or less right on top of it!

An entertaining, decent read, especially in the current weather we are having in the UK! 4 stars.

I enjoyed the latest book by Sarah Goodwin - The Alpine Retreat - Although, maybe not somewhere I'd like to stay!! I've read all her thrillers and have enjoyed every one, all have very different themes.

The Alpine Retreat s a really good book to read to curl up with. Chloe the main character is a fixer (gets famous or rich people out of sticky situations a bit like a UK version of Olivia Pope - Scandal TV show) and goes to a wellness retreat for a break. Unfortunately she doesn't really get a break as after having her technology (and coffee) confiscated - an avalanche traps her and everyone staying there and the retreat turns into a nightmare with all sorts of deaths and danger around every corner. This break is not what she signed up for and needs to find out what's going on.

I'd like to see Chloe's character in a follow up book as it would be good to see a bit of character development and find out more about her background.

A big thanks to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. An enjoyable read!