Tess has done it again! Another thriller which gets inside your head.

The book is split between past and present chapters which made for a gripping read but tied the story seamlessly together. I had lots of questions about Matt’s history and Callie and what bought her to the retreat.

The story was written well and fast paced and there were a couple of good twists. Overall an enjoyable read for any thriller fans, I really enjoy this authors books.

4.5 ⭐️

Overall, The Highland Retreat was a great whodunnit thriller. The plot was well paced and engaging as the chapters switched between past and present, enabling the reader to learn about Callie and the trauma she was working through. The reminders of how much Callie used to be a party girl became repetitive. The twists were executed well and I enjoyed the ‘locked-room’ vibe that was created being in a remote location.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc.

AHHHH I loved this thriller! Secrets, a manor, crazy weather, suspense, Scottish setting. This book follows Callie as she arrives at a Scottish retreat for writing. This was a fast paced story that I could not put down. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Callie arrives at an isolated Scottish writing retreat hoping distance will help her recover from the violence and fear that upended her life six months earlier. We don't know what happened, just that she is barely functioning. The setting should offer quiet, focus, and a chance to begin again, but the manor quickly becomes dangerous. As the layers peel back to the trauma that hurt Callie we learn there are secrets at the manor and not everyone will be getting out alive.

The Highland Retreat has all the pieces of a thriller I enjoy: a remote manor, a group of writers with secrets, and bad weather. to keep a close to locked room setting. Readers who love fast-paced retreat thrillers, remote Scottish settings, and stories where a supposed escape becomes another nightmare will likely have a good time with this. It is readable, atmospheric!

#TheHighlandRetreat #TessMackey #AvonBooksUK #NetGalley

Tess Mackey's first adult thriller is an impressive debut! While the story starts as more of a slow burn, the eerie atmosphere and growing sense of unease kept me turning the pages. The twists completely caught me off guard and made the slower build-up absolutely worth it. If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with shocking reveals, “The Highland Retreat” is definitely one to pick up.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book ahead of it's release.

After reading the authors first book, The Perfect Wedding I already new that this "Dark Places" series was going to be amazing. This book was even better!

We meet Callie, a member of the secondary wedding party in the previous book who is still suffering 6 months after the tragic events at the wedding. She decides to get away on a writers retreat in the Highlands of Scotland. It soon becomes apparent that recognises a couple of the faces, like she has seen them before. As you find with all things like this, there is good reason for this and it's not long before tragedy unfolds again and everyone is looking at each other to find the culprit.

Delightfully creepy in parts and very well written

A fast-paced thriller that had be gripped throughout and I read it in one setting. The ending was also perfect and not at all what I expected. I cannot wait to read the other books in this series!

The Highland Retreat by Tess Mackey is a gripping and deeply moving read that kept me hooked from the very first page. The story is full of emotion, with characters I quickly became invested in, and the tension never lets up. I stayed up for most of the night because I simply couldn't put it dow. I just had to know what happened next. An unforgettable novel that I highly recommend.

A fast paced read, perfect for when you are in need of a book that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

The Highland Retreat is an atmospheric, slow‑creeping thriller that sinks its claws in from the moment Callie arrives at the remote Scottish manor. The setting is wonderfully vivid — all brooding skies, endless wilderness, and that delicious sense of isolation that makes every creak in the night feel like a warning. It’s the perfect backdrop for a story about a woman trying to outrun her past, only to realise danger has followed her into the mist.

I loved how the narrative balances Callie’s internal unraveling with the external tension of the retreat itself. The past‑and‑present structure works beautifully, letting the truth of what happened six months ago bleed through in unsettling fragments. And just when you think you’ve found your footing, the sobbing through the walls, the eerie deer remains, and the escalating body count pull the rug out from under you.

This is a locked‑room thriller with teeth — claustrophobic, twisty, and packed with that creeping dread that keeps you turning pages long after you meant to stop. Fans of Freida McFadden and Sam Holland will feel right at home here. A gripping, atmospheric read that proves sometimes the scariest place to hide is the one that feels safest.

With thanks to Tess Mackey, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

Absolutely loved this book by Tess Mackey. What an amazing story held at a struggling authors retreat filled with lies, murders and mystery!
The twist was one I would have never in a million years guessed was coming! Definitely another 5 stars from me. This is the second book I’ve read of hers and I enjoyed both of them.

The Highland Retreat is this authors second adult book slipping over from the YA section, I read the first one and loved it but think this is slightly better? As a point it does say in the acknowledgments that this book is an actually her first adult book so maybe this should have come first but didn’t?
This book is an atmospheric read set in the highlands in a creepy part of the world and the perfect place for loneliness and tension. Callie has suffered a lot these last few months and her body is only just functioning day to day life. She’s stuck in a rut and has decided to come here to a writing retreat to help get her back into writing but it’s more like a retreat for her mind as she starts to unravel her past.
This was a creepy read, every creak in the manor made you think it was more, the twists were great and the last half just kept coming and coming. This is definitely a scary thriller and had me galloping through the pages. The dual timeline worked really well and I was sometimes narked that it ended on a cliff hanger to be brought straight back into the other timeline finding out about the last cliffhanger LOL! A decent thriller and had almost a locked room vibe but with lots going on not knowing who to trust from one page to the next. I can’t wait to read the next.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The Highland Retreat by Tess Mackey is an atmospheric psychological thriller that blends a remote setting with mounting suspense and hidden secrets. The tension builds steadily throughout, with engaging characters and well-timed twists that keep you guessing. A gripping, immersive read.