I always enjoy Mark’s books. He creates amazing stories with excellent characters and creates a world I can get lost in for several hours. Another great read I couldn’t put down, but also didn’t rush either.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review.


Lucas has gone to retreat for writers in his hometown in Wales. He has been struggling to write his new book, and he hoped that reconnecting with his past would help him come up with an idea. He is floored when Julia tells him about how her husband died and her daughter disappeared. He decides that he needs to help her find out.


So he hires a private investigator to look into Lily's disappearance. She finds a couple of leads before she too disappears. Soon Lucas is looking into it on his own when he finds out the story of the Widow. He wonders what secrets this place holds. Meanwhile, at the retreat strange things are happening.


Lucas hears a little girl singing a song in Welsh, but think he is crazy another guest hears it as well. Soon they are all wondering if there is a ghost or something darker in this sleepy Welsh town. Can Lucas uncover the truth before it is too late?


I am not totally sure how realistic this was, but it was engaging and I was trying to figure out if it would be a simple human thing or something with an edge of paranormal. I couldn't stop reading it. I really like Lucas and Julia. Most of the other characters were not very likable, but all added to the story in some way.


Not sure I love the ending but way to keep it shocking. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Is it a Beddmawr urban legend or does evil walk along the banks and lurk in the woods by the River Dee?

Seven magpies scattered and flew to high branches. "How did the rhyme go? 'Seven for a secret never to be told.'

Life changed for Julia Marsh 2 years ago when her husband, Michael, drowned trying to rescue their 8-year-old daughter Lily. They had been walking by the River Dee in North Wales when she disappeared. Her body was never found even after an intense police investigation. Julia believes that Lily is still alive and has set up an author's writing retreat in the huge old stone house known as Nyth Bran where the family had lived together in order to make some money and stay close by.

Surrounded by woods, the retreat provides the solitude and quiet that Lucas Radcliffe needs in order to complete his next novel. Along with other authors who are staying at the house, Lucas settles in and hopes to find inspiration and motivation. It's not long before he and the other 3 writers begin to notice some very odd disturbances in the house. Things go missing, there are noises in the night, and they feel that someone is watching them. No spoilers, but one of the main teasers in this gothic-like tale is an old local folk tale about the 'Red Widow' -- who cursed the town after a mining accident -- and who requires that a child be sacrificed to her every 35 years or she will come and take one.

This is a convoluted and complicated suspense thriller that has many different lines of action and focus. The tenseness you'll feel while reading it comes from the tone and atmosphere evoked by the writing. The setting is perfect for a spooky tale and there are a lot of characters that you will have to keep straight in order to follow the tangled threads. The reveal is not so much a twist or surprise as it is a skillful accomplishment of plot weaving. The epilogue was a shocker for me though. I enjoyed this and the best part was that it wasn't so much scary as it was weighted with dread and sparked my curiousity to figure out what the heck was going on and how it would all end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Retreat is an edge of your seat mystery that keeps the reader guessing from the beginning. The book is wonderfully written and the descriptive style paints a picture that is both dark and eerie. Nothing is quite as it seems in this one and the twists just keep coming. Is it supernatural, or is it something more sinister? With so many questions throughout the story, it is impossible to give details without spoilers, but I will say that all is revealed in the end and the journey is quite riveting. It takes a lot to scare this jaded reader, but I found myself paying attention to those little noises of the night and turning a light on. There is a small lag in the story early on, but my curiosity was already piqued enough to keep going and it does pick back up. That aside, this one certainly fits well into the thriller genre and I will be checking out more of this author's work.

The Retreat“ is an atmospheric mix of thriller and ghost story.

Lucas is a bit at a loss after the death of his girlfriend and his one hit wonder as a writer. He struggels with his next book and so he decides to spend some time in a writers retreat. It is run by a young widow, Julia. Her husband drowned two years ago trying to save their daughter. The daughter disappeared, a body was never found. Julia is sure she is still alive and out there somewhere. Lucas is soon fascinated by the story of the disappearance of the girl. Something is very odd about it. There was another girl who went missing 35 years ago. The whole village in rural Wales seems to believe in a mythical figure that demands children as an offering.

Lucas is an incredibly likeable figure. His curiosity is aroused by the strange things that suddenly happen in the house. He also takes an interest in Julia’s tragic fate and soon feels attracted to her.

The book impressed me with its gloomy atmosphere and its life-like figures. It’s suspenseful and a bit scary. I like Mark Edward’s books very much. This was my third of him and certainly not my last one.

I love mark Edwards book and this was no exception .. gripping from the start , pulling you in all direction as to what really happens to Julia’s daughter two years ago . Fast paced and short sharp chapters keep you wanting to read more . Only losing a half star due to the supernatural element that was hinted at . Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read . 4.5 stars

After reading the fabulous The Devil's Work and The Lucky Ones was I really looking forward to reading The Retreat. The creepy cover and blurb added to my eagerness. A missing child and an old house with secrets? Count me in!

The Retreat is one of those books that have all the ingredients I like when it comes to thrillers, a mystery, a group of people that don't know each other and a place with a history of troublesome events. Unfortunately, the story never got more than OK for me which trust me bothered me quite a lot since it has everything I usually like. However, I found myself not really engrossed in the story. Yes, I wanted to know the truth and the characters were not bad. I just never felt that heart-pounding intensity that the previous two books had, especially The Devil's Work. It never got creepy or even truly surprising. It's just OK. I liked the book, but I did not love it. If you are easily scared is this book perhaps more of a hit.

However, the writing is good as usual. The story has a flow to it, and the present story with a connection to past events was interesting and the very last part is good and I will even say that the epilogue is great. The epilogue felt so deviously good that I did feel like the book at least ended on a high note!

4 Creepy and Spooky Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Is there really a Bloody Mary video game? I’m just wondering how that works? I remember gathering in the bathroom at midnight with my friends at sleepovers, never quite making it to those 10 “Bloody Marys...“ this book really brought back memories of all those creepy childhood stories... is the boogie man really under my bed? Can my Tina doll really talk? I’m not one to necessarily believe in the supernatural, but I’m not above getting a little creeped out when something goes bump in the night...

What this book did brilliantly was blend together a twisty psychological thriller and an element of the supernatural... in the beginning I had no idea what was going on was this house haunted? Are these people crazy? Who is singing? Who is taking things and moving them around? What is going bump in the night? I have to admit if I were at this “Retreat“ I would be high tailing it out of there just like Karen did!

Lucas is an author who has headed to Wales to a writers retreat... to work on his follow up novel to his best seller... Julia is the widow who owns this retreat, she also lost her husband two years ago... her husband jumped in the river to save their daughter, who they believed had fallen in, but Lily’s body was never recovered... I can’t even imagine how excruciating this would be, so I could completely understand why Julia still believed her daughter was alive...

This book had me guessing until the bitter end.... I really had no idea how this was going to end, and the very final twist.... not even sure how I feel about that, but it sure made me think.... and all the pieces came together and were completely plausible and believable...

Absolutely recommend when you are in the mood for a spooky atmospheric book filled with things that go bump in the night and some twists on top...

*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

For me personally, this was not my favourite Mark Edwards book. It was still a great read however and I am looking forward to the next from this author

I can honestly say, this book is probably one of my favourite Mark Edwards books. It's full of mystery, suspense and there are twists and turns everywhere. I whole heartedly recommend reading this latest book, Mark Edwards is such a great author.

This is the first time that I have read any of his novels and I have to say I am definitely going to read more! I received this book for review. A child presumed dead, a legend of a witch talking children every 35 years and killing them, a father dying trying to save his child. Things don’t end the way you think. The author sends you on an adventurous twist and turns, topsy turvy adventure. At one point you assume everyone is responsible. But, it’s never the obvious or is it? I highly recommend this book.

The Retreat by Mark Edwards

The Retreat by Mark Edwards is a fast-paced and gripping thriller that will keep you engrossed. This is a story of urban legends, folklore, superstition that are endemic in isolated rural towns. However, the ending falls short in credibility.

Horror writer Lucas Radcliffe returns to his childhood hometown Beddmarr, Wales to spend some time at a writer’s retreat to help conquer his writers block. Two years ago, the owner of the retreat Julia has lost her husband who died trying to save her drowning daughter. However, her daughter Lily’s body was never recovered. Julia still believes that her daughter maybe alive. Lucas, having lost his girlfriend recently, immediately bonds and empathizes with Julia. There are other writers staying in the retreat and soon strange things keep happening at the retreat. People here voices, songs, their stuff gets lost etc.

During his stay in Beddmarr, Lucas learns about the legend of Red Widow, who takes away young children every 35 years and the town rumors that Lily was one of those victims. In order to put Julia’s mind at peace, Lucas hires PI Zara to look into Lily’s disappearance. When Zara goes missing, Lucas thinks that this seemingly placid small town has lots of secrets to hide.

This book started strong for me. As soon as I started the book, I was pulled right into Beddmarr and its setting. I settled comfortably in the Retreat along with Lucas, Julia and the other writers. The atmosphere is perfect for the kind of evocative story Edwards tells, remote and isolated, where the woods are dangerous, and anything could happen. As interlude, we get a glimpse of Lily’s version of the events surrounding her disappearance that gives you more perspective of all the mystery surrounding the town. Lucas was interesting as a main character and him being a horror writer, I believe there is some of the real Mark Edwards in him.
The plot was intricate and multi layered and it kept me guessing throughout. However, to me, the climax was totally unbelievable. I felt the author opened up some unnecessary elements in the novel to give it a horror vibe and stretched way too far when trying to wind them all up. But, it didn’t put me off too much and I still enjoyed the book.
I
thank Net galley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

Overall, The Retreat was a satisfying read with great characters and atmosphere. I totally recommend it for Horror/Thriller fans.

Two years ago Julia's husband drowned whilst trying to save their daughter Lily who they believed had fallen into the river near to where they live, but her body was never found and Julia has never given up hope that she is still alive.

To try and bring some normality back to her life, she turns their home into a writers retreat.  The first guests have settled in and after hearing what happened, Lucas, one of the writers staying at the retreat becomes intrigued and decides to follow it up.  Strange things begin to happen, both at the retreat and in the local village which makes Lucas think there's more to this than people are letting on, what secrets are people keeping and what really happened on that fateful day two years ago.  Lucas is determined to find out and find closure for Julia, one way or the other.

I've read all of Mark Edwards books and loved them all, this one was no exception.  As soon as I started it yesterday I was hooked and even considered not going to a concert last night so I didn't have to put it down!  It's superbly written and the characters are portrayed so well I felt like I was sat in the room with them at times. The story is, as usual in Mark's work, full of twists and just as you think you've figured out where it's heading, he throws another curveball and heads you off in a different direction.  I loved the suspense in this book and can't wait for his next one. 

I'd like to thank Thomas & Mercer for the approval and will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

The Retreat by Mark Edwards is a mystery/thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis:
Lucas Radcliffe needs to write/finish his new horror novel. He finds the perfect place to do so. Julia Marsh has recently turned her home into a writers retreat, and he will be one of her first four “guests”. It turns out the atmosphere at Nyth Bran may be just perfect for a horror novelist. Julia’s daughter has “been missing” for two years. Most people assume she drowned in the nearby river, which also took the life of Julia’s husband. Others believe that the “Red Widow” took her from the woods. Julia believes neither. Until she sees proof of death, she will continue in her belief that Lily is still alive.

Behind Julia’s back, Lucas hires a private investigator to make sure that the police covered every base. Lucas ends up looking into things himself, and he hears the story of the “Red Widow”, who apparently takes a child from the woods every 35 years. If the town doesn’t supply the child, the Widow decides who to take, usually a newcomer, or one from a broken home…one that may not be missed. When the residents of the Retreat start hearing voices, and things go missing, there is confusion. But when people start dying, and Lucas is attacked, things have definitely taken a turn. Lucas doesn`t know who to believe, and starts to doubt even Julia`s sanity.

My Opinions:
This is the first novel I have read by Mark Edwards, but doubt it will be the last.

The story is really about myths…how they start, how they develop, how they spread, and how they are believed – by young and old. I really enjoyed how the author sunk his teeth into that. It is a rather dark and creepy tale.

Edwards writing style is smooth, and he develops his story really well, providing pieces of the puzzle through different characters. The suspense builds nicely, and the pace is good. You can really feel the angst of a mother missing her daughter, and the anger when things go awry. Although I did suspect who was behind everything, I was never 100% sure until the end. Speaking of the end, nice twist!

Looking forward to more by this author!

This book was about a missing child and her mother who never gave up. Julia opened a writer's retreat two years after her daughter went missing and many strange things began to happen. This book was part haunted house story, part mysterious town story.
The author does an excellent job with the setting and mood of the story. There was a dark, somber mood throughout and the river was in the center of it all. The characters were well done and each one added something to the story. The mystery continued to grow and the story moved along well. The last 20% had a creepiness that had my skin crawling. A great book worth reading!

Mark Edwards never fails to deliver... I have just devoured this book in one sitting. I could not put it down, I had to know what was happening and why!! I am a big fan of this author and jumped at the chance to read an early review copy thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing... thank you so much for the opportunity.

This is a dark and creepy and at times scary book. An old house in Wales is the setting for The Retreat. After losing her husband and daughter 2 years ago, Julia decides to turn her home into a writers retreat. One of the first guests is horror writer Lucas who needs an escape in order to help his writers block.

Julia is convinced that her daughter is still alive as no body has ever been found. Lucas gets caught up in the story and decides to investigate himself with the help of a private detective. Strange things start happening at the house and to all the people in the local town.

The atmosphere of this book is eerie and the characters are so well developed that you start to feel scared for them. I can't recommend this book enough!!! Nice work Mr Edwards.

Lucas Radcliffe is struggling to finish his horror novel. Well more accurately he is struggling to get any of it done. He returns to the town of his childhood and checks in to a newly opened writers retreat owned by Julia, a sad and lonely woman who has lost her family 2 years prior. There are only a few other writers staying at the retreat and it seems peaceful and comfortable enough other than the strange noises and occasional singing that can be heard coming from what should be an empty room. Lucas can't really focus on his novel as he gets more involved in the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Julia's daughter and the supposed town witch in the woods who will steal a child every 35 years.
This was an intriguing mystery that hooked me right away, although as it drew closer to what I thought would be the conclusion it did slow down a bit. Ultimately it delivered a satisfying ending.

Read all Mark's previous books, all brilliant and this one is no exception, an absolutely gripping page turner which just kept me wanting to read more. He is a very talented author and I love the way he writes.

This is definitely one of Mark's best books in my opinion and I can definitely recommend it, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to netgalley for my copy of the retreat. Im a huge fan of Mark Edwards, I absolutely adore his style of writing, he certainly knows how to captivate his reader and leaving you wanting more, I have read nearly all of mark Edwards books and he never disappoints! I was really looking forward to starting the retreat after reading many great reviews. It's a chilling eerie and ghost like mystery- my cup of tea! Julia lives in a magnificent house set among woods in wales with her husband Michael and their daughter lily, she has somewhat a troubled relationship with Michael who has a drinking problem, on New Year's Day Julia Michael and Lily go for a walk by the river near their house, Julia and Michael have an argument and lily wanders of ahead, when Julia and Michael catch up lily is no where to be found.. did she fall in the river, or did someone take her? Sadly Michael her husband drowns in the river after they believe lily fell in. Two years later still trying to come to terms with the tragedy that happened Julia opens her house as a writers retreat. We meet Lucas who is writing his second novel and arrives at the retreat, he becomes obsessed with wanting to find out what happened to lily after Julia confides in him that she still believes her daughter is out there, he starts to do his own investigation and the discoveries he makes are breath taking, my heart was in my mouth while reading this book, I completely empathised with Julia as a mum myself I could feel her desperation and sadness. There is also a legend in bedmwarr about the widow who is a witch who haunts the woods and every 35 years she comes back to take a child for sacrifice.. was lily taken by the widow or was it someone Julia knew? I was very satisfied by the ending, I really enjoyed the unexpected turn of events and the creepy touch that was added, you won't be disappointed by this story.

Mark Edwards has written a gripping piece of crime fiction set in a fictional place, Beddmawr, in the Berwyn Mountains in Wales with its dense forests and rivers. 42 year old Lucas, a horror writer, used to live nearby as a young child before his family moved. He is suffering from writer's block, so returns when he checks into a writers retreat run by Julia. Lucas has still not recovered from the grief of losing his beloved girlfriend, Priya, only to learn that Julia lost her husband Michael, and her young daughter, Lily. Julia is a wreck of a woman, still harbouring hopes that Lily is still alive, as her body was never recovered. Lucas, and fellow writers, Max Lake, Suzi Hastings and Karen Holden are shaken and terrified as a series of strange and creepy events occur that suggest the place is haunted. This is a story of urban legends, folklore, myths and superstitions often endemic in isolated rural areas, where children are taken, one every 35 years, so that the rest of the children are safe. They are assumed to have been taken by the Red Widow ever since the place was cursed at a time buried in long ago history.

Without telling anyone, Lucas engages a PI, Zara, hoping that she will uncover evidence that will bring closure for Julia. However, Zara disappears, ostensibly going on holiday but Lucas does not believe this, and a series of deaths occur in the present that make him suspicious, convinced that a local man is behind these murders. Lucas finds that he has become a target as an attempt is made on his life. As Lucas becomes closer to Julia, he is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of Lily's death. Weird happenings continue, and another writer, Ursula, with her spirit guide leads Lucas to a abandoned chapel in the woods. Alongside the narrative is Lily's version of events that eventually reveals the horror of what happened to her. In a story of twists and turns, Lucas slowly begins to suspect an inkling of the truth, but will he live to tell the tale?

Mark Edwards tells a tale with an underlying current of menace in a small rural place, one which Lucas has some historical link to as a child. In such places, folklore and superstition run rife, where many believe in ghosts and urban legends, and the central character, Lucas, adds to the atmosphere as a horror writer, for what happens is a horror story in its own right. His attempts to get to the bottom of what happened to Lily raises forces from the past, determined that their secrets should not be revealed. The location is perfect for the kind of evocative story Edwards tells, remote and isolated, where the woods are dangerous, and anything could happen. An intense, absorbing, and compelling story where the answers do not lie in the supernatural. Many thanks to Thomas and Mercer for an ARC.