Three and a half star rating.
Set in a mythical place in Wild Wales. A writers retreat run by sad Julia who is mourning her dead husband and gone missing daughter, Lily. Lucas comes along in the hopes of finishing his latest book but gets sidetracked helping Julia find out what happened to her daughter. There are a few creepy moments, deep woods, a river, unexplained noises and some odd bods with a penchant for violence. It’s part thriller, part supernatural. Gripping enough to keep reading to find out what did happen to Lily. A good, mysterious holiday read!

5* Spooky Stars

I absolutely loved this book. The story is filled with urban myths and folklore. The personalities and behavior of the characters were very interesting and had you questioning their sincerity.

It was a very spooky read and I am glad that I did not read this book at night in a remote location. It was very well written and the story flowed well, it was fast paced and a rollercoaster of a ride with chilling twists and turns.

I highly recommend this book for avid readers who are seeking a thrilling, creepy and mysterious read. The ending was very satisfying too.

Thanks to NetGalley for granting my wish to read and review The Retreat.

I came back to this book to see if I connected better on the second try,sadly not,,this book was not for me as I did not likethe characters writing style or the plot....... This was my first read from this author and although this book was not for me I would try another of his novels
This book maybe should be classed as supernatural rather than thriller??
I did like the idea of the retreat for writers though

I finished this so quickly and loved every second. If you like folklore or ghost stories or just want something that’s going to make you feel a little unsettled then I highly recommend The Retreat. I always try to guess the ending when I’m reading a thriller but I couldn’t have been further from the truth with this one.

My thanks to the Publishers via NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. I gave this a 5 stars or 10/10.

Can I just say that Mark Edwards never fails to deliver a book that draws you in and unsettles you and they are just right up my street. He has a knack of telling a story in a way that almost makes it fit the horror genre, yet it's not aimed at that genre specifically. There is always that underlying layer that just creeps you out and keeps you guessing. You just know that something sinister is going to happen at some point and that's one of the joys of reading his books.

Julia the owner of an old house with history, has had her share of bad luck in life. Following the loss of family members, she is left alone in the house. Deciding to turn the house into a writing retreat, the house is soon full of strangers and it's not long before a series of eerie things begin to happen.

Lucas, is an Author with at least one reasonably successful book behind him, he chances upon the retreat and it's not long before he's aware of Julia's past. His career as a writer gives him the push to try to find out what's happening and what had happened to Julia in the past.

As Lucas's investigation begins, will he ever find out the truth or will he live to regret ever making the decision to start it.

Just read the book yourself to find out what I'm wittering about. Mark Edwards's books are always well written and I have to admit he's got a fan in me.

3.5 stars. I’ve been reading Mark Edwards books because I love the tingle down my spine & the way my hairs sit up, this is another great read but I just didn’t get that tingle. Looking forward to reading more from Mark

With thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for ARC in return for an honest review

Lucas has found the perfect place to write his next best-seller. Well, he hopes this novel will be as successful as his first and finding the Retreat seems like the perfect plan. When he arrives however, he soon finds that Julia, the owner, is suffering from the loss of her daughter and husband, and refuses to believe that her daughter is really dead. As the ghostly tension mounts, secrets are revealed and nothing is as it appears.

A book that will leave you wondering what is real. You won’t be able to read quick enough, you will want to know what happens on the next page. Brilliant.

Thanks to Netgalley for the download of this book. I downloaded it in May, started it, it was a bit too slow for me and I had other "must reads" snagging my time. Determined to get to the good part, I picked it up again a couple weeks ago and I'm glad I did. The setting is described perfectly, maintaining the creepy vibes throughout. There are a lot of characters to keep straight so that proved challenging for me, but most likely because of the break I took after the first 25% or so of the book. Overall, I'd probably give it 3.5 starts if I could, but it just didn't quite grab me enough for 4 stars. I'd still recommend it for anyone who enjoys suspense and the supernatural.

A heart pounding, atmospheric, rip roaring good mystery!

Mark Edwards is so thorough and detailed with his plotting - his stories are intricately detailed and they are always tightly wound with no stone left unturned.

Full of spooky folklore and legends and scary ghost stories, this one definitely had me jumping at the slightest sounds and turning on all the lights in the house.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Mark Edwards for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Retreat.
I was so happy to have been given the opportunity to read this book. I like Mark Edwards as an author and hoped this book would be as good as previous novels. I have to admit, it was better. The storyline gets you in and gives you a rollercoaster ride all the way to the end. This is a novel best enjoyed in one sitting because it is impossible to put down.

Thank you to Netgalley, Mark Edwards & Amazon publishing for my arc of The Retreat.

I really like Mark Edwards writing style it's intriguing, a little bit scary but reassuring at the same time. Like it reads like horror but if you're a scaredy cat like me, then you know it's going to have a rational explanation in the end!

The Retreat is no different. Lucas is a writer with one bestseller under his belt and a deadline coming ever closer during a period of writer's block. He decides to head back home to Wales where there's peace and quiet to a writer's retreat where he can finally get his head down and write the next bestselling horror novel.

Julia the owner of the Retreat is still reeling from the events of two years ago when her husband and child were lost to her in a tragic accident. Lucas soon becomes obsessed with what happened to Julia's little girl Lily whose body was never found, but as he begins to turn over rocks, things crawl out that want to stay hidden and all of their lives are now in danger.

I really loved the way this novel was laid out, the characters, especially Lucas were easy to empathise and connect with and the suspense was fantastic, I stayed up until 2am to finish it because I couldn't put it down! Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, I can't wait for the next book from Mark Edwards!

Thank you #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #TheRetreat!

I absolutely loved this book. This book is about Julia, a widow who’s child is also missing/possibly dead, who opens a writers retreat at her home. In comes horror writer Lucas who is determined to find out what really happened to Julia’s daughter, Lily! Disturbing things start happening at the retreat and more and more people end up dead... the ending was a total surprise for me! I’m a reader that analyzes the book from the beginning trying to figure out exactly what happened and this one caught me by surprise. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put the book down! Highly recommend!

Well, what can I say? The retreat was a fantastic read! I didn’t guess “who done it”. The retreat kept me on my toes and wanting to read more, the characters were believable and I really enjoyed reading it!

I loved this book! Mark Edwards never disappoints me and his newest is no exception. He kept me guessing from page 1 and until the end I had no idea who the bad guy or guys were. I must have changed my mind about 15 times-that's a good book!
I loved the characters, especially all the authors staying at "The Retreat."
It reminded me of a dark horror movie that would have me covering my eyes-spooky and fun! Check this one out, you won't be disappointed.
*if you haven't read "The Magpies" or "follow you home" by the same author, do so and soon-both are excellent and two of my favorite books.

Mark Edwards gives us another thriller, this time with a mysterious writer's retreat and a missing child. Two years ago, Julia lost her husband and daughter tragically, and refuses to accept that her daughter is dead. One of the writers visiting the retreat, Lucas, coincidentally writes horror novels about missing children, and wants to know what happened to Lily.

Not my favorite Edwards novel but should be well received by readers of this genre.

This was a really good book for escapism. I found myself engrossed in the retreat. Mark Edwards has written a great story here with plenty of opportunity for being completely spooked. I liked the sense of community from the local village especially the funeral scenes.
If I have one criticism, it would be about the character of Lily. The descriptions of her just seemed too grown up for the age that she was supposed to be. Her fear about going off with Megan's Grandad, her feelings of anger towards her parents - I just don't believe that 8 year olds have those sort of grown up thoughts. I think they are far less subtle about not wanting to do things.
Nevertheless, I still raced through this book. A desperate urge to find out what happened and such clever descriptions of the house and surrounding areas.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way! I'm one of those people who figures out books or movies before the end. I was pleasantly surprised I had no clue! I would definitely dig up other books by this author!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review

A horror writer comes to Beddmawr, his childhood hometown, to stay and work in a writer’s retreat. The retreat is owned by a woman who lost her child and husband two years ago, the husband drowning trying to find and save his daughter, the daughter’s body never found, and thus not permitting the grieving mother to bury her hopes of finding her child again. The whole mystery involves a local folk myth of the Red Widow, a woman who lost her husband in the mines and comes every 35 years to take a child from the community.

The narrative flows nicely, the story is interesting and gripping, and what I really liked was that everything supernatural is explained in the end by normal and real facts. Overall, quite a good story.

Doesn't a nice writing retreat sound like the perfect get away? Quiet, peaceful days with nothing to do but write. Well, the Retreat is not the place I'd want to go visit. I'm glad I read and not write since I wouldn't have lasted long at this place!

The author was new to me so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was scared and I read mostly late at night! This novel was a psychological thriller, mystery, suspense, and paranormal elements. All with a touch of horror thrown in. I absolutely loved it!!!

An excellent written book that I highly recommend.

* I was provided an ARC to read from the publisher and NetGalley. It was my decision to read and review this book.