Ghostly goings on, unexplained events and dark secrets at a writers’ retreat full of over-inflated but fragile egos. There’s enough mystery and suspense to keep the reader guessing and I enjoyed some of the more flawed characters, although the residents at the writers' retreat were a little too stereotypical. Overall, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the author’s next book.

The Retreat by Mark Edwards
What with this being the first book by Mark Edwards that I have read I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I love psychological thrillers and don’t mind the odd supernatural twist once in a while. This book is both. It’s also set in Wales, I’m Welsh, so it was like reading a little bit of home for me.
The idea behind the story, focusing on a missing child and steeped in urban legend was interesting and had me gripped from the beginning. There were a few moments, especially the scenes in the woods, where I was almost shouting at the characters to get out of there (I mean, who goes deep into the woods alone - at night). I’m usually good at figuring out the outcome of stories like this; however I didn’t see this one coming. I was guessing right up until the end. That in itself tell me that the author has done a good job telling the story.
I’ll definitely be reading more by this author and will recommend his books to friends.

A story about two missing girls, what happened to them and are they still alive, a retreat where writers go to write there books, one of them writes ghost stories. This could have been a ghost story but it was a very good thriller which I really enjoyed.

Missing children,a house surrounded by dense,spooky woods,hidden tunnels,secret passageways,urban myths and legends,sinister locals,action and danger,murder,twists and turns.This can only be a book that was written by the master of thrills and suspense Mark Edwards.

When horror writer Lucas Radcliffe decided to return to his home town Beddhaur in Wales,he didn't for one minute that during his stay at The Retreat,he would find himself getting caught up in a real life mystery.Two years previously the owner of The Retreat Julia Marsh`s husband Michael drowned in the River Dee near their home and their eight year old daughter Lily vanished without a trace.The authorities insist that Lily drowned at the same time as her dad but Julia is convinced that her daughter is still alive.When strange things start happening at The Retreat,Lucas and Julia`s investigation leads them to a secret in the woods - a secret that someone will do anything to protect....

There is no better place for a writer to use as a setting for a dark,chilling mystery than a wood.Even when you walk amongst the trees in broad daylight it's still sinister and creepy and you always get that chill down the back of your neck and get the feeling that you are being watched.I loved the atmospheric scenes set in the woods,I loved the sound of the cosy but seemingly haunted Retreat and I loved the mystery elements of this story.What had happened to Lily? Why where people being murdered and by whom? Who was behind the mysterious occurrences at The Retreat? Out of the cast of vivid,realistic characters my favourite was Lucas,he was just so sweet and likeable,couldn't understand why he liked Julia so much,I though she was rather irritating at times.Interspersed throughout the book where chapters voiced by Lily chronicling her thoughts before and after she disappeared.There was a mixed bag of diverse secondary characters,some likeable and trustworthy,some not so likeable and a sinister a sinister atmosphere that prevailed throughout the whole book.It's hard to believe that in these modern times the things that people are prepared to do just because of superstitions that are passed down from generation to generation.

This is a fast paced,twist packed thriller that certainly keeps the reading guessing from the first page right through to the jaw dropping epilogue.The only thing that spoilt this book a bit for me anyway was the supernatural elements to the story but that just my personal opinion.

I have never read this author before but I surely will in the future! I quickly became engrossed with the story and had trouble putting the book down! It has all the elements of a good story and this author understands how to structure the story he's telling very well. You get to know each character and feel about them as you would if you met them in real life. You will immediately feel empathy for Julia and all she has been through and you'll be rooting for her to make a new start with Lucas, a guest at her writer's retreat, who's intrigued by her story and decides to investigate. You'll be rapidly turning pages to follow along anxiously hoping for a resolution! I highly recommend this book and this author. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC!

I have enjoyed previous books by Mark Edwards so I was delighted to get my hands on The Retreat.

Two years ago Julia lost her family when her husband drowned. He had jumped in a swollen river after seeing their daughter Lily's favourite toy floating there. It was presumed that Lily had drowned although her body was never found. Julia has never accepted this.

In an effort to keep going she opens her house as a reader's retreat where authors can have the peace & quiet to write in the beauty of rural Wales.

Lucas has written on one best selling horror novel. He is struggling to catch lightning in a bottle a second time. As his deadline approaches he decides to go to the writer's retreat - to get away from memories of his dead partner and to visit the place he spent his early years.

Strange things happen in the house. Lucas is drawn to Julia and as he hears old tales & superstitions about the area he starts to wonder if Julia might be right. Maybe Lily didn't drown- but if she didn't, what happened to her?

This was a fast paced read with interesting characters and created a creepy atmosphere that had you looking over your shoulder.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This book came with some fantastic reviews. It didn't disappoint. It keeps you constantly guessing how its going to end up. I love the way it had me thinking about it even after I had finished it. I will definitely be looking at purchasing some more of his books. The cover drew me in a good cover gets me every time.

A very unusual storyline.

Lucas Radcliffe is finding it difficult to start his new novel and decides that the only way he may rediscover his talent is to leave London and move to a writers’ retreat in Wales.

The owner of the cottage, he and his fellow writers find themselves living in, is Juliet. She and her husband and young daughter, Lily, had moved to Nyth Bran near Beddmawr, Wales some years earlier. Unfortunately, Juliet had lost both her husband and daughter in a terrible tragedy. She decided to stay on in the area hoping that at least some of the questions about the cause of her husband’s death and daughter’s disappearance will still get answered. Opening her house as a writers’ retreat at least helps her keep financially sound.

The peace and quiet that Lucas craves to write are somewhat disturbed when things start vanishing from his and the other writers’ rooms. Strange noises wake them and they all feel that at times they are being watched while in their bedrooms.

Lucas wants to find out what is really causing all these strange goings on and knows that he will not be able to write his next novel until he discovers the causes.

Mark Edwards has given his readers lots to think of in this novel. Lucas Radcliffe, the main protagonist, is very believable as are the other characters who we meet in this very strange (in the best possible way) storyline. He’s also created an ending with one of the cleverest cliff-hangers I’ve ever read.

A book full of surprises!

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

A slow burner for me. Very well written, the story flowed well but it didn’t grip me the way some books do. For fans of supernatural storylines, this book is for you.

I have finally discovered Mark Edwards and all I can say is WOW!

The Retreat had me utterly in its clutches from the very first page. It’s almost like the opening scene of a scary movie somehow. A seemingly innocent drive through the glorious Welsh countryside and yet straight away, I couldn’t shake the feeling something utterly creepy was just around the corner. The setting oozes atmosphere in a haunting sort of way.

Lucas is an author who heads to a writer’s retreat in Wales, hoping to finally find the inspiration to finish his second novel. The owner of the retreat, Julia, lost her family. Her husband drowned trying to save their daughter. But the little girl’s body was never found and Julia is convinced her daughter is still alive. And then strange things start to happen.

Mark Edwards is a new to me author. I know, shame on me. I picked up The Retreat after seeing a lot of buzz around from my fellow bloggers and the fear of missing out was becoming increasingly tough to beat. Now I’m left to wonder why I’ve not read any of this author’s books before because if this is anything to go buy then, yes, I have most definitely been missing out!

The Retreat had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. This is a brilliantly absorbing and compelling story. Yes, it’s slightly creepy but it’s also a bit sad at times when it plays into the topic of local superstition and the stuff of myths and scary stories. I had no idea whatsoever where things were heading. It’s a quite unpredictable journey but I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of it. I’m purposefully leaving my review on the vague side because I don’t want to ruin the sheer fun of it for everyone.

This is going straight onto my list of books of the year and I quite happily recommend it as a total must-read! A delicious psychological thriller with a difference and I will undoubtedly make the time to read more books by Mark Edwards in future.

When this book came across my choices, I wasn’t completely sure That this would fall into the type of books that I usually read. I was pleasantly surprised by how readable this book was. This story does have some length but the writing makes it so fast paced. The story is about this writer who decides to head back to his country hometown and stays at this estate created as a retreat for writers to come to and use the escape to write and create in a distant place. Strange things start happening around this retreat space which makes the main character looking into the owners’ past and the towns’ past and more and more things happen and people start to mysteriously disappear and suddenly die tragic deaths. As the story unfolds, the pace increases and the pages turn themselves so fast and you desperately want to solve the mystery with the main character.

In my opinion, this book is different to Edwards' usual way of writing. Personally, I loved it! I found it so compelling that I finished it during the middle of the night. So many twists & turns and red herrings, that I couldn't predict the original and satisfying ending, though several times I thought I had. I'll be recommending this one.


Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

Mark Edwards always managed to scare the life out of me with his books and The Retreat is no different! I made the mistake of reading it in bed one night beside the snoring Grumpy Scotsman and ended up kicking him really hard, supposedly to stop his snoring but really because I was scared witless and wanted someone else awake!!!

This book will really play on your own fears of losing someone close to you but not having that closure of knowing exactly what happened to your loved ones. Julia is trying to rebuild her life 2 years after she has lost her husband and daughter. By opening up a writers retreat she hopes to join the land of the living again. One of her first guests is horror writer Lucus, who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her daughter Lily, who’s body has never been found.

Honestly, I know I’m a TOTAL wimp but this is one of the creepiest books I’ve read recently!! And I think that’s because I was never really sure where the narrative was heading and that made me very nervous! I’m not a big lover of supernatural stories as they freak me out a little (well ok, they freak me out A LOT!!!) and the unusual occurrences in and around the writers retreat were ones that I found very difficult to explain! The use of a local “urban legend” was central to the plot here and used to great effect by Mark Edwards, with a gradual build up of tension along the way as we find out more about The Red Widow!!!

What I enjoyed most about this book was that it wasn’t predictable! The supernatural element was present but it was up to the reader to decide what was real or imagined. The menacing atmosphere was at its most intense during the first part of the book as Lucas becomes aware of the eerie “goings on” that started to increase once he began looking into the circumstances surrounding the events that lead to Julia losing her family. As things started to come together, there were plenty of shocks in store including a rather unexpected ending!

Gripping, nightmarish and totally addictive – just make sure you read it with the lights on!

Thank You to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Mark Edwards for providing me with a copy of this book.

5 Stars

I am a huge fan of Mark's ever since I read "The Magpies" So when I realised that he had a new book coming out I just had to get my hands on a copy somehow and I am so glad that I did. I couldn't wait to read this book so I bumped it up to the top of my very long list.

"WOW" This book is very dark, twisty and slightly emotional, just what a Psychological Thriller should be in my opinion.

What starts off as a story about a missing girl quickly takes you on numerous twists and turns just when you think you have worked out what is gong to happen. This is thoroughly enjoyable and creepy but a really good read. Mark, I can not wait to read your other books that I have waiting on my long list. Well Done Sir for providing us readers with another gripping read. I do however have one question. "How on earth do you manage to write such gripping and entertaining books?"

I would definitely recommend reading this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Retreat by Mark Edwards.
A woman, Julia, loses her family tragically. She struggles to pick up the pieces of her life and finally opens her home as a retreat of sorts.
Julia's daughter's death was always a puzzle as the body was never found. Julia connects with a man who becomes obsessed to find out what happened to her daughter and they find that things are not what they appear to be.
More of a supernatural novel vs. thriller - Never read Edwards before - enjoyed the book - will look at this author again in the future.

Loved the story it did take me a while to get into the book had to start the book again as I was half way through and I was a bit lost with all the characters but on the second read i loved it the the last chapters i could not put down the best mark Edwards book i have read

He's done it again!! Well done Mark Edwards. Absolutely compelling, read it in 2 sittings! I was eagerly anticipating this latest release The Retreat and once again it was another superb read.
This is an intense intruiging thriller with a high creep factor. I love a book that keeps me guessing and this definitely delivered as it kept me guessing to the very end.
Brilliantly enjoyable read - highly recommend it.

Thank you!

It is my first Mark Edwards book and I loved it as sometimes when I read books in this genre, about halfway through it's clear that you guess who is guilty but not with this book and I highly recommend reading it. I will be reading the rest of his books.

Wow, another excellent psychological thriller from Mark Edwards. The Retreat is about a writer who goes to a retreat to finish his novel. What he finds is a grieving mother, a mystery surrounding a missing child and an urban legend. I loved the supernatural undertones in the book and the twists and turns of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I would highly recommend

Thoroughly enjoyed the previous books by this author & this latest one was excellent too.

The setting, characters & storyline were very atmospheric giving goosebumps at certain passages.

4.5 stars