EXCERPT: She closes her eyes and hears echoed threats.

'Only babies tell, and you're a baby.'

'Tell tell tit, your tongue will split.'

Her head is throbbing.

'Do that again and I'll kill you.'

ABOUT 'THE SANITORIUM':
EVERYONE'S IN DANGER. ANYONE COULD BE NEXT.

An imposing, isolated hotel, high up in the Swiss Alps, is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But she's taken time off from her job as a detective, so when she receives an invitation out of the blue to celebrate her estranged brother's recent engagement, she has no choice but to accept.

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge. Though it's beautiful, something about the hotel, recently converted from an abandoned sanatorium, makes her nervous - as does her brother, Isaac.

And when they wake the following morning to discover his fiancée Laure has vanished without a trace, Elin's unease grows. With the storm cutting off access to and from the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic.

But no-one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she's the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they're all in . . .

MY THOUGHTS: An exciting read that left me breathless. It is spine-tingling and raised those little hairs on the back of my neck in places.

The Sanitorium is a stunning debut novel by Sarah Pearse that cleverly leaves the way open for a sequel. I can't wait!

It is an atmospheric, chilling, twisty read set during a blizzard in a hotel in the Swiss Alps. A modern locked room mystery that incorporates horrific historic murders with the present day ones. The setting is creepy in a modernistic minimalist way, incorporating old subterranean parts of the original Sanitorium that was converted into a luxury hotel.

The characters are magnificent and entirely plausible. I really didn't like Elin at the beginning, but as she developed and came into her own, she grew on me. She is uncomfortable in her own skin, prone to panic attacks, and on extended leave from the police force following something that went terribly wrong on her last case. Her brother Isaac, I didn't warm to at all, but I adored Will, Elin's 'boyfriend', and often felt miffed with Elin for the way she treated him. Isaac's girlfriend Laure, is a bit of a mystery. She and Elin were childhood friends whose relationship came to an abrupt end. She comes across as very self-confident, but there are secrets lurking there too. Elin and Isaac have grown apart over the years following their younger brother Sam's death and, despite being at the hotel to celebrate Isaac and Laure's engagement, there is a palpable tension between them.

There is also a tension between another brother and sister, Lucas and Cécile. Lucas owns the hotel, and his sister works for him. There is a history between Lucas and Laure.

So we have:

Complicated family relationships

Family secrets

Stunning scenery (obliterated by a blizzard, but)

A modern hotel built on a creepy past

No way in our out, so the murderer must still be there

A limited pool of suspects

Twists aplenty

I had no idea who was behind the murders, yet thinking back, the author has left a little trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow. I was too busy avidly flipping pages and devouring the words on them to pick up her occasional clues.

I loved this read. There was only one point, almost at the end, when my belief wavered a little, but only momentarily. I had a wonderful time reading The Sanitorium and, honestly, I could go back and read it all over again.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.8

#TheSanatorium #NetGalley @SarahVPearse @sarahpearseauthor

#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #familydrama #murdermystery #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Sarah Pearse lives by the sea in South Devon with her husband and two daughters. She studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Warwick and worked in Brand PR for a variety of household brands. After moving to Switzerland in her twenties, she spent every spare moment exploring the mountains and the Swiss Alpine town of Crans Montana, the dramatic setting that inspired her novel.

Sarah has always been drawn to the dark and creepy - remote spaces and abandoned places - so when she read an article in a local Swiss magazine about the history of sanatoriums in the area, she knew she’d found the spark of the idea for her debut novel, The Sanatorium.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I did enjoy this book. But I felt it didn’t deliver in the way I hoped.

The beginning was truly eerie and left me wondering whether it would be a traditional crime thriller or one with a supernatural element. In the end, I was disappointed that these elements were underplayed as they could have helped build tension.

Our main character was not particularly likeable or relatable which made the story hard to connect with. I found her a little whiny and self-centred, blind to what was happening around her. And many of the plot twists felt a little too forced.

It was still a decent crime read and had me hooked a few times, but the constant twists and turns didn’t deliver in the way I hoped they would.

The Sanatorium - Sarah Pearse

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley.

An imposing, isolated hotel, high up in the Swiss Alps, is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But she's taken time off from her job as a detective, so when she receives an invitation out of the blue to celebrate her estranged brother's recent engagement, she has no choice but to accept.

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge. Though it's beautiful, something about the hotel, recently converted from an abandoned sanatorium, makes her nervous - as does her brother, Isaac.

This is an atmospheric psychological thriller with a very creepy feel. This is one of those books that you just want to read one more chapter before you put it down. It is unpredictable with many twists.

Overall this has a very appealing storyline and the more that happened, the more I wanted to continue reading. I read over 60% of this book in one sitting because I was unable to put the book down.

Rating 4/5

This is a seriously creepy and twisty thriller that I couldn’t put down! The characters were developed so, so well, they felt super real (and Will was a terrible boyfriend just FYI, Elin!). If you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you on edge, this one’s for you.

It didn’t grab my attention for the first few pages but then I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Found it brilliant with twists and turns which kept me guessing to the end. It was creepy and thrilling all at the same time. Brilliant debut novel, can’t wait for book 2.
NetGalley kindly allowed me to read this for an impartial review.
#TheSanatorium #NetGalley

I'm a huge fan of this genre - isolated location mysteries - so I was hooked from the first glance at the blurb, as well as the beautiful cover. I did find the book quite difficult to get into - I think it's too slow to get to the 'crime' and there's a lot of exposition early on that I found a little difficult to wade through - but once the plot started to pick-up I trundled through this at a very rapid pace. The last 50% flew past in the blink of an eye and I couldn't wait to find out the solution to the puzzle. I was a little let down by the ending - I think there were a few too many red herrings and intricacies and complications. The twist at the end was shocking, but I think there could've maybe been a couple of more subtle hints throughout as to where the plot might be going - the twist felt more for shock value than anything.

Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot. The characters were great, the location is the perfect setting for a mystery like this and the pace is brilliant after the first third. I will definitely be interested in reading more from the author going forward, particularly after a very teasing epilogue!

Interesting plot, some old style horror, I enjoyed reading the book had me re guessing who was behind the terror, the sitting was perfect, no escape

Rating 4.5/5

The Sanatorium is the kind of book that you just can’t tear yourself away from, honestly, I was looking for any excuse to keep reading, and only put it down because I couldn’t keep my eyes open for much longer. I do love a remote setting and one that is in a risky spot because of weather conditions but also has a very sinister past just makes it even more intriguing, I have to say that the author managed to create the perfect atmosphere with the setting, the stark snowy landscape, the minimal style of the hotel, and the uncertain nature between Elin and her brother Isaac, all come together in a wonderfully unsettling way.

The relationships between the characters also help add to the suspense of the story, everyone is so unsure of each other and keeping secrets so there is a high level of mistrust from the get-go, of course, that means that I was suspicious of most of them. I liked that there were two mysteries running throughout the story, Laure’s disappearance but also what happened between Elin and her brother, it really made Elin on edge which in turn made me feel that way. I quite liked Elin she is a bit clumsy as a detective because she has had time off and is obviously doubting herself which causes her to make mistakes plus the situation is highly personal, but I actually thought she was a perfect fit for this story I felt her uncertainty added to the tension and the fact that it made other characters also question her sometimes made me do the same which kept things interesting.

I would love to say more about the story but really there would be too much to say and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but there are a lot of layers to it as well as some very surprising events and they, for me, were unexpected at no point did I have any idea how it was all going to play out. Luckily it also managed to tie up all of my questions, of which there were many, but I have to say that ending, oh my goodness, it was the type that really gets under your skin and then there was a little extra something at the end that kind of made me want to scream, in a good way but still.

If you are looking for an exciting and tense thriller, in a creepy and remote location, that you will most certainly want to binge read then pick up this book you want regret it. I am so looking forward to seeing what this author will come up with next.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A very gothic and creepy setting of an old sanatorium. I liked the main character and was rooting for her the whole way through. I would love another book with her as the main character. Lots of things to keep you guessing and wondering. I will definitely look out for more by this author. A recommended read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the eARC.

This was a book that I Really enjoyed this read and I would recommend to others easily, I will be looking out for other titles by this author.

Twisted and creepy, dark and unsettling, this book will give you shivers and it won't be the snow! From the opening page, my heart was thumping.

A well written debut, with the ideal setting for a whodunnit novel where all the characters are trapped together and unable to leave. However I did find it quite difficult to get into, and very slow at times, I also became aware that I didn't really care about any of the characters, particularly Elin.
Thank you to netgalley and random house for an advance copy of this book

Creepy, eerie, cold, atmospheric and just outstanding!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Sanatorium, I had to read it with plenty of blankets and a hot chocolate as it will give you frostbite! It made me feel cold and tingly throughout. I loved the storyline - a fantastic whodunnit that keeps you guessing right up until the end. The setting is creepy as hell right from the start without people going missing. You need this on your to-read list!

Set aside at 58%, then later decided I wouldn't be finishing it. The premise and location were both very appealing, but for me the book failed in the execution. I found it terribly slow and waited a long time for it to pick up, but it never did. I didn't care enough about any of the characters to worry about who was going to get bumped off, and I really disliked the main character, Elin, whose demeanour verged on histrionic (in the emotional sense), being constantly on the brink of tears. I hope she bucked up eventually, as it seemed everyone was going to be relying on her to keep them alive. I liked the setting of the former sanitorium, which the author described well. However I didn't really feel Switzerland coming through - it could have been any snowbound location.

How I love a wintery thriller, and The Sanatorium is my absolute favourite kind. Who can resist the lure of a remote, creepy sanatorium with a murky past, high in the Swiss Alps, given new lease of life as a swish hotel? Not me!

Detective Elin Warner, newly arrived at the hotel in the company of her boyfriend, is nervous about meeting up with her estranged brother Isaac, who has invited them to celebrate his recent engagement here. Her levels of anxiety are high, as she is on an extended break from work after becoming involved in a difficult case that did not end well, but the offer of a free holiday from Isaac and the opportunity to address some of their issues is too good to refuse. Things have always been awkward between them, especially since the death of their younger brother Sam, and Elin is not sure how this little holiday is going to go.

When Isaac's fiancée Laure goes missing without a trace, Elin's suspicions that something is very wrong here bring her detective skills to the fore - skills which become even more vital when a massive avalanche cuts them off from civilisation and any hope of the Swiss police being able to get there. Can Elin discover what is going on before it is too late?

The whole premise of this book is a winner for me. The setting is perfect - isolated, with a dodgy past, and with more than a little of Stephen King's Overlook Hotel about it - you quite simply cannot ask for a better backdrop for a chilling, mystery tale. The atmosphere is taut and claustrophobic and the tension builds beautifully as things start to go very badly wrong, on both the weather and safety fronts, and your suspicion that this is not going to be a cosy little family reunion is rewarded in spades... but no spoilers from me folks!

There are some wonderful themes introduced in the telling of this tale especially around the subject of unresolved trauma, as well as gory details to delight lovers of the macabre, and the way Sarah Pearce uses water as a thread throughout really impressed me. The characters are more than a little unreliable on the witness front, which brings in a few delicious red herrings, ones that distract both the reader and our plucky detective Elin from getting to the truth of the matter until well into the story, and the end of the tale plays out with twist upon twist that sets you reeling. I did wonder if perhaps this was a bit too much at first, but then Pearse hits you with an unsettling epilogue that makes you rethink what has gone before and puts an intriguing spin on the whole piece. This was beautifully done and completely won me over. Will there be a sequel? I sincerely hope so!

This scored a low 3 stars for me.

I was really excited and looking forward to this but after reading it I definitely felt very underwhelmed.

The setting was perfect, really sinister, atmospheric and creepy. The murders that take place are gruesome and certainly have a serial killer vibe to them which I loved. Whilst all this was good, the characters and pace of the book let it down for me, along with the ending too.

The book just didn't flow well for me. It went from 'Oh it's definitely this person, lets pursue them' to 'Oh no it's not them now, it's definitely this other person, lets pursue them now'. There didn't feel like there was much mystery, it was just jumping from each character accusing each one until we ran out.

There was also a secret that the main character was dealing with, something that happened during her childhood and again, I really thought the book was going to provide you with a massive twist regarding this but it didn't, it just kind of fizzled out.

Finally the ending...we find out who the killer is but the reasons for why they killed feel rushed and I just didn't find it very convincing.

Overall this was an ok read and I think if you're starting off in the thriller genre then this is good to start you off as the setting is brilliant and the premise is good but it just didn't wow me and wasn't what I was expecting at all.

Elin goes to stay at a recently refurbished hotel which is located in the Alps. Historically the hotel was a sanatorium treating those with tuberculosis with fresh air and sunlight cures, and Elin finds it rather creepy. Elin and her boyfriend, Will, are there to meet her brother, Isaac and his fiancee, Laure, to celebrate their engagement, but Elin has another mission. She wants to finally know the truth about what happened to her other brother, Sam, who died on a childhood holiday and Elin fears that Isaac had something to do with Sam's death. Everything will have to wait though, as it soon becomes clear that there is something strange going on at the hotel. When they are snowed in by bad weather and an avalanche, people start to vanish without trace and this soon hits close to home when Laure disappears.

I was drawn to this book by the wonderful cover, it's definitely eye-catching. I did enjoy reading this but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The main character, Elin, is a police detective who is currently on leave for several reasons (something went wrong in a previous case and her mother has just passed away), but she was very passive. I find it difficult to connect with and care about this type of character, and whilst the plot itself was okay, the book meandered a little too much. It was still a good read, but not quite as gripping as I had hoped. I am therefore rating it 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Random House UK/Transworld Publishers./Bantam Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The Sanitorium, set in an Swiss alpine hotel, is a claustrophobic and creepy thriller which was a good read. Elin, a police detective currently taking a career break after a breakdown, arrives with her boyfriend to visit her brother Isaac, who works at Le Sommet, a new hip hotel in the Swiss Alps. There's already significant tension between them due to the unresolved mystery of the death of their younger brother when they were all children, but when Isaac's fiancee disappears and an avalanche cuts the hotel off from police support, Elin must step in and try to solve the mystery. Whilst it does adhere to a number of the usual hotel murder mystery norms, the backstories of the characters were interesting and the historical detail was a nice touch. 3.5 stars.

When Elin and her partner Will are invited to celebrate the engagement of her estranged brother Isaac’s, to one of her childhood friends, they find themselves in a remodelled sanatorium, the Le Somment Hotel in the Swiss Alps, where Laure is one management team.

The scenes are so well written that you can see the white snow’s blinding light and feel the freezing temperatures. For instance, there’s a scene where one of the characters gets shoved into an outdoor plunge pool surrounded by snow. You could hear the scream and almost see the shot of them trying to push back to the top of the pool from underwater – vivid.

Elin Warner is a policewoman on leave of absence after one of her cases went wrong, ending with the suspect escaping by trying to drown her in the process. Adding to an accident in her past relating to her youngest brother has added to her behavioural dysfunction.

The characters were slightly less understandable, not quite fully rounded out, though you expect that they would be developed later, it never really happened.

As the story unfolds, we learn bits and pieces about Elin, but the other characters are just bit parts in her story.

First, Laure, Issac’s fiancée goes missing; then due to a blizzard descending on their location, the hotel is being evacuated. A member of staff finds a body in one of the outdoor heated pools, weighted down. It wasn’t Laure.

For me, unfortunately, the rest of the storyline breaks from a cohesive line, although the writing is still vivid, there were just details that I found were missing.

The writing, the setup and haunting atmosphere were terrific. I enjoyed Sarah Pearse’s writing but it changed from a book I didn’t want to put down, to a book that I no longer accepted the idea would happen even in a thriller.

Great writing - #TheSanatorium #NetGalley

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House, for the opportunity of reading this advanced copy in exchange for my own honest review. This book is due for release on February 18, 2021.

I really enjoyed this thriller, I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending - I felt like we had one too many twists and in the end, I wasn't as shocked by the final reveal as I wanted to be. Overall I enjoyed the characters and found their backstories to be interesting and added to the overall plot. I did find the use of the avalanche so the police could not get to them a little cliche but did not hinder my overall enjoyment of the book. I'm definitely intrigued to read more from this author in the future.
3 out of 5 stars.