A luxurious, secluded cabin in the woods sounds like the perfect getaway for 3 couples, especially when it’s all paid for, right?! Wrong. Dead wrong.

-Locked room mystery
-Secrets + Family Drama
-Revenge
-Atmospheric + Creepy
-Genealogy

In the plot, we have two stories being told simultaneously and they bridge together at the end. This was a classic, eerie, locked room mystery with impressive unreliable narrators. However, the lackluster motive didn’t thrill me and the (unexpected) reveal wrapped up too quickly. I would’ve loved MORE from the story.

Trigger: sexual assault

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @parkrowbooks for my #gifted advanced copy!

I love Lisa Unger books and Secluded Cabin Seeps Six is just another great book. Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway with family and friends. They are staying in an isolated luxury cabin in the woods, with spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s loving and generous tech-mogul brother found the listing online and it’s his birthday gift to Hannah and includes their spouses and another couple. The six friends need this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R, far from the chatter and pressures of modern life. But the wonderful weekend turns into a nightmare. A deadly storm is brewing, the rental host seems just a little too involved, and the personal chef reveals that the house has a tainted history. The friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep. Someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. But who is it?

This was a fun read. I think this was a twist on the siblings grow up and hide each other’s secrets vibes. I appreciated the flash backs and liked the mystery around who was what with the genetics testing. I think this was a combination of what could go terribly bad in a rented air bnb and can you ever really trust anyone?

A summer get away with family and friends for 3 couples in a beautiful secluded cabin then a storm hits hard.
This book has several characters throughout and within the pager of the story are all intertwined.
The question which is stronger, DNA or the choices one makes.
I truly enjoy Lisa Unger’s writing and Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is up there as one of my favorites.

#SecludedCabinSleepsSix

Three couples go on a luxurious weekend getaway hoping to have a nice relaxing trip. Unfortunately for them the trip quickly turns into a nightmare when they realize someone is looking for payback. They are stuck in the cabin and realize that their secrets could get them killed. I was very intrigued by the idea of this story but I didn't enjoy the multiple POVS or the twisting timelines. It made this book feel like a chore to read. I think a lot of people will enjoy this one but for me it was just okay.

A storm is brewing outside and inside of the luxurious weekend cabin.

Is everyone who they say they are?

Is everyone telling the truth?

We meet three couples away for the weekend.

You will ask yourself if everything appears as it is presenting itself.

SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX has a sinister undertone almost from the first page. You will wonder what is up with all of these characters.

This book was actually confusing, not at all a favorite, and one I was not anxious to get back to.

Too many things were going on, and there were too many unlikable characters.

It did get a little better around 70%, but was creepy throughout, had disturbing scenes and plot, and was a bit long.

I hope it is a better read for you. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

A twisty locked room mystery that kept me guessing to the end. Another five star read for me from Lisa Unger.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s nothing quite like a weekend getaway with your closest family and friends at a house nestled away from it all. That is what Mako, his wife, Liza, sister, Hannah, her husband, Bruce, best friend, Cricket, and her new boyfriend, Joshua, all do. In a dark, creepy, the walls have eyes sort of way they find themselves in a house cut off from society.

At the other end there’s Henry, and his story of loss and redemption. Where the two stories meet is the question. In the end, my one unanswered question was about the homeowner. I never got his story.

If you like something dark, and creepy, and perfect for Halloween, here you go.

Themes: 👫👫👫💬multiple povs, 🔁 past and present, 👀 watchers

My feelings: 😬😲👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Thank you @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for this ARC.

Hashtags: #readersofinstagram, #netgalley, #readmorebooks, #readmorebooksbywomen, #mybookishlife, #harlequintradepublishing,

Told from alternating perspectives, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six takes place over the course of a short weekend gone wrong. Three couples stay in a remote area with the goal of disconnecting and enjoying each other's company. Things start to go very wrong during their first night at the cabin.

I was very excited to be approved on NetGalley for this early review copy of “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six”. It has so many things I love: an atmospheric scene, a remote location for a locked-door thriller setup, and a truly messed up family. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for me. It suffered from a whole host of very unlikable characters with really deplorable behaviors. Of the whole batch of characters in this book, there were maybe 3 who were honestly okay people in the end. It was difficult for me to get into because each chapter was either a different person or a different time. Ultimately, nothing really happened until 40% in and even when things did start happening they were underwhelming. It just felt too chaotic and not in a good thriller kind of way. I wish the author would have paired things down a bit, cut at least one of the points of view. I did enjoy the exploration of DNA as technology has advanced and its repercussions on peoples’ lives. I will still check out what Lisa Unger writes next. Thanks to Lisa Unger, Netgalley, and Park Row for a e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

Christmas dinner 2017, it’s been the usual family gathering, fraught with bickering, drama, and secrets. What is it about the holidays that makes everybody misbehave? At the end of dinner, Mako announces that he has rented a lovely cabin in the woods six months from now to celebrate the success of his business. He is inviting his sister, Hannah, her husband, Bruce, and Cricket, Hannah’s best friend. Hannah is not sure she wants to go. She just had a baby a couple of months ago, and like any new mom is loathe to leave her baby behind.
When they arrive at the cabin, they are all astounded. It isn’t just a cabin in the woods, it’s a freaking mansion made of timber. It’s absolutely gorgeous. The inside is more your traditional cabin with the taxidermized animal carcasses all over the place. The kitchen though is right out of a penthouse in Manhattan and there is even a chef and serving staff setting up a meal. Hannah had not realized how hungry the trip made her.
Mako’s wife Liza isn’t feeling well and goes upstairs to lay down. She has a secret which she needs to tell Mako but she doesn’t know how. Bruce has a secret he is dying to tell Hannah but he knows it will really upset her. After dinner, everybody goes to do their own thing. Unbeknownst to them, there are others looking in on them, observing them, deciding when to intervene. What started as a lovely evening devolves into a game of cat & mouse but who is hunting them?

This my first book of Lisa Unger’s. It is a wonderful, thrilling read. Very quick paced and utterly surprising how all the pieces come together. This book will keep you up at night as you race to the conclusion. I can’t wait for Lisa’s next book. Her writing reminds me of Lucy Foley.

Short synopsis: “Family is not who you are, it’s what you do” at least that’s what Mako and Hannah’s mothers Sophia always said. When Mako plans a getaway with his sister Hannah and their friend Cricket, hidden family secrets come to light.

My thoughts: I generally go into a book blind, which I did on this one, so I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t anticipate a story of family secrets, genealogy, and DNA tests.

This was such a fun story that started off with a bang when the family was gifted DNA tests for Christmas from an anonymous source.

The atmosphere of the cabin was told so well making you both want to visit a secluded cabin off the grid, and also stay away because of the spookiness.

I found myself a little less interested in Henry’s story and just wanted to be back at the cabin because that’s where all the suspense was. But in the end I really enjoyed how each of the different characters storylines ended up interweaving into each other, and I was kept constantly guessing at each of the twists.

Read if you love:
* Complicated family drama
* Spooky settings
* Alternating timeline and storylines
* Off the grid cabins
* Genealogy

This was my first Lisa Unger book and I can’t wait to pick up more!

I didn’t mind this book, but I didn’t love it. It captured my attention enough to keep reading, though It didn’t scare me. I was expecting it to be a classic murder mystery in a secluded cabin during a big storm, but this one was less murder mystery and more “creepy”. There were two main storylines that seemed to run parallel throughout. Lots of POVs to keep track of. I thought the storyline was unique, integrating DNA testing.

(I received this as an ARC from NetGalley - thank you!)

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

Locked cabin mysteries are all the rage now and this book is not the first (or last) book I'll read this year (or the next) with this premise.

Six adults, three couples, are spending 'quality time' in a beautiful, remote cabin in the woods.

Naturally, they're all harboring deep, dark secrets. And some of them are not who they appear to be.

What I did like: the theme of family. What makes a family? Just blood?

I can definitely say it's not just blood, but many, many factors like shared experiences, chemistry and rapport, and faith and loyalty with the people you choose to be your family.

I also liked that not all the men were sleaze bags. So often in these types of books, there's a ton of hate against men. Sure, Mako is a scumbag, but Bruce and Henry aren't; in fact, Henry seems to be the only semi developed character amongst everyone.

What I didn't like: mostly everyone else.

One dimensional characters; for example: Bruce is a hottie, so is Mako and Cricket and her boy toy, Hannah is a new mom and spends most of her time whining about her postpartum body and commenting constantly about what a hunk her husband is.

Flashbacks and multiple characters. I'm not a fan of flashbacks unless used sparingly and well, and I haven't really found an author who can do both seamlessly.

Maybe if the past was written as one section, and the present as the second half, it might have worked but the constant flip flop between past and present and multiple characters was distracting. I soon forgot who was whom and sleeping with who.

Miscommunication and false assumptions. Hannah is certain Bruce is hiding something (a lover?) but every time he tries to clarify what's going on, they're interrupted, a classic and often used and annoying literary device in these books.

I figured out the twist(s) (not hard when you read as many thrillers as I do), but the multiple characters, including Bracken, the peeping Tom, was like having too many cooks in the kitchen.

It read as if the author wanted everyone to have a flaw, foible, or be a creep just to heighten the drama, when it's not necessary.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this before publication, but unlikable characters and a narrative that dragged on made this just an average read for me.

This is a perfectly told, remote, high tension, isolated thriller/mystery that keeps the reader both intrigued and on edge. Lisa Unger is a great storyteller with complex characters who we feel well immersed and invested in. Surprises and high tension throughout, SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX delivers.

This book was a pretty big disappointment for me.

There were WAY too many character POVs and stories to keep track of. I also really disliked that two of the POVs were for unknown characters and another POV was completely unnecessary and if it was cut no one would be the wiser.

I really disliked the big plot twist and how it was executed. It made the author and characters seem sympathetic to an abuser and it was very off putting

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you Killer Crime Club and NetGalley for this book. It was an interesting story and I did not see that ending happening.

** spoiler alert ** Yikes. This one was not great. Aside from the 800 narrators and the time bouncing, the plot just didn’t make sense. Bracken (was that even his name?) would have made the most sense as a villain, but nah, had to go with the weird half sister thing. What in the world??

Anyway. Overall this book was messy, chaotic, and was trying to do too many things. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. Glad I didn’t buy this on my own.

Lisa Unger is usually a hard win for me. She is a beautifully poetic wordsmith, crafting tales and characters that draw you in and keep you hooked.

This one was a bit slower paced for me and so the thrill in thriller wasn’t quite there. However, I will continue recommending her books and this one to those die hard fans, and once with a little time on their hands for a slow burn thriller.

Suspenseful but predictable at times, especially if you’ve read a lot of mystery/thrillers. I would have liked to see a little more character development throughout the book as well

Book Title: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
Author: Lisa Unger
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing ~Park Row
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: November 8, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy is its own way.
-Leo Tolstoy Anna Karenina
This is my 11th Lisa Unger novel. I loved four novels "Confessions on the 745", "Ink and Bone", "The Red Hunter", and "Darkness, My old Friend"]. Several I really liked ~ some I didn’t love them

I have been wanted to read this novel and was a bit discouraged when I read several reviews from reader I trust and they either dnf or thought it was okay.
I went into this without high expectations'.
However. . .
I have to admit I did like it. I thought the idea of family members taking a DNA test was great!

Hannah and her brother Mako have always been close; he is doing well financially and wants to give Hannah a great Birthday gift. He finds a listing on-line of a stunning house deep in the Georgia woods – a sort of wellness retreat, back to nature - no Wi-Fi, but hiking, yoga etc and does include a personal chef.
It sleeps six so he decides it would be the perfect birthday gift, Hannah and hubby Bruce, Mako and his wife Liza, plus another couple - friends of Hannah and Mako, Cricket and her new hottie boyfriend Joshua.

A threat of a terrible storm is brewing and the awesome weekend is turning into a nightmare. The personal chef reveals that this beautiful isolated cabin has a ghost haunting it ~ but he doesn’t believe in ghosts ~ do you? However, ghosts are nothing compared to the secrets that everyone seems to be carrying.

Then there is Henry!

As I said I did like this ~ true there are a bunch of unlikeable foul mouth characters. Most seem to think a sentence has to contain - subject – verb - and an f-bomb! Actually in many cases just an f-bomb.
I have a low tolerance and am not a fan of profanity but have to admit the swearing certainly fits most of these characters!!

Lisa Unger tells us that she got her inspiration for this story when she and her family rented a cabin in an isolated area in Georgia. She thought what if something happened, no one would hear their screams plus she wondered - do they really change the locks after every guest.
She recently read an article in The New York Times "Modern Love" column about a man who sought out his children decades after he had anonymously donated his sperm, then fell in love with their mother.
Soooo with an idea plus a creative imagination, Lisa began to write!

I thought the idea of a sperm donor looking for his children was certainly different. In fact, I cannot believe it hasn’t popped up in a bunch of other psychological thrillers!

I enjoyed reading the author’s acknowledgements. Lisa Unger as well most authors say that the hardest difficult part of writing a novel is writing the ‘Acknowledgments’ because they want to get it right.
I always enjoy both the acknowledgements as well as the author’s note and appreciate when authors taking the time to give us this inside scoop!.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing ~ Park Row for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 29, 2022