A group of six friends goes on what is supposed to be a wellness retreat at a secluded cabin in Georgia. Soon though, dangers emerge and the friends aren’t as safe as they thought.

I was missing the suspense I’ve gotten from Unger’s other books here. There is a story line that runs through too that doesn’t make sense until the end either. It felt the DNA link felt forced on since it really was toward the end that it became clear that’s why the culprit was after one of the characters. I almost was wishing someone hunting down half-siblings was its own book and then there was a different motivation for the first intrigue at the cabin!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for a Netgalley of this.

What I liked:
- The plot was intriguing
- I liked how we had multiple POVs

But......

-There were too many point of views
- Henry's past could have been shortened into more of a reflection. Sometimes it felt like it was interrupting the current plot
- 400 pages? When did thriller/suspense novels get the green light to be more than 325ish pages? 2022 is when folks. Hopefully this trend is short lived. Because if it is a suspense novel eventually we stop caring because the suspense is so long I just want to finish.

Would I recommend-- yes. But please know you are in for the long haul here.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is a dark and fast paced thrill ride. This was the first book I have read by Lisa Unger, and the author did not disappoint. I will definitely be checking out more of her novels. Mako and his wife Lisa rent a secluded cabin in the woods for a weekend and bring along Mako's brother Hannah and her husband Bruce along with Cricket (Hannah's best friend and Mako's ex) and her new boyfriend Joshua. Things quickly start to go awry as a storm hits and strange events start to happen. The setting is dark and suspenseful, and suspicions arise between the characters. This was a hard book to put down, and I finished it in no time at all. I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for the ARC!

A fast-paced novel about family, lies, murder, and secrets. This was a really easy book to get into and the pace was solid throughout. Characters could have been developed a bit more (and made a little more likable), but I enjoyed the plot and finished the book quickly.

It was supposed to be the perfect getaway, three couples bonding, relaxing, enjoying each other's company... but it ends up being anything but! The weekend starts off great, their celebrating a birthday of one of their own, but then things start to take sinister turn. Past transgressions come back to haunt them, rifts begin to form between them, and unexplainable things start to happen. It's a vacation turned nightmare...

As I settled down with this one I hoped to find myself reading a mind twisting tale, a perfect distraction from the world around me, and I have to say I got my wish. This was quite the action-packed read that had me guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed this one, it was a thrilling and engaging page-turner that kept my eyes glued to the pages the whole way through!! I highly suggest you go into this one without any preconceived notions, skip the reviews, and just enjoy the words on the page, it will make it a more enjoyable ride! Highly recommend!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

For me, while I was entertained by this novel on my flight, I couldn’t quite believe any of the characters, and it reminded me of a Harlan Coben book from years ago. Happy to have read it though, but disappointing in the end.

This is a fantastic mystery with many twists. I loved the overarching message of family is who you choose. I am officially a Lisa Unger fan.

Hannah and Mako are siblings with very different personalities. Hannah wants to say no to his gift, a weekend away for six at a remote and luxurious cabin. It will be her first time away from her baby, but Hannah does go knowing she needs some time away with her husband Bruce. Her good friend Cricket and her new boyfriend, as well as Mako and his wife, make up this group of six.
But there is more going on than what appears on the surface and before the weekend ends life-altering revelations will be exposed. There was more than one storyline and alternating POV's from the past and the present. One character's chapters were intriguing, but I never figured out how it fit into this story until the author reveal.
A locked room mystery, a cabin full of secrets, and more than one thread that I just couldn't figure out how the author would pull everything together. I will say most of the characters were not very likable and I did get confused by the varying plots at times. Still, overall I really enjoyed this book. I knew just by the title that things were destined to go horribly wrong.

Anyone who knows me knows I am not a nature person, I do not want to be out in the woods with nothing around and this book clearly shows why! When these family members book this secluded gorgeous cabin they have no idea the horrors and secrets that it holds and will reveal. Very few of these guests, or the cabin owner, are who they present themselves to be and this book takes you on a wild ride to the reveal! I did find the ending a little anti-climatic, maybe just because there was so much build up and so much invested.

This book was like a wild rollercoaster ride that kept me at the edge of my seat until the bitter end. During Christmas, Hannah's family all receive DNA kits as gifts. Who is the giver of these kits? Is it her brother Mako or his wife Liza or her parents or maybe her own husband? Why would the gift giver want to be anonymous? Several months later, Hannah joins her brother and his wife as well as her friend Cricket and her boyfriend Joshua for a remote getaway. Everyone there seems to have secrets. Strange things begin to happen and suddenly Hannah is not certain she really knows anyone very well. This story is well crafted with many layers. Also, it is told from multiple perspectives. There are other parallel stories that tie into our core group but in the end- it all ties together and makes sense. Have fun trying to unravel this mystery.

I loved this excellent thriller, a closed room mystery by the astounding Lisa Unger.

Featuring multiple timelines and POVs, as well as secrets, a watcher and messed up family dynamics, this one kept me on the edge of my seat as I zoomed through it.

I highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

Review published on Goodreads, 28 August 2022:

I'm always up for a locked-room mystery featuring complicated group dynamics and deep, dark family secrets, so I eagerly dove into SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX. From the get-go, the book is full of tension, conflict and suspense—that's what kept me turning its pages. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. As for the characters, they're a rather despicable lot. Few of them are truly likable. All of them are flawed, some of them so much so that it's impossible to care about them at all. I mentioned that the plot kept me reading. I have to say it also kept me guessing. As a genealogist, I found the DNA test aspect of the novel especially interesting. Through it, some very interesting questions are explored: What makes a family a family? How much does one's biology affect the type of person they become? What do you owe to your family and how far would YOU go for yours?

While there are definitely aspects of SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX that I liked, overall, it was a pretty average read for me. I didn't care much for the characters and I found the novel as a whole to be depressing and unoriginal. It did, however, keep me reading. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

This book was good, yet not my favorite by the author. It had a surprise or two, and kept me up way past my bedtime, as it was difficult to put down. Definitely one I will be recommending!

Ooh this was a good one and I was totally in the dark for a lot of it!

There's so much to love about this novel! Multiple narrators, multiple timelines, family secrets, murders, secluded getaways, DNA testing, coverups, a ghost story, a peeping Tom, and so much more. The book is twisty and so many small details are unfurled through character.

I love books that keep me guessing. Even when I had a gut feeling about something, it took Unger spelling it out for me to really understand and see the big picture. How everything was revealed was really flawless as well. The mystery was slowly revealed throughout the novel and there was no unloading of information at the end topped off with a bow (such a pet peeve of mine!).

Some of the themes in this novel felt familiar but the execution was fresh and with so many storylines and side plots, the novel definitely felt unique. However, not all of the subplots felt all that necessary and really, I think the ghost element and host's story could have been pretty much eliminated. It was a long novel and I could see that being a negative for some readers.

The narrator, Vivenne Leheny, was exceptional. My only gripe was that the novel was actually told by several narrators and the audio only used one. While she did a great job tweaking her voice slightly for each character, I did really have to pay attention to catch who was narrating when and occasionally missed it and went through parts of chapters a little confused.

This is one I'll definitely recommend, particularly on audio. The audio really kept the suspense level high and it helped me digest the long chapters more seamlessly.

Thank you to Harper Audio, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the copy.

There were lots of parts in this book that had me on the edge of my seat, and not reading fast enough to find out what happens. But also parts where I was kind of getting bored. All in all, very entertaining read and one I’ll recommend to patrons.

Wow, this thriller was intense and exciting in the most delightful way! Each multifaceted character with secrets and some with their own agendas. Very well done.

Book Review

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger
@LAUnger
Pub date: November 8, 2022

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴.”

First off, thank you so much to @HTPBooks and @ParkrowBooks for this gifted DRC

There’s something about a remote location thriller that draws me in like a bee to a flower; something sinister and chilling is going to happen, obviously, and yes, I’m all in and here for it! The stage is set, the characters in place and the anticipation is high. I cannot think of a better trope within one of my favorite genres. In this instance, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six (SCSS) gave me all the thrills and more; it is a nightmare of a story in the dreamiest of settings.

Three couples, all with deep ties, head into the woods for a weekend to a luxurious cabin. They will want for nothing – private chef and server, gorgeous views, and decadent surroundings – they’re there to relax and enjoy. What could go wrong?

As a storm heads in, insecurities and past suspicions are brought to the forefront but that’s not all; there’s a whole cast of outside characters that play a part in this complex tale and when things come together, it is EXPLOSIVE! This is what I really enjoyed about this book, the character development throughout. Watching each MC’s observations of those around them as they try to work through their own drama and issues gave unique insight into the other characters who’s voices we don’t hear.

Hannah, married to stoic workaholic Bruce is a SAHM, and happy in her life but she knows something is up with Bruce. Bruce works for Hannah’s brother, game developer Mako, a blowhard humblebragger who is married to Liza, a gentle and quiet yoga instructor. Cricket, Mako’s ex and BFF to Hannah is present along with her new love, Joshua. Together in this cabin, things will take a downturn fast but the how and the why is the darkest most chilling part. This I will leave for the reader to discover.

The family drama and complexities of friendship are explored both past and present, this is a method I appreciated in this story, I felt like I had a good grasp on each character’s unique voice but there’s some things kept hidden and when the truth comes out – mind blown! The addition of the ghost story tied to the cabin is the cherry on top and I loved how Lisa weaved this heartbreak throughout the story.

Surprisingly, this book isn’t at all what I thought it would be and I’m glad I went in blind and would recommend that other readers do, too.

It’s a super enjoyable thriller with the tightest of plots and I whipped through it in one day. Highly recommend this to any fan of the genre.

Secrets, lies, and dishonesty never lead anywhere good!  My final thought!

Thank you to NetGalley, Park Row, and Lisa Unger for the advanced copy of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book. The pacing was excellent, we got chapters from multiple different POVs, and the characters and differing timelines were perfectly intertwined.

This one gave me a lot to think about and I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling! I went into this book blind (as I do with almost every book these days) and I felt that added to the mystery.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six will be on bookshelves November 8!

This was a great locked room mystery! I really enjoy Unger's books and this was no exception. Good, fast pace throughout the book that kept me reading quickly. Once you start, you find it hard to put down until the end!

I recently took a DNA test and I started to wonder what would happen if I got unexpected results. I feel like Seculeded Cabin Sleeps Six, answered that question. I was hooked on this book from the start. Immersive with alternating perspectives with each chapter. I love how Lisa wove together each perspective. I cannot recomment this book enough!