I love a good thriller that is set in an isolated location with few options for whodunnit, but where I can't figure it out. A Quiet Retreat is one of the first novels I have read by prolific author Kiersten Modglin, and I can see why people are so addicted to her writing. A Quiet Retreat takes place in a secluded luxury cabin in South Dakota. Five authors of varying degrees of fame have been enticed to a peaceful writers retreat. Ostensibly, they will be able to write their next novels while enjoying the peace and solitude the location offers. Unfortunately, very early on, strange things start happening and suspicion and paranoia turn these authors on each other.....then things go from bad to worse.

This book was a roller coaster ride of fun as readers are teased with various red herrings all the way to the final pages. While the ending was satisfying, there was a bit of a stretch of willing disbelief to it. Either way, I would be recommending A Quiet Retreat to thriller fans and fans of Agatha Christie novel, And Then There Were None.

I am relatively new to reading Kiersten Modglin, but looking at the list of her books, I am so happy to know that there are plenty of books of hers that I haven't tackled. These will definitely be ones I turn to when I am out of new releases.

A Quiet Retreat is an edgy psychological thriller by talented suspense writer Kiersten Modglin.
Five authors, all mystery writers of varying styles, gather for an all-expense-paid retreat in South Dakota at Black Hills Manor, a house with a dark history. What could go wrong?
Well, many things go awry. There are weird noises, ghostly visions, and belongings, as well as people, go missing. I enjoyed the dual timelines and perspectives. The present day protagonist Blakely is a layered character with a dark past, and the four other writers harbor their own secrets as well. The timeline from the past is suitably tragic and mysterious. The motivations and revelations play out nicely, and the suspense ramps up to an explosive conclusion.
Kiersten Modglin never disappoints, and I liked this dark thriller with its well-placed twists and satisfying wrap-up as the events in the two timelines come together.
The audiobook is excellent, narrated by the talented Carly Robins.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the AR audiobook. This is my honest review.

Another phenomenal read by Kiersten Modglin! I simply cannot get enough of her books. She weaves a twisty and turny story like no one else can. I have enjoyed every single book that I've read so far!

Writers attending a quiet retreat at a newly renovated inn quickly realize their invitations had a sinister motive.

This book was exactly what I expected from Kiersten Modglin; a quick read with a simple plot with a good twist. The characters were interesting and I loved how it was very obvious for (some of them) which real life writers inspired which character. The book moved quickly and I liked the little flashback segments to the writer's life prior to the retreat.

It wasn't my favorite Kiersten Modglin but it's a solid quick read.

3.5 stars. I just finished A Quiet Retreat by Kiersten Modglin, narrated by Carly Robins. This was a fun ride. I love when an audiobook can engage my mind from the very beginning and this one did it. The past and present storylines kept the mystery going. There were some over-the-top scenes which I love in thrillers. Also I'm not sure if some well established writers would actually go on a retreat with some unknown newbie writers - that part seemed unfathomable, in my opinion. The narrator was great.

This is my 7th book by this author and Modglin never disappoints. She was a new-to-me author last year and I am working my way through her books.
✍️
An electric group of authors are invited to a writers retreat. Upon meeting at this secluded home they have no idea what is in store for them.
✍️
Things come up missing, strange noises and the house has an interesting past.Is someone messing with them? Is someone the target?
✍️
I loved the different plots coming together to bring to an explosive conclusion! This is a quick and short book. Been under the weather today and this was the perfect book to read while resting.
✍️
I had the physical copy as well as an early read with NetGalley. Thank you Kiersten for consistently writing page turners. Out now! I highly recommend her books.

☼ audiobook review / ad - gifted (thank you) ☼

A Quiet Retreat
Kiersten Modglin
★★★★☆

This book kept me guessing and guessing, but I never guessed any of the twists and turns, which is always a must in thrillers because I believe the shock element is what makes or breaks this genre, and the ending twist actually had me in tears!

I loved the dual timeline and getting to know the characters from both the past and the present, seeing their connections and developments, and seeing all the puzzle pieces come together. I enjoyed the book's setting and the eerie atmosphere it provided.

I enjoy Kiersten's writing style and have read many of her books; however, this is my first audiobook of hers, and I thoroughly enjoyed it; the whole experience was brilliant.

→ do you listen to audiobooks?

→ @the52bookclub reading challenge 2023: related to the word “murder”

→ content warnings: death, child death, domestics abuse, body horror, gore, gun violence

☼ blurb ☼

You are cordially invited to visit the new Black Hills Manor Writing Retreat.

That’s how it all begins—with a simple invitation.

For five authors, it’s meant to be the start of a restful week, filled with free food, drinks, and likeminded company.
But shortly after their arrival, things take an unsettling turn.

Broken property, missing items, and strange noises are just some of the odd occurrences that have each member questioning their companions. As suspicions mount, the authors are pitted against each other.

Whom can they trust in a house full of strangers?

With tensions rising, the writers find themselves in the middle of their own mystery. Death, terror, and despair are common elements in their books, but at Black Hills Manor, the murders being plotted are their own.

Thank you to #netgalley, #dreamscapemedia and #KierstenModglin for my advanced listener copy of A Quiet Retreat. My thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily

I have loved Kiersten Modglin for a while now. When I first found her, I listened to the audios of her books first, and she always does such a wonderful job choosing her narrators because they give the storyline such depth and make you feel as if you're living the plot twists in real time.

I am on her readers team and read this one when it was published, and when Kiersten Modglin reached out to us on the team about listening to the audio, I jumped on it. I love her books, but the audio just adds so much to her already wonderful stories. Even though I already read this one, I felt like I was reading (listening) to it for the first time. I devoured it. I listened to it in one sitting. The plot of A Quiet Retreat keeps you wondering and I loved the dual plot line with no idea how the two are connected. Do yourself a favor and give this one a listen. I am now a huge fan of listening and reading her books at the same time becuase I feel like I connect to the story that much more. grab this one and I promise you won't regret it

This was such a quick, compulsory listen! I was so wrapped up in this story, many thanks to the fantastic job of narrator, Carly Robins. Kiersten Modglin excels at face-paced (and honestly, fun) thrillers. Once I start her books, I have trouble putting them down until the very last twist and this was no exception! It was also fairly short, making for a guilt-free binge listen.

This novel covers two timelines and perspectives, but you really aren't sure how the stories will relate until the end. Robins did a great job differentiating between the different perspectives which made for a seamless listen. I am loving the use of authors in novels recently. This seems to be a hot trope right now and I can't get enough. Especially when they are mystery authors in a creepy situation of their own.

The weak point of this book, for me, was the end. While I couldn't wait to see how this book would resolve, the ending was a bit of a let down. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the actions of the character at the end versus the character we came to know throughout the book. It really didn't seem in line with her personality or her resources, making it quite the stretch. Nonetheless, I binged through this audio and had fun listening to it.

Five authors have been invited to attend a writing retreat. They each hope this relaxing vacation will get the creative juices flowing. But, as things start to mysteriously disappear and odd occurances begin to happen, tempers flare, no one knows who to trust.

There are quite a few characters. But, the author did a great job keeping them separate and believable. This can be tough. Nevertheless, each character has qualities which are easy to identify and keep them unique.

I especially enjoyed the setting. A creepy house that is set in the woods and it has a murderous past. I mean…what’s not to like! And the intensity just keeps building as you keep moving along. As a reader you just keep wondering what exactly is going on and when is it all going to explode!

I have read quite a few books by this author. Kiersten is a solid author with quite a few really good thrillers under her belt.

The narrator, Carly Robins, did a very good job, especially with all the voices.

Need a book which has a big secret…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

A group of writers gather at a secluded location for a retreat and things go sideways? I was hooked right away. I really enjoyed this one! I had fun trying to figure out how the two storylines/POVs were connected. There were plenty of twists, some surprising, some predictable, but overall pretty satisfying. It was definitely suspenseful and listening to the audiobook at almost double speed added another layer of intensity. Combined with the short chapters, I flew through this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for ALC!

Many thanks to Dreamscape and Netgalley for the eARC of this thriller!
I am always happy to have a Kiersten Moglin novel to read (and review). When I start a new offering from this author, I feel that warm glow almost of friendship, that odd one-way dichotomous bond between writers and their fans (the way I have always felt when reading a Sue Grafton novel). There is a level of trust that you are in safe hands and that you will have a ton of fun on wherever this new journey brings you…

A Quiet Retreat – a review

There is something deliciously disquieting about novels such as A Quiet Retreat that take place outside one’s typical “comfort zone” where you (by the side of the main character) determine who is with you, and who is against you, in order to survive.
This author creates the perfect thriller, adding just the right amount of tension and desperation while allowing us SOME hope that the main character will ultimately prevail (or at least survive).
No spoilers here, just accolades for this novel and reassurances that once again, the author delivers thrills and chills as she provides you with a wonderful temporary respite from reality.
Solid character and plotline development contribute to this very enjoyable thrilling read! This author doesn’t disappoint, be assured there are clever twists and turns on the road home from this particular retreat.
I cannot imagine that you will NOT be impressed by this novel - Ms. Moglin has earned a trusted top ranking on many reader's “new release watch lists”.

Five writers of varying levels of success are invited for a free stay at the all new Black Hills Manor Writing Retreat. Luxurious accommodations, free food, wonderful location, and of course peace and quiet to write. Sounds great, right? Especially since all that is being asked of them in exchange for this wonderful weeklong retreat is a social media post/review of their experience. Well you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true, don’t you? Kiersten Modglin’s A Quiet Retreat is a tight, fast paced thriller. Spoilers to a minimum here. Little do these guests know that they are all somehow connected. But when strange occurrences begin, such as items going missing or seeing someone outside the house late at night, some of them begin to wonder what is really going on. Sorry for begin vague with this next part…but you know spoilers and all, lol. The story is told in dual timelines, present day with our five writers at the retreat and a much earlier story dealing with a relationship gone wrong. Modglin does a great job with the characters, and with the misdirection. While I will say there were some odd plot holes (or rather odd decisions made by some characters) overall this was an enjoyable thriller. Carly Robins does an excellent job with the narration. It’s a tight story, running a bit under six hours which allowed me to blast through the book in a single day. I’d like to thank Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for allowing me access to an early advanced copy of the audio version of A Quiet Retreat.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1J0UKQM0H3OBP/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This was a great, fast-paced locked room mystery thriller that sees a group of mystery writers cut off from society in a remote cabin they were all invited to for a retreat only to find bodies turning up. Twisty with a dual timeline narrative and an ending I didn't see coming. Great on audio too. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Really enjoyed this thriller. I liked that the main characters were authors. A little glimpse into their world. I also liked the way the author included how past trauma creates the lens were see through in current situations. Great book

Oh what a fun retreat to get lost in.
Narrated by Carly Robins, who does a great job of narrating multiple characters and for giving that creepy and horror feeling. This one was so good. I listened to it in one day. The twists were great and I really enjoyed how it went into the past and present and how it was woven to the story.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Medja for the ALC.

Five well-known authors are invited to a mountain retreat complete with hot tub, free food and drinks, and enough solitude to complete whatever they are working on for the price of a social media shout-out. Problem is, if it seems too good to be true... well, we all know how that goes.

First the hot tub quits working. Then some notes disappear…and subsequently reappear. Then a cell phone disappears. Then everyone’s phone disappears. When two of the writers attempt to reach the management house, they find it completely empty, but with a horrible, indefinable smell. Indefinable, that is, until they find the source...

Normally, I appreciate a shorter book, but I feel like the author could have built a lot more tension if she'd added another 50-100 pages. Regardless, this was a fun thriller.

I’ve seen other people giving this book a high rating so I was excited to try it but it was dreadful!

First of all, if half your book is going to be a flashback to the last and that past scene is completely about domestic violence it should be alluded to in the synopsis. The synopsis leads us to think this book takes place in a secluded retreat. Only a part of the story takes place in the retreat and we don’t get any of that atmosphere.

The storyline with the domestic violence wraps up in the most disappointing way. It was so unsatisfactory that I almost had to go look for the nearest place to grab a drink.

The ending was also a letdown. I never liked the main character. If they would have died I think I would have liked the ending more.

In the words of Elaine Benis from Seinfeld, “Stop telling your stupid story and die already”

It’s really frustrating when stories have a large domestic violence theme (and it’s not for exploring that topic in a deep or meaningful manner) and has such a terrible ending regarding it. I actually found it’s treatment of the DV really offensive and problematic.

I never found it very suspenseful, either. The chapters that took place in the current day felt so forced. The MC was so unlikable as I mentioned. She is mean, and had no chemistry what’s so ever with the romantic interest.

The narrator was excellent and they really made reading this less painful.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced audio copy

If you ever want a twisty quick thriller then I would always recommend you give her books a try. This book was really good and was exactly what I was looking for. It was a quick listen, I finished the audiobook in about 5 hours at 1.75 speed. The narrator did a great job! I recognized her voice immediately from other books she has narrated. This story was well written and the pacing was on point for a thriller. Some spots may seem a little slow but that just added to the building tension. Honestly, the book was so short I didn’t mind the slow spots and hardly noticed them. The thing I loved the most about this book was how invested I felt into the story. I kept thinking about what was going on and if we could truly trust everyone in the house. When the twist was revealed I had a pretty good idea of what happened but also found some things to be completely new. I don’t think it was the best ending but again, the book was so short I didn’t really mind. I don’t feel like I was cheated or that I wasted my time. I still enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you so much for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up. The premise of this story was great and it got creepy at times. I liked how the past and present intertwined for the big twist at the end. I also love how KMOD writes dual POVs. I recommend this book to those who enjoy psychological thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.