Retreat by Krysten Ritter was a wild ride! It’s a dark and twisty thriller featuring con artist, Liz Dawson. Liz escapes from her latest con to Punta Mita, Mexico where she’s hired as an art consult for the wealthy Isabelle Beresford. Once Liz arrives at Isabelle’s glamorous villa, she is able to impersonate her and quickly slips into Isabelle’s life. However Liz is soon caught up in the danger surrounding Isabelle and her husband.

I found the first half of the book entertaining and quickly paced. I enjoyed the escapist quality of the luxurious tropical setting. The last half became quite unhinged and included a few predictable twists. The biggest challenge for me was that Liz is not a sympathetic character. Thriller fans looking for a low stakes, entertaining story will enjoy this. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Retreat is a fast-paced thriller about Liz Dawson, a skilled con artist who takes a job at a luxurious Mexican villa. Mistaken for her wealthy employer, Isabelle Beresford, Liz assumes her identity, only to uncover dark secrets and hidden dangers within the elite resort community. As the stakes rise, Liz realizes this con might cost her more than she anticipated—possibly her life.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to thriller fans. It’s fast-paced, and suspenseful. Some of the twists were a little predictable, and the writing felt a bit choppy at times, but overall, it was a fun and entertaining read. Definitely worth picking up if you love a good thriller.

Con artist Liz is mistaken as the rich owner of a Mexican villa. While impersonating the mysterious, beautiful Isabelle, Liz is drawn into a dangerous and intriguing world.

What I liked: I loved the descriptions of the lush Mexican villa, the beautiful beaches, and the ridiculously rich but often miserable people who inhabit this privileged world. I did not find Liz to be a likeable character, but her story is compelling, and I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.
What I disliked: I tend to like books better if I can sympathize with a character - personal preference. Liz is a great character but I did not find her sympathetic.

Overall: A fast-paced, beautifully atmospheric thriller that will keep you enthralled.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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This engaging novel got me out of a bit of a reading rut. I was hooked from the beginning, and there were enough twists and revelations to keep me reading with excitement toward that last page to uncover the entire mystery.

This is a pretty solid beach read with some fun twists and turns. As a fan of Krysten Ritter I was excited to see what this would be like and she did not disappoint!

The first 25% of this book was a slow burn and then it really picks up, with lots of fun (and unpredictable!) twists. Sorta reminded me, in a good way, of “The Last Flight” by Julie Clark. A solid beach read for sure. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

fun and skillfully written thriller with a rather moderately unlikable protagonist and some interesting side characters. an awesome twist too. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Retreat....a dark and twisted tale of lies and deceit. A con artist wants to leave her life of lies, however, one last con in Mexico is something she just can't resist. However, who is actually being conned? This story is full of twists and questionable characters. I definitely questioned the motives of many different characters at many different times. Who in the story is telling the truth? Who is caught up in a web of lies. I promise once you start this book....you are not going to want to put it down!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#ad many thanks to @harperbooks for my copy of this book and @netgalley for the ebook.

"Everyone thought they knew you, when really no one knew you at all," (p. 3). ((To be checked against finished copy)

All the stars. I loved every second of this book. The anticipation that everything could go so wrong, at any moment, was palpable! You will feel this one! So buckle up!

Liz is a con woman - it's how she survives. But just as the heat starts closing in and she's thinking about settling into a a more permanent life, the perfect opportunity lands in her lap. A referral from another "client" sends her to a mansion in an exclusive resort/luxury living for six days. The job? Hang some art, make some quick cash, and disappear again. The owners are out of town, and she'll have the place to herself. Easy.

But this life is just a little too perfect for Liz to walk away from.

When she's mistaken for Isabelle Beresford, her near-identical double, Liz does what she does best: she slips into the role. Meet the new Isabelle Beresford.

Only Isabelle's life is far more complicated than Liz ever bargained for. And just as she's getting comfortable in her new identity, the son of her last mark comes knocking - demanding his mother's money back. He's here to hunt Liz down, and his timing couldn't be worse. Things are about to get real.

I loved this book! I can never resist a good con game, and watching a character pretend to be someone they're not while trying not to get caught is always a blast. And when that someone happens to be a filthy rich woman with a beachfront mansion? Even better.

With nonstop action, this one will get your heart racing, make you laugh out loud, and have you cheering for Liz to pull it off. The twists just kept coming and I could not put this book down. Seriously, all the praises from me.

I loved it so much that I immediately ordered the author's previous book. Also, I had no idea the author is a famous actress that l've seen on TV, which made the whole book even more interesting.

But most importantly, this book shattered my expectations and delivered everything I crave in a twisted, mindf*** of a story. Highly recommend

This is a great read for those of us who enjoy the “rich people behaving badly” thrillers.

Liz Dawson is a con artist who targets the elite crowds and high society. She has worn out her welcome in the city and jumps on an invitation to work on an art installation for Isabelle Beresford in Mexico. Liz quickly sees the potential for an even bigger scam when the resort lures her in, and Isabelle, the absent owner, bears such a striking resemblance to her. It’s easy for Liz to take on Isabelle’s appearance when she arrives.
The trouble starts to snowball when Liz, while impersonating Isabelle, discovers the dead bodies of Isabelle’s husband Oliver and a woman in the forest. But when Oliver's super sexy brother shows up, more trouble starts happening!

There were several times I thought I knew where this was going, but there were plenty of twists to keep the reader on their toes. I was surprised when I first got this to see that the author was Krysten Ritter who played Jessica Jones, and is a well known actress.

This is a fun, suspenseful read that moved fast. Fans of The Last Flight by Julie Clark and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty will enjoy Ritter’s new novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my number one anticipated book!!! I cannot tell you how excited I was when my request was approved!! I absolutely love a good con artist book, and this one was by far the best one I’ve ever read! Love the character development, the plot, the twists, and the end! The only part I was bummed about was toward the end when a certain male character never got a chance to explain his story, but other than that, an absolute 5 star read!!!! I can’t wait to see what books she has in the future!! If your request is approved for this book, drop everything you’re doing and read it!!!!

This is the kind of book I usually enjoy, but I just couldn’t get a handle on this one. I found the main character LIZ, incredibly flawed and not likable. . Her life as a con artist is offensive, she is too heartless and self-involved to be sympathetic or exciting. Often, even a crook has characteristics that draw in the reader, not Liz.

As part of a con, Liz imitates a wealthy woman, Isabelle. Her action, makes me feel that she is not a wily con artist or thief, it seems she endlessly bumbles and acts with irrational stupidity. Rather than taking her lucre, she falls into the life of wealth, despite all the many red flags.

So I cannot recommend this book to fans of this genre, willing to wink at charming crooks….she is not one. Thank you Netgalley for this novel.