The Retreat

by de Mariaffi, Elisabeth

• ISBN13: 9780316706308
• ISBN10: 0316706302
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2021-07-20
• Publisher: Mulholland Books

Summary

In this "gorgeously written and atmospheric thriller" (Robyn Harding), one woman must face her darkest fears when her visit to a beautiful but remote mountain retreat takes a deadly turn.

*A CrimeReads Best Psychological Thriller of 2021*

Maeve Martin arrives at the High Water Center for the Arts, a gorgeous lodge nestled deep in the Rocky Mountains, determined to do one thing: begin her own dance company. A retired performer and mother of two, time is running out for her to find her feet again after the collapse of her disastrous—and violent—marriage. And at first, there's a thrill to being on her own for the first time in years. Isolated in the snowy beauty of the retreat, Maeve can forget the ghost of her past for an hour, for a day.
 
But when an avalanche strikes, Maeve finds herself trapped with six other guests. They’ve lost all power, phone service, heat, and the road back to town. At first, there’s a sense of camaraderie—the fire is warm, the freezer well-stocked. But as the days pass and the storm rages on outside, tensions start to run high. Help is coming, so they just have to hold on, right?
 
Then the first guest meets an unspeakable death. Followed by another. Soon Maeve must admit how little she knows about these strangers . . . and how useless a locked door is if the darkness is already inside.

“Magnificently absorbing and haunting . . . With a dabble each of Hitchcock thriller, cozy mystery, and domestic noir, The Retreat offers a terrifyingly fun read.” —Amy Stuart, author of Still Water

Author Biography

Elisabeth de Mariaffi’s debut book of short stories, How to Get Along with Women, was longlisted for the 2013 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Her poetry and short fiction have been widely published in magazines across Canada. Her first novel, The Devil You Know, was named one of the Best Books of 2015 by The Globe and Mail and the National Post. Her most recent novel, Hysteria, was named one of the Best Books of 2018 by the Globe and Mail. Both her novels were shortlisted for the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award. Elisabeth lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with the poet George Murray and their four children.