Thriller Review: The Retreat (Elin Warner #2) by Sarah Pearse

-

 


 

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

   


  The Retreat is the second book in the Detective Elin Warner Series. It is written by Sarah Pearse and is published by Penguin Random House.

   The events of The Sanatorium catapulted Detective Elin Warner out of administrative leave, and into a murder investigation. Weeks later Warner is officially back on the job. Someone is picking off vacationers at Reaper's Rock, a wellness retreat off the English Coast. Elin meets up with Jo and her vacationing group after one of their own is found broken and bloody at the bottom of a cliff. 

  Elin cannot trust any of them and keeps her sense sharp. As she breaks in a new partner and deals with a new boss, Elin is against the odds. But a mysterious stalker has begun threatening Elin, leaving photographic evidence that they are steps away from her. Could the stalker and the killer be one-in-the-same? Elin will have to move quickly before she is the next victim at the bottom of Reaper's Rock.

   A narratively thrilling read, The Retreat moves at a fast pace. I was enjoying trying to figure out the mystery. As with her last novel, Pearse throws in interesting characters and another fantastic location. The suspects were plenty and after the amazing finale, we were treated to an epilogue that added more twists. 

    I read this novel in part with the returning narration of Elizabeth Knowelden. As with the first book, her performance is one of my favorite readings of a thriller in a long time. 

    The Retreat whisked me away to another four-star read. I am starting book three, The Wilds, as soon as possible. If an end of Summer thriller that has many twists and turns is your love, then pick up this novel.

     Let me know what you are reading in the comments below.

Follow me on social media by visiting my Linktree.

 Because there is always time to read,

 Xepherus3



I am preparing my debut novel for publication. Check out the official website for clues, crowdfunding, and previews.

 Enjoy shopping with me at my eBay store and visit my Print-on-Demand sites for t-shirts, mugs, and more!



  


I am a proud affiliate of Audible & Book of the Month. Check out their amazing selection and save by clicking above.

 

 All written content Copyright (c) 2026 by Thomas Bahr II

All store and debut novel ads are designed and Copyright (c) by Xepherus Studios

Days to Die is (c) Copyright 1990-2026 by Thomas Bahr II (T.L. Bahr) All Rights Reserved

BOTM logo is copyrighted by Book of the Month

Book cover is (c) Copyright by the publisher


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reading Habits: Book/ Audiobook Combination

-
Image
  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,     I have been speaking with other readers about how they read. For some, they only read an e-book. For others an audio book on the way to work saves them time. But then there are readers like myself that take it a few steps further. I utilize many forms of reading when taking on a book. With my Goodreads and Xepherus Reads reading challenge s underway, I have found some great ways to keep on reading.   AUDIOBOOK/ BOOK COMBINATION-  I have trouble with reading from time to time. I will begin a paragraph, but then I veer off track and lose my place. This can sometimes keep me reading a page over and over. Therefore I use an audio book in conjunction with my physical book, so that I can read along with the words as the narrator presents the material. This is most helpful while reading my Kindle, which when paired up with audio book through their Whis...
Read more

The Xepherus Studios 2026 Reading Challenge - My Results Tracker

-
Image
  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,      It is time to begin sharing my  2026 Xepherus Reads  Reading Challenge results.    The challenge dates are January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026  Book Challenge books read: 13/50) Books Read Not in a Category: (88) Total Books Read: (101)   Updated 08/27/2026   Xepherus Reads Challenge categories (in alphabetical order):                 A 2025 Goodreads Choice winner- A banned book- A biography of a celebrity- A book a Netflix show was based on- A book by a debut author- A book by your favorite author you have not read- Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena (****) A book featuring your favorite character- One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni (****) A book from your childhood- Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury  (*****) A Book of the Month Club Book- A book over 500 pages- A book published during the 1970s- A book pu...
Read more

The Xepherus Studios 2025 Reading Challenge

-
Image
  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,    Welcome to the 2025 Xepherus Reads Reading Challenge!     It is time to share  this year's Reading Challenge.     Rules:   ·           Choose a book for each category. There is no need to go numerically; take each challenge in any order you wish. ·           Once read, add the book to your list. You may also read books that are not in a category. There is a place below to add them. A running total is displayed at the beginning of the reading challenge.  ·          Share your challenge on social media and let your friends know how much fun you have reading your choices. Maybe you will encourage your friends to read more.      The challenge dates are January 1, 2025, to   December 31, 2025 ...
Read more