The Retreat cover art

The Retreat

Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

The Retreat

By: Sarah Pearse
Narrated by: Gemma Whelan
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Will you brave The Retreat? The bestselling thriller from the author of The Sanatorium.

They couldn't wait to stay here.

An idyllic wellness retreat has opened on an island off the coast of Devon, promising rest and relaxation - but the island itself, known locally as Reaper's Rock, has a dark past. Once the playground of a serial killer, it's rumored to be cursed.

But now they can't leave.

A woman is found dead below the yoga pavilion in what seems to be a tragic fall. But DS Elin Warner soon learns that the victim wasn't a guest - she wasn't meant to be on the island at all.

And they would do anything to escape . . .

The longer Elin stays, the more secrets she uncovers. And when someone else drowns in a diving incident, Elin begins to suspect that the old stories about the island are true.

Because history seems to be repeating itself - and the guests might not make it home alive . . .

'Pearse goes from strength to strength in The Retreat. The suspense inexorably builds to a stunning climax. An added treat is the return of Elin Warner, who is a fascinating character one can only root for.' David Baldacci, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Mercy

'A world-class thriller writer. Superb. ' Steve Cavanagh, Sunday Times bestselling author of Thirteen

'The Retreat recalls the one-by-one nerve-shredding of Agatha Christie at her darkest. A fresh, daring, irresistible thriller.' A. J. Finn, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

'A eerie, atmospheric thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read. A wonderfully chilling story of grief, revenge, and family secrets. An absorbing escape!' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push

'Full of foreboding and high-stakes tension, Sarah Pearse's latest is a page-turner. The past doesn't stay buried for long, at sea or on land, and what comes to the surface is both shocking and chilling.' Nita Prose, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Maid

'The Retreat was so atmospheric and hold-your-breath tense with cleverly executed twists and a finale that gave me the chills. Brilliant!' Claire Douglas, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Couple at No.9

© Sarah Pearse 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Crime Fiction Detective Fiction Genre Fiction Gothic Holidays Horror International Mystery & Crime Mystery Thriller Women's Fiction Crime Suspense

Listeners also enjoyed...

Stranded cover art
The Island cover art
Stay cover art
Last Girl Gone cover art
Sea of Bones cover art
The Girl Who Was Taken cover art
Mastermind cover art
Survive cover art

Critic reviews

Pearse goes from strength to strength in The Retreat. The suspense inexorably builds to a stunning climax. An added treat is the return of Elin Warner, who is a fascinating character one can only root for.
'With The Retreat Sarah Pearse confirms her spot as a world-class thriller writer. I only stopped turning the pages so I could re-read a particularly fine piece of description or characterisation. Superb.'
'I can't help but cheer for an author who ramps up the creepiness at every turn.'
'Pearse skilfully builds a sense of foreboding throughout this creepy thriller packed with satisfying twists.'
'A well-written fusion of psychological thriller and whodunnit ... Pearse smartly reworks Christie's setting, making her island at once a gothic throwback, with caves and talk of a curse, and a very 21st-century escape, with green values and holistic therapy. And she's very good on the relationships within the group as tension builds.'
Sarah Pearse has expertly crafted another eerie, atmospheric thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read. A wonderfully chilling story of grief, revenge, and family secrets. An absorbing escape!
The Retreat recalls the one-by-one-by-one nerve-shredding of Agatha Christie at her darkest. A fresh, daring, irresistible thriller.'
'This thriller novel is so dark and tense, it's the perfect read for anyone lounging in the sun this summer, grateful that your holiday isn't so chaotic'
'Full of foreboding and high-stakes tension, Sarah Pearse's latest is a page-turner. The past doesn't stay buried for long, at sea or on land, and what comes to the surface is both shocking and chilling.'
'Another brilliant thriller from the bestselling author of The Sanatorium.'
All stars
Most relevant
Loved the story and detailed descriptions. The person telling the story was perfect for the atmosphere.

Couldn’t put down

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Yawn! Nothing to hold your attention, really struggled with this, poor story line, the author can’t possibly have had Devon in her mind when writing it! Don’t waste a credit.

So dull!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I would have liked to spend less time with the anxiety and tingeling sensations of the main character, also the cliffhanger of the first book was completely unnecessairy.

Why is the main character such a wimp

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I actually listened to this twice, as soon as I finished it I started again. Once I knew who did it, I wanted to listen again as I felt I hadn’t really grasp the relationships and who was who. I felt like the story was referring to a previous story, I don’t know if this is part of a series? It was just ok for me, not one of the most gripping stories I’ve listened to.

Ok

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Another brilliant book from Sarah Pearse. I think I may have liked this one even better than The Sanatorium and that's saying something. brilliant writing, suspense all over the place and a great narrator. Excellent!

Another Winner!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews