In this chilling literary thriller, a dancer arrives at a remote mountain retreat hoping for artistic inspiration—only to find it’s disaster that strikes when an avalanche traps her among six strangers who begin, one by one, to meet unspeakable ends.
Everyone's been keeping secrets . . .
Maeve Martin arrives at the High Water Center for the Arts determined to do one thing: launch her own dance company. A former principal dancer and mother of two, at only thirty-four, time is running out for Maeve to find her feet again after the collapse of a disastrous—and violent—marriage. At first, there's a thrill to being on her own for the first time in years, isolated in the beauty of a snowy mountain lodge. But when an avalanche traps the guests inside, tensions begin to run high. Help is coming, so they just have to hold on—right?
But as the days pass, strange deaths befall the others one by one. Soon Maeve must face how little she knows about anyone there . . . and how useless a locked door is if the darkness is already inside.
Everyone's been keeping secrets . . .
Maeve Martin arrives at the High Water Center for the Arts determined to do one thing: launch her own dance company. A former principal dancer and mother of two, at only thirty-four, time is running out for Maeve to find her feet again after the collapse of a disastrous—and violent—marriage. At first, there's a thrill to being on her own for the first time in years, isolated in the beauty of a snowy mountain lodge. But when an avalanche traps the guests inside, tensions begin to run high. Help is coming, so they just have to hold on—right?
But as the days pass, strange deaths befall the others one by one. Soon Maeve must face how little she knows about anyone there . . . and how useless a locked door is if the darkness is already inside.
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Reader Reviews
Praise
“A magnificently absorbing and haunting novel. . . . De Mariaffi’s spare yet deeply rich prose renders the isolation and claustrophobia of the mountains downright palpable. With a dabble each of Hitchcock thriller, cozy mystery, and domestic noir, The Retreat offers readers a most thrilling setup followed by a galloping sprint to the final page. What a terrifyingly fun read.”—Amy Stuart, author of Still Water
“A gorgeously written atmospheric thriller with hidden depths, The Retreat will have readers racing through the pages, trying to decide who to trust, until the chilling finale.”—Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Swap
“Take a group of artists, ambition, isolation, and violence, and add a twist of the coldest, snowiest winter you’ve ever known, and you’ll arrive at The Retreat. Yet de Mariaffi’s heart-stopping thriller is powered by more than suspense—Maeve, her resourceful main character, is a mother and dancer piecing her life together after an abusive marriage, and Maeve’s journey through the novel’s danger and betrayals becomes a genuine act of grace.”
—Maria Hummel, author of the Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick Still Lives
—Maria Hummel, author of the Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick Still Lives
“This vivid, immersive story had me jumping at shadows. The isolated setting, the tension between the characters, the sense of danger unravelling in a place there is no escape from. Suspenseful and atmospheric, it will keep you questioning which is the biggest threat - nature or people, outside or in.”
—Helen Cooper, author of The Downstairs Neighbor
—Helen Cooper, author of The Downstairs Neighbor
“Elisabeth de Mariaffi delivers the requisite heart-in-mouth moments of pure paranoia, but she balances these thrills with shrewd character studies and the odd nugget of wisdom.”—New York Times Book Review, on The Devil You Know
“Magnificent and daring . . . A gripping page-turner on one hand, The Devil You Know is also literary in its unwavering focus on the complex portrayal of the psychology of its main character, and in its illumination of broader issues around violence against women.”—Los Angeles Review of Books, on The Devil You Know
