The Writing Retreat

I've been to many writing retreats so I loved reading a story set in writing retreat hosted by a famous author. But what I loved even more was the absolutely twisted mind of the author who turned that writing retreat into a literal nightmare--it also made me scream "why didn't I think of that!" It was a blast to read from start to finish.

Enthralling story - makes me think twice about attending a writing retreat!

As a writer, I’m no stranger to complex friendships that can emerge between creatives, which is just one of the reasons I love this delightfully dark gothic thriller about estranged best friends trapped at a writing retreat run by an enigmatic bestselling author.

With publication (and maybe their lives) on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher, but Bartz still tells a compelling story about professional jealousy and two women who have hurt and been hurt by the other.

This book was over the top banana-pants bonkers and I loved every single second of it. It was the exact thriller I needed, when I needed it.

It's twisty and scary, with fun subplots and enough creepiness to keep me turning pages. I didn't see any of the twists coming (except one), though I felt like I should have. The twists were definitely foreshadowed, but I was having too much fun to try and make guesses. 

When I read this, I’d been in a reading slump for a while, and fiction just hadn’t been appealing. I tore through this one… show more.

If you’re a writer, or creative in other ways, or just a fan of the creative process, The Writing Retreat will not just speak to you but sing you an entire opera.

The mystery is great, but what puts it on my list is the way Bartz’s take on what every writer feels but never discusses at parties: the crippling anxiety of not having an idea, the excitement of that "eureka!" moment, the need to write and write and write while the iron is hot, and then the overwhelming fear when the work is finally released into the world.