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The Ice Retreat
From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Ice Retreat is a spine-tingling thriller set in the world of controversial wellness treatments. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.
HEALER?
Meet Hollie Jenson, presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, which exposes the perils of extreme therapies. Her next a new retreat run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims to have discovered the secret to healing pain through her three-day ice rebirth treatment.
LIAR?
Acting on a mother's plea to find her son, who vanished soon after his stay, Hollie ventures into the Swiss mountains where the retreat occupies a former observatory in search of the boy and to expose Ariel as the charlatan she believes her to be.
KILLER?
As the isolation of the valley sets in, she finds herself in an increasingly dangerous situation. There is much more to the retreat than meets the eye and she must confront explosive secrets from her own past if she is to ever make it out alive . . .
HEALER?
Meet Hollie Jenson, presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, which exposes the perils of extreme therapies. Her next a new retreat run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims to have discovered the secret to healing pain through her three-day ice rebirth treatment.
LIAR?
Acting on a mother's plea to find her son, who vanished soon after his stay, Hollie ventures into the Swiss mountains where the retreat occupies a former observatory in search of the boy and to expose Ariel as the charlatan she believes her to be.
KILLER?
As the isolation of the valley sets in, she finds herself in an increasingly dangerous situation. There is much more to the retreat than meets the eye and she must confront explosive secrets from her own past if she is to ever make it out alive . . .
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2024
58 people are currently reading
472 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Kelly
5 books38 followersRuth Kelly is a journalist who has ghosted a string of Sunday Times top ten bestsellers – with The Prison Doctor, having sold over 250,000 copies, and The Governor, going straight in at number one on the Amazon charts and number five in the Sunday Times bestseller list.
Holiday destinations feature heavily in Ruth’s thriller writing having spent most of her life traveling and exploring the world. Her family relocated to Papua New Guinea when she was seven-years-old and the travel bug hasn’t let up since. The simmering threat of what lies beneath the surface, the dichotomy of how paradise can also be hell fascinates Ruth. Making a destination a character in its own right - both a friend and an enemy, not someone to be trusted – is a thread explored throughout her writing.
Holiday destinations feature heavily in Ruth’s thriller writing having spent most of her life traveling and exploring the world. Her family relocated to Papua New Guinea when she was seven-years-old and the travel bug hasn’t let up since. The simmering threat of what lies beneath the surface, the dichotomy of how paradise can also be hell fascinates Ruth. Making a destination a character in its own right - both a friend and an enemy, not someone to be trusted – is a thread explored throughout her writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
November 14, 2024
‘Everyone who comes here is afraid of something. Don’t be sacred, look it in the eye, stare it down and scare it off.’
I liked this book a lot. It started out strong and kept up momentum all throughout the book. Very early on, the book gives off a feeling of eeriness and dread. Something is simmering beneath the surface but you can't quite put your finger on it.
It leaves you feeling uneasy while simultaneously gripping your attention. I wasn't sure how I felt about Hollie's character. I just didn't connect with her the way I think I should have. I did enjoy the differing perspectives and timelines. Experiencing the story from other characters added to the suspense.
Multiple twists and turns along the way kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat. There really never was a dull moment here. The final 80% of the book was wild, almost a little too much for me. There was so much happening that by the time the final twist came along, I was tired lol.
Nonetheless, still an enjoyable, atmospheric and creepy read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Ruth Kelly for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
I liked this book a lot. It started out strong and kept up momentum all throughout the book. Very early on, the book gives off a feeling of eeriness and dread. Something is simmering beneath the surface but you can't quite put your finger on it.
It leaves you feeling uneasy while simultaneously gripping your attention. I wasn't sure how I felt about Hollie's character. I just didn't connect with her the way I think I should have. I did enjoy the differing perspectives and timelines. Experiencing the story from other characters added to the suspense.
Multiple twists and turns along the way kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat. There really never was a dull moment here. The final 80% of the book was wild, almost a little too much for me. There was so much happening that by the time the final twist came along, I was tired lol.
Nonetheless, still an enjoyable, atmospheric and creepy read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Ruth Kelly for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
March 13, 2025
Ominous, sinister, and intense!
The Ice Retreat is an eerie, suspenseful tale that takes us into the life of Hollie, a young investigative journalist who, after a desperate mother asks her for help to find her missing son, travels to Switzerland to uncover what’s really going on at a wellness retreat that seems too good to be true.
The prose is sharp and crisp. The characters are secretive, determined, and multilayered. And the plot, using a past/present, back-and-forth style, builds and unravels quickly into a foreboding tale of lies, secrets, abuse, deception, drama, manipulation, desperation, experimentation, and murder.
Overall, The Ice Retreat is another dark, taut, unnerving thriller by Kelly that did a wonderful job of keeping me mystified, surprised, and guessing from start to finish while at the same time reminding me that everything is not always what it seems.
The Ice Retreat is an eerie, suspenseful tale that takes us into the life of Hollie, a young investigative journalist who, after a desperate mother asks her for help to find her missing son, travels to Switzerland to uncover what’s really going on at a wellness retreat that seems too good to be true.
The prose is sharp and crisp. The characters are secretive, determined, and multilayered. And the plot, using a past/present, back-and-forth style, builds and unravels quickly into a foreboding tale of lies, secrets, abuse, deception, drama, manipulation, desperation, experimentation, and murder.
Overall, The Ice Retreat is another dark, taut, unnerving thriller by Kelly that did a wonderful job of keeping me mystified, surprised, and guessing from start to finish while at the same time reminding me that everything is not always what it seems.
November 26, 2024
2.5 stars - nothing to write home about. Fast paced and plot driven
Full review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYhdRHEe/
Full review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYhdRHEe/
November 17, 2024
Look at the cover, isn't it fantastic? That mountain that resembles the Matterhorn is so majestic. Add to it shadowy a là medical therapy facility and nosy ambitious journalist and it seems like a solid bestseller.
Well... first of all the writing isn't the best. The story is told from multiple POVs and in the first person. From the very beginning, we read many, many times how scary everything is, and how scared the characters are. There's fear, confusion, scream.
"This is kidnapping. I am someone and people will notice I'm gone. No. Wait. A fog mists my memories (...). I was someone. Years ago. and then I hid myself away because something ghastly happened to me, but what?"
"Something cold and spidery crawls across my skin. Maybe we made a wrong turn?"
The thing is, all of this does not build a thrilling atmosphere, it makes the readers roll their eyes. The overdramatisation doesn't work.
In chapter 16 when Martyn tells his part and here he reaches the Ice Retreat for the first time it says that it`s at 1600m above sea level. "The retreat is so high in the mountains that the journey up must be broken into two halves." "(...) the air, it's so much thinner up here. Martyn's read up on altitude sickness (...), but he didn't anticipate it would be this difficult to get oxygen into his lungs." WHAT? Altitude sickness at 1600 meters? Medically speaking we can start talking about it from 2500m onwards, however most people can feel changes from 3000m. HAPE and HACE (pulmonary and cerebral edema can occur in different people at different altitudes, but statistics show that medical intervention is usually required at 5000m+.
Chapter 17 states, "At 3200 meters above sea level, it was one of the highest atmospheric research stations in the world." We are talking about the same Ice Retreat! "We are above the permanent snowline, which means we have it all year round. It never gets warmer than minus five." So, in one chapter the retreat is at 1600, and in the next one at 3200m above sea level. Which is it? How come nobody caught such an obvious error?
The characters are awful. Hollie is an arrogant, cocky, constantly angry young woman who behaves in a very immature way. Every other character in this book is just as unpleasant. Only Hollie's ex-husband came across as a fairly nice guy.
Overall, this book did not meet my expectations at all. What seemed to be a good idea and a great setting, came out as a poor story without any thrills and filled with annoying characters. Hopefully next time we will get a much better book.
Well... first of all the writing isn't the best. The story is told from multiple POVs and in the first person. From the very beginning, we read many, many times how scary everything is, and how scared the characters are. There's fear, confusion, scream.
"This is kidnapping. I am someone and people will notice I'm gone. No. Wait. A fog mists my memories (...). I was someone. Years ago. and then I hid myself away because something ghastly happened to me, but what?"
"Something cold and spidery crawls across my skin. Maybe we made a wrong turn?"
The thing is, all of this does not build a thrilling atmosphere, it makes the readers roll their eyes. The overdramatisation doesn't work.
In chapter 16 when Martyn tells his part and here he reaches the Ice Retreat for the first time it says that it`s at 1600m above sea level. "The retreat is so high in the mountains that the journey up must be broken into two halves." "(...) the air, it's so much thinner up here. Martyn's read up on altitude sickness (...), but he didn't anticipate it would be this difficult to get oxygen into his lungs." WHAT? Altitude sickness at 1600 meters? Medically speaking we can start talking about it from 2500m onwards, however most people can feel changes from 3000m. HAPE and HACE (pulmonary and cerebral edema can occur in different people at different altitudes, but statistics show that medical intervention is usually required at 5000m+.
Chapter 17 states, "At 3200 meters above sea level, it was one of the highest atmospheric research stations in the world." We are talking about the same Ice Retreat! "We are above the permanent snowline, which means we have it all year round. It never gets warmer than minus five." So, in one chapter the retreat is at 1600, and in the next one at 3200m above sea level. Which is it? How come nobody caught such an obvious error?
The characters are awful. Hollie is an arrogant, cocky, constantly angry young woman who behaves in a very immature way. Every other character in this book is just as unpleasant. Only Hollie's ex-husband came across as a fairly nice guy.
Overall, this book did not meet my expectations at all. What seemed to be a good idea and a great setting, came out as a poor story without any thrills and filled with annoying characters. Hopefully next time we will get a much better book.
December 8, 2024
Hollie Jensen, presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, is dedicated to exposing the perils of fake science, extreme therapies and wellness trends. Her next target is The Ice Retreat, run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims she can heal pain through a three-day ice rebirth treatment at the centre nestled in the Swiss Alps. The treatment is expensive and shrouded in secrecy. Hot on the trail of Martyn Eves, a teenager who has vanished after going to the retreat for treatment three months ago, Hollie embarks on a trip to the retreat, determined to bring the truth to light and bring down Ariel in the process. But why is she so obsessed with destroying her? And is she prepared for the dangers she’ll face?
Addictive, tense, and unexpected, The Ice Retreat is a chilling thriller perfect for winter. Scalpel sharp, forbidding, gleaming with malice and full of unreliable characters, Ruth Kelly had me on a knife edge from the intriguing prologue to the shocking finale. For me, this was a very emotional read. I have multiple chronic pain conditions, including Fibromyalgia, which is the condition that Martyn, the boy they are looking for, has. I’ll admit, I had to stop reading and wait until I was in the right headspace to carry on, as a book about promises to heal chronic pain is quite triggering for me. And, let's be honest, some authors get the tone wrong when they write about chronic pain. But Kelly has created a story that is full of empathy for people who live with chronic pain, and is disparaging of the snake oil salesmen touting their miracle cures. She got the tone of desperation we can feel because of our pain just right; so much so that I was moved to tears a few times when Martyn and Florence talked about how they felt living every day in pain.
One of my favourite things about this book is the setting. Kelly has created an evocative sense of place, using the remoteness of the Swiss Alps to create a nerve-shredding atmosphere from the start. This is merged with the mystery, hints of secrets and flawed characters to create an overwhelming tension and increasing sense of danger that had me on tenterhooks. I needed to know what had happened to Martyn, if Ariel really was the charlatan that Hollie believes she is, and just what happened to make Hollie so obsessed with bringing Ariel down? Kelly tells the story from the perspective of Hollie, Florence and Martyn; moving between timelines and narrators; the secrets they are hiding are brought to the surface; the tension rising to a crescendo that sees the shocking truth of the retreat finally revealed.
Suspenseful, pacy and full of twists, this is one of those books where you think you know what’s going to happen, but you really have no idea. So prepare yourself for a heart-stopping thrill-ride you won’t forget.
Addictive, tense, and unexpected, The Ice Retreat is a chilling thriller perfect for winter. Scalpel sharp, forbidding, gleaming with malice and full of unreliable characters, Ruth Kelly had me on a knife edge from the intriguing prologue to the shocking finale. For me, this was a very emotional read. I have multiple chronic pain conditions, including Fibromyalgia, which is the condition that Martyn, the boy they are looking for, has. I’ll admit, I had to stop reading and wait until I was in the right headspace to carry on, as a book about promises to heal chronic pain is quite triggering for me. And, let's be honest, some authors get the tone wrong when they write about chronic pain. But Kelly has created a story that is full of empathy for people who live with chronic pain, and is disparaging of the snake oil salesmen touting their miracle cures. She got the tone of desperation we can feel because of our pain just right; so much so that I was moved to tears a few times when Martyn and Florence talked about how they felt living every day in pain.
One of my favourite things about this book is the setting. Kelly has created an evocative sense of place, using the remoteness of the Swiss Alps to create a nerve-shredding atmosphere from the start. This is merged with the mystery, hints of secrets and flawed characters to create an overwhelming tension and increasing sense of danger that had me on tenterhooks. I needed to know what had happened to Martyn, if Ariel really was the charlatan that Hollie believes she is, and just what happened to make Hollie so obsessed with bringing Ariel down? Kelly tells the story from the perspective of Hollie, Florence and Martyn; moving between timelines and narrators; the secrets they are hiding are brought to the surface; the tension rising to a crescendo that sees the shocking truth of the retreat finally revealed.
Suspenseful, pacy and full of twists, this is one of those books where you think you know what’s going to happen, but you really have no idea. So prepare yourself for a heart-stopping thrill-ride you won’t forget.
January 16, 2025
Investigative journalist Hollie Jenson, targets wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims her ice bath treatments can cure pain. Hollie infiltrates Ariel’s secluded retreat in the Swiss Alps, aiming to uncover the truth.
The multi POV format, worked really well, adding layers to the story and I especially liked hearing from Martyn.
The buildup was exciting, with a creepy atmosphere and several sketchy characters.
As someone always on the hunt for a juicy cult thriller, this didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I wanted more depth, more time spent unpacking the weirdness of the retreat and its enigmatic leader.
After the reveal, the story takes a dramatic turn into fast-paced action, which brought a different energy to the end of the book.
I preferred the investigative drama to the action-heavy finale—it just felt like the stronger part of the story.
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐢𝐭?
While it didn’t fully deliver on the cult thriller elements I was hoping for, fans of isolated locations and plot-led thrillers will enjoy this.
The multi POV format, worked really well, adding layers to the story and I especially liked hearing from Martyn.
The buildup was exciting, with a creepy atmosphere and several sketchy characters.
As someone always on the hunt for a juicy cult thriller, this didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I wanted more depth, more time spent unpacking the weirdness of the retreat and its enigmatic leader.
After the reveal, the story takes a dramatic turn into fast-paced action, which brought a different energy to the end of the book.
I preferred the investigative drama to the action-heavy finale—it just felt like the stronger part of the story.
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐢𝐭?
While it didn’t fully deliver on the cult thriller elements I was hoping for, fans of isolated locations and plot-led thrillers will enjoy this.
March 4, 2025
The Ice Retreat is a front for medical experimentation using cryotherapy. All the suicides of former Retreat folks happened because they were trying to recreate the “near death” therapy they had at the Retreat.
Hollie gets a lot of people killed. She rescues one person, Florence, who has been held captive by the Retread. Unfortunately Florence is a killer, the cryotherapy brought out a second personality that is craaazy. Florence killed her family, she killed Martin, and the poor guy who helped her hide. Florence then kills herself leaving Hollie the loan survivor.
The end.
Hollie gets a lot of people killed. She rescues one person, Florence, who has been held captive by the Retread. Unfortunately Florence is a killer, the cryotherapy brought out a second personality that is craaazy. Florence killed her family, she killed Martin, and the poor guy who helped her hide. Florence then kills herself leaving Hollie the loan survivor.
The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
Rating: 2.4/5
"The Ice Retreat" is Ruth Kelly's third novel since stepping out of the shadows as a ghost-writer. I loved the first two, "The Villa" and "The Escape", which I rated as four and five star reads respectively. Sadly, this latest offering is less impressive.
There are some good ideas, which should have formed the basis of another solid book. An investigative reporter, Hollie Jenson, with a medical background, who has forged a reputation for her television exposés, decides to look into a wellness retreat based in the Swiss mountains. Hollie is convinced that behind its glamorous front lies something far more spurious.
I have praised Ruth Kelly in the past for the almost faultless pace of her novels, the impressive characterisation and the credibility of her unusual, but nonetheless believable scenarios. Unfortunately, this time around, although the pace is fine, the characterisation is not convincing and too many aspects of the plot stretch credulity too far and do not hang together. Potentially interesting threads of the story comes across as fractured rather than having been seamlessly woven together. I have commented previously that Ruth Kelly manages to create a du Maurier-like menace in the tone of her writing, but that is lacking here. In "The Ice Retreat" there is far more overt over-dramatisation that is frequently found in the more run-of-the-mill novels in this genre.
Everyone is allowed a misstep, so I have no doubt that I will be back for Ruth Kelly's fourth novel - but I will be hoping for a return to the standard of the first two books rather than a repeat of this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
"The Ice Retreat" is Ruth Kelly's third novel since stepping out of the shadows as a ghost-writer. I loved the first two, "The Villa" and "The Escape", which I rated as four and five star reads respectively. Sadly, this latest offering is less impressive.
There are some good ideas, which should have formed the basis of another solid book. An investigative reporter, Hollie Jenson, with a medical background, who has forged a reputation for her television exposés, decides to look into a wellness retreat based in the Swiss mountains. Hollie is convinced that behind its glamorous front lies something far more spurious.
I have praised Ruth Kelly in the past for the almost faultless pace of her novels, the impressive characterisation and the credibility of her unusual, but nonetheless believable scenarios. Unfortunately, this time around, although the pace is fine, the characterisation is not convincing and too many aspects of the plot stretch credulity too far and do not hang together. Potentially interesting threads of the story comes across as fractured rather than having been seamlessly woven together. I have commented previously that Ruth Kelly manages to create a du Maurier-like menace in the tone of her writing, but that is lacking here. In "The Ice Retreat" there is far more overt over-dramatisation that is frequently found in the more run-of-the-mill novels in this genre.
Everyone is allowed a misstep, so I have no doubt that I will be back for Ruth Kelly's fourth novel - but I will be hoping for a return to the standard of the first two books rather than a repeat of this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
November 13, 2024
Hollie, a presenter who exposes the truths behind extreme therapies, sets her sights on The Ice Retreat, a wellness retreat that promises to rid you of pain, which is run by guru Ariel. She jumps at the chance to visit when she is invited to see what they do, however when there she realises that it may be more dangerous than she first thought.
Ruth Kelly has been a go to author for me since I read her first book, The Villa. This was another great offering by this author, turning out to be a tense, entertaining thriller. The story starts strongly and straight away I was drawn in. I found the premise of extreme therapies fascinating and the atmosphere was superb, you could feel the eeriness and isolation. I enjoyed the Swiss setting and could imagine the cold environment.
The characters, especially the lead, were written well and had interesting personalities, despite being frustrating at times. There were plenty of twists and turns, some which I surprised myself by predicting, although others I didn’t see coming. The story gets a bit crazy by the end with plenty of action and suspense. Overall this was another fun, well plotted thriller by this author and I can’t wait to find out what’s next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
Ruth Kelly has been a go to author for me since I read her first book, The Villa. This was another great offering by this author, turning out to be a tense, entertaining thriller. The story starts strongly and straight away I was drawn in. I found the premise of extreme therapies fascinating and the atmosphere was superb, you could feel the eeriness and isolation. I enjoyed the Swiss setting and could imagine the cold environment.
The characters, especially the lead, were written well and had interesting personalities, despite being frustrating at times. There were plenty of twists and turns, some which I surprised myself by predicting, although others I didn’t see coming. The story gets a bit crazy by the end with plenty of action and suspense. Overall this was another fun, well plotted thriller by this author and I can’t wait to find out what’s next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
November 12, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this, and as the autumn nights draw in this was a great read.
Our main character, Hollie, is angry and determined to use her role on social media to expose those who are doing wrong. Having already had a hit show, her target this time is former Olympic skier Ariel who has become the face of a wellness retreat. The Ice Retreat is shrouded in mystery, but there is talk of bizarre practices and a number of former guests have killed themselves. After talking to the mother of one of the guests Hollie vows to learn the truth about the resort.
There are definitely secrets, and Hollie finds herself in increasingly dangerous territory as she tries to work out what is going on. We’re kept as much in the dark as Hollie and the shifting perspective means we’re not allowed to see what’s going on until quite late on.
Our main character, Hollie, is angry and determined to use her role on social media to expose those who are doing wrong. Having already had a hit show, her target this time is former Olympic skier Ariel who has become the face of a wellness retreat. The Ice Retreat is shrouded in mystery, but there is talk of bizarre practices and a number of former guests have killed themselves. After talking to the mother of one of the guests Hollie vows to learn the truth about the resort.
There are definitely secrets, and Hollie finds herself in increasingly dangerous territory as she tries to work out what is going on. We’re kept as much in the dark as Hollie and the shifting perspective means we’re not allowed to see what’s going on until quite late on.
October 19, 2024
Never read anything by this author before but after reading this I shall certainly be checking her others out.
A unique and likeable FMC despite her angry exterior. I did feel at times she could be more sympathetic but her developing is brilliant and I understood her reasoning by the end.
I couldn't read fast enough. Also loved the atmosphere and isolation of the story. Clever premise and believable too. I loved this book and highly recommend for those who love fast paced thrillers. And no I didn't see the twist coming!
A unique and likeable FMC despite her angry exterior. I did feel at times she could be more sympathetic but her developing is brilliant and I understood her reasoning by the end.
I couldn't read fast enough. Also loved the atmosphere and isolation of the story. Clever premise and believable too. I loved this book and highly recommend for those who love fast paced thrillers. And no I didn't see the twist coming!
June 24, 2025
I enjoyed this initially but the last 5th not so much. It just felt a bit all over the place to me and went on a bit. On the whole it was a 4 star though, as I did enjoy the majority of it. Listened to on audio.
November 28, 2024
Not the end i was expecting disappointing to be honest 😕
Read
October 7, 2024The Ice Retreat is the third novel from Ruth Kelly, recently christened ‘queen of the chiller thriller’. In the Ice Retreat the reader is transported to the snowy mountains of Switzerland, to a wellness retreat run by Ariel Rose, a former Olympic ski champion.
Hollie Johnson, ex-scientist, presents a Netflix series called Bad Medicine. She exposes the truths about extreme wellness therapies and Ariel Rose is her next mission.
Hollie has learned that attendees have died by suicide or disappeared, and after speaking with the mother of a young man who has disappeared, she is determined to find out the truth.
Getting to the retreat, housed in a former observatory at the top of the mountains is a feat in itself. Accompanied by her camera man, she makes the journey and appears to be welcomed by Ariel and her staff.
Hollie’s scientific knowledge proves to her that this treatment is a scam, and she also has her own personal reasons for exposing Ariel Rose. Told in the first person, the reader is intimately aware of just what is happening throughout the plot.
It's explosive and dangerous and Hollie finds herself in situations that may be impossible to get out of. It easy to understand why anyone who suffers from chronic pain may be sucked in, it is also easy to understand how people who prey on the most vulnerable are able to get away with these treatments.
A breathtaking thriller in an unusual setting with some incredible and unexpected events to shock the reader. This is an exhilarating read.
Hollie Johnson, ex-scientist, presents a Netflix series called Bad Medicine. She exposes the truths about extreme wellness therapies and Ariel Rose is her next mission.
Hollie has learned that attendees have died by suicide or disappeared, and after speaking with the mother of a young man who has disappeared, she is determined to find out the truth.
Getting to the retreat, housed in a former observatory at the top of the mountains is a feat in itself. Accompanied by her camera man, she makes the journey and appears to be welcomed by Ariel and her staff.
Hollie’s scientific knowledge proves to her that this treatment is a scam, and she also has her own personal reasons for exposing Ariel Rose. Told in the first person, the reader is intimately aware of just what is happening throughout the plot.
It's explosive and dangerous and Hollie finds herself in situations that may be impossible to get out of. It easy to understand why anyone who suffers from chronic pain may be sucked in, it is also easy to understand how people who prey on the most vulnerable are able to get away with these treatments.
A breathtaking thriller in an unusual setting with some incredible and unexpected events to shock the reader. This is an exhilarating read.
November 16, 2024
2.5 ⭐️⭐️✨
March 17, 2025
One of the worst thrillers I’ve ever had the misfortune of reading all the way through. The writing was absolutely bizarre. Every character and plot thread felt totally disjointed, there were so many random bits that never went anywhere. Hollie, the main character, had bits of backstory jumbled in but none of it seemed cohesive or made any sense.
The medical experiments were barely explained and made no sense. In fact the whole book had too many subplots and ‘mysteries’ that I didn’t care a whit about, and honestly it just needed one central premise and writing good enough to explain it all.
The medical experiments were barely explained and made no sense. In fact the whole book had too many subplots and ‘mysteries’ that I didn’t care a whit about, and honestly it just needed one central premise and writing good enough to explain it all.
November 2, 2024
This was my first book by Ruth Kelly and I really enjoyed it. Told from various points of view with the shocks ongoing I read this book in two sittings. I couldn’t predict the outcome at all and was surprised.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 30, 2025
Was slightly intrigued at first but when i got to 50-60% i got really bored and skim read to the end, just completely lost interest in the story.
November 26, 2024
Hollie Jenson, presenter of the hard hitting documentary series, Bad Medicine, has made it her mission to track down and expose those who offer extreme therapies to the vulnerable. Next in her sights is Ariel Rose, a wellness guru offering a radical ice rebirth treatment that promises to cure people of their painful conditions in only three days.
When Hollie is contacted by a mother who claims her son went missing after being treated at the remote ice retreat in the Swiss Alps, she is sure this will be the key to proving Ariel is not just a charlatan, but something much worse. An invitation to tour the clinic and finally meet Ariel face to face is just the chance she needs, but the isolation of the mountain top retreat brings the ghosts of Hollie's own past to the surface. With the weather closing in, Hollie does not know what to believe, who to trust, or whether she will make it out of here alive.
Much to my delight, the season of icy thrillers is upon us once more, and I am kicking off the fun with the appropriately named The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly, which ticks all my boxes when it comes to location, atmosphere, and tonnes of snow!
The action begins with troubled former-scientist-turned-journalist Hollie on a mission to bring down Ariel Rose, whose outlandish claims make her ideal subject matter for Bad Medicine. With slow-burn tension, the story then unfurls through the narratives of Hollie as she tries to uncover the truth about Ariel, and those of two patients who have undergone the ice treatment - one the missing young man Hollie is here to find, and the other the badly burned, mysterious young woman he befriends.
The creep factor settles icily into your veins from almost the very first page, when it becomes clear that there are people who are not keen for Hollie to succeed, and the thrill factor jumps in leaps and bounds once Hollie, and her camera man Rez, enter the remote enclave of Ariel's lair, high in the mountains - via a perilous journey that heightens the aura of isolation to perfection.
Gradually, you discover that Hollie has more axes to grind with Ariel that just outing her as a fake and finding a missing lad; that there is something very odd going on when it comes to the history of and therapeutic treatments offered in this eerie place; and that knowing who to trust is easier said than done. Suddenly, the slow-burn tempo takes a turn into nightmare country, before careering headlong into a twist and twist again affair that uses past horrors to up the unsettling ante. All bets are off from this point onwards, with barely a moment for you to catch your breath, as the pace is fast and frenzied all the way to the end.
Kelly does a stellar job building atmosphere with a backdrop that is, quite literally, to die for, and I really enjoyed the injection of Nordic noir vibes through the clever use of Norse myth. There are some interesting reflections on memory and living with chronic pain, and a really thought-provoking speculative edge to this story that I was not expecting too. Just the ticket to ease me into snowy thriller season. Buckle up and enjoy the vertiginous ride...
When Hollie is contacted by a mother who claims her son went missing after being treated at the remote ice retreat in the Swiss Alps, she is sure this will be the key to proving Ariel is not just a charlatan, but something much worse. An invitation to tour the clinic and finally meet Ariel face to face is just the chance she needs, but the isolation of the mountain top retreat brings the ghosts of Hollie's own past to the surface. With the weather closing in, Hollie does not know what to believe, who to trust, or whether she will make it out of here alive.
Much to my delight, the season of icy thrillers is upon us once more, and I am kicking off the fun with the appropriately named The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly, which ticks all my boxes when it comes to location, atmosphere, and tonnes of snow!
The action begins with troubled former-scientist-turned-journalist Hollie on a mission to bring down Ariel Rose, whose outlandish claims make her ideal subject matter for Bad Medicine. With slow-burn tension, the story then unfurls through the narratives of Hollie as she tries to uncover the truth about Ariel, and those of two patients who have undergone the ice treatment - one the missing young man Hollie is here to find, and the other the badly burned, mysterious young woman he befriends.
The creep factor settles icily into your veins from almost the very first page, when it becomes clear that there are people who are not keen for Hollie to succeed, and the thrill factor jumps in leaps and bounds once Hollie, and her camera man Rez, enter the remote enclave of Ariel's lair, high in the mountains - via a perilous journey that heightens the aura of isolation to perfection.
Gradually, you discover that Hollie has more axes to grind with Ariel that just outing her as a fake and finding a missing lad; that there is something very odd going on when it comes to the history of and therapeutic treatments offered in this eerie place; and that knowing who to trust is easier said than done. Suddenly, the slow-burn tempo takes a turn into nightmare country, before careering headlong into a twist and twist again affair that uses past horrors to up the unsettling ante. All bets are off from this point onwards, with barely a moment for you to catch your breath, as the pace is fast and frenzied all the way to the end.
Kelly does a stellar job building atmosphere with a backdrop that is, quite literally, to die for, and I really enjoyed the injection of Nordic noir vibes through the clever use of Norse myth. There are some interesting reflections on memory and living with chronic pain, and a really thought-provoking speculative edge to this story that I was not expecting too. Just the ticket to ease me into snowy thriller season. Buckle up and enjoy the vertiginous ride...
January 7, 2025
A chilling blend of psychological thriller and investigative drama, set in an eerily serene wellness retreat. With its razor-sharp tension, labyrinthine plot twists, and an FMC grappling with her own demons, Ruth Kelly crafts a gripping narrative that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Hollie Jenson is the fearless, no-nonsense presenter of Bad Medicine, a show dedicated to exposing dubious health fads. Her latest target? A mysterious wellness retreat in the Swiss Alps, led by the enigmatic Ariel Rose, who claims to heal emotional and physical pain through her ice rebirth treatment. What starts as a mission to debunk another wellness charlatan quickly spirals into a perilous journey when Hollie discovers that a young man disappeared after attending the retreat.
As Hollie ventures deeper into the frosty isolation of the former observatory turned retreat, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit, danger, and chilling revelations. What begins as an investigation into Ariel’s methods becomes a personal and treacherous quest for truth, pushing Hollie to confront her past and unravel the dark secrets lurking beneath the retreat’s serene facade.
Hollie is smart, driven, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Her cynicism toward wellness gurus and her dedication to uncovering the truth make her a compelling character. However, Hollie’s tough exterior conceals a vulnerable side, shaped by past traumas that are slowly unveiled throughout the story. Her emotional depth and personal stakes add layers to her investigative journey, making her more than just a hard-nosed journalist.
We then have the enigmatic leader of the ice retreat, Ariel, the master of mystique. With her calm demeanour and ethereal presence, she captivates her followers. Yet, beneath her serene exterior lies a complex character whose motivations and methods remain shrouded in ambiguity.
The Ice Retreat delves into the human desire for healing and the lengths people will go to find peace from their pain. The novel explores the blurred lines between wellness and exploitation, questioning the ethics of alternative therapies and the vulnerability of those seeking solace.
The theme of isolation is rendered through the remote, icy setting of the Swiss mountains, mirroring Hollie’s emotional isolation. The retreat becomes a crucible for self-discovery and confrontation with buried truths, both for Hollie and the participants.
Ruth Kelly’s writing is crisp and evocative, perfectly capturing the stark beauty and hidden menace of the retreat’s alpine setting. Kelly balances introspective moments with suspenseful action, ensuring a steady pace that kept me hooked from the first chapter to the last.
Each revelation is carefully timed, peeling back layers of the mystery with the precision of a scalpel.
Perfect for fans of thrillers that delve into the complexities of human nature and the shadows lurking behind seemingly benevolent facades.
Hollie Jenson is the fearless, no-nonsense presenter of Bad Medicine, a show dedicated to exposing dubious health fads. Her latest target? A mysterious wellness retreat in the Swiss Alps, led by the enigmatic Ariel Rose, who claims to heal emotional and physical pain through her ice rebirth treatment. What starts as a mission to debunk another wellness charlatan quickly spirals into a perilous journey when Hollie discovers that a young man disappeared after attending the retreat.
As Hollie ventures deeper into the frosty isolation of the former observatory turned retreat, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit, danger, and chilling revelations. What begins as an investigation into Ariel’s methods becomes a personal and treacherous quest for truth, pushing Hollie to confront her past and unravel the dark secrets lurking beneath the retreat’s serene facade.
Hollie is smart, driven, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Her cynicism toward wellness gurus and her dedication to uncovering the truth make her a compelling character. However, Hollie’s tough exterior conceals a vulnerable side, shaped by past traumas that are slowly unveiled throughout the story. Her emotional depth and personal stakes add layers to her investigative journey, making her more than just a hard-nosed journalist.
We then have the enigmatic leader of the ice retreat, Ariel, the master of mystique. With her calm demeanour and ethereal presence, she captivates her followers. Yet, beneath her serene exterior lies a complex character whose motivations and methods remain shrouded in ambiguity.
The Ice Retreat delves into the human desire for healing and the lengths people will go to find peace from their pain. The novel explores the blurred lines between wellness and exploitation, questioning the ethics of alternative therapies and the vulnerability of those seeking solace.
The theme of isolation is rendered through the remote, icy setting of the Swiss mountains, mirroring Hollie’s emotional isolation. The retreat becomes a crucible for self-discovery and confrontation with buried truths, both for Hollie and the participants.
Ruth Kelly’s writing is crisp and evocative, perfectly capturing the stark beauty and hidden menace of the retreat’s alpine setting. Kelly balances introspective moments with suspenseful action, ensuring a steady pace that kept me hooked from the first chapter to the last.
Each revelation is carefully timed, peeling back layers of the mystery with the precision of a scalpel.
Perfect for fans of thrillers that delve into the complexities of human nature and the shadows lurking behind seemingly benevolent facades.
October 3, 2024
Thanks to Chloe Davies and Pan for the gifted proof of this title in return for an honest review.
I have been looking forward to this one for a while now! I also realised I've never read a Ruth Kelly book before which sounds unbelievable and something I will need to rectify.
There is no messing about with this. First chapter. Boom. We're in, we're frightened, we're on edge. And I was immediately excited for more.
I don't often read first person books - that's not a conscious choice, I just don't seem to - and so was concerned I might find the writing hard to get into because it's so unusual for me, but it did the opposite. That's probably what first person does, it sucked me right in and I was instantly with Hollie on her journey, which upped the ante and the atmosphere.
Ruth has created this sense of claustrophobia, a scary environment, something that is too quiet. You can feel Hollie's heart beat almost as loud as your own.
As someone who suffers with a lot of chronic pain, I can fully sympathise with those who turn to alternative medicine and therapies to help when traditional medicine has failed. People who don't have pain can't understand why people could be drawn to potentially dangerous things. But sometimes you have exhausted all the traditional methods and you're desperate for something and are willing to risk everything to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I really do get it, and so I came into this story with my own preconceived ideas as to what these characters are going though and what they'd risk to be well, which put an additional spin on an entertaining story.
Yes there's a plot, an explosive one at that. But there's also great character exploration, especially with Hollie and Ariel. They are deeply disturbed women, for an array of reasons; they're well layered and were fabulous characters. I suppose in a way they are our protagonist and antagonist, but I found it interesting for both of those characters to be young women, as the "baddie" in thrillers does tend to be male.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to know that there are some difficult subject matters, including grief, loss, trauma, chronic pain, death, missing people, war wounds, alcohol abuse, distrust, etc.
I read it in less than a day, it was so addictive. It went to places I was not expecting and that really kept me on my toes. You can be certain that I'll now be looking for her other work.
I have been looking forward to this one for a while now! I also realised I've never read a Ruth Kelly book before which sounds unbelievable and something I will need to rectify.
There is no messing about with this. First chapter. Boom. We're in, we're frightened, we're on edge. And I was immediately excited for more.
I don't often read first person books - that's not a conscious choice, I just don't seem to - and so was concerned I might find the writing hard to get into because it's so unusual for me, but it did the opposite. That's probably what first person does, it sucked me right in and I was instantly with Hollie on her journey, which upped the ante and the atmosphere.
Ruth has created this sense of claustrophobia, a scary environment, something that is too quiet. You can feel Hollie's heart beat almost as loud as your own.
As someone who suffers with a lot of chronic pain, I can fully sympathise with those who turn to alternative medicine and therapies to help when traditional medicine has failed. People who don't have pain can't understand why people could be drawn to potentially dangerous things. But sometimes you have exhausted all the traditional methods and you're desperate for something and are willing to risk everything to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I really do get it, and so I came into this story with my own preconceived ideas as to what these characters are going though and what they'd risk to be well, which put an additional spin on an entertaining story.
Yes there's a plot, an explosive one at that. But there's also great character exploration, especially with Hollie and Ariel. They are deeply disturbed women, for an array of reasons; they're well layered and were fabulous characters. I suppose in a way they are our protagonist and antagonist, but I found it interesting for both of those characters to be young women, as the "baddie" in thrillers does tend to be male.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to know that there are some difficult subject matters, including grief, loss, trauma, chronic pain, death, missing people, war wounds, alcohol abuse, distrust, etc.
I read it in less than a day, it was so addictive. It went to places I was not expecting and that really kept me on my toes. You can be certain that I'll now be looking for her other work.
October 12, 2025
Hollie Jensen is the host of a Netflix series that exposes dodgy wellness retreats. Her latest focus - more of an obsession - is Ariel Rose, a 24-year-old ex-Olympian, with a wellness retreat that specialises in some sort of ice bath therapy to solve chronic pain. Suicides have been linked to the retreat, and now a young man, Martyn Eves, who went to the retreat, has mysteriously disappeared. Hollie is unexpectedly invited to the retreat to show her that nothing shonky is going on, where she is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on there.
This had a good concept, as the alternative health therapy scene has just exploded in the last decade or so. I hear about some of these therapies and am flabbergasted that people can actually fall for them. I thought that this might provide a dab of fun and interest into what attracts people to these shams. However, this book is unfortunately mired way too deeply in the tropes of the psychological thriller genre to offer up anything new, interesting - or even credible! The first half is your typical old-as-the-hills-and-just-as-dusty trope of the white woman with a secret. Hollie is motivated by a tragic incident in her past to expose Ariel's sham. She refers to this constantly without ever telling us what it is. Sound familiar? What makes this so annoying is the fact that IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A SECRET!!! We know something bad happened to someone she loved, it makes no difference who it was, really! It doesn't change her motives!
The book does maintain interest despite its familiarity even when the second half just devolves into near-sci-fi nonsense, but I just wasn't really buying it. The twists are silly on a soap opera level, everything is all a bit too ludicrous, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the retreat even asked Hollie to visit if there was so much for them to hide. Just do a cease a desist letter! Hollie was a grating character with zero ability to self-reflect. Yes, complex characters are good. I know you don't have to have a likable protagonist, but heaven's above - it certainly helps! I also didn't like the
Good concept, but the execution was a weird combo of everything we've seen done before with plot elements that stretch willing suspension of disbelief to breaking point.
This had a good concept, as the alternative health therapy scene has just exploded in the last decade or so. I hear about some of these therapies and am flabbergasted that people can actually fall for them. I thought that this might provide a dab of fun and interest into what attracts people to these shams. However, this book is unfortunately mired way too deeply in the tropes of the psychological thriller genre to offer up anything new, interesting - or even credible! The first half is your typical old-as-the-hills-and-just-as-dusty trope of the white woman with a secret. Hollie is motivated by a tragic incident in her past to expose Ariel's sham. She refers to this constantly without ever telling us what it is. Sound familiar? What makes this so annoying is the fact that IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A SECRET!!! We know something bad happened to someone she loved, it makes no difference who it was, really! It doesn't change her motives!
The book does maintain interest despite its familiarity even when the second half just devolves into near-sci-fi nonsense, but I just wasn't really buying it. The twists are silly on a soap opera level, everything is all a bit too ludicrous, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the retreat even asked Hollie to visit if there was so much for them to hide. Just do a cease a desist letter! Hollie was a grating character with zero ability to self-reflect. Yes, complex characters are good. I know you don't have to have a likable protagonist, but heaven's above - it certainly helps! I also didn't like the
Good concept, but the execution was a weird combo of everything we've seen done before with plot elements that stretch willing suspension of disbelief to breaking point.
October 31, 2024
I really enjoyed Ruth Kelly’s The Escape, so I was excited to read another standalone thriller from her – The Ice Retreat.
Hollie Jenson is on a mission to prove that wellness guru Ariel Rose is doing more harm than good with her ice rebirth treatments. When she is invited to visit them to see the treatments for herself, she jumps at the chance – but what is really going on at the remote centre?
I really enjoy thrillers that centre on the wellness industry so requesting this book was a no brainer for me. The opening chapter completely gripped me, and wellness patient Florence’s point of view is interspersed throughout the book, along with flashbacks to really keep the tension and stakes sky-high.
Hollie is an interesting character - she is certainly flawed and makes some really questionable decisions – you get the feeling of an unreliable narrator from her throughout. She keeps some of her backstory really close to her chest, but despite this, you believe that what she is trying to uncover is important and so you are fully on her side.
I enjoyed the chapters set at the wellness centre - the isolated retreat in the middle of the Swiss Mountains out of season makes for a claustrophobic and locked-room style of thriller. I wish there had been slightly more of the exploration of the retreat before the reveal of what was actually going on though. The reveal itself kind of came out of nowhere and almost went into sci-fi territory - I think I still have some unanswered questions about what was going on, but the pace really ramped up, so I think as readers we were just swept along at breakneck speed. The ending is very action packed and I did not see some of the twists and turns coming.
Overall, The Ice Retreat is a gripping thriller that I finished in two sittings – perfect for those dark and wintery nights. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Hollie Jenson is on a mission to prove that wellness guru Ariel Rose is doing more harm than good with her ice rebirth treatments. When she is invited to visit them to see the treatments for herself, she jumps at the chance – but what is really going on at the remote centre?
I really enjoy thrillers that centre on the wellness industry so requesting this book was a no brainer for me. The opening chapter completely gripped me, and wellness patient Florence’s point of view is interspersed throughout the book, along with flashbacks to really keep the tension and stakes sky-high.
Hollie is an interesting character - she is certainly flawed and makes some really questionable decisions – you get the feeling of an unreliable narrator from her throughout. She keeps some of her backstory really close to her chest, but despite this, you believe that what she is trying to uncover is important and so you are fully on her side.
I enjoyed the chapters set at the wellness centre - the isolated retreat in the middle of the Swiss Mountains out of season makes for a claustrophobic and locked-room style of thriller. I wish there had been slightly more of the exploration of the retreat before the reveal of what was actually going on though. The reveal itself kind of came out of nowhere and almost went into sci-fi territory - I think I still have some unanswered questions about what was going on, but the pace really ramped up, so I think as readers we were just swept along at breakneck speed. The ending is very action packed and I did not see some of the twists and turns coming.
Overall, The Ice Retreat is a gripping thriller that I finished in two sittings – perfect for those dark and wintery nights. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
April 18, 2025
Spine-tingling thriller set in the SWISS ALPS
The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly is a compelling psychological thriller that immerses readers in a chilling narrative set against the remote and icy backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The story follows Hollie Jensen, a former scientist turned investigative journalist, who is determined to expose the enigmatic wellness guru, Ariel Rose, and her controversial ice therapy retreat.
Kelly masterfully crafts an atmosphere of suspense and isolation, with the treacherous alpine setting amplifying the novel’s tension. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives and timelines, providing a multi-faceted view of the characters’ motivations and secrets. This structure keeps readers engaged, as they piece together the mysteries surrounding the retreat and its inhabitants.
The novel looks at the themes of chronic pain, desperation and the draw of unproven medical treatments. The author’s portrayal of individuals seeking relief from their suffering is both empathetic and thought-provoking, shedding light on the vulnerabilities that drive people toward unconventional therapies. The character development, particularly of Hollie and Ariel, is nuanced, revealing complex personalities with hidden depths.
I did, however, feel that the plot’s complexity occasionally bordered on implausibility, and deeper character development would have added to the narrative. Despite these minor critiques, the novel’s unexpected twists make it a recommended read for thriller enthusiasts.
The Ice Retreat is a spine-tingling thriller that combines an evocative setting with a suspenseful plot, exploring the lengths to which individuals will go to find relief from pain. Ruth Kelly’s storytelling prowess ensures that readers are kept on edge until the novel’s shocking conclusion.
The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly is a compelling psychological thriller that immerses readers in a chilling narrative set against the remote and icy backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The story follows Hollie Jensen, a former scientist turned investigative journalist, who is determined to expose the enigmatic wellness guru, Ariel Rose, and her controversial ice therapy retreat.
Kelly masterfully crafts an atmosphere of suspense and isolation, with the treacherous alpine setting amplifying the novel’s tension. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives and timelines, providing a multi-faceted view of the characters’ motivations and secrets. This structure keeps readers engaged, as they piece together the mysteries surrounding the retreat and its inhabitants.
The novel looks at the themes of chronic pain, desperation and the draw of unproven medical treatments. The author’s portrayal of individuals seeking relief from their suffering is both empathetic and thought-provoking, shedding light on the vulnerabilities that drive people toward unconventional therapies. The character development, particularly of Hollie and Ariel, is nuanced, revealing complex personalities with hidden depths.
I did, however, feel that the plot’s complexity occasionally bordered on implausibility, and deeper character development would have added to the narrative. Despite these minor critiques, the novel’s unexpected twists make it a recommended read for thriller enthusiasts.
The Ice Retreat is a spine-tingling thriller that combines an evocative setting with a suspenseful plot, exploring the lengths to which individuals will go to find relief from pain. Ruth Kelly’s storytelling prowess ensures that readers are kept on edge until the novel’s shocking conclusion.
November 6, 2024
I love high concept thrillers with vivid and evocative settings and a cast of characters living lives I can only dream of so, having read and loved "The Villa", I was immediately intrigued by the concept of this book, with its isolated and secluded Wellness Centre setting and an almost cult like figure in the form of Wellness Guru, Ariel Rose.
And overall it ended up being a solid 3 star thriller for me. The concept and mystery drew me in immediately and I knew there had to be a twist or two along the line which kept me reading, unfortunately what knocked it down was the characterisation of main character, Hollie which just didn't work for me at all.
I really dislike characters who are written to handle their trauma by using alcohol as medicine, it makes for a contrived unreliable narrator trope which for my reading preference is really irritating. With Hollie we also had another pet peeve of mine, her inability to communicate effectively, making for more contrived ways to keep the plot moving forward.
Normally I wouldn't have continued reading as the main character is obviously a major figure throughout, however the dual timeline with other character perspectives broke up Hollie's chapters and added enough intrigue to keep me on the hook and keep reading to figure out what on earth is going on.
The final reveals of the truth of the situation did stretch credulity and required a lot of suspension of disbelief. It also didn't all quite flow and come together in the way that "The Villa" did. However overall I can say enjoyed the ride, it was what I needed at that moment and I will go back and read "The Escape" next as having read two books now from Ruth Kelly I can see the patterns of style, tone and pacing and setting and I like it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a digital review copy of "The Ice Retreat" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
And overall it ended up being a solid 3 star thriller for me. The concept and mystery drew me in immediately and I knew there had to be a twist or two along the line which kept me reading, unfortunately what knocked it down was the characterisation of main character, Hollie which just didn't work for me at all.
I really dislike characters who are written to handle their trauma by using alcohol as medicine, it makes for a contrived unreliable narrator trope which for my reading preference is really irritating. With Hollie we also had another pet peeve of mine, her inability to communicate effectively, making for more contrived ways to keep the plot moving forward.
Normally I wouldn't have continued reading as the main character is obviously a major figure throughout, however the dual timeline with other character perspectives broke up Hollie's chapters and added enough intrigue to keep me on the hook and keep reading to figure out what on earth is going on.
The final reveals of the truth of the situation did stretch credulity and required a lot of suspension of disbelief. It also didn't all quite flow and come together in the way that "The Villa" did. However overall I can say enjoyed the ride, it was what I needed at that moment and I will go back and read "The Escape" next as having read two books now from Ruth Kelly I can see the patterns of style, tone and pacing and setting and I like it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a digital review copy of "The Ice Retreat" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
November 18, 2024
4.5⭐️
Hollie Jenson is the presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, which exposes the perils of extreme therapies. Her next target is a new retreat run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims to have discovered the secret to healing pain through her three-day ice rebirth treatment. Acting on a mother's plea to find her son, who vanished soon after his stay, Hollie ventures into the Swiss mountains where the retreat occupies a former observatory. There she hopes to expose Ariel as the charlatan she believes her to be but, there is much more to the retreat than meets the eye…
I devoured this book in just one sitting, I didn’t want to put it down! The fast paced writing style, something that I enjoyed in previous titles by this author too, means the chapters flow succinctly into each other, leaving you wanting to know more and more as each one ends.
The description of the ice retreat, located in an isolated spot in the mountains in Switzerland is described so perfectly, I visualised every single element as Hollie encounters it. I honestly felt if I was there in the freezing cold with her! The storyline, set against this descriptive prose, is complex at times but I enjoyed learning more about the elements discussed, it is evident the author has put a lot of research into this title for this.
And then the twist, well I’m obviously not going to give that away here but, if you’ve read previous titles by Ruth, then you will know you won’t be disappointed. The last quarter section, just wow, safe to say I definitely wasn’t expecting that! And that last line, it sums everything up beautifully.
This is a spine-tingling, heart-thumping, crazy ride of a thriller that you can’t miss out on, a must read!
Hollie Jenson is the presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, which exposes the perils of extreme therapies. Her next target is a new retreat run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims to have discovered the secret to healing pain through her three-day ice rebirth treatment. Acting on a mother's plea to find her son, who vanished soon after his stay, Hollie ventures into the Swiss mountains where the retreat occupies a former observatory. There she hopes to expose Ariel as the charlatan she believes her to be but, there is much more to the retreat than meets the eye…
I devoured this book in just one sitting, I didn’t want to put it down! The fast paced writing style, something that I enjoyed in previous titles by this author too, means the chapters flow succinctly into each other, leaving you wanting to know more and more as each one ends.
The description of the ice retreat, located in an isolated spot in the mountains in Switzerland is described so perfectly, I visualised every single element as Hollie encounters it. I honestly felt if I was there in the freezing cold with her! The storyline, set against this descriptive prose, is complex at times but I enjoyed learning more about the elements discussed, it is evident the author has put a lot of research into this title for this.
And then the twist, well I’m obviously not going to give that away here but, if you’ve read previous titles by Ruth, then you will know you won’t be disappointed. The last quarter section, just wow, safe to say I definitely wasn’t expecting that! And that last line, it sums everything up beautifully.
This is a spine-tingling, heart-thumping, crazy ride of a thriller that you can’t miss out on, a must read!
November 18, 2024
‘The Ice Retreat’ by Ruth Kelly is a sharp and compelling thriller that explores the controversial intersection between medicine, wellness trends and influencer culture. We follow the journey of ex-scientist and investigative TV journalist Hollie as she descends upon “The Ice Retreat” - a luxury retreat promising holistic healing from chronic pain, armed with a series of tragedies and a determination to uncover the truth behind the resort, and its mysterious founder Ariel.
The narrative style, which shifts between multiple perspectives and timelines rather than linearly following Hollie, is gripping, with addictive cliffhangers and lurching twists. The subject matter and plot were topical and fascinating, and I admired how vividly the author described the Swiss mountain location and the glass-fronted ice baths… I truly felt like I was there - then thanked my lucky stars that I wasn’t.
The pace certainly picked up towards the end of the novel, with a few transformative reveals in quick succession. I feel that the pacing could have been slightly more even, and I would have loved to hear more about the aftermath of the explosive events described in the final chapters.
Overall, this gets four stars and I recommend to anyone who loved ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ by Liane Moriarty, ‘The Midnight Feast’ by Lucy Foley, or Ruth Kelly’s previous novels.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Pan MacMillan via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The narrative style, which shifts between multiple perspectives and timelines rather than linearly following Hollie, is gripping, with addictive cliffhangers and lurching twists. The subject matter and plot were topical and fascinating, and I admired how vividly the author described the Swiss mountain location and the glass-fronted ice baths… I truly felt like I was there - then thanked my lucky stars that I wasn’t.
The pace certainly picked up towards the end of the novel, with a few transformative reveals in quick succession. I feel that the pacing could have been slightly more even, and I would have loved to hear more about the aftermath of the explosive events described in the final chapters.
Overall, this gets four stars and I recommend to anyone who loved ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ by Liane Moriarty, ‘The Midnight Feast’ by Lucy Foley, or Ruth Kelly’s previous novels.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Pan MacMillan via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
November 26, 2024
I love a destination thriller and at this time of year there is nothing better than a snowy thriller - and having read and enjoyed her previous two books, The Villa and The Escape, I couldn’t wait to read The Ice Retreat.
Hollie Jenson presents a television series about alternative wellness therapies and uses her scientific background to call their efficacy into question. Her latest target is former Olympic skier Ariel Rose’s retreat in the Swiss mountains which offers ice rebirth treatments. Hollie interviews the mother of a young man who has gone missing following his stay there - and when she gets an invitation to visit Hollie can’t pass up the opportunity to expose Ariel. But when she arrives it soon becomes clear that there is more going on at the retreat than even she expected ….. and why is Hollie so invested in uncovering the truth?
Kelly creates a wonderful sense of place that leaps off the page, using the remoteness of the setting to create a sense of unease from the outset. The narrative switches between Hollie and two of the patients at the retreat, Florence and Martyn. With some interesting characterisation - Hollie and Ariel are both flawed but intriguing - the tension mounts as the plot takes some unexpected turns. There is no shortage of surprises and the pace ramps up as the story heads to its dramatic conclusion and it certainly got my heart racing and my head spinning.
Hollie Jenson presents a television series about alternative wellness therapies and uses her scientific background to call their efficacy into question. Her latest target is former Olympic skier Ariel Rose’s retreat in the Swiss mountains which offers ice rebirth treatments. Hollie interviews the mother of a young man who has gone missing following his stay there - and when she gets an invitation to visit Hollie can’t pass up the opportunity to expose Ariel. But when she arrives it soon becomes clear that there is more going on at the retreat than even she expected ….. and why is Hollie so invested in uncovering the truth?
Kelly creates a wonderful sense of place that leaps off the page, using the remoteness of the setting to create a sense of unease from the outset. The narrative switches between Hollie and two of the patients at the retreat, Florence and Martyn. With some interesting characterisation - Hollie and Ariel are both flawed but intriguing - the tension mounts as the plot takes some unexpected turns. There is no shortage of surprises and the pace ramps up as the story heads to its dramatic conclusion and it certainly got my heart racing and my head spinning.
May 15, 2025
It started out okay but fell, hard, off a Swiss cliff in the end. Main character was such a cliche and you could tell Ruth Kelly was desperate for a Girl with the Dragon tattoo vibe. Story could have been interesting but again was so full of cliches and overused motivations it was mostly a big eye roll. Having recently spent some time in Switzerland, including in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and Jungfrau region, I can tell you this book makes no geographic sense. The lift mentioned taking travelers from Lauterbrunnen to this ice retreat was quite clearly the Schilthornbahn. While you can see Monch, Jungfraujoch (which was never properly named in the book) and the Eiger from some places near here, you can't fucking see the Matterhorn. It's on the other side of the COUNTRY, which hundreds of other peaks and valleys in between. And the little village that they hide out in in the end can ONLY be Murren... could also be Gimmelwald geographically speaking, but the description of guesthouses, hotels and restaurants shut down eliminates Gimmelwald as they do not exist there but do in Murren. The town Ruth Kelly mentions isn't even a town, it's a fucking bridge, a dead giveway being that the name of the place ends in brucke... the slightest bit of any research at all would have clarified this. Story just absolutely falls apart into silly sci fi madness in the end. Wouldn't bother with this author again.
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