The Christmas Getaway: A Gripping Psychological Thriller Novella

by Flavia Labre

Secrets and lies collide in this pulse-pounding psychological thriller that will leave you breathless.

From the outside, their Christmas vacation looked picture-perfect. But inside a remote mountaing house, a sinister truth lies waiting to be uncovered.

Laura, an IT security specialist, is swept away when her boyfriend Bruno, a renowned young surgeon, surprises her with a romantic Christmas escape to his family's secluded winter house. But their idyllic holiday dream takes a nightmarish turn when exploring the remote estate, Laura stumbles upon a sinister clue that threatens to expose Bruno's carefully guarded secrets.

As the walls of the winter wonderland close in around her, Laura must decide how far she'll go to uncover the truth and find the courage to confront the darkness that has invaded her perfect holiday before it's too late.

Fans of Freida McFadden, Alice Feeney, and John Marrs will be captivated by this twisty, unputdownable psychological thriller novella that explores the complexities of the human mind and the dangerous consequences of trusting the wrong person.

Genres: Christmas, Short Stories, Novella

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2024

Reviews

[Melody McNamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was a fairly predictable game of cat-and-mouse, filled with secrets and hidden agendas. But the overuse of metaphors was a distraction and it was quite repetitive, especially at the end. The reveal was over-explained and too coincidental.

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a gripping read which shocked me as I didn’t guess the ending 😳 #KindleUnlimited

[Flavia Labre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my book, and even though it’s not ideal or expected for authors to give a fair rating, I’m giving it 5 stars: 1 for all the hours I’ve spent plotting, 1 for the multiple times I’ve rewritten it, 1 for the sleepless nights trying to come up with the perfect twist, 1 for the numerous revision rounds, and last but not least, 1 for the courage to put it out for the world to judge.

I want to conclude my unabashed review by saying that I’ve grown and learned a lot in the process of writing this novella, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[Sarah * Between the Lines Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did have a dreamy location (Caribbean cruise, beautiful blue waters), not very romantic with the kiddos this round, and a deadly secret? Well, you’ll never know!

The Christmas Getaway by Flavia Labre ( @flavialabre ) was great. Nice quick read and perfect for a Christmas getaway read!

This book kept me wanting to know more from page one! I thought I knew the twist, but sure enough, I did NOT!

Download on Kindle Unlimited and get to reading!

[Kim Seay · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun quick holiday thriller! My first book by this author, interested in trying something else by her! A tad slow getting to the point which is why I rated it 3.75 and rounded up to a 4 star! I’d still recommend it was very entertaining and atmospheric!

[C.A. Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congrats to Flavia Labre on her new psychological thriller! This novella is a whirlwind of intrigue and drama and had me completely captivated from the very start.

Laura, an IT security specialist, and Bruno, a renowned young surgeon, set off on a romantic Christmas getaway to Bruno's secluded family vacation home. Their perfect holiday takes a thrilling turn when Laura discovers something that could expose Bruno's hidden secrets.

Every twist and turn in this book made me even more invested. Flavia really nailed the suspense and tension throughout the story.

The remote mountain house setting created an eerie, locked-in atmosphere that was absolutely perfect for this storyline. I could almost feel the walls closing in around me as I read. The plot is full of surprises that will leave you stunned!

If you're into mind-bending psychological thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a must-read.

[Rachel Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Christmas Getaway” by Flavia Labre is a gripping holiday mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. With a shocking twist that completely upends expectations, Labre crafts a tale of suspense and intrigue. The story delves into themes of moral conflict, loyalty, and the lengths one will go to preserve a legacy. It's a fast-paced, intense read that will have you questioning just how far you'd go in the name of family. Perfect for those who enjoy a mix of holiday cheer and dark, twisty plots.

[Victoria Staples · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

This was such a great short read. I loved it. I knew she was up to something but I didn’t know what. I’m glad her family got closure.

[Ashley Trussell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did..
It started out very intriguing but became repetitive in descriptions and at one point in the book there's an entire sentence repeated twice like the author had decided to reword it differently but never finished editing it out. The ending wasn't a huge surprise at all for me, it was rushed and left me wanting to know more about the male character and what he went through leading up to the reveal.

[Jessica Jesinghaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark secrets and trauma

From the first pages of this novella we get the sense of a woman who is pretending to be someone / something she’s not. The opening chapter does a great job of foreshadowing the perils heading our way and hooking the reader for an intense ride.

The novella alternates POV between our two main characters. Laura is a woman living a deception while Bruno hides dark family secrets. What at first appears to be a loving couple’s first Christmas together quickly turns into a devious deception and quest for truth.

There were quirks in the plot’s big reveal I couldn’t quite look past, but all in all it’s a great, quick novella that achieved what it promised.

[Anne Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

IA Thrilling Christmas Treat with an Unforgettable Ending!

This novella is a master fully crafted tale of suspense and intrigue that kept me hooked from start to finish. Laura’s relentless pursuit of the truth about her brother’s disappearance after 20 years is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The author weaves an intricate story filled with unexpected twist and emotional depth, culminating in a surprise ending that left me speechless, a true gift for Christmas Eve. This story is a powerful reminder to never give up on the truth, no matter how long it takes. A must- read for thriller fans!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed this novella full of secrets, mystery, lies, and a very satisfying ending. The suspense kept me glued to the pages and on the edge of my seat. Overall, I’m really happy with this story.

[lotus eater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book!! It was fast paced and ended with a shocking twist. I can't wait to see what other books the author writes. I 100% reccomend this novella for a quick but exciting read!

[Leigh Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was fast paced and kept me guessing. I was on the edge of my seat turning pages to see what would happen next. I thought I had it figured out, but I loved how there was another twist at the end. What a perfect thriller novella. I highly recommend!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the short story. The ending was surprising and made the book even better!

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good short read and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the isolated setting and the unreliable narrators. I look forward to more books to read from this author.

[Jennifer Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

The story is full of twists and turns even though it is not that long. When you start reading it you know that she is up to something but you have to read the story to find out what. This has everything from love all the way to murder. It is well written and easy to read, but will keep you guessing!

[April Percia · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing

This was a great and intriguing story. I could not put it down until I was done. I highly recommend it!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those books where you think you see where it's going, buy you're miles away. So good!

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fans of Freida McFadden, Alice Feeney, and John Marrs will be captivated by this twisty, unputdownable psychological thriller novella that explores the complexities of the human mind and the dangerous consequences of trusting the wrong person.

I read this book on Kindle Unlimited. On Christmas Eve, my brother asked me what book I’m reading and I told him that I’m reading a book called “The Christmas Getaway” and I told him what the book is about and he told me that the plot of this book kind of sounds like The Shining because similar to The Shining, it has a couple staying somewhere remote during the winter time but the only difference between this book and The Shining is the couple in this book is a boyfriend and girlfriend with no kids and they’re only staying at this remote house for Christmas. My brother is right. This book kind of has a similar plot to The Shining but I liked The Shining better. I just finished reading this book but I didn’t really enjoy it very much. It’s supposed to be a psychological thriller set during Christmas but in my opinion, it wasn’t that thrilling to me. I found this book so boring. I never felt like the pace of the story picked up at all. I was reading it during Christmas and I never felt like I wanted to keep reading it. I read a little bit of it each day and then I would stop reading it and I would do something else.

[John Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up The Christmas Getaway expecting a short holiday thriller—and ended up reading it in one sitting. Labre creates an atmosphere that’s both serene and suffocating, blending the quiet beauty of a snow-covered mountain retreat with an undercurrent of growing dread. Laura, is likable, and I found myself rooting for her as her seemingly perfect Christmas escape with her charming surgeon boyfriend Bruno began to unravel. What starts as a romantic getaway quickly morphs into a tense, psychological game, and I loved how the author layered the revelations. The pacing is tight overall, though there were moments where the prose got a bit repetitive or overly descriptive. Still, those minor flaws didn’t stop me from turning pages.

While the twist didn’t completely blindside me, it was executed with emotional weight (a word used too often btw), and I appreciated how much was left for the reader to piece together. The real tension comes not just from the mystery, but from Laura’s moral dilemma and the question of who she can trust. A smart, atmospheric read for fans of fast-paced suspense with a wintery setting.

[Sotto Voce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Getaway tells a story through two POVS: Bruno and Laura. They decide to spend Christmas in Bruno's family's holiday house, where Bruno plans to propose.

I think the author did a good job portraying the characters' body language and expressions, showing how they feel and what they think instead of telling them. The writing flows, and these two are the strongest factors of the book.

I can't decide whether this book is too short or too long, because by the time I have read 50% of the book, readers are none the wiser about what is going on, yet I have predicted the correct second half of the book. Imo, it's more optimal to be a short story since the effort to hide the character's real intentions from the readers becomes contradictory at the end. We are in the characters' heads in their own PoV, they shouldn't be tricky with their own actions. For example, without spoiling anything, Laura shouldn't clean the dishes first before doing the other thing.

If it's expanded to a longer story, more plots would be needed, but the potential is there.

[Vikstar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compels you to keep reading

I love this author’s writing style. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book as Laura and Bruno danced around each other at Bruno’s Christmas retreat, holding in their secrets. I knew something awful was coming, but what? I guessed the connection before the big reveal and felt satisfied that my amateur detective skills were correct.

I empathised somewhat with the wrongdoer in this story as pieces of their traumatic past became clear. If they could have just explained themselves and not gone on the attack, I feel they could have evaded jail time given the circumstances. It’s a tragic tale. Yes, I am deliberately being cryptic, trying to avoid giving too much away.

The way Flavia paints a picture is something special to behold, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Alix Kampen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right from the very first line, I was hooked, and the entire opening chapter was incredibly intriguing. The tension between the two characters felt volatile and charged, creating a constant sense of unease that sent my mind spiraling with possibilities about what was really going on. I didn’t want to put the book down because I needed answers as quickly as possible. That said, by the end, the twist felt underwhelming and left me a bit disappointed. It wasn’t as dark as I had hoped, and the resolution felt too simple and tame compared to the intensity that had been building throughout the story. Additionally, the final few chapters seemed to repeat the same conclusions multiple times, which gave the impression that those sections could have benefited from tighter editing. While the buildup and atmosphere were strong, the payoff didn’t fully match the tension that preceded it

[Jane Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atmospheric & Chilling

The Christmas Getaway is a psychological thriller novella that had me gripped from the first page. The setting is a secluded mountainous retreat in Italy, where Bruno brings his lover, Laura, for their first cosy Christmas together. It seems like the perfect setting, but secrets slowly reveal themselves as the plot unravels at a perfect pace, keeping the reader guessing. Laura's and Bruno's viewpoints alternate in each chapter, allowing the reader to gain insight into their mindsets and the lies each is hiding from the other.

What I liked most about this book is the author’s ability to incorporate tension on every page, creating an evocative atmosphere. Highly recommended.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a quick holiday thrill, The Christmas Getaway by Flavia Labre is a great choice. This suspense novella wastes no time establishing tension between the main characters, Laura and Bruno. It kept me guessing whether one—or both—of them are hiding sinister intentions behind their romantic winter escape.
The suspense pays off with an interesting big reveal that feels earned rather than rushed. The story delivers with a satisfying conclusion that feels just right. It’s a great pick if you want a fast-paced mystery to cleanse your palate between heavier reads.

Want to see spoilers? Check out: https://www.spoiltheplot.com/books/th...

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a short holiday novella about a couple that goes away for a lovely Christmas getaway together. the story was quite interesting and suspenseful and kept me intrigued the whole time with a few interesting twists because i did not figure all of it out that easily, though i did figure out some of it before it was revealed. the twist on the why part was pretty crazy but i totally understand and felt like revenge was deserved to give the main female character closure on a tragic situation that haunted her for years. definitely worth reading.

[D.E. Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story kept me guessing, I thought I had figured it out but thankfully I was wrong. The writing was captivating I didn't want it to end, but then I wanted to keep reading just to get to the end. The descriptions and characters were so detailed I felt as though i was with the characters living their story. The beauty of Italy and the secluded mountain house. I wanted to visit them and spend Christmas in the snow. I will definitely be reading more from the author I loved the style and how easily it was to read

[Ruby Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Chilling Christmas Thriller That Keeps You Guessing

What starts as a dreamy holiday escape quickly spirals into a tense, claustrophobic nightmare in this gripping psychological thriller.

The suspense is relentless, the secrets unsettling, and the isolated winter setting makes everything feel even more haunting. I couldn’t put it down, constantly second-guessing what was real and who to trust. If you love thrillers that keep you breathless and paranoid, this one’s a must-read!

[Caitlin Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story! The chapters alternate points of view narration between the two main characters, which adds to the building suspense as each one describes not only what is going on with them, and what they see the other character doing, but also makes veiled references to "something else" that is going on for each of them. The author did a good job keeping the narrative moving without giving away what secrets both people were keeping, and the final reveal at the end was well-crafted. This is a story that you won't want to put down until you reach the end!