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The Retreat
PART OF THE NORTHERN WEIRD PROJECT
Richard’s sister Julie returns home from a mysterious wellness facility in remote Cumbria in 1994. He’s convinced that this place was a cult and was the cause of his sister’s eventual suicide. Finally, after years as an unaccomplished academic, he decides to investigate the disturbing accusations against the Hartman Retreat Centre. Then he meets Lucy, a young woman whose story is eerily similar to his sister’s decades before. Richard is determined to unearth what’s really been happening at the Hartman Retreat Centre but more importantly, who is Charles Hartman, the celebrated healer who casts a powerful hold over all who come to the retreat.
Told through letters, interviews and found texts, lovers of Gemma Fairclough’s Bear Season will be swept up in a sinister world of wellness gurus and mystery.
Richard’s sister Julie returns home from a mysterious wellness facility in remote Cumbria in 1994. He’s convinced that this place was a cult and was the cause of his sister’s eventual suicide. Finally, after years as an unaccomplished academic, he decides to investigate the disturbing accusations against the Hartman Retreat Centre. Then he meets Lucy, a young woman whose story is eerily similar to his sister’s decades before. Richard is determined to unearth what’s really been happening at the Hartman Retreat Centre but more importantly, who is Charles Hartman, the celebrated healer who casts a powerful hold over all who come to the retreat.
Told through letters, interviews and found texts, lovers of Gemma Fairclough’s Bear Season will be swept up in a sinister world of wellness gurus and mystery.
196 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2025
7 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 18, 2025
Loved this – the best book from Wild Hunt Books’ Northern Weird Project so far. As in her excellent debut Bear Season, Gemma Fairclough uses different formats (letters, blog posts, an interview transcript and the framing device of a non-fiction narrative) to fabulous effect. Main narrator Richard is trying to find out what really happened to his sister, Julie, who took her own life shortly after spending time at a mysterious ‘wellness retreat’ in the Lake District. It’s unputdownable, thoughtful on themes of chronic illness and wellness culture, and also incorporates the Northern theme seamlessly. Reminded me of
Plunge Hill: A Case Study
and Come Join Our Disease. Fairclough is the real deal, a proper talent, can’t wait to read more from her.
I received an advance review copy of The Retreat from the publisher, Wild Hunt Books.
I received an advance review copy of The Retreat from the publisher, Wild Hunt Books.
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May 22, 2025Oh boy, I'll have a review for this too!
October 26, 2025
Chilling and addictive!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The unique plot and writing style of this book was a welcome change from the typical genres I have read this year. I was absolutely gripped from the first page and hardly put it down!
The different perspectives in this book painted such a great picture of the retreat and the effects it has had on the characters, truly spooky. I would absolutely recommend.
The unique plot and writing style of this book was a welcome change from the typical genres I have read this year. I was absolutely gripped from the first page and hardly put it down!
The different perspectives in this book painted such a great picture of the retreat and the effects it has had on the characters, truly spooky. I would absolutely recommend.
September 2, 2025
This arrived yesterday in the latest consignment from Wild Hunt Books and it had me up till the early hours reading!
Another amazing title from The Northern Weird Project.
There is just the right level of tension, unease and creeping dread within these pages, the sense of something seriously off kilter.
I love the writing style, written as a transcript and set of interviews. It really works in maintainijng the story arc. The characters are so well written and the atmosphere and sense of place is beautifully conjured.
Again with this series, I don't want to give too much away in the review so I'll just say this book had me reading till nearly dawn to finish it.
5 stars, all the best things, Gemma you have made a Northerner a very happy reader.
Another amazing title from The Northern Weird Project.
There is just the right level of tension, unease and creeping dread within these pages, the sense of something seriously off kilter.
I love the writing style, written as a transcript and set of interviews. It really works in maintainijng the story arc. The characters are so well written and the atmosphere and sense of place is beautifully conjured.
Again with this series, I don't want to give too much away in the review so I'll just say this book had me reading till nearly dawn to finish it.
5 stars, all the best things, Gemma you have made a Northerner a very happy reader.
September 24, 2025
A really well written, pacy novella with plenty of human grit, potential weirdness - and a nice degree of ambiguity to keep them in balance. It gets surprisingly dark by the end and I’m glad that the stranger elements aren’t over-resolved. I read this is one fast sitting.
September 19, 2025
There’s something insidious about wellness culture. Particularly in our modern age, where the internet is stuffed with drinks and powders that will make you lose weight or gain muscle, or Instagram pages dedicating to making YOU, yes you, you loser, find a new balance in your life through following these simple steps (and maybe also paying a shit load of money for a pyramid scheme course). And whilst there are of course plenty of wellness products, coaches, courses and retreats that are genuinely set up to help people, it speaks volumes that the horror genre has had its far share of stories centred around wellness.
Brian McAuley’s Breathe In, Bleed Out is a Scream-style slasher by way of yoga classes; Mona Awad’s Rouge is a grief-horror that tackles mother-daughter relationships in the modern beauty & wellness spa industry; Eliza Clark’s She’s Always Hungry has a few shorts in there that deal with beauty products having monstrous effects. And now, Gemma Fairclough pens a paranoia inducing epistolary romp through the seduced North West of England countryside, and encounters a tale of folkloric mystery, in the latest novella from Wild Hunt books Northern Weird project, The Retreat.
Told through a collection of blog posts, interview transcripts, news article snippets, and letters, The Retreat pieces together the investigation of Richard, an avid rambler, into an exclusive, tucked away wellness retreat that may have been responsible for his sisters death over 30 years previous. We are taken on a journey that peels back its layer through suggestion and interpretation, more so than distinct and obvious fact. And by that I mean that The Retreat is a story that presents an eclectic mixture of tidbits that tell a portion of a story, but it becomes very much about what you think is real, what is fake, what is paranoid delusion, fact & fantasy. What this does is creates an intriguing story of suspense, as we discover a series of unsettling events that all link back to the Hartman Retreat, the name of the house and wellness centre that this story pivots upon. It always feels like a sinister presence, even in seemingly unrelated blog posts from Richard’s own popular walking blog.
Piecing together these moments of “evidence” felt to me – and this may be an odd comparison – to Dark Souls or Elden Ring. Each time you read another portion of this story, whether it be a transcript of Richard’s interview with someone who had previously visited the centre, or a newspaper clipping from the time of his sisters death, each one uncovers something new and has the potential to recontextualise what’s come before. My partner and I read this one together, and we found that we both had different ideas of what was actually going on come the end of the novella, which made for some genuinely interesting discussions (normally we just sit in silence and sometimes fart in one another’s direction).
Not only this, it’s a story that feels very set in the natural beauty of the northern countryside. Cumbria is a stunning part of the UK, and the moments where we focus on this setting, you can tell that Fairclough has a lot of love for this place. It explores how this insidious centre becomes a scar on this area of natural beauty, and how the lands own folklore myth bleeds its way into the way that the centre treats its “guests”.
The Retreat is a compelling and riveting read, one that intrigues you with its mystery, and its personal connections to those involved in the seeming mistreatings of the Hartman Centre. In its presentation, it leaves you with a sense of unquiet and keeps you thinking long after the final lines is read. I’d highly recommend this if you’re looking for something that want to read with a group of people, because the discussions you’ll have the end will be wildly different, and the only adds to the novellas mystique!
With thanks to Wild Hunt Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Brian McAuley’s Breathe In, Bleed Out is a Scream-style slasher by way of yoga classes; Mona Awad’s Rouge is a grief-horror that tackles mother-daughter relationships in the modern beauty & wellness spa industry; Eliza Clark’s She’s Always Hungry has a few shorts in there that deal with beauty products having monstrous effects. And now, Gemma Fairclough pens a paranoia inducing epistolary romp through the seduced North West of England countryside, and encounters a tale of folkloric mystery, in the latest novella from Wild Hunt books Northern Weird project, The Retreat.
Told through a collection of blog posts, interview transcripts, news article snippets, and letters, The Retreat pieces together the investigation of Richard, an avid rambler, into an exclusive, tucked away wellness retreat that may have been responsible for his sisters death over 30 years previous. We are taken on a journey that peels back its layer through suggestion and interpretation, more so than distinct and obvious fact. And by that I mean that The Retreat is a story that presents an eclectic mixture of tidbits that tell a portion of a story, but it becomes very much about what you think is real, what is fake, what is paranoid delusion, fact & fantasy. What this does is creates an intriguing story of suspense, as we discover a series of unsettling events that all link back to the Hartman Retreat, the name of the house and wellness centre that this story pivots upon. It always feels like a sinister presence, even in seemingly unrelated blog posts from Richard’s own popular walking blog.
Piecing together these moments of “evidence” felt to me – and this may be an odd comparison – to Dark Souls or Elden Ring. Each time you read another portion of this story, whether it be a transcript of Richard’s interview with someone who had previously visited the centre, or a newspaper clipping from the time of his sisters death, each one uncovers something new and has the potential to recontextualise what’s come before. My partner and I read this one together, and we found that we both had different ideas of what was actually going on come the end of the novella, which made for some genuinely interesting discussions (normally we just sit in silence and sometimes fart in one another’s direction).
Not only this, it’s a story that feels very set in the natural beauty of the northern countryside. Cumbria is a stunning part of the UK, and the moments where we focus on this setting, you can tell that Fairclough has a lot of love for this place. It explores how this insidious centre becomes a scar on this area of natural beauty, and how the lands own folklore myth bleeds its way into the way that the centre treats its “guests”.
The Retreat is a compelling and riveting read, one that intrigues you with its mystery, and its personal connections to those involved in the seeming mistreatings of the Hartman Centre. In its presentation, it leaves you with a sense of unquiet and keeps you thinking long after the final lines is read. I’d highly recommend this if you’re looking for something that want to read with a group of people, because the discussions you’ll have the end will be wildly different, and the only adds to the novellas mystique!
With thanks to Wild Hunt Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 18, 2025
Damn, this book is good.
The framing for The Retreat is so accomplished and perfectly handled. There are stories within stories, snippets of conversation transcripts, blog posts, and letters, which in the hands of a lesser writer might have become messy, but the pacing of the action and ordering of information is pitch perfect. All of this feeds into the unsettling vibe humming beneath the surface of this story.
There’s this sense, too, that the events of The Retreat could really happen. The characters and their interpersonal relationships are so well-observed, the ‘treatments’ and their effects so plausible, you find yourself understanding how this type of establishment exists and succeeds. And, of course, this makes it all the more horrifying.
A compelling, riveting read.
The framing for The Retreat is so accomplished and perfectly handled. There are stories within stories, snippets of conversation transcripts, blog posts, and letters, which in the hands of a lesser writer might have become messy, but the pacing of the action and ordering of information is pitch perfect. All of this feeds into the unsettling vibe humming beneath the surface of this story.
There’s this sense, too, that the events of The Retreat could really happen. The characters and their interpersonal relationships are so well-observed, the ‘treatments’ and their effects so plausible, you find yourself understanding how this type of establishment exists and succeeds. And, of course, this makes it all the more horrifying.
A compelling, riveting read.
June 28, 2025
this is very exciting and I can't wait and I want this cover as a poster
June 14, 2025
love me stories about how fucked up alternative wellness can get
September 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
This novella was INCREDIBLE.
Fairclough uses a variety of formats (letters, transcripts, blog posts) to tell this story of a mysterious wellness clinic. This story weaves themes around cults, spirituality, wellness and chronic illness to tell Richard’s story, in which he tries to find out what led to his sisters death.
The entire vibe of this novella was unnerving, and leaves you questioning what’s real, and what’s fake.
This novella releases soon and I really recommend checking it out!!
This novella was INCREDIBLE.
Fairclough uses a variety of formats (letters, transcripts, blog posts) to tell this story of a mysterious wellness clinic. This story weaves themes around cults, spirituality, wellness and chronic illness to tell Richard’s story, in which he tries to find out what led to his sisters death.
The entire vibe of this novella was unnerving, and leaves you questioning what’s real, and what’s fake.
This novella releases soon and I really recommend checking it out!!
October 22, 2025
It’s 1994, when Richard Blackley’s troubled sister Julie returns from a wellness retreat, she’s a shadow of her former self. Refusing her family’s help she commits suicide aged just thirty.
Her death has understandably fragmented the family so, many years later, in an effort to try and discover what drove her to do this, Richard starts to delve deeper into the Hartman Retreat Centre. During his investigations he meets Lucy, a former visitor to the centre and whose story sounded oddly similar to Julie’s. Just what power does the esteemed healer Charles Hartman have over all these people who have come seeking solace in the remote Cumbrian countryside? Richard’s determined to find out - but at what cost?
This is a relatively short novella, Judy over 200 pages, but it certainly still packs a punch. The story is revealed through different formats; transcripts, first person narrative, blog posts and it all comes together perfectly. The death of Richard’s sister starts the story off with a bang and there’s a deepening sense of unease and suspicion as the pages turn. Nothing feels right here, but how can it be fixed?
I love a good cult story and this didn’t disappoint. With intriguing characters and a creepy and isolated location, this was a wonderfully chilling and unsettling quick read.
The Retreat is a part of the Northern Weird project, a collection of six pocket sized novellas by authors who live and write in the North of England. Incorporating eerie and uncanny incidents, these novellas investigate aspects of the North through setting, subject and character.
Recommended!
Her death has understandably fragmented the family so, many years later, in an effort to try and discover what drove her to do this, Richard starts to delve deeper into the Hartman Retreat Centre. During his investigations he meets Lucy, a former visitor to the centre and whose story sounded oddly similar to Julie’s. Just what power does the esteemed healer Charles Hartman have over all these people who have come seeking solace in the remote Cumbrian countryside? Richard’s determined to find out - but at what cost?
This is a relatively short novella, Judy over 200 pages, but it certainly still packs a punch. The story is revealed through different formats; transcripts, first person narrative, blog posts and it all comes together perfectly. The death of Richard’s sister starts the story off with a bang and there’s a deepening sense of unease and suspicion as the pages turn. Nothing feels right here, but how can it be fixed?
I love a good cult story and this didn’t disappoint. With intriguing characters and a creepy and isolated location, this was a wonderfully chilling and unsettling quick read.
The Retreat is a part of the Northern Weird project, a collection of six pocket sized novellas by authors who live and write in the North of England. Incorporating eerie and uncanny incidents, these novellas investigate aspects of the North through setting, subject and character.
Recommended!
July 26, 2025
'The Retreat' by Gemma Fairclough is the 4th Novella in Wild Hunt's Northern Weird Project series 💛 thank you so much to Wild Hunt for my early copy - out in the UK on the 18th of September.
This novella follows Richard who following the death of his sister starts investigating the health retreat centre where she was being "treated".
This was fantastic. Gemma Fairclough effortlessly blends interview transcripts, letters and memoir-esque sections for something that is overall very unsettling. Cult elements are mixed with nature inspired folk-lore with ease as Gemma weaves a tale of how we treat grief, loss and illness. What is creepy about this novella is that this could actually be happening and we'd never know. This is the first time I've ever read anything where the characters were from Salford like me! It was so cool to have places mentioned that I recognized.
Still after finishing I have no idea what was real and what was not? Was anyone telling the truth was no-one? Honestly either way it doesn't take away my enjoyment of the story.
This is one of my favorites from the Northern Weird Project so far.
This novella follows Richard who following the death of his sister starts investigating the health retreat centre where she was being "treated".
This was fantastic. Gemma Fairclough effortlessly blends interview transcripts, letters and memoir-esque sections for something that is overall very unsettling. Cult elements are mixed with nature inspired folk-lore with ease as Gemma weaves a tale of how we treat grief, loss and illness. What is creepy about this novella is that this could actually be happening and we'd never know. This is the first time I've ever read anything where the characters were from Salford like me! It was so cool to have places mentioned that I recognized.
Still after finishing I have no idea what was real and what was not? Was anyone telling the truth was no-one? Honestly either way it doesn't take away my enjoyment of the story.
This is one of my favorites from the Northern Weird Project so far.
October 17, 2025
Reading other reviews I feel like I read a different book! Enjoyed most of it but the ending just seemed very sudden and a waste.
June 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. A short horror novella, but I’d say it has more elements of a psychological thriller too. Set in the Lake District, England. Richard takes a sinister dive into the cultish alternative wellness retreat his sitter attended. Despite being short, it was packed full of twists, turns, and had you a little unnerved. (No spoilers). 5 Stars.
A must read if you fancy something a little different.
This is part of - The Northern Weird Project is six fantastic pocket-sized novellas from authors based in the North of England and who are also engaging with the North as setting, subject and character.
The novellas incorporate eerie and uncanny incidents including a strange occurrence on a train, a young boy’s disappearance in a village, a grieving couple renovating a haunted house, a group of mysterious strangers by the beach, a sinister wellness retreat and the unearthed danger beneath an ancient peat bog.
The novellas will transport readers into the strange and dangerous corners of the North, and it will be impossible not to read each book in one sitting.
June 26, 2025
Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Retreat by Gemma Fairclough from Wild Hunt Books. It is currently available for purchase from their website.
The Retreat by Gemma Fairclough is a novella from The Northern Weird Project. The project features books about strange happenings in Northern England. The Retreat appealed to me because it is told in a nontraditional way (through interviews and journal-type entries) but also involves a wellness retreat that might be a cult. It was really engrossing. I could have read even more. And while this is fiction, it tracks with the stories you hear of so many wellness scams. Maybe they don't have mysterious entities punishing the less devoted, but you never know! If you are into books about cults, mysterious disappearances, and/or wellness, give this one a go.
The Retreat by Gemma Fairclough is a novella from The Northern Weird Project. The project features books about strange happenings in Northern England. The Retreat appealed to me because it is told in a nontraditional way (through interviews and journal-type entries) but also involves a wellness retreat that might be a cult. It was really engrossing. I could have read even more. And while this is fiction, it tracks with the stories you hear of so many wellness scams. Maybe they don't have mysterious entities punishing the less devoted, but you never know! If you are into books about cults, mysterious disappearances, and/or wellness, give this one a go.
September 22, 2025
Another very creepy story from the northern weird project! I am thoroughly enjoying all of these, and this one is no exception! The Retreat is a collection of transcripts, blog posts and letters about a healing retreat in the mountains that may or may not be a cult. Gah! This freaked me out good and reminded me so much of the NXIVM cult in California years ago in the way the owner of the retreat, Charles Hartman is a guru/godlike figure that supposedly is a healer. The story follows Richard who is determined to find out what happened to his sister after her death. Gemma did an excellent job of making me believe one thing and then constantly questioning what the reality of the situation was. Incredibly well written and so compelling, I couldn’t put this one down! Thank you so much to Wild Hunt Books for the arc and this one releases September 18
November 8, 2025
The Retreat by Gemma Fairclough
Part of the Northern Weird Project
"Even though she's supposed to be my friend, if she goes down, I'm not going down with her. I'm determined to stay at the retreat. I'm determined to heal. It's all I care about anymore."
The Retreat is an unsettling novella about obsession, belief, and the dangerous pursuit of healing. Twenty years after his sister Julie’s death following her stay at an isolated wellness centre in Cumbria, Richard begins to investigate what really happened there. Haunted by guilt and regret for not being able to help her when she was alive, he becomes consumed by the need to understand the place that promised transformation but delivered only loss. What begins as an act of remembrance soon turns into obsession. Richard’s determination to expose the truth mirrors the retreat’s own hold over its residents: both promise salvation, at any cost.
Told through transcripts, interviews, and found documents, Fairclough crafts a layered narrative that blends mystery, gothic unease, and sharp social commentary on wellness and healing. I was particularly drawn to the character of Lucy and her accounts of her time at the retreat. These sections offer the clearest glimpse into its inner workings: the rituals, the control, the slow slide from community into cult. This is where the story feels most vivid and unsettling, and where I longed to linger longer. Yet the fragmented, transcript-style structure is also one of the novella’s strengths: it leaves deliberate gaps and unanswered questions, creating an atmosphere of ambiguity that lingers long after reading. The result is a narrative that feels both intimate and elusive, eerie in what it reveals and what it withholds.
A haunting and intelligent novella, The Retreat captures the human need to believe in something, even when it hurts us. A four star read for me!
Part of the Northern Weird Project
"Even though she's supposed to be my friend, if she goes down, I'm not going down with her. I'm determined to stay at the retreat. I'm determined to heal. It's all I care about anymore."
The Retreat is an unsettling novella about obsession, belief, and the dangerous pursuit of healing. Twenty years after his sister Julie’s death following her stay at an isolated wellness centre in Cumbria, Richard begins to investigate what really happened there. Haunted by guilt and regret for not being able to help her when she was alive, he becomes consumed by the need to understand the place that promised transformation but delivered only loss. What begins as an act of remembrance soon turns into obsession. Richard’s determination to expose the truth mirrors the retreat’s own hold over its residents: both promise salvation, at any cost.
Told through transcripts, interviews, and found documents, Fairclough crafts a layered narrative that blends mystery, gothic unease, and sharp social commentary on wellness and healing. I was particularly drawn to the character of Lucy and her accounts of her time at the retreat. These sections offer the clearest glimpse into its inner workings: the rituals, the control, the slow slide from community into cult. This is where the story feels most vivid and unsettling, and where I longed to linger longer. Yet the fragmented, transcript-style structure is also one of the novella’s strengths: it leaves deliberate gaps and unanswered questions, creating an atmosphere of ambiguity that lingers long after reading. The result is a narrative that feels both intimate and elusive, eerie in what it reveals and what it withholds.
A haunting and intelligent novella, The Retreat captures the human need to believe in something, even when it hurts us. A four star read for me!
June 7, 2025
"We're told the rashes are our toxic thoughts rising to the surface of our bodies, to be shed like snakeskin..."
This novella is part of the Northern Weird series from Wild Hunt books. It's labelled as horror on GoodReads, but also has elements of a psychological thriller, and might appeal to fans of Carole Hailey and Sarah Pearse. It's an entertaining read - archly witty and page-turning - delving into the malignant reverberations of a "wellness" retreat in the Lake District.
It was a pleasure to read a book set in the North of England with familiar settings and characters who felt utterly convincing - especially the slightly pompous Richard (shades of Adrian Mole) and the convoluted friendship of Lucy and Faith. Overall, this was an excellent short read. I look forward to catching up with Gemma Fairclough's debut novel, Bear Season.
NB Content warnings may be unnecessary for a book labelled 'horror', but it's perhaps worth noting that there are some potentially triggering topics in this story, for example .
Many thanks to Wild Hunt books for the advance copy.
This novella is part of the Northern Weird series from Wild Hunt books. It's labelled as horror on GoodReads, but also has elements of a psychological thriller, and might appeal to fans of Carole Hailey and Sarah Pearse. It's an entertaining read - archly witty and page-turning - delving into the malignant reverberations of a "wellness" retreat in the Lake District.
It was a pleasure to read a book set in the North of England with familiar settings and characters who felt utterly convincing - especially the slightly pompous Richard (shades of Adrian Mole) and the convoluted friendship of Lucy and Faith. Overall, this was an excellent short read. I look forward to catching up with Gemma Fairclough's debut novel, Bear Season.
NB Content warnings may be unnecessary for a book labelled 'horror', but it's perhaps worth noting that there are some potentially triggering topics in this story, for example .
Many thanks to Wild Hunt books for the advance copy.
September 26, 2025
This was a very intriguing and quite dark novella! I was fascinated by Richard and the story of his sister Julie and the cult. Even though the reader doesn't get to see what happened to Julie at the 'retreat', I love that the story introduces Lucy, another member who experienced the truth of the place which gives the reader an idea of what happened with Julie.
The story was quite darkly terrifying, knowing that these types of places exist and brain wash people like this. I was unsure where the story was going to go but the horror slowly creeps up on you as you realise and I thought it was written briliantly to keep me invested in the story.
I loved how dark the ending is and how Richard's daughter finishes the novel with a letter which was quite eye opening, especially after everything I'd read. This is a strange yet disturbing novella that takes unexpected turns that surprised me throughout.
The story was quite darkly terrifying, knowing that these types of places exist and brain wash people like this. I was unsure where the story was going to go but the horror slowly creeps up on you as you realise and I thought it was written briliantly to keep me invested in the story.
I loved how dark the ending is and how Richard's daughter finishes the novel with a letter which was quite eye opening, especially after everything I'd read. This is a strange yet disturbing novella that takes unexpected turns that surprised me throughout.
December 14, 2025
The retreat by Gemma Fairclough is a raw, disturbing story about a cult. Told through interviews done by our main character who lost his sister to the same cult. The cult is described as a wellness retreat.
I love stories that slowly unfold, that slowly leave little hints along the way for you to wonder, wait, does that mean what I think it means? This story did just that. I loved how Gemma showed the alure of the retreat by showing us what people turn to when modern medicine can't help. It really seemed like your walking the same journey with our characters.
The only thing that I felt unsure about was how sped up the ending seemed but this is a Novella and so perhaps that was on purpose. This book is part of the Northern Weird project and I'm excited to read more!
I love stories that slowly unfold, that slowly leave little hints along the way for you to wonder, wait, does that mean what I think it means? This story did just that. I loved how Gemma showed the alure of the retreat by showing us what people turn to when modern medicine can't help. It really seemed like your walking the same journey with our characters.
The only thing that I felt unsure about was how sped up the ending seemed but this is a Novella and so perhaps that was on purpose. This book is part of the Northern Weird project and I'm excited to read more!
October 13, 2025
3★'s it was a strange and eerie novella about a retreat house that turns out to be a cult. some parts reminded me of my own experiences with overly devout believers and a toxic friendship. it definitely gave me the creeps as it went darker, but i found the ending a little unsatisfying, i wanted more answers. i needed some justice. maybe it would’ve worked better as a full novel.
i also really liked the writing style told through letters, transcripts, and interviews, which reminded me of some japanese thrillers i’ve read. the format kept me hooked and was easy to follow. i'd definitely recommend this to readers who'd want to read something weird and creepy.
i also really liked the writing style told through letters, transcripts, and interviews, which reminded me of some japanese thrillers i’ve read. the format kept me hooked and was easy to follow. i'd definitely recommend this to readers who'd want to read something weird and creepy.
December 25, 2025
really spooky book and really captivating way of telling the story! With the little articles from the reporter in between, starts off spooky and ends up quite terrifying.
very scary the fact that the retreat and owner of the retreat make so much sense that you start to wonder how you'd cope in that situation and if you'd get sucked in to the lies or if you'd see sense and leave the place.
really really cool book I really recommend
very scary the fact that the retreat and owner of the retreat make so much sense that you start to wonder how you'd cope in that situation and if you'd get sucked in to the lies or if you'd see sense and leave the place.
really really cool book I really recommend
May 25, 2025
Eerie and unsettling, The Retreat draws you in, weaving a sense of uncertainty as it blurs the lines between fiction and reality. A commentary on the cultish possibilities of wellness culture, this book felt real, and that’s what makes it so frightening. I took one bite of this book and couldn’t stop until I’d devoured it all.
September 22, 2025
4.5, definitely my favourite of the project so far
September 27, 2025
Frickin hippies.
October 7, 2025
I love epistolary fiction so this was right up my street. This is a disturbing read and one which left me with a lot of questions. Overall, this is 4.5* rounded up to 5. I wanted more!
October 11, 2025
The plot was amazing but where is the damn climax. it ended so abruptly. Am I missing something???
November 24, 2025
Content warning:
Phenomenal! I was drawn in from the start.
Phenomenal! I was drawn in from the start.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews